Residents who forget to flush will now be reminded to be kind to fellow public toilet-users by quotes from pop song lyrics, and people who love to shout into their cellphones at inappropriate times will be exhorted to go silent. 

It is the latest attempt by municipal authorities to improve the behavior of the capital's citizens by thinking up new slogans which are more appealing to a modern age.

Tang Zhihua, from the Beijing Municipal Party Committee, told the Global Times Thursday that by March next year, there will be 100,000 of the new signs on display in public places, including shops, airports, hotels and residential communities.

Tang, who is the director of the publicity department of the society construction work office under the committee, said that Beijing is still not as civilized as is desired.

The move to introduce the new mottos in more public places will make it easier for the public to receive guidance about any potential bad behavior, he said. They are less preachy in tone, which is why trendy words and song lyrics have been used.

"I don't think bad behavior will disappear if the slogans have bossy wordings," said Tang.

"Suggestive and gentle wording is more acceptable to people, helping to awaken their self-awareness in improving their behavior," he noted.

Some 300 examples of new maxims are available on the official website of the work office Thursday.

A slogan to remind residents to flush the toilet reads "After you finish answering nature's call, please 'Wash, brush and brush!'"

The words "Wash, brush and brush" are from the lyrics of a popular song "Xi Shua Shua." The Chinese words "xi" and "shua" respectively have the same meaning as "wash" and "brush."

To remind people to take care of trees, another slogan reads "A tree cherishes its bark just as a woman cherishes her face. Leave no mark on the bark."

Su Yao, a Beijing resident living in Chaoyang district, said she thinks the new slogans are more impressive and interesting than previous signs.

"The old ones are more serious," she said.

"As far as I remember, there was 'Don't step on me' on the grass in the parks, 'You are obliged to save any drip of water,' and 'Civilized Chaoyang [district]' along Chaoyang Lu in the past," said Su.

The English slogan "Civilized Chaoyang, Magnificent with Me" on billboards across Chaoyang district sparked controversy over its translation from both domestic and foreign readers as soon as it appeared in 2010.

Since the slogan confused many foreigners and also made it sound like the capital's other districts are barbaric, the district government finally decided to remove the English slogan at the end of 2010, replacing it with the Chinese version only. 

Tang said that they have not considered translating these new slogans into English yet.

"If necessary we will invite some language experts to translate them properly and put them in places that foreigners frequent," he said.

Shi Yi, a professor with the English department of China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times that it is not easy to translate Chinese slogans into English since the content is based on profound Chinese culture.

"No matter whether it is translated directly or according to the meaning, the translation job should take full consideration of the foreigners' understanding and sensibility," she said.

Words to live by

Examples of the new mottos, with translations by Global Times.

Please appreciate my smiling face but don't break my slender waist.  (Don't rampage on the grass in the park.)

Walk like a cat when stepping on the stairs.  (Don't stomp when you come home/go to an exhibition.)

Give your cellphone a good and quiet rest here. (Stop playing with Weibo in meetings.)

I get stinky after you get comfortable, so remember to flush me. (We don't want to clean up your mess.)

Don't make me shed tears without a good reason. (Don't let the tap run like a fountain.)