Ask Uncle Wang

Source:Global Times Published: 2014-7-29 18:58:01

Q: Dear Uncle Wang,

I have heard that Shanghainese men make the best husbands in China. Why is that? What are their characteristics?

A: Shanghainese men have always had a reputation for being obedient husbands, and a recent ranking confirmed that. In a list of the most henpecked husbands in China that went viral on the Internet, the Shanghainese came in first, beating out husbands in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, Wuhan, Hubei Province and Chaozhou, Guangdong Province.

Shanghainese men are family men. They tend to put family first. They are just as good fathers as they are husbands. After they get married, they like to stay at home with their families, instead of going out with their friends.

Another characteristic of Shanghainese men is that they listen to their wives. They like to do their wives' bidding without complaint. When their wives have a bad day, they stay quiet and let their wives blow off steam.

Contrary to most men in China, Shanghainese men are willing to do housework, or at least share their chores with their wives.

Shanghainese men are good cooks as well. While they love to take their children for a fun day out, it is also their pleasure to put on an apron and cook a nice dinner for their families.

Perhaps due to the long influence of Western culture in Shanghai, Shanghainese men tend to be more well-groomed than men from other parts of China. Shanghainese men know how to dress well and make themselves look nice.

So in short, Shanghainese men are good to their family, but also presentable to other people. Women who marry Shanghainese men are considered the luckiest in China.

That said, some people criticize Shanghainese men for being calculating and stingy. For example, they bargain hard over the price of vegetables at a wet market and are less willing to pick up the check on a date. They are also seen as too submissive, leaving their wives to make many of the important family decisions by themselves. This, however, complements the personality of Shanghainese women, who are traditionally strong-willed.

Some Chinese women prefer men from Guangdong because, although they leave all the housework to the women, their wives don't have to worry about anything in a family.

It is also not easy for women from outside of Shanghai to marry Shanghainese men, because it is a common perception that Shanghainese look down upon people from other parts of China. So even if a Chinese woman finds a Shanghainese husband, dealing with his side of family can be problematic.

At the end of the day, whether a man is good for you all depends on personal feelings, not where he is from.



Posted in: Society, Metro Shanghai

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