The slang term 小资（xiao3 zi1) came up over dinner with my friends Min and Kai. I was discussing a Website I liked, and Min responded, “I don’t like that site. It’s too 小资.” Well, I had never heard the term. What is it? Min responded: “I don’t know how to translate it. People who are xiao zi like Western things, like to drink coffee at cafes…Shanghai is a very 小资.”
Huh? Well, down the rabbit hole I went to seek to understand this concept.
(Inspired by china/divide’s recent post with lots of eye candy, I thought I’d posts some attractive pictures evocative of the xiao zi concept.)
Where did this term come from? Originally, Karl Marx
The term is most directly translated as “petty” (Chinese) as in “petty bourgeoisie.” (Chinese) I shared with my friends that the term Petty Bourgeoisie has specific meaning in the Marxist conception of class, which through class struggle drives the progressive (dialectic materialist) development of history. The original “petty bourgeoisie” were the merchant, shopkeeper, small business owners.
But today’s xiaozi are not defined about how they make money, but how the spend it. The term, once used to mark those on the wrong side of the revolution, has now been co-opted by popular culture to mean something entirely different and not entirely negative.
My attempt at a definition
After consulting my friends and Twitter (thanks taweili!) Here’s my attempt at a definition:
小资 (Xiao3 Zi1) – people who enjoy fashion, brands, hobbies, and free thinking that is inspired by Western commercial and artistic culture. Similar to “yuppies” in the sense of youthful materialism, the term also carries a overtones of the creative, free-thinking state of being “hipsters.” However, this creativity and free-thinking is only within the bounds of what is socially acceptable within the xiaozi norm. There are many positive attributes of Xiaozi. To some it is a put-down. But to others, it is a compliment. Still others might use the term in a self-deprecating way to describe themselves.
What do you think about this definition? Agree? or disagree?
The best source I found was on Baidu’s wikipedia product called Baike. Their article on xiaozi here.
Quiz: Here’s 20 questions to determine if you or your Chinese friend is Xiaozi
- Are they jaded about Chinese national events, and resist being defined by “official” and mainstream culture?
- Do they like to sit in cafes? Do they like to drink coffee?
- Do they appreciate red wine (and really appreciate it, not mix it with Coke)?
- Do they crave outbound travel? Do they want to visit Tibet?
- Are they focused on self-expression through fashion? Do they look down on people who spend money on brands without true appreciation of fashion?
- Do they sometimes have a sense of being somehow different from the rest of society? That they are seeking something that cannot be found?
- Do they use their English name, even with other Chinese people?
- Do they like to socialize with foreigners? Do they like to date foreigners?
- Are they picky in their love life? Do they feel that most traditional members of the opposite sex don’t understand their love of life, and their need for creative self-definition? Attitude of “if I’m not in love, I’d rather die”
- Do they like foreign hobbies like Yoga? or Salza dancing?
- Do they known multiple languages? Do they have good scores on TOEFL, GRE, and other foreign placement tests?
- Do they like popular intellectual Western literature like Italo Calvino or Jorge Luis Borges?
- Do they like Western popular music, electronica or jazz?
- Do they tend to watch Western TV shows and like to complain about the low quality of Chinese media?
- Are they Web-savvy? Do they like Western Web 2.0 sites and the more clean Western aesthetic of Web design?
- Do they like all things Apple Computer?
- Do they like blocked Western Websites like Twitter and Facebook?
- Do they use Google, not Baidu?
- Do they use MSN messenger or Skype, but not QQ?
- Do they visit Douban, Onlylady or Rayli.com.cn?
What do you think? Does this capture the spirit of xiaozi or am I way off base?
Other Web links:
http://www.rayli.com.cn/0005/2009-12-01/L0005007_616097.html
http://www.xz-qd.com
http://baike.baidu.com/view/452.htm
From torisefromashes:
Starbucks is considered 小资, 安妮宝贝 and Eileen Chang’s writings are considered 小资
What is the opposite of 小资？ Is it 大资？
I don’t think there is an opposite!
In the traditional sense, the opposite of petty bourgeoisie might be “revolutionary vanguard” or something.
In the sense of “yuppie,” it might be someone who is not materialistic.
In the sense of “worshiping the West” the opposite might be traditional Chinese values.
In short, I don’t know!
It would be interesting to know. I will ask around.
Good post. I also stumbled upon this term when researching coffee drinking habits for Chinese youth. (http://enovatechina.com/blog/analysis-coffee-tea-in-chinas-changing-soceity/)
I think your definition is pretty on point but I would also add that there is a certain element of meaning which is derived from ‘xiaozi’ being opposed to/or a step on from ‘xiaokang’.
What’s your take on the relationship between the two?
LoL, what the random. The word is definitely in some ways like “yuppie” or “hipster”, but perhaps with some “internationalist” (or foreign worship) elements.
totally agree, I think “internationalist” is an important aspect of it.
Just made me think that Taipei, Hong Kong are outposts of 小資 and western brand lifestyle worshippers. Think that in the next few years in China this line will be more clearly marked, with some in the cities going completely 小資 while others will embrace Chinese trends and lifestyle (which have not yet been so clearly defined yet).
Kind of reminds me of the Treaty Port period in the second half of the 19th century in China. What’s old is new again!
Insightful point about regional differences and how the cities will all have their own flavor and preferences. I think its helpful to think of Beijing and Shanghai as separate “countries” in their own right when thinking about consumers…
Ah ya. This post is so 小资。
I’m pretty sure the two girls in the picture are Korean. Now Seoul is a 小资 stronghold.
Epicenter of 小资 characteristics in Beijing (NLGX-鼓楼).
I think different people have different understandings of the word. As long as my pay grade prevents me from understanding your life style, I can say that you’re Xiaozi. That’s my understanding.
OMG that is so funny. Yes of course I am 小资！I would wear the badge proudly and would not engage in self-criticism for this!
Try going beyond my imagination next time. LOL!
I totally agree that ‘internationalist’ is much better way of looking at it that any mention of ‘western’. To perhaps expand on what Anthony remarked on as Seoul being an ‘xiaozi’ stronghold – I think Korean dramas/Korean pop culture have had a great effect in shaping the ‘xiaozi’ mentality. More so than any other western import or not at least one that isn’t first put through a pan-Asian filter.
Simon, good point. In many way, elites in China are much more internationalist than US elites. There are so many brands competing for mindshare in China. Japanese. Korean. European.
I think Southeast Asia is also a candidate for being internationalist like Korea.
IMO, xiaozi or yuppies or hipsters any other comparable social group have specific attitude of being better than rest of the society. Betterness (is that valid word in English) must be showed off in particular way: having better clothes, reading better books, driving better cars… As foreign products aren’t widely available to domestic people (due prices and general availability) as domestic one, owning foreign goods tells that they can afford them so they are more capable, richer, generally more valuable than other in their proximity, in the line with “Grass is always greener on other side of fence”
I had never heard that term before but I guess it’s no surprise :lol:
Shanghai is definitely more 小资 than Beijing.
I believe Shanghai is known for being Xiaozi :)
These days, people tend to use that term in a derogatory way too
When this word has come up before with my Chinese friends, they invariably use the example of a rich Chinese guy who goes to Starbucks by himself to sit and look at English magazines (that he probably can’t really read) and drink coffee (that he probably doesn’t really like) because by doing so he indulges his sense of superiority and internationalism. But they still emphasized that it’s not entirely a bad thing.
Great post.
I wonder, though, if xiaozi reflects what is becoming a dominant cultural trend of materialist, conspicuous consumption. I’m thinking of Jing Wang’s book, Brand New China: Advertising, Media and Commercial Culture (Harvard 2008), where she talks about “emulative spending” (how consumers in “third tier” cities seek to emulate those in the first tier) and, even notes the rise of “bourgeois bohemians” in China. If all of this is true a question arises: however uncomfortable it may be for cultural traditionalists, is there really an alternative to xiaozi?
Although I’m western, it seems, accordingly to your Quizz, that i’m not 小资:
1. I like Chinese national events and mainstream culture.
2. I don’t like to sit in cafes and I don’t like drink coffee.
3. I hate wine.
4. I don’t have a great desire to travel outside China.
5. I am not focused on self-expression through fashion.
6. I don’t have a sense of being somehow different from the rest of (Chinese) society. I often feel more “Chinese minded” than western.
7. I like my Chinese name even I have to use my french name.
8. I prefer to socialize with Chinese people and my girlfriend is Chinese.
9. (Maybe, I don’t really get the meaning of this question)
10. I don’t like Yoga or Salza dancing.
13. I like Chinese music very much
14. I watch Western TV shows but never complain about the low quality of Chinese media.
17. I don’t like blocked Western Websites like Twitter and Facebook?
19. I almost only use QQ?
20. I don’t visit Douban, Onlylady or Rayli.com.cn (neither their western equivalents)
Is there one Chinese term to describe western people that are not 小资 ?
You are a Western equivalent of 小资 ;o) You prefer foreign culture to your own, use foreign (QQ) messenger rather than Western, don’t use Western social sites, feel “Chinese minded” rather than “French minded” etc. etc.
So being 小资 is almost like being 小布 but more international?
I have met both 小资 types and guqin-playing types. I’m not mainland Chinese myself (born overseas) but am taking this quiz for fun.
1. Not mainland Chinese but interested in national trends.
2. Do not like cafes. They are overpriced. Prefer tea.
3. Too poor to drink wine.
4. Yes, I would like to travel but not to Tibet (that’s for Western hippies)
5.Yes
6. Yes.
7.I don’t have or use an English name
8. Not particularly foreigner-obsessed.
9. too old to care about love.
10. yes
11. yes
12. too jaded to care about impressing people
13. no
14. I guess watching Korean movies is 小资
15. I visit Western sites because I’m more fluent in English
16. No
17. I live outside the GFW
18. yes
19. yes
20. no but this is because I live overseas.
As someone born abroad, I think I’m profoundly westernized in a way no 小资 can be…
This is funny! I’m currently in a class that just talks about the new Chinese words in this society. Like the slang that kids use. Will share more! :-)
People who are xiao zi like Western things? No true. Xiao zi and western things are not necessarily connected.
Nice Blog and very very interesting post
Greetings for all Chinese friends (xiaozi or not)…
From Argentina, at the other side of the world.
Pablo Aro Geraldes
http://www.arogeraldes.com
http://arogeraldes.blogspot.com/2007/02/chinos-en-la-argentina-tan-lejos-de.html
I wait your visit and your messages
the english slang you’re looking for is “bourgee” pronounced boo-jee.
http://onlineslangdictionary.com/definition+of/bourgee
it’s used in almost exactly the same way. “oh, that place is a bit bourgee”
Hi there Elliott,
Not sure I if registering http://www.xiaozi.cn.com was a good idea now or not !!!!???
Just reading about Techcrunch’s ‘Distrupt’ Beijing Nov 1st – are you planning to attend ? If so, I’ll check in with you on Twitter and we can maybe link up on Shhmooze when on the ground.
slan,
Newbie Irish galpal