Spitting, littering and talking loudly! These definitely are not habits Chinese want to be known in the West or anywhere else in the world, for that matter. But unfortunately, that seems to be the overall impression, prompting even the Spiritual Civilization Steering Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee to issue guidelines for Chinese travellers.

The average Chinese knows the importance of hygiene, both domestic and civic. But despite its rapid industrial development, China basically remains an agricultural society. Perhaps therein lies the answer to people's habits.

But the times have changed, and are still changing. Keeping our environs clean is a civic necessity. And the sooner we accept that, the better for our health and hygiene.

Habits are either born out of necessity, learnt, or acquired. Over the passage of time, many of these have become a custom. Customs, as we know, are part of a culture. The way we treat guests, for instance, was not determined in a month, year or decade. It has taken centuries for certain customs to take cultural roots.

There is an intrinsic difference between the way guests are treated in the East and the West. Traditionally, guests are held in high esteem in Asian societies. A host bends over backwards to make a guest comfortable. Indians, for example, have a saying: A guest is similar to god.

In one sub-continental fable, a youth comes to a village during his quest to find his father's killer. Like the others of his community, he believes his father's soul will not rest in peace till he avenges his death.

He stays with a kind and generous old man, who lavishes him with hospitality. The youth understands many others before him have been treated with equal tenderness and care (as would be others after him). The next morning, when he is about to leave, the old man asks him the purpose of his visit. The youth is now overwhelmed by his host's open-heartedness because he realizes the kindness and generosity heaped upon him were without condition.

So after hesitating initially, he decides to be honest with his host. To his utmost surprise, the old man kneels down, his head bowed, and tells him to fulfil his mission. Many years ago, he says, circumstances had forced him into an encounter that killed the youth's father.

The youth is in a dilemma. He has to kill this man for his father's soul to rest in peace. But by doing so, he would deprive many other weary souls from getting the food and shelter the old man so lovingly provides. The youth walks away.

There's an Arabic version to this tale, in which the host is young too and it is the host's father who has been killed by the guest's father. What does the host do? He gives the stranger a camel and enough food to last till he crosses the desert and tells him to leave. But he has to honour tradition too. So he will start chasing him after a day.

The moral of the stories: Habits and customs are not always changed under force. They are changed according to the needs of the times and circumstances too. That's how mankind has been benefiting.

Well, there is another twist in the tales. In the West, hosts are not expected to bend over backwards to please their guests. On the contrary, it's the guest who has to be happy with whatever the host has to offer.

When we travel abroad, we do so as guests. No matter what our custom demands, we are bound to respect theirs too more so when it's for the general good of all.

Should not we break from our habits at home, instead of waiting to take a flight overseas?

Email: zouhr@chinadaily.com.hk

(China Daily 08/25/2006 page4)