What is so unusual in the apartment of a resident of China

The days when China was a poor country are long gone. At first glance, the modern megalopolises of the Celestial Empire are indistinguishable from residential complexes in Moscow or Russian cities with a population of over one million. It would seem that all these are the same type of buildings, and the internal layout should be the same in our countries. But in fact, there are significant differences in Chinese apartments, which made an ambiguous impression on me.

I must confess that I was struck by houses with bars on windows and balconies, regardless of the floor. We didn't have that even in the 1990s. I can still understand when grates on the first and last floors or in high-rise buildings are for safety. But on the second and third - I do not understand this. In addition, in old buildings it looks, frankly, scary. Although in modern high-rise buildings, everything is done more stylishly, and the grilles organically fit into the design without being striking.

Sometimes only half of the window is barred, which is not at all typical for Russia.

Frames in China are special - there are also sliding ones, but more often they open not inward, but outward. I don't like the last option at all: what if there is a strong wind? He'll just break the glass.

The interior layout is also very peculiar. We are accustomed to a hallway, but in Chinese apartments there is none, and the tenant immediately gets into the living room.

To be honest, I don't really like this approach. There is a coat, a rug for outdoor shoes, a sofa with a TV - and even a dining table. Reminds of a room in a communal apartment. For us, the hallway is a special world that has no place in the living room.

Chinese cuisine, by our standards, is just some kind of closet. There you can only cook and store food, but you have to eat in the living room. But what shocked me the most was the gas stove without the oven! But what about casseroles, cookies, pies? But the Chinese seem to prefer catering. For us, the kitchen is the place where the family gathers at the dinner table, discusses problems, watches TV.

Toilet and shower (just a shower, not a bath, as we have) are combined. But there are also colorful features here. In addition to the usual toilet bowls, familiar to any Russian, in China there are often structures at the floor level (you will not find this in our apartments!).

In addition, the shower is not fenced, and the water flows either into a special drain or into such a "floor-standing" toilet. The shower room is decorated with windows with views. You wash and admire the panorama of the city or the neighboring house. Baths, of course, are also found: there are no rules without exceptions.

There is also a small corner in the Chinese apartment. This is a kind of laundry closet: this is where the washing machine is located. I liked this unusual solution.

Decorating a Chinese apartment is a special song. We prefer wood because we have a lot of it, and tiled floors are common in China - even in the bedroom and living room. It can be made under a tree. But in elite housing not tiles, but marble - but is it real? After all, resourceful Chinese can imitate anything under this breed. Frankly, I would be uncomfortable with a tiled floor.

In China, the walls of living quarters are simply painted over the entire area in white or other light shades. In principle, it is convenient: beautiful, durable and goes well with any furniture. But still, it’s somehow unusual without wallpaper.

What features of Chinese apartments do you remember and what is your attitude towards them? It will be interesting to know your opinion.