Are Chinese People Completely Mad?

After the coldest winter in China for 30 years coupled with a smogapocalypse the likes of which the world has never before seen, the people of Zhengzhou have been blessed with a freak early March heatwave. It was snowing only two weeks ago but as soon as the mercury hit 20c I ditched the thermals, coat, jacket, jumper, gloves, hat and mask with a sigh of relief. I could once again start wearing my trademark black t-shirt (being a fatty) and jeans.The rising temperatures showed no signs of abating soaring to the dizzying heights of 30c yesterday.

A bus crash on a hot day in Zhengzhou. Notice the coats and jackets!

But if I took a photograph of the people in the street  you'd think it was a bright, sunny, mid-winters day. Despite the mid boggling March temperatures,the masses insist on wrapping up. Cycling around the city in my t-shirt and boardies (It was bloody hot yesterday) I saw people wearing woolie hats, gloves, thick fur coats and even one or two in balaclavas.

February in Zhengzhou. Snow covers the old campus of the Henan Agricultural University. Where I live. 

I asked a young boy with a jumper and coat on whether he was hot.
"No"
I could see the sweat on his forehead.
"Really", I said looking at him dubiously,
"Ja de" (Not really)
"Wo ri si le" (I'm so hot I could die!!!)

(I switched to English as my Chinese plainly sucks, as my student Silvia who is overseeing this blogpost has kindly pointed out)

"Why don't you take your coat off"? It seemed like a legitimate question.
"No", he said unceremoniously, before walking off.

Asking someone who spoke better English, Why she was wearing a leather jacket, jumper and gloves in 30 degree heat, she said "Because it's March, it's too early to wear a summer dress, although I want to, everyone will think I'm mad, I best follow suit".

Did your school teacher ever ask you whether you would "jump off a cliff if....blah blah blah"? I bet they did. I reckon they might just say yes in the middle kingdom! 

Here's a picture just for fun. Jacket Potatoes with baked beans and cheese cooked by me in China. A very difficult task. But not as difficult as eating them with chopsticks!