Hair in China today--black is beautiful
By Zhu Qi (Shanghai Star)
Updated: 2004-07-20 09:54

My Israeli friend Inbal told me the other day that she likes Chinese people's hair black and straight. "Western people actually envy you Chinese guys with such beautiful hair," my friend said.

It's common in China nowadays for people, especially the young, to dye the hair into various colors. [file photo]

It's interesting, however, that it's not hard to notice large numbers of Chinese who have dyed their hair walking around Shanghai today.

Men and women, old and young, have chosen to abandon their natural hair colour. Look around the streets of Shanghai and I bet 80 per cent of the Chinese you see have changed their hair colour.

If you watch a soccer game between the Chinese national team and a Western team, it can be difficult to tell who is who simply by looking at their hair colour.

Driven by increasing demand, hair dyeing has become one of the most profitable businesses in hair salons. I remember that each time when I have gone to have my hair trimmed, the hairdressers ask the same question over and over: "Would you like to have your hair dyed?" Usually they say: "Look, your hair is too dark. If you have some lighter colour, you'll look more 'in'."

But what is on earth is wrong with my natural colour of black? I was born with it. An old Chinese saying goes like this: "Body, hair and skin come from your parents." We need to be careful about making changes to them.

I really don't know if blonde hair is fashionable or not but as I would no longer be myself with my hair dyed how come I would be "fashionable"? I do not see the logic here.

In the meantime, my other concern over hair dyeing is to do with keeping one's hair healthy. Although dyeing products are said to be safe, they are still chemicals. Look at people who have had their hair dyed - how many still enjoy the sleek and shiny hair they once had? Most hair that has been dyed looks dry and tarnished.

It's widely agreed that fashion trends in Chinese mainland have usually originated in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. It is these regions and countries who first imported the idea of associating fashion with Western hairstyles. However, lately more and more advertising featuring hair shampoos are using celebrities from these areas to show off their natural black hair. Maybe this trend will come to the mainland soon?

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