Guest Author - Caroline Baker
It seems to be a common myth or stereotype that Chinese people are short. In fact, that is supported by the fact that based on national statistics; the average height of Chinese men is only 5ft 6.8in and for women only 5ft 2.4in. That's nearly half a foot shorter than most average heights for the Western world.
But as with all stereotypes, one can hardly say that all Chinese people are short. For surely, that cannot then explain Yao Ming, a 7ft 6in basketball center. Yao was born in Shanghai. Both his parents are also tall, towering at over 6ft each.
Perhaps it is regional. My family, which originated around the Shanghai area as well, has a mix of heights. My father is only 5ft 6in. But his younger brother is 6ft tall. And several of my cousins are nearly as tall as him. My one aunt is taller than my dad and my other is much shorter. And I personally fall well within what would be considered average height for a Chinese woman, which is much shorter than most of my Western friends.
Then there's the interesting fact that the tallest man alive is from China. Xi Shun, living in Inner Mongolia (which is considered Northern China), stands at 7ft 8.95in tall (just 0.05in taller than the previous holder of Tallest Man Living).
There is also my friend from college whose family came from Southern China. He was 6ft 1in tall and much taller than most of his Western friends. Perhaps he is a mutant? We thought so at times.
Seriously speaking here, stereotypes exist but there are always exceptions. China is such a huge country and there are so many cultures that mix within the country that it is not surprising to see many variations of people. The borders of China touch many different lands and cultures.
So whenever someone says they are "Chinese", there is often a stigma and preconceived image of what that person looks like. It's important to remember that sometimes, just sometimes, there's no guarantee they will look like the stereotypical Chinese.
