Why do Asians dye their hair blonde

[gao_bo_han]

Interesting that this topic got so many inflamed responses. It seems that the idea of Asian women trying to look Western is offensive. What about Western women trying to look Asian? If a Western women wears a qipao, is she trying to look Asian? Is this wrong is some way? If an Asian woman tries to look Western, is this wrong?

Before the maelstrom stirs, let me say that I doubt most Asian women dye their hair blond to look more Western exactly, it's just that they have seen Western women with blond hair and like the look. Compared to the number of Western women who dye their hair blond, the number of Asians doing the same thing must be miniscule. I can think of dozens of white women who dye their hair blond or have done so at some point, and can think of very few Asians who do so. Hell, I've probably met more white guys who've dyed their hair blond than Asian women.

Why must everything be so cultural-centric? If you see somebody from a different culture wearing their hair or clothes in a way that you like, why can't you do the same? It doesn't mean you're trying to be them.

[frozenmyth]

Interesting.

I respect and like what you said a lot Gao.

Cus the message conveys a more cosmopolitan mentality, that's important and may make the world more harmonious.

As I mentioned before, totally agree, that people think differently and may express themselves as long as they don't harm other life.

Yeah. When a Caucasian wears qipao it's not offensive, not to me so I can only speak for myself on that. Many of them actually look good and charming in those, but that's not a biological factor.

Not even Chinese are borned wearing qipao.

Michael Jackson is different and he has his reasons.

It's cool what people like to do with their hair. I also have the right to say what I think. I think Caucasian women who are naturally blonde, the pretty ones, are more beautiful than Asians who dye their hair blonde.

Yo, Umber,

do you have Italian background?

Man, you are travelling in Asia and have only seen women with snub nose, small eyes, and thin lips?????

Where are you travelling? Asia has the most human population and I remember many as you described but also many at least equivalent to "Westerners" if not more visually refreshing. Hope that's not because the Chinese women who duped you left your perception differently. Yeah, they were insidious. Hope you meet more good ones. Just try not to fall inlove with some beautiful ones once their nose grow higher, with watery expressive eyes, and don't kiss the luscious lips! Haha.

Davestill in China???

U in Xingjing??? Interesting place. A lot of world class beauties of those Huwei people hum. Green eyes, brown hair, prominent facial features, with long dark feminine eyebrows. Those Eurasians are Chinese too.

Precious, you have sharp observation and an acute curiosity.

One thing got to say it same as the other post there though.

The Chinese started to disguise themselves in white not to mimic the Caucasians. That started when China had its thrive in human history and Europe was still very very very young. Caucasians have good physiques and many are pretty. Many many many, yeah, so many of those Asians, Asians are also not lanky, 5'5", wear glasses, wind-shaking, or destitute of combating ability. Physical coordinations if that more apprrpriate.

They did not know Michael Jackson's power, and because you are perspicacious. I think you probably have seen many "pale," but not pallid Asians too. I wonder how did the Europeans observed those Asians first?

Yellow? Hope not because too many were suffering from jaundice.

Thanks all.

I take you all's inputs and am learning. Please continue.

[PollyWaffle]

if a westerner living in china dyed their hair blond (more like piss yellow or copper), suffered from anemia, and wore a qipao; would they be trying to look asian?

[davesgonechina]

Careful there, frozen. The Huwei (they say Uighur) don't all have green eyes, brown hair, prominent facial features or long dark feminine eyebrows.

But yes, I'm still here in Xinjiang and, by coincidence, my Uighur girlfriend has all those features. Got me on that one.

But as far as calling them "Chinese"... passport, yes. Linguistically, culturally, economically... a pretty definitive no. And whether they're geographically part of China, well, technically yes, but that's a sore point 'round these parts. If you visit I'd recommend keeping that between the Han and yourself or you might not make many Uighur friends.

[Lu]

I asked a Taiwanese friend (whose hair is black now but was blond for quite some time) if he dyed it to look western, he said no, no matter what color he would dye it he wouldn't look western anyway.

Same goes for western women wearing a qipao. It doesn't make you look Chinese. Not even a bit. The only thing it makes you look like is a western woman wearing a qipao.

[badboy]

Blonde highlights are sexy on Asian girls.

[Lu]

and boys.

[CBC]

Because of these misunderstanding about Asian, I keep my straight black hair as it is here in Australia.

I wanted to dye it red when I was in China but decided to keep the natural color after coming here. The natural hair can be my identity-- a Chinese, an Asian girl.

To me, Caucasian enjoy the luxury of forgetting their identity-- No one would think if a blonde trying to look oriental if she made her hair black and straight.

[sunyata]

A very interesting discussion...

So the consensus seems to be that Asian women (and men?) who dye their hair or get some kind of plastic surgery are not trying to look caucasian per se, but simply want to improve their looks. Simultaneously, as if by sheer coincidence, the traditional Chinese (Asian?) concept of beauty is somehow quite similar to the typical "caucasian look," whatever it may be. That's what I got out of this little discussion - feel free to correct me though, as I am still not even certain whether we are talking about all Asians, Asian women, Chinese women, Asian women in Asia, Chinese women in China, Asian women in the "West," or Chinese women in the US?

Some of you have said that Asians who dye their hair don't do it consciously in order to look "western" and would laugh at such an assumption. That's probably true, and I am not trying to deny this, but I would just like us to inquire into this a little further.

For example, take the recent popularization of the "hip-hop" style in the US. It appears that quite a few kids, teenagers, as well as adults of various cultural and ethnic backgrounds have embraced this style. I hope I am not generalizing too much when I say this. Now, do you think most Mexicans or white kids dressed up like 50-cent would say they are trying to look black? Of course not. They would probably say they just like the style. What concerns me more is not their response, but the actual causes of their behavior. Are they simply trying to improve their looks according to their own convictions about fashion and style? Or could they somehow have been led to believe that this is what they like? Would I be afro-centric if I said they are trying to look, act or be black?

Certainly, I agree that Chinese civilization has had its traditional concepts of beauty from times immemorial. But does that make China, or any other country for that matter, immune to the strong current of outside influences and propaganda? May I suggest that this whole trend is a global phenomenon and is, if not directly then at least partially, caused by the steady exportation of "western" culture and ideals, American in particular? "American culture" is a slimy term that evades a clear definition. But wouldn't you agree at least on this point - that the American entertainment industry (movies, music, sports and the whole gamut) is exerting a significant influence on the minds of many young people around the world? It influences our conceptions of the ideal lifestyle, looks, social behavior by providing us with a variety of data for comparison. That is, most of us inevitably proceed to compare what we see, hear, and read with our reality - our current looks, lifestyle, behavior, beliefs, etc. There are many other factors involved in this complex process, but I hope you will see my basic premise.

Someone mentioned Japan's pop culture as a possible influence on Asian fashion trends - dyed hair, plastic surgery, eccentric clothing... But this also makes me wonder: how and when did modern Japan's pop-culture originate? Did WWII, American occupation, and the subsequent opening-up to American culture play a role in this? Or would you say again that Japan's current pop-culture is merely an expression of its traditional ideals that are coincidentally similar in many ways to American pop-culture?

I am only probing into this topic a little deeper. Please don't get offended and conclude that I am eurocentric or racist. It just seems to me like this whole issue is not as simple as Asian women or men trying to "look better." There are other factors involved. I am not trying to claim any culture as superior here, but hope to see more insightful responses.

[CBC]

Certainly US is leading the world now in almost every field. I agree that it's hard to escape its influence today.

On the other hand, traditional Chinese concept of beauty does have some similarities with the feature of the west, whiter,higher nose etc, BUT according to my observation, there are still some differences. My grandmother doesn't consider Caucasian good looking whatsoever, though she prefers a whiter face and higher nose. To her, Caucasian has too high nose, too big eyes, etc. Once I took a white friend home, she thought my friend looked a bit dangerous. Just some personal observation, no offence

[sunyata]

lol, "a bit dangerous" - that's random