Wall Street Journal online article "China, Newly Fastidious, Spiffs Up Public Restrooms" by Mei Fong:
...Raising China's commodes to first-world status is a Herculean task, given the nation's rapid progression from poverty. Just 20 years ago, many urban Chinese were using chamberpots. Even now, many residents of Beijing's old houses in historic hutong alleys depend on public toilets. Often, public toilets don't have toilet paper, soap to wash hands or paper towels, still an expensive rarity in many homes. Many Chinese toddlers still don't use diapers but are instead dressed in pants slashed open at the crotch -- a custom that encourages early potty training, but also public urination.
Meanwhile, there's a simmering culture clash over which kind of toilet is best. The porcelain throne is slowly unseating the squat toilet in private homes -- but is still relatively rare in China's public facilities. Only about 20% of Beijing public toilets are seated toilets, which is a chief complaint of many Western visitors, who complain that squat toilets are difficult to negotiate and often unclean. Yet, many Chinese consider squat toilets to be more hygienic since there's no skin contact.
Imposing seated toilets isn't necessarily the solution -- some who prefer squat toilets simply perch on them, leaving footmarks on the seat....
Online the article includes a slideshow.
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