China: Where Even The Jews Are Fake

Posted by Dan on February 08, 2007

Self-help the Jewish way. 

Absolutely fascinating story in today's Washington Post, entitled, "Sold on a Stereotype: In China, a genre of self-help books purports to tell the secrets of making money 'the Jewish way.'" (h/t to Asia Business Intelligence)  Seems the Chinese think very highly of Jews, both for their perceived ability as businesspeople, and for their honesty and family values.  China has some 50+ books focusing on emulating the Jewish path to success. 

I remember many years ago there was a Jewish lawyer here in Seattle who would advertise in the local Korean newspaper that he was a Jewish lawyer.  My Korean friends told me this was because Koreans all "knew" that the Jews make the best lawyers.  Also reminds me of when I was at a friend's house at about the age of 14 or so and my friend's father pronounced that Howard Cosell (who has thought of him in the last five years?) "used to be a Jewish lawyer."  Me, the wise-ass 14 year old, asked him what the difference was between a Jewish lawyer and a non-Jewish lawyer and he unhesitatingly replied, "the Jewish lawyer is better."

What I found funniest in the article though was that many of these books purportedly written by Jews were actually written by Chinese.  On top of that, some of these books wrongly refer to WASPS like JP Morgan and John D. Rockefeller as Jews.

A few months ago, in a post entitled, "China: Where Even The "Law Firms" Are Fake," I talked about scam websites of purported law firms that were taking foreigners' money for things like registering trademarks in China or forming a company there and then running.   That one really stunned me:

In the movie, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey) gets stabbed countless times by massive spears, knifed a few times, flipped completely over a couple times, and stepped and trampled upon.  He takes all of this with amazing equanimity.  But when his hair gets ruffled, he becomes furious and yells, "NOBODY MESSES WITH THE [hair] DO." 

Somebody is MESSING WITH MY DO.

Counterfeit drugs, money, razor blades, cigarettes, food, shoes, music, auto parts, software, purses, even fake Playboy bunnies.  None of that shocks anymore.      

But today I just learned there are those who take money to file trademarks in China and then simply run away.  A new client told me he had sent about $750 to what he thought was a Shanghai law firm to have his company's brand name registered.  As soon as the first $750 had hit Shanghai, he was asked to send an additional $600 to "cover the filing fees," which he did. 

A week later the website was down and the Shanghai "firm" was gone, "leaving no solid clues, nor trace, only a space in the lives of their friends.

Fake law firms and now fake Jews.  Whatever will China think of next?  Is this innovation? 

Caveat Emptor.

Update:  I am apparently not the only person fascinated by this article.  as the following blogs have interesting posts on the same article:

So after reading Pillage Idiot (and getting a comment from Sivos, below), I now know three Chinese-Jewish jokes (and how many people can claim that), so here goes:

1.  A Jew traveling in China goes into a diner. Having noticed Jewish symbols on his travels, he asks the proprietor, "Do you have Chinese Jews here?" The proprietor responds, in appropriately accented English, "Apple juice, tomato juice, orange juice, no Chinese Jews."

2.  So a Chinese guy and a Jewish guy were talking about their histories and their cultures. The Chinese guy says Chinese culture is more than 3,000 years old and he lists some of its achievements. The Jewish guy acknowledges China's rich history and then says Jewish culture is more than 5,000 years. The Chinese guy then interjects: "no way, what did you eat for the first 2,000 years?"

3. A Jewish tourist was strolling through Shanghai when he spied a synagogue. He entered and, sure enough, he found a Chinese Rabbi and a Chinese congregation.  Even though he spoke no Chinese, he was touched by the service.  Afterwords, the Rabbi stood by the door greeting his congregants. 

When the tourist shook the Rabbi's hand, the Rabbi asked, "You Jew?"
The man answered, "Yes."
The Rabbi replied, "Funny, you don't look Jewish!"

Update:  The Wall Street Journal [subscription may be required] just did a story on Shanghai's growing Jewish population and on the restoration of its synagogues.

Comments (41)

Read through and enter the discussion by using the form at the end
Sivos - February 8, 2007 7:27 AM

The Chinese being fascinated with the Jewish people is not a new phenomenon. Peter Hessler comments in his book "River Town" that as Einstein was Jewish the Chinese believe all Jews are also geniuses.

China Law Blog - February 8, 2007 8:21 AM

Sivos --

Thanks for checking in.

Gosh, I always thought of Einstein as pretty much one of a kind.

Sivos - February 8, 2007 9:24 AM

Just want to say how much I enjoy your blog.
I'm a trainee solicitor from England with a passion for China and read the blog every day. I had a friend working out in Hong Kong as part of his legal training contract so went to visit back in August. As part of my trip I took in a 3 week tour of China finishing in Beijing. My father gave me the idea as he has been frequenting china for over 5 years on business trips (and the odd holiday here and there!). It was the single best trip I have ever done. I now have Mandarin lessons twice a week and study at every spare minute I have got. I have a particular interest in Corporate/Commercial law so your blog is a superb gateway into this area of law within mainland China.
Keep up the good work!!!

alec - February 8, 2007 9:38 AM

Haha, I agree with your sentiment. The Post article was maybe one of the weirdest and worst-written I've had the chance to read in my lifetime.

China Law Blog - February 8, 2007 10:05 AM

Sivos --

I just want to say that flattery will get you everywhere. Thanks. Much appreciated.

China Law Blog - February 8, 2007 10:08 AM

alec --

I agree that it was weird, but that is because the topic is weird. I did not think it was badly written at all. In fact, when I did the post I thought about how I am constantly pulling articles from the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, yet seldom pull them from the New York Times. I actually think the Washington Post is second only to the WSJ among American newspaper's coverage of China. And since I am a midwestern redneck at heart, with no love for the beltway, for politics, or for the politics of the Post, you can be sure I think this for the right reasons.

So what was so bad about the article?

Sivos - February 8, 2007 10:30 AM

A jewish tourist was strolling through Hong Kong when he spied a synagogue. He entered and, sure enough, he found a Chinese Rabbi and a Chinese congregation.
Even though he spoke no Chinese, he was touched by the service.
Afterwards, the Rabbi stood by the door greeting his congregants.
When the tourist shook the Rabbi's hand, the Rabbi asked, "You Jew?"
The man answered "Yes"
The Rabbi replied, "Funny, you don't look Jewish"!

China Law Blog - February 8, 2007 1:18 PM

Sivos --

This is a law blog. I don't know why you would think it appropriate to post a joke on here.

I will add it to the post.

nanheyangrouchuan - February 8, 2007 6:38 PM

China admires Jews but won't allow temples in China.

David Li - February 8, 2007 7:04 PM

Speaking of interest of Jew in China, I used to work in Shoah Foundation and was pretty interested when I found out the synagogue and Little Vienna in Hongkou, Shanghai. When I went to see the synagogue, I swear the guard was following me all the way in my tour with a puzzling face of why any Chinese would be interested in Jewish things. At the end of the tour, I asked the guard and he told me I was the only Chinese tourist he has ever seen there.

A Chinese book titled "Making money the Jewish way" is really no more then marketing tactics on stereotype. Book publishers have to make up better shocking title to sell books these days: "Economic analysis of China's Banking system" became "The Coming Collapse of China."

The Post new article will fascinate the Western blogsphere because stereotyping and some Jewish issues are moralized in the West. The title is a clever play on that to sell papers.

By the way, the joke #3 was good. I would have enjoyed it more if I have not lived next door to the head Rabbi in Shanghai. He told me there is a small but growing number of Chinese attending sermon in synagogue.

Ben - February 8, 2007 8:54 PM

Can't agree more with the article. The usual response to disclosing Jewish heritage to a Chinese person goes something along the lines of "Ahhh...Youtai ren hen hao...hen congming...ni hen bang!"

fiLi - February 8, 2007 11:51 PM

Nice update on those blog posts referring to the article (and the Jewish Chinese jokes! :)) )

China Law Blog - February 9, 2007 1:01 AM

nanheyangrouchuan --

On what are you basing this? Is there really a demand?

China Law Blog - February 9, 2007 1:04 AM

Mr. Li --

Thanks for your interesting comments. Why no tourist interest? Who are the Chinese going to services? Are they converting to Judiasm?

David Li - February 9, 2007 4:55 AM

I think no Chinese interested in visit synagogue in Hongkou because Chinese admire Jew for being smart and rich. Refuge camp for Jew in Shanghai tells an interesting story of WWII but contains nothing about making money or being smart. The place does attract quite a few of Jewish tourists especially those with relatives living there during WWII.

For the Chinese who go sermon in Shanghai Jewish Center, some of them have being doing business in Israel and some are just curious about the religion. For me, I just look for information on where to get a good bowl of mozza ball soup in Shanghai. ;)

nanheyangrouchuan - February 9, 2007 9:03 AM

"nanheyangrouchuan --

On what are you basing this? Is there really a demand?"

On Jews I've met in China. China only lets in religions when it can understand the mechanisms and language of the religion and it seems the brand of hebrew sometimes used in synagogues is a bit beyond the CCP's grasp, as are the mechanisms.
Jews don't recruit, so there is no impetus to tell everyone how they do things.

China Law Blog - February 9, 2007 1:20 PM

Ben --

Not sure I got it all, but it definitely sounds like a compliment.

China Law Blog - February 9, 2007 1:22 PM

Mr. Li --

Is there such a place?

China Law Blog - February 9, 2007 1:24 PM

nanheyangrouchuan --

Repressive regimes generally do not like Jews because Judiasm very much talks about human equality and that does not mix well with dictatorships. But, I thought Shanghai was renovating Jewish buildings even as we write. Seems Jews are so few and so foreign in China they should make no difference at all. The fact Jews do not proseltyze is even better for Beijing.

Max - February 9, 2007 3:36 PM

I can certainly attest to the fact that the Chinese are besotted by a misperception of the Jews (not necessarily Judaism). I worked at a firm in China where we had two senior Jewish managers from America. When they made mistakes and things started going down hill for the company, the Chinese staff started to question their Jewishness. I heard comments like "maybe they're only half-Jewish".

I'm starting to wonder whether it would help my business if I got circumcised....

David Li - February 9, 2007 7:51 PM

Well, Shanghai doesn't have a big enough Jewish community to support a deli. :(

"Repressive regimes generally do not like Jews..."

I'd argue this doesn't apply to the "repressive Chinese regimes" whether the old emperor or the new communist. Kaifeng had a Jewish community for like a thousand years. In WWII, Chinese visa are granted to Jews in Europe to escape Nazi and they established the Shanghai Jewish community in Hongkou today. PRC has been in very close relationship with Israel as young nations (with very long histories) were trying to establish themselves in the world. All three synagogues in Shanghai have been preserved and renovated under the banner of celebration of Sino-Iserl friendship. Israel was close to both PRC and ROC in Taiwan, it was believed that Israel was the go between of the two back in the 60s and 70s.

In addition to small number, Jew didn't get to kill any of the cult leaders of China so even less reason to repress them. ;)

Ben - February 9, 2007 7:55 PM

Dan,

The translation of my earlier post goes "Ahh...Jewish people are great, very smart, you're excellent!"

On nanheyangrouchuan's comment about temples, constructing an actual synogogue is one thing, but there are at least two thriving Jewish congregations in Beijing (one Reform and one Orthodox), which offer weekly services, holiday services, and all the other things that temples offer throughout the world.

nanheyangrouchuan - February 9, 2007 8:43 PM

"But, I thought Shanghai was renovating Jewish buildings even as we write."

They've been doing that for years, but not for functioning temples, for more overpriced tourist traps. And the political purpose of promoting how well the Chinese gov't protected the Jews (the gov't was KMT and the Japanese also left them alone but that is not important) to butter up Tel-Aviv for more advanced military technology.

Lon - February 10, 2007 12:58 AM

Fantastic post and great references as always...

Richard's article at Peking Duck is a must read...

OMBW

Caliboy - February 10, 2007 10:12 AM

"Howard Cosell (who has thought of him in the last five years?)"

Apparently the Wall Street Journal law blog thinks about him a lot. (Twice last month.)

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2006/01/02/bob-woodruff-recovering-lawyer/
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2007/01/30/the-recovery-of-recovering-lawyer-bob-woodruff/

Douglas Berman - February 10, 2007 4:24 PM


this post reminds me of a book I read in the early 1990's (whose name I forgot) about the Japanese perception of Jews--much more complex, actually, than is the Chinese perception and much more dependent on political movements. Thus, some Japanese intellectuals overtly identify with the Jewish people (some going so far as to trace the Lost Tribes of Israeli to Japan); on the other side, the leftists have often excoriated Jews for their treatment of the Palestinians. The author concludes that much of this complex treatment can be attributed to the Japanese tendency to absorb Western ideas and stereotypes.

is anyone familiar with this work?

China Law Blog - February 10, 2007 4:32 PM

Max --

There have to be other, better options. I understand circumsision as an adult is particularly painful. Of course, it probably is as a baby as well.

China Law Blog - February 10, 2007 4:36 PM

nanheyangrouchuan --

Aren't you trying to have it both ways here? First you talk about how repression means no new temples, now you talk about buttering up Tel Aviv.

China Law Blog - February 10, 2007 4:42 PM

Lon --

Not to slight Richard, but all of the posts to which I refer are well worth a read.

China Law Blog - February 10, 2007 4:45 PM

Caliboy --

Two things. One, I cannot believe the Wall Street Journal Law Blog thought of Cosell twice in the last month. I stand corrected. Two, I cannot believe you found it. I am impressed.

China Law Blog - February 10, 2007 5:22 PM

Doug --

Never heard of it. Anyone?

Shaun Rein - February 11, 2007 1:30 AM

Well, my father is German Jewish. My mother is Chinese. Chinese love it when they here that -- they think I have the money-making ability of a Jew and the industriousness of a Chinese.

True story:

My wife, who is Chinese, is an investment banker here in China. Some time ago she was meeting with one of her Chinese clients that wanted to do an IPO on the international markets. The CEO of the company looked at her and asked if any of her colleagues were Jewish. She said no and asked why.

The CEO said that one of his friends told him that Jews control the financial world. In order for the IPO to go smoothly, the friend of the CEO suggested that their bankers be Jews to ensure a successful IPO.

China Law Blog - February 11, 2007 6:26 AM

Shaun --

Thanks for checking in. Your comment highlights the exact problem with even positive stereotypes -- they can quickly bleed into negative stereotypes. Now I am guessing that the Chinese believe the Jews' so-called control of financial markets to be a good thing, worthy of respect. But we all know many others view that as a justification for anti-semitism.

nanheyangrouchuan - February 11, 2007 6:46 PM

"First you talk about how repression means no new temples, now you talk about buttering up Tel Aviv."

China will go to certain lengths to kiss up to Tel Aviv, but won't allow in a religion with a language and culture that they are far from understanding.

China Law Blog - February 13, 2007 7:43 AM

nanheyangrouchuan --

I just do not believe Judiasm is really on any China map. Right now, its PR value greatly outweighs any downsides for China.

Yuan Lee - July 30, 2007 10:33 AM

There were tens of thousands of ethically REAL JEWISH PEOPLE who lived in China for thousands of years. Their main congregation was in KaiFeng, Ho-Nan Province. Must be one of the lost tribes, I believe. Most of them were the so called "dark-whites" with middle eastern ethnic features. Occasionhally, one still can be spotted on the street. But in a sea of 1.3 billion, they are just to be swallowed, culturely, economically and ethnically.

My grerat grand father from my mom's side was the Chief Magistrate of that city. Therefore, I just might have some Jewish Blood. But, who cares. I am just another human being in this world.

Chineses people under communist rule are poorly informed of the outside world. They are not well enlightened of the development of human relationships. Chinese loves money because they have been so poor for so long. Jews are good with money because it is their security blanket in this materilistic world. Do'nt you love money?

Albert Einstein was one of the greatest scientist of the 20th cenutry. But, he is also one the greatist humanitarian of the world. It should not be of any importance to anybody what his ethnical background is.

Law Office of Todd L. Platek - July 30, 2007 12:42 PM

I have a book in Chinese containing Jewish jokes and humor. It seems to be a translation of some earlier Jewish joke book from the USA.

Dan, I hope by now you know more than 3 Jewish jokes.
Here's one which I am probably hacking to pieces, much apologies: In a hospital, lying side by side, were a Catholic priest, Protestant minister and Jewish rabbi. Each had tried to convert a bear to his respective religion, but had not had much luck. They spoke about their respective experience: The Catholic priest had a bandaged arm in a sling, and said "I tried to get him into the water for a baptism, but he scratched awfully." The Protestant minister had a broken leg, and said "I tried to read Scripture to him, but he chased me and I fell and broke it." They turned to the rabbi, who was in a full body cast. "So what happened to you, Morris?" The rabbi sighed and moaned, "Maybe I shouldn't have started with the circumcision."

nanheyangrouchuan - July 30, 2007 7:26 PM

"Jews are good with money because it is their security blanket in this materilistic world. Do'nt you love money?"

And they are deep into banking because lending money is the only business they were allowed to do by the catholic church.

But any "lost tribe" in China would quickly be "harmonized" by the CCP, lest Tel Aviv bring its diplomatic and economic weight (via Europe, the US and now eastern Africa) to bear on Beijing. The Jews will not be as tolerant or patient as Vatican City is.

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