To think the library shouldn't use Japanese pictures to celebrate Chinese New Year

[sweetestB]

They were decorating the children's session yesterday and putting lots of Japanese pictures next to the Chinese dragons and alphabet.
I wasn't sure if I should have said anything, maybe someone from the Chinese or Japanese communities will speak up, but there aren't many around here.
Or it doesn't matter?

[BonaDea]

Well, it is pretty stupid of them. Not sure if it is worth saying anything.

[sweetestB]

maybe an anonymous e-mail?

[MechanicalTheatre]

yeah tbh that kind of thing pisses me off as well, it's just lazy.

[StuntGirl]

I would say something. It's probably out of ignorance rather than malice, I'm sure they'd be happy to change it if it was pointed out to them.

[HecateWhoopass]

Just point it out nicely.

I'm sure, as stuntgirl says, it's ignorance and they'll change it.

[sweetestB]

I'm sure they can't just tell the difference, they are such lovely people, I didn't want to embarrass them

[caramelwaffle]

Perhaps a quiet word or an email.

As SG says, it's probably not out of malice.

[HecateWhoopass]

They'll feel worse if someone complains or is rude about it.

[StuntGirl]

Intrigued what images they're using though? I'd have thought the difference would have been obvious?

I wouldn't worry, as long as you tell them nicely I'm sure they won't take offence. And at least they'll know for next year :)

[bigbadbarry]

YANBU. Our school had lots of people in kimonos on stage representing China at their "Christmas around the world" play.

[sweetestB]

Well for me it is obvious but I wouldn't expect everybody to tell the difference.

[exexpat]

Yes, I'd point it out as politely as possible - if the display is meant to be educational, it should be factually accurate and relevant.

It is just about conceivable that some Japanese things might be relevant, as Japan also uses the animal zodiac thing, so Japanese pictures of snakes etc for this year might be relevant, but they celebrate new year on Jan 1st so it is generally inappropriate to use Japanese new year things at this time of year.

The confusion of China/Japan thing is a bit of a bugbear of mine as I've lived in both countries. I have been know to message people on eBay who have listed things as Chinese which are actually Japanese and vice versa. Sometimes they are pleased to be given the information and correct the listing, but half the time they don't want to know or can't see that it matters.

[Moominsarehippos]

Reminds me of Father Ted ('The Chinese. A great bunch of lads').

[StuntGirl]

The confusion of China/Japan thing is a bit of a bugbear of mine

Mine too and I've never lived in either We have a lot of Chinese students in my city, and nobody ever calls them Chinese. They're always, always described as "Japanese or summat". They're fucking Chinese, like the other 10,000 students who come through here every frigging year.

The Eastern Europeans in our city are always referred to as Polish too. I used to work with a girl who would ask "Were they Polish?" when I'd served some customers.
Me: "No, Latvian"
Her: "There's a lot of Polish around here isn't there"
Me: "Well yes but that couple were Latvian"
Her "Well it's the same thing isn't it"
Me:

[MechanicalTheatre]

Irk, yes, have had the same recently.

Colleague: you know that Chinese girl in my class?
Me: No.
Colleague: yes, you do. Phong.
Me: She's not Chinese, she's Viatnamese.
Colleague: well, whatever.

EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS FFS!

[corlan]

Oh come on - it's all the same isn't it?

Chinese, Japanese - even they can't tell the difference!

[sweetestB]

The images a clearly real japanese women wearing kimono and drawings of ancient japanese women wearing kimono

[GrowSomeCress]

I think it's probably partly down to the new habit people have of just getting pictures from Google Images and assuming they can just use them for whatever they want

[sweetestB]

Well but one would think that google would show a chinese picture for a chinese search. ? Maybe they didn't even google it. I will google it now and see what comes up.

[Fakebook]

I can't believe that in this day and age people can't tell the difference between Chinese and Japanese people. That's like using pictures of Bangladeshi people instead of Indian to celebrate Diwali.

[sweetestB]

any Japanese or Chinese mumsneter here?

[exexpat]

I'm British but lived in Japan for 11 years & studied Chinese for 5 years - can I help?

[Moominsarehippos]

Most of the world would have difficulty locating Scotland on the map, let alone know that it is a country in its own right!

I can tell the difference between Japanese and Chinese script though! Then, I did work for a Japanese designer for a bit.

[TepidCoffee]

Yeah, this would annoy me as my DH is Japanese and (obviously) DS is half-Japanese. I would say something in a jokey, psst type of way.

[sweetestB]

They did have kanji writing only, no hiragana/katakana, but the ladies wearing kimono, their hair style, and the poses/ pictures style.....clearly Japanese.
I just googled Chinese New Year and didn't see any Japanese pictures, so they clearly didn't google it.