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Cultural Difference #5: Girls hold hands –

The generally accepted norms for physical contact are quite different in China. As mentioned in the article on Chinese cultural taboos, members of the opposite sex do not hug as a greeting and handshakes are rare. Whereas members of the opposite sex basically have no physical contact, members of the same sex actually have much more than in the US. It is quite common to see ladies walking down the street holding hands. They also often walk with arms interlinked at the elbow. Newcomers to China might get the wrong impression, but there is nothing weird going on. It is simply the culturally correct way to show friendliness and affection. Guys will often walk along with their arms over each others shoulders. I still haven't gotten quite used to that as it is a bit too comfy for my tastes. Fortunately since I am about eight inches taller than the average Chinese guy I don't have to worry about it too much.