Chinese teenagers urged to smile mo

Chinese teenagers urged to smile more by biting down on CHOPSTICKS to practise being nicer to foreigners
Officials want to improve customer service as nation opens up to tourism
Placing a chopstick between teeth exercises muscles used to smile
Chopstick workout being promoted in government leaflet
By SAM WEBB
PUBLISHED: 19:22 GMT, 17 April 2014 | UPDATED: 21:12 GMT, 17 April 2014
121 shares 4View
comments
Chinese teenagers and young people are being urged to practice smiling more by employing the traditional method of biting on a chopstick.
Communist party officials believe the country needs to put on a cheerier face, especially for foreigners, as it opens up more and more to tourists.
In the service industry especially - hotels, restaurants, catering, guided tours and coach travel - practising 'service with a smile' is being backed up with compulsory sessions of learning the ancient art of chopstick biting.
Clampdown: Chinese teenagers are being urged to practice smiling more by employing the traditional method of biting on a chopstick
+6
Clampdown: Chinese teenagers are being urged to practice smiling more by employing the traditional method of biting on a chopstick
Grin: Communist party officials believe the country needs to put on a cheerier face, especially for the growing number of foreigners seekign out China for business and leisure
+6
Grin: Communist party officials believe the country needs to put on a cheerier face, especially for the growing number of foreigners seekign out China for business and leisure
Service with a smile: The customer service drive is being backed up with compulsory sessions of learning the ancient art of chopstick biting
+6
Service with a smile: The customer service drive is being backed up with compulsory sessions of learning the ancient art of chopstick biting
Placing the chopstick between the teeth and clamping down hard exercises the facial muscles needed to smile, say officials in a new pamphlet being distributed to those in tourism jobs.
Among the latest recruits to learn about the traditional technique are the volunteers of Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, seen here practising their smiles.

More...
Chinese blogger jailed for three YEARS for rumour mongering in bid 'to turn himself into internet star'
Chinese customs seize more than 1,000 unauthorised replicas of FIFA World Cup (so let's hope England can lift the real trophy!)
Dissident artist Ai Weiwei chooses a 'sort of field' in Yorkshire as backdrop for his next exhibition... but he will never see it because he's banned from leaving China
'Because chopsticks are found in every home, in every restaurant, in every canteen, they are seen as the best way to get the message across,' said a local government spokesman who unveiled the smile promotion campaign.
'It is a great honour to be a volunteer of the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games. I will try my best to accomplish it well,' said Fang Tsou, 21, shortly after clamping down on a chopstick for the cameras - naturally with a big smile.
Among the latest recruits to learn about the traditional technique are the volunteers of Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, seen here
+6
Among the latest recruits to learn about the traditional technique are the volunteers of Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, seen here
'Because chopsticks are found in every home, in every restaurant, in every canteen, they are seen as the best way to get the message across,' said a local government spokesman
+6
'Because chopsticks are found in every home, in every restaurant, in every canteen, they are seen as the best way to get the message across,' said a local government spokesman
Respect: The youth volunteers also practised bowing as part of their education in customer service
+6
Respect: The youth volunteers also practised bowing as part of their education in customer service