It's a cultural taboo
If you’re said to be “wearing a green hat” (戴绿帽子), you’re probably being insulted. This Chinese-specific term refers to a man being cuckolded by his wife (ie: she is cheating on him). Therefore, no man wants to ever be wearing a green hat.
Although the origin of the phrase remains unknown, there are a number of possible explanations. One theory suggests that the families of prostitutes were forced to wear green hats during the Yuan Dynasty. Another says that male brothel workers wore green hats during the Tang Dynasty. A third theory suggests that the Chinese word for “cuckold” sounds a lot like “wear a green hat”.
No matter the origin, the phrase stuck and the Shenzhen traffic police are using it as part of a new initiative to deter residents from jaywalking at busy intersections.
As in other Chinese cities, jaywalkers are immediately conscripted to serve as temporary traffic wardens. The Shenzhen traffic police have recently taken this a step further by forcing jaywalkers to wear a green hat as part of their “traffic warden” uniform.
Reaction to the new Shenzhen initiative has been swift, calling it “cruel and humiliating”. But, the Shenzhen police department insists that the green hats were made to match the temporary traffic warden uniform. No reason was given for why the uniform is green.
This is not the first time that the Shenzhen police department has used “innovative” punishments. Last summer, drivers were forced to stare into their own high-beam headlights for five minutes after using them improperly within city limits.
Jaywalking is a huge problem in China. In the first half of 2015, the Shenzhen traffic police issued 127,000 citations for traffic violations to city pedestrians.
Source: People's Daily Online, People's Daily Online, oeeee, Kotaku
Photos: People's Daily Online
Charles Liu
The Nanfang's Senior Editor
https://thenanfang.com/jaywalkers-shenzhen-punished-using-chinese-cultural-taboo/
