Is it real, physical  violence or just yelling at each other.  I have seen many times persons talking, and as they do, raising the level of their voices until it is more than shouting at each other, with a lot of arm and hand waiving too.  I have never seen a fist fight or aany other type of physical violence, except for a couple of times a drunk man beating a woman.

I have always wondered if they are really arguing or it is just a want to emphazise a point, no argument going on.

I do take a second look sometimes because as u said, many times they sound like they are arguing. I have seen fights, brawls, arguments...you name it. All shapes and colors.
In Canada, unless it's on the ice, a public fight or heated argument is a rarity.

For clarity here, my definition of violence is when anyone hits anyone else. Doesn't have to be a knock-down, drag 'em out scrap.

The tone of things can get decidedly louder here than in some of the Western countries.  Nonetheless, I have seen real brawls in places like Italy, Russia, etc., etc., where things seem to get out of hand rather easily.

Yes, the Chinese do raises their voices and yes there is a lot of huffing-and-puffing and barreled chests, etc., etc., but the law in China is rather firm : he or she would strikes first, no matter what, is considered the guilty party.

So the best advice I can give a foreigner is to huff-and-puff but do not strike, ever, ever, because the minute a foreigner strikes, it's game over.

I've seen a couple fights break out over car crashes, but really, most of the violence I've seen has just involved gangs of drunk rich guys looking for trouble. Not really any dispute-motivated violence.

Different system results different public behaviour from people

A suggestion for members here: When you find something you dont understand in your neigborhood, would you please mention the place where you are at and where did you notice the situation.  It's always good to wirte a 'LONG" post with a story that are to support your obersation and others can understand more and give your confusion more clear explaination.  In any case, you dont want to "understand" the situation at all but simply to complain about it....Possible?

In big city like Beijing, we really rare to notice the situation you mentioned nowadays. 

In the past, Chinese thinks "man if fight by their mouth is a pussy,  so fight by arms is considered manly" , but nowadays more and more people realise it's uncivilized behaviour and they don't want to involove in phyical fight at all now.  For girls, very rare of them will fight with other girls.

Using force is usually the quickest way to get what they want. I think it's funny that people punch each other like they're knocking on a door. If you've seen a fight here you'll probably know what I'm talking about.

I wounder what they would think of Jerry Springer?
maybe it would start a new trend

In the two years that I have been in China, I have only seen one fight, and that only lasted a moment before it was broken up. Then again, I don't get out much, lol.

I have, however, seen lots of displays of wild gesturing, along with the raised voices that some others have observed. Things heat up quickly, but then, once a settlement has been reached, die out just as quickly. In a couple of instaces, I've had to do the same. The fella didn't have a clue what I was saying, but he knew by tone I was not a happy camper!

I have to say that I have seen a few fights here. The normal western rules of a fight don't seem to apply. The only rule that I have seen applied is, if you get in a fight, make sure you are going to win, because once you go down, the fight doesn't stop. It has been insane to watch. The loser ends up getting beat to a pulp, and its usually the winner and who ever is with him kicking the loser when he's down. I'm suprised that no one else has seen that

Who is 'they'? And as far as resorting to violence it's only if there is an instigator urging the argument or dispute level to increase or the tension between the two escalates. Due to the fact that many people do not consider stepping in between a dispute is an option they let the dispute continue which is also difficult when around a security officer. If the two people in a dispute sees that the security officer will not involve themselves in the dispute they could see it as nothing will happen and they are free to use violence. I've seen a man kick a woman in the stomach and knock her down while the security officials just stood there dumbfounded and confused on what to do although the lady was trying to plead to them that the guy was a bad guy.

"They" are exactly who you think they are. I understand this site is basically to talk about experiences here and ask questions about China. I am clearly referring to the fact that there seems to be a cultural difference between China and for the sake of argument, Canada or The United States. We all have seen fights here that seem to come out of nowhere. On the other hand I could point out the concern I have for the fact that children are often the object of the agressive acts of adults as well. Parents, grandparents and teachers all fall into this category. I once had to usher a grandma out of a classroom before she did some serious damage to her grandson. Initially I held back but after she clocked him a 2nd time I had to put a stop to it. Needless to say that was one of the hardest things I had to personally deal with here.

This is funny...  This is how a bar fight happens in China:

Some Chinese guy starts something.  He won't fight, because he's a giant p%^^$#.  He yells a lot, then he leaves.  While he's "gone" he calls 20 friends to come back him up.  Then he tries to jump you.  Oh, honor.  Yes, they have it.  NOT.  In China, if you get 8 million people to help you, you save face.  Even if you can't actually fight.  30 friends beating the crap outof one guy is ok here.  The asshat "saves face" that way.  Chinese men are sorry excuses and ths is how things are done here.  Don't bother with it at all.

Run away and go home.  They'll get "face" for being so scary that you ran away and you won't have to deal with them inviting 200 friends to kick the s@#$ out of you.

Or fight the tard, but then be prepared to fight a lot of his friends.  I've actually done this and it will make you feel like a Roman gladiator.  Not many Chinese know kung fu.

Who? The Boston Bruins?

Wow, look at you guys go on the Canucks and Bruins. Is there a way to make a new question out of that? Lived in Vancouver for 12 yearsbefore coming here and Boston was my childhood team. What did I do with that ORR jersey mom got for me in the Christmas of 72?

I've noticed this when talking fo some Chinese friends and colleagues: you disagree with them and suddenly you are on the receiveing end of shouting - usually out of nowhere. This is a very childish response to conflict.

The funniest instance was a colleague, normally very smiling, came out with an anti-foreigner rant and stopped just as suddenly: the mask had slipped off before he had realised it !

a product of the brainwashing. there is only one opinion. and no possibility that you are wrong. 

Too many shows about war is probably or could be the cause of that. I read somewhere that it was a reported 200 + in one province that made films about war. It's like everytime I turn on the television I find myself trying to find a good show. A good show!The violence is probably caused by rumors and by influences such as those shows you see on t.v.! 

Ha ha, I said: "rumors"!!