Of course it's rude! It's a "lack" of culture... There is the problem is many people give the locals the out saying "it's a different culture". No it's rude. Much of what locals say and do is ignorant and rude, nothing to do with culture, simply ignorance... They all do it, but they're the only culture that does it to my knowledge, none the less IMO it's ignorant, along with comments on your body, clothes and deodorant (that's my favorite, they comment on your deodorant when they smell like ass!)

This kind of question is like when a Chinese sees you and asks you where you're going...

Just hear the question, and talk about the beautiful weather instead.....nobody will give a damn that you don't answer the question.

When somebody asks me this question, I just answer that I am jobless and my wife works (which is actually true)....and no other question asked.

I always tell them I make 1500RMB a year. Real proudly too. And then I walk away in my Armani suit!

I've gone into a long an elaborate story about how I was recently kidnapped into slavery and all the work I do here is to gradually earn back my freedom. I've gone as far as to talk about how I have to sleep each night in the trunk of my master's car and started crying. The guy simply walked away and didn't bother asking me personal questions again.

R u ok Fritze？ What‘s happening here？

I thought u know China better……

China, while not officially, still has a caste system.

People ask this question upfront to know where to place you in this system. They don't just ask foreigners, this is a common question between 2 Chinese people. It's not probing for personal information, it's about knowing how to treat you in regard to tradition.

One time, there were a lot of migrant workers doing some work in my apartment complex. One guy went out of his way to help me out and fixed a leak in my sink for free. He wouldn't accept any money. So, later that night when these guys were off work, I bought a bunch of beers and hung out with them on the benches outside of my apartment building. We had a great time as they were down to earth, hard working guys. I also bought some expensive smokes to share with them and they were amazed and honestly I think happy to have the opportunity. A Chinese friend of mine called me and I asked him to join us, as we were all having a good time. He came by and was appalled that I was hanging out with "those people".

It is heavily involved with the concept of "face". We don't discuss this stuff in western cultures simply because we don't want to be classified in a certain group, but this is normal in China.

i think it is not rude it is a culture, don't mind simply ignore it.

I agree it is not rude because the person who asks does not know it is rude in our countries and does not intend to offend by asking that question. In saying that I have never been asked that question in my time in China. If you believe that it is rude of them why don't you just politely explain that it is looked apon as rude where you come from and that you would not like to answer and i would almost bet that most people would not then persue it and the word will eventually get around that it is not a question to ask foreigners.

nope it is not culture. in chinese culture it is considered rude. i always asked my friends this in hohhot and they said it is rude to just ask that this just as it is rude to ask a woman on the street if she has a bf. but the sad aspect of the culture is that people dont care if they are rude especially to foreigners because foreigners are not real people