Chinese society has long been quite conservative, but with the advent of capitalism, the pressure towards liberalization has been increasing. Some are even proposing the unthinkable: Making it legal to be nude on a beach! Mind you, just one beach, where foreigners have been shedding their togs for a while now.
Dadonghai beach near Sanya, on Hainan island, site of the Miss World contest a few years ago, is popular with tourists, some of whom choose to go nude despite the disapproving gazes of locals. Should it actually become a legal clothing-optional beach, many suspect it won’t retain that status for long, if history serves as an example: In 2004, authorities in Hangzhou (Zhejiang) had made a local nudist beach legal, albeit with segregated gender zones. No sooner had the ink dried, waves of protests forced them to repeal their bill. Let’s hope it sticks this time around, for the sake of the thousands of Chinese naturists who can only enjoy their lifestyle when abroad.