KEY POINTS:
Polishing up Beijing for the Olympics has extended to telling residents what not to wear.
The city government's advice, on top of campaigns to cut out public spitting and promote orderly queuing, has gone out to four million households.
The etiquette booklet from the Office of Capital Spiritual Civilization Construction Commission advises that there should be no more than three colour groups in your clothing, and wearing pyjamas and slippers to visit neighbours, as some residents do, is also out. It recommends dark-coloured socks, and says white socks should never be worn with black leather shoes.
There should be no public displays of affection, feet should be slightly apart or in the shape of a V or Y when standing, and a handshake should not last more than three seconds.
Don't ask foreigners their age, marital status, income, past experience, address, personal life, religious or political beliefs.
Meanwhile, South Korea has caused huge embarrassment by flashing tantalising images of the opening ceremony, days before China unveils its highly secret debut at the Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium.
A South Korean TV station broadcast 30 seconds of the sneak preview footage after a reporter with the Seoul Broadcasting System managed to walk into the stadium during a rehearsal.
- INDEPENDENT, AP
