There are of course several reasons why the Chinese have this reputation, but it is unfair to generalize and say that every Chinese tourist is like this. There are historical events that explain why some Chinese people act the way they do: The Great Leap Famine (1958-1961): Basically, farmers in the countryside were given unreasonable quotas and over-reported their crop to make the Party proud during a large drought, draining the countryside of food. The famine was also seen in the cities, where the elite cadres lived. Everyone in the cities was given ration tickets, and it was a pain to actually get those rations. There were masses of people at grocery stores that people had to push through and wait for hours to be fed. I believe this could be related to the demeanor of some Chinese people who grew up during the Great Leap Famine and could be passed down to their children. Population growth: The Chinese population has been growing since before the Qing Dynasty fell. Cities are very densely populated and it is hard to get through if you don't push. Migration: Right now, China is in the midst of one of the biggest migrations in human history. People are constantly moving from the countryside to the cities. The countryside does not have the amenities that a wealthier household has, like toilets for example. People tend to bring their culture with them when they come from the countryside. When Mao came to the cities after the Communists took over and brought his coalition of men from the countryside, he had to teach them how the city folk lived. He taught them to use toilets, not spit, and strip them of their other countryside behavior. Imperialism/Semi-Colonialism: China has never quite been a fan of foreign influence. The Boxer Rebellion, May 4th Movement, and other movements in China have all been against foreign influence. It is possible that the Chinese still harbor some disdain for foreign countries that once tried to take over areas of China and are rude because of the pain a certain country caused China in the past. These are just a few possibilities of why some Chinese tourists act inappropriately or impolitely while traveling.