What prompted you to start the Pride Institute?

After living abroad for many years, life back in China often requires many adjustments. Seeing people hacking and spitting as soon as SARS epidemic passed was a strong assault on one's sensibilities.

We all know that simply complaining about it doesn't really help, and I started to look into the root of the problem. I believe some of these bad habits were mostly caused by the ignorance and selfishness that result from misinformation. So I decided to establish the Pride Institute and use it as a platform to share information and knowledge with people; to share with people the delight of being more polite. "Bringing the best out of people" - became our slogan.

Here I need to talk about the idea of a "tipping point." I believe that in order to create a positive social trend, people need to influence others with positive behaviour and to stand up to say "No" to antisocial behaviour, to create positive peer pressurethis is going to create a tipping effect that helps China become a more sophisticated society, and in the short term, to help the nation prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games.

We have prepared and distributed many "reminder cards" for our volunteers to carry and pass to friends, family and fellow citizens who might need a gentle tap on the shoulder. Some cards provide written guidance on proper queuing and litter disposal; others advise people of the hygiene issues involving in spitting and ask them not to be noisy in public.

How was your first experience when you tried to persuade others to behave more politely?

I was in a taxi one day and the driver rolled down the window and spat loudly out of the window. I tapped his shoulder and handed him a reminder card with an etiquette tip on spitting and asked him to read it at the next intersection. The card says "Hacking and spitting is a habit that is not respectful to yourself nor to others, it lowers the image of a person and the nation." When the taxi stopped at the next light, he read it carefully and looked up to me and said: "Wow, if you didn't put it this way, I would have never thought about it like that. But it is so true, spitting is disrespectful. I dislike it when other people spit around me, but I don't even think about it when I do it." I was very impressed with his honesty. When I asked him whether he thought I was being offensive trying to bring things like this up, His response surprised me further: "Not at all, I think it shows that you respect me when you point it out to me, it is doing me good," He thanked me sincerely and asked for a few more cards. There I see hope!

What do you teach at your seminars?

I want to wake up the underlying sense of decency among our people. Modern etiquette should be based on respect: self-respect, respect to other people, and respect for the environment.

At our seminars, we teach self-respect, self-discipline, respect and consideration for other people; as well as the things people often miss about personal image and personal hygiene. We help people understand what will help them project a good image of themselves, for example, shaking hands properly. We do so through presentations and interactive role playing.

Are there any people who are offended?

You'd be surprised, but people take it very well. People really want to improve themselves; especially when you offer your help in a gentle and personal way. So far, only one person did not respond too well, but maybe he was having a bad day.

The Beijing Olympic organizers are soliciting volunteers worldwide for the 2008 Games. In your point of view, what qualities should the volunteers have and what is your plan for helping Beijing to stage the Olympic Games?

The willingness to help, and the proper etiquette that our volunteers demonstrate will be some of the very first things that determine people's impressions of China and the success of 2008 Olympic Games. They are much more important than people's English skills. I think I am one of the best candidates in the country to help draft an etiquette training plan for Olympic volunteers.

Have you met any difficulties? Do you think your efforts have paid off?

The funding and manpower to manage different projects are the difficulties we are facing today. So far, all of our initiatives are self-funded and I heavily rely on a few volunteers, most of whom are college students.

But we know that we are contributing something positive to our society. We have received lots of encouraging emails and phone calls from the general public, and even from government agencies.

What're your future goals for your campaign?

One tangible goal I have set is to help Beijing become the first no-spitting city in China.

How does it feel to be called Mrs Manners in China?

Well, there are going to be a lot of expectations. I need to step up to the role.

(China Daily September 1, 2006)