Shanzhai = Creativity, Creativity = Shanzhai

Abstract

Shanzhai has come to refer to all Chinese counterfeit products and to the attitude of their producers towards authority. One argument that explains the popularity of shanzhai products in China is that the average consumer could not afford original name brands, and that by acquiring a cheaper version, one could find out whether it was worthwhile to own an original. While shanzhai has turned into a phrase and concept that many in the West are familiar with, many Chinese are not, or no longer; most do not care whether the goods they consume are 'authentic’ or not. Other Chinese are embarrassed by the frequent use of the concept in combination with the signifier ‘China’.