They train to smile with chopsticks wedged between their teeth and books balanced on their heads. They must be nearly as tall as the Miss China beauty contestants and produce smiles outlasting any beauty contest: 4 hours and 48 minutes aboard the new train from China’s capital to coast.
The 313 attendants on the 1,318-km Beijing-Shanghai bullet train launched last week have earned the online nickname ‘high-speed sisters’ for their charm offensive. The glimpses of smile training sessions reported in the media served to divert some of the public attention away from the high ticket prices and corruption and safety scandals in China’s railroad expansion.
The pretty army carries forward the Chinese economy’s official obsession with hostesses between 19-22 years who can smile showing only six to eight front teeth. They are now an anticipated fixture in every national project starting from the Beijing Olympics to the Harmony trains launched ahead of the 90th anniversary of the Communist Party.
“Crew members must be female, younger than 28 years, be of fair complexion and have a shapely figure that conforms to selection standards,” according to the China Daily. “The crew must be able to converse in English and know all about the train. They must weigh less than 60 kg and be 165-170 cm tall.”