Hedy Lee says she will stick with her "money-losing job" and campaign against the ill manners of people and companies. Provided by Jadegroup

Social and consumer critic rails against the 'bad manners' of contemporary Chinese society

Since moving to Beijing from New York a decade ago, bilingual language professor Hedy W. Lee (Lee Wen) has made it her business to "sue, reveal and criticize" others. Lee cannot remember the exact number of times she has raised a furor over people's behavior and actions, which many considered trivial. She roughly calculates at least one a day so that is more than 3,650 complaint cases in 10 years.

Lee created a stir when she opened the lid on retired Chinese basketball player Yao Ming after she claimed his tenants (he has three units) did not follow their contractual obligations and made a nuisance for other residents at the upscale Park Hyatt Beijing residential compound, where she lives.

"The basketball star later tried to intimidate many local reporters to not print my complaints and possible lawsuits," she says.

She also complained about how Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba and who is also her neighbor, allows "zillions of sellers" on taobao.com to sell fake products, causing herself and her friends many headaches.

All are part of her efforts to raise the awareness of consumer and social issues of contemporary China.

Lee says she wants to change the "ill manners of people and companies", as well as most Chinese people's attitude toward legal matters, amid the immense opportunities afforded by China's rapid economic development.

Lee is a 48-year-old American-born Chinese and lived in New York for 38 years, but people in China are familiar with her father Li Ao, a well-known writer, social commentator, historian and independent politician in Taiwan.

"When people are trying to introduce me, they like to say 'Hedy is the eldest daughter of Li Ao'. Well, I am quite proud to be my father's daughter but I don't want to live on his fame," she says.

Lee is also a writer, TV commentator and business etiquette instructor. She was born in New York and grew up in Taipei and the US, moulded by the culture of both East and West.

Before she came to Beijing, she had a stable job as a bilingual professor at UC Berkeley and Academy of Art University.

"I gave up my laughter, temper, clean air, patience and came to Beijing. I am not here for an easy life; I am here to change something," she says.

"When I was in the US, I saw many tourists from China - of the rich second generation, government officials, entrepreneurs, new immigrants and overseas students who gave bad impressions to the outside world, which all confused me."

"Why is there a nation of people who care so much about their own 'face' but end up doing outrageous acts losing it? That doesn't make sense.

"What's more, typical Chinese attitudes on improving their lives and getting what they are entitled to are lame: don't care, don't want to, scared of doing it, too lazy, don't know how how can we have a harmonious society and become a true global leader?"

To that effect, Lee has also won suits against companies such as Darwin Property Management Co, developer HKI China Land and Stellar Media. She is currently preparing to sue the Beijing health authorities for not fining people who flout no-smoking regulations.

Similarly, she targets multinational companies that do not perform in China as well as they do overseas.

In her recent case involving Park Hyatt Beijing residences, she singled out hotel management companies China Yintai Holdings Ltd and Savills for "extremely inferior infrastructure" and allowing drunken non-residents and other strangers into the compound at 4 am, compromising safety and harassing others.

"Park Hyatt will not let such things happen in the West, but why did it happen in China?" Lee says. "Many expats who moved to this country just come and go; they make money and end up losing their morals, corporate responsibility, image and values.

"They don't want to be seen as badly behaving visitors or worry about losing potential business projects. But sometimes they just forget where they come from and do things which are not allowed in their home country."

Since she has also been dealing with the media for many years, Lee says she knows that her actions will get people talking and help raise awareness of the larger issues at hand. This is why one of her strategies is to sue famous SOEs and multinational companies and stir up awareness and make it sensational news.

Yang Zengxian, a researcher with the Qingdao Academy of Social Sciences, praises Lee for what she does.

"In most cases, scholars and ordinary people will prefer to criticize certain behavior but will not fight for what they believe in through action I would do the same, actually. That's why I think Ms Lee is very brave," Yang says.

"China needs more people like Lee. At first, they will think this is meaningless, but then they will realize that's the way to go and that's where I can see the order of law," Yang says.

Apart from generating debate, Lee's actions have also gained her many other supporters - some of whom ask her for help. However, she likes to keep it simple, only dealing with her own cases and set precedents so people can have the courage and take the laws in their own hands.

But she also has her fair share of detractors, with messages like: "If you don't like China, please go back to the US!"

"I know that people will say 'all you want is money'. So I only ask for 1 yuan in the cases I bring up," Lee says. "And I have successfully won 10 out of 12 lawsuits.

"Chinese don't like to trust anyone, especially a foreigner with a Chinese face who suddenly pops out of nowhere; they are skeptical and suspicious so I need to let them know I have no agenda; fame will bring me no money and no potential projects."

But Lee continues to press on with her cause, even when those who dislike her or her message turn to violence to vent their anger. One night an attack on her house in Gahood Villa in the affluent expat district with bricks left her without water and power in -20 C and she survived the night with candles and fireworks.

"I love candles; that was kind of romantic. Actually 200 of my beloved candles accompanied me through my worse night ever in Beijing," Lee says. "I am tougher than most men here."

Next day, American embassy officials, local police and officials from the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council came over to help and everything was turned back on. "Normally people will be too frightened to stay and move out right away but I refused to budge until I won my lawsuit against them then I left with my 80 boxes of personal belongings plus my candles of course. It was like a battle ground when I left,' Lee says.

Lee says she has also lost many business deals as a result of "relentlessly fighting and making enemies". She still conducts seminars, writes columns and does TV shows. But this work is not as well paid as the work she was doing in the US.

"Although people respect my courage and what I do, they are intimidated to work with me," she says.

"Most people make money when they move to Beijing. China is a country that strives on connections and who you know. Here I am burning down all my bridges. But I don't mind as long as I don't lose my spirituality and sanity. I will stick with my money-losing 'job'."

While she has said many times that she is not going to live on her father's fame, she thinks that the popularity of Li Ao's books on the Chinese mainland help people to understand what she is doing.

"My father is very skeptical and so am I," Lee says. "I will say 40 percent of me came from my father's genes and DNA and the rest is my own values - defiant and resistant."

Although Lee often finds herself hitting her head against the wall, she remains optimistic. "Many people set bad examples I am the 'global cop' who is looking out for or against you."

suzhou@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 06/15/2012 page29)