In Xi’an, like in many other major cities in China, prostitues, sex shops, and adult films have all claimed an important place in its local economy. While the growing public popularity of these adult items and services reflect a change in the way that Chinese people view sex, there is also a large foreign demand that is fueling this market. For this reason, many of the sex shops and ‘brothel’ houses throughout the country are located in areas with heavy tourist volume. If you spend some time walking around any large city in China, you are sure to encounter these areas.

Prostitution, like other sectors of the Chinese economy, has had to respond to the growing need to integrate English into their business. In the training center where I teach, it is rumored that there are a number of prostitutes in attendance everyday. I believe that it is probably more than a rumor considering that I live in a city where the hotels are full of rich foreign businessmen. A prostitute is much more likely to have success convincing a foreigner in English that he should the spend an hour with her than in Chinese.The local prostitutes and their masters know that they can expand their client base if they are able to learn even some basic English phrases.

Thus the English boom that China is experiencing is not positive in all aspects. However, it can be hoped that the aqcuistition and spread of English in China will help those who are ambitious enough to be able to improve their lives and take advantage of increased social mobility. Perhaps those ‘ladies of the night’ in Xian, who seemed to communicate well with me in English, can someday move into another service industry such as tourism or sales. But they will have to work hard. Even with English skills, China is an extremely competitive environment.