China's weirdest subculture - Sha Ma Te

this time around we are looking at the Sha ma te an odd subculture out of china. are they punks? New Romantics? why do they have a white face paint? why do they smell fingers like rich people smell cigars? what is with the crazy hair? join me and we can take a look.
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some of the cool backgrounds in this video are from IncrediVFX - / incredivfx
#china
#shamate
#weird

[@HIMMBelljuvo]

It's somehow reassuring to see that Chinese Gen Z is just as nuts as the Western ones lol

[@paul0bezerril314]

We westerners are dumber

[@donelkingii3738]

Sad but true.

[@Varangian_af_Scaniae]

They do look lost. I wonder if we looked like that too back in the day. I'm so glad I grew up before everyone had a camera in their pocket.

[@nashbullet3213]

How is that reassuring?

[@user-hw9ro3sg5g]

Ok boomer

[@PutridPenguinPoots]

Yeah I'm pretty curious about the finger thing too

[@rasheedknox2140]

I think it's a heart

[@raziel2639]

It's a heart

[@DaroriDerEinzige]

I think he means the smelling / rubbing gesture before the heart thingy.

[@hotcauldron7918]

I think it's a gang sign

[@ned5231]

They're mimicking cocaine users, this whole thing seems very 80's inspired so they've probably picked it up from 80's movies or interviews with people who've just done coke (they likely aren't aware that it's something that would be associated with drug use in the west)

[@jackhanson1274]

Aye, the kids are alright. They seem to be having fun, pushing a visual aesthetic, recapturing some of the rebellion styles I remember seeing as a lad in South East Asia 15+ years ago.

[@usrine]

This has quickly become my favorite channel on the toobz. A little sad now that I've binged all of your content though. I'd like to see more. Longer vids, more vids, just more. You've got a good thing here mate.

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

Thanks 😁 yeah I'm starting to do longer videos but they are time consuming to make so means I do less videos. Thanks for the kind words tho they inspire me to make more MORE MORE 😅

[@usrine]

@interestingstufffromaround8014 Yessir! I'll be spreading the word and checking back often. Your sense of humor is right up my alley. I couldn't stop laughing during the f@ck zombie c@ck mindlock vid. And yours is the absolute best Genova vid I've seen. You got the order 66 vibe just right. I can't imagine how much mind numbing drivel you had to sort through to get so many excellent clips. Your ashida Kim vid was superb also. You gave him a much more fair shake than he probably deserves. You're a storyteller in the best way. It's a rare skill and I truly mean that. Thank you for the content. It's a shame you're demonitized. I'll try to remember to like your vids, I often forget. Also, your bullshido vids are my favorite. I've seen much of the footage but it all seems new and somehow more humorous through your eyes. Not trying to sperg or flatter you but I did watch all your vids in one sitting and that never happens. Drachenlord vid gets honorable mentions too. That was some funny shit boy. PS what general area of the uk are you from? Your accent sounds so familiar. I have a homie in portsmouth who sounds similar but being an uncultured American mutt I can't really place accents. Peace em out brother.

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

Wow so many kind words, thanks 😁 I'm from London but moved away and now live in Bournemouth which is not too far from Portsmouth so may have picked up the south coast twang in my accent? The channel is now monetized which good news but I do keep getting strikes so unsure how long that will last? Hello my uncultured American cousin I'm a brit with bad teeth, nice to meet you 👍

[@BucketHeadianHagg]

Absolutely agree

[@BucketHeadianHagg]

@@interestingstufffromaround8014 we love you in LAS VEGAS! Please don’t stop making these! I love your channel!

[@electriceyeball]

Read somewhere that nosebleeds are a romantic sign in China, which somehow evolved into the wiping of the lovely bloody 👃

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

KZbin disabled the comments on this video for some reason, odd that its the video I thank you guys for commenting on the video 😱 hopefully it is sorted now 👍

[@aa-vk6hd]

No they dont

[@deviousredneck5109]

I just found your channel. You make content nobody else does. Hopefully the “algorithm” has taken a turn in your favor. Thank you and wish you well. Hopefully

[@reversefulfillment9189]

I'm gaining a soft spot for these guys. The finger sniff really won me over.

[@anathema2325]

I'm an old hag and this is the first aesthetic I seen in my life that makes me want to vomit. so at least they're god tier youth culturing

[@raitoiro]

If you still want to learn more about the Sha ma te, "The china show" (a podcast) did 2 episodes about that subculture. The hosts are 2 guys who lived in china for more than a decade and fluently speak Mandarin, they usually mock/expose CCP propaganda, but sometimes they also speak about strange/interesting stuff from china hence the episode on Sha ma te.

[@nektu5435]

I thought their channel was called China Fact Chasers. Is that the same two guys? Just curious

[@raitoiro]

@@nektu5435 Yes it's the same guys. They have multiple channels, the China Fact Chasers one seems to be a stream highlight one.

[@patriciaoneil5925]

yes @@nektu5435

[@gravityissues5210]

@@nektu5435 I think _The China Show_ is their unedited live podcast (that run 2+ hours) and _China Fact Chasers_ is their edited-down shorter format videos (that are more like 10 minutes) cut from those podcasts. But yes, they're the same guys the OP is talking about.

[@ryoga8170]

They are why I'm here! I love them!

[@VerveQuest-zc4ri]

Middle school age boys running finger under nose was a bit more of a sexual thing where I grew up

[@ryanwilson2016]

All I could think about with all the finger smelling is the movie "kids". Butterscotch, yo, Butterscotch.

[@severlst2293]

Your videos are great! Glad I stumbled across your channel. Almost every video is about something I’m interested in.

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

Glad you like them 👍

[@RATLORD111]

These sha ma te kids look like they can party, I'd hang out with these smarty-pants rather than some stuck up club goer

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

Agreed 👍

[@misha2197]

Same!

[@rottenbowlof3933]

I have the worst habit of binge watching before I comment. I’m about 3 hrs into the craziness. I’ll try to comment more. Thanks for the amazing content.

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

😅 3 hours is a long time to listen to my dull voice!

[@rottenbowlof3933]

@@interestingstufffromaround8014 it’s pretty southing tbh. Funny stuff tho. A lot I was familiar with and as much that I wasn’t. Thanks again.

[@davekennedy6315]

This is now my new fave channel. You show so many weird and wonderful nutters from around the world, love it mate!

[@LSSJTHOR]

This is the reason I subbed. I love this weird shit.

[@rbarnett3200]

Fair play to them for making up a subculture. It's not as if western subcultures aren't weird either. Maybe not quite so extreme, but I suppose you could argue that punk and hair metal was. The finger thing though. Oh god the sniffing the finger thing. That's absolutely the thing that pricks did to confirm they'd got a "fishy finger". That's so uncomfortable to watch those kids doing that.

[@michaelhaydenbell]

I don't think that's why they're doing it. Lol at least I hope not lol.

[@Capnsensible80]

That's not why they do the finger thing. In Asian cultures that gesture is just a way to show confidence in the face of embarrassment. You used to see it a lot in older anime particularly when a young man or boy was humiliated but trying to act like he wasn't.

[@fodedordegatas1081]

😅😅😅😅😂😂😂 that so funny

[@dihexa7256]

You can tell this commenter was still a virgin in high school lol

[@rbarnett3200]

@@dihexa7256 Me? I was 15. I didn't go to high school because I'm not American. I did know some dickheads who did the "fishy finger" thing though. They were twats.

[@bushiido8494]

Just discovered your channel and I am hooked, such good content, keep it up pal!

[@AverageAwesomeDude]

Some of these I find alright, like it’s kinda cool they have the confidence to go out like that, but the guys in red suits with the really silly hair straight up look like cartoon characters, like the stock casino bartender/waiter model of an Yakuza game

[@DaroriDerEinzige]

To be honest mate, I wouldn't like to encounter them in the dark alone in a random street. Imagine, you come around the corner - maybe after a couple of pints, you know? - and suddenly there are like three or five such guys. Looking at you. With their faces painted like that and those weird hairstyle. Smelling their fingers and throwing some weird hand signs your direction. I would instantly nope out of that Situation.

[@Sam_Green____4114]

The sniffing of their fingers is just weird !

[@meredithgrubb4497]

Why do they keep smelling their damn fingers lol. Love ur channel btw.

[@BucketHeadianHagg]

I totally love your channel!

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

The channel totally loves you

[@Kaltrogdor]

I've been doing the finger sniff and point thing to my wife lately. She's really confused. I bet if I made a bad face when I smelled my finger there would be definitely be a weird conversation....🤔

[@prague7706]

I really want to know what’s with the finger sniffing - no one seems to know, even westerners who speak Mandarin.

[@Kaltrogdor]

@@prague7706 my daughter said it makes a heart shape. I believe she is full of shit.

[@nickdigger]

its not pointing... they make a "heart" with their thumb and finger.

[@AvengeXKing]

😂 im still gonna go with they incorrectly wiped thier asses so they gotta give it a quick smell check, and when their good they give u the lil check mark. The one dudes hair looks like a couch mice or extremely small people sit on. 😂

[@chaffcutter58.]

​@AvengeXKing yeah all day bro.

[@3x6Corvus]

I still have so many questions like is this inspired by the American punk/emo/scene phase? or is this just cultural parallel thinking in order to be seen as radically different in expression in the same way?

[@Killer_snail]

There’s a very similar subculture in Japan that the small village folks who moved to the city have created so I imagine it’s inspired by them.

[@woodman2855]

So from what I gathered it was started around 14-16 years ago by a factory worker who found about Visual Kei on the internet and then started dressing inspired by that and would post pictures of himself on the internet. His picture became viral and it became a full blown subculture that eventually became massive in China around the late 2000s and then eventually became mocked and died down around 2012. Now the tiktok videos you see here are sort of a modern revival of the look that's based on the old aesthetics but made a little weirder. The old look from the 2000s looked more like some sort of colorful emo look than this.

[@3x6Corvus]

@@woodman2855 well that was insightful

[@mistafizzy]

Fascinating stuff m8. Thx

[@frankfrankly1366]

Interesting, very interesting.

[@bimbolecter9764]

The finger sign is meant to represent a heart, you often see kpop idols make that sign and invent or use other signs meant to represent a heart or something becoming a heart like the apple heart where someone pretend bites an apple which turns into a heart.

[@erinkinsella91]

I think he's on about the nose wipe part

[@uhtred7860]

OK, now whats the finger sniffing all about??

[@Capnsensible80]

@@uhtred7860 In Asian cultures that gesture is just a way to show confidence in the face of embarrassment. You used to see it a lot in older anime particularly when a young man or boy was humiliated but trying to act like he wasn't.

[@kiero1236]

Liked and sub'd =) Your videos are great. Keep it up!

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

Thanks and welcome 😁

[@anabelapavio]

Luv ur vids! Luv from Portugal !

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

Thanks

[@bipcress]

Dude - I love your channel (I watch all your stuff, often several times). I think you have one of the best things on KZbin. Please keep using Caesar Romero Joker as your avatar - superb!

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

Thanks! Will do 👍

[@J-Pop7]

I'm really liking this channel

[@midnightmagnet43]

this channel is amazing

[@btnhl]

Still more authentic than any bullshido artist.

[@lostpelican1883]

I love seeing surrealism in action

[@keltar4071]

The finger nose thing means they are down for a Dirty Sanchez.

[@stefano2324]

they're like: hey man let's go buy nose beers i just got paid!

[@simonjohnpowell]

A few of them have long fingernails, in China that is associated with wealth because if you do manual labor you won't have long nails.

[@jacobbaker8323]

I love your content bro

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

Thanks 👍

[@TallicaMan1986]

I don't get the dudes in the suits. The business casual with the crazy hair is a Goth thing from the early 80s to the 90s. And that punk look with the black leather is a very Visual Kei style from Japan. It's also reminiscent of Japans black metal scene as well.

[@stephenspielgirth6764]

more China videos please. Great channel

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

Got any recommendations of thing to look into?

[@seraphicstride]

0:37 This Guy's Head Actually Shaped Like A Minecraft Dirt Block😂

[@darthraki6436]

the finger seems to be i have no moustache lol

[@ThatMeanderthal]

Okay so I won't say I *expected* that music but also now that I've heard it it is pretty much perfect. I'd call it sparkly.

[@-xirx-]

I dug the music.

[@jaytony2847]

Between the beginning and the end of this video my attitude towards these individuals made a complete 180. While what they're doing is very weird and dumb, as long as they're not hurting anyone, and as long as they enjoy it, and stay safe... Go for it!!

[@catcatraz6216]

When I sniff my finger like that I pass out

[@JamesSClapperton]

I have never been so happy to be bald.

[@jasonotto9126]

Half of them look like if Frankensteins monster got a makeover

[@fratercontenduntocculta8161]

You would freaking love Japanese Ganguro. Just look it up lol.

[@NewStarConstellation]

Interesting!

[@captainsensiblejr.]

It's fascinating

[@ramseydoon8277]

Why do they smell their fingers?

[@trixeracer8243]

I love these guys so cool do your thing .

[@Aloha-zp7fc]

Thank you!

[@drmantistoboggan2870]

Thats good stuff

[@jyvids]

Look at the distortion around the face filters xD

[@VegasGenxBox]

they'd make a great horror movie backdrop, it's creepy AF

[@downwhere]

Looking like Gossamer from Looney Tunes with that hairdo.

[@gabeatron]

love ya mate

[@joelsamuelnicholson3800]

supposedly a transliteration of smart, inspired by rock a billy.south Korean, japanese and new romatic fashions

[@ChrisDeger]

Damn they look pretty creepy, the red suit white face thing is yikes nightmare fuel

[@Demosthenes84]

The way they look makes me feel very uneasy

[@seanspartan2023]

For the finger thing, Google: K-pop finger heart It has its origins from that.

[@fullovstars9447]

Not what he was asking. The finger sniffing not the Kpop heart thing

[@blujaebird]

I've seen some of these hairstyles on scene kids in 2007

[@mr.danknugs4153]

The fingers are little finger-shaped hearts 💕 it's meant to be all cute

[@DaroriDerEinzige]

I think he means why they all rub their noses because they make this weird heartshape-thingy.

[@cobybelcher3265]

Ur one of my New favorites

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

Your one of my new favourite comments

[@Mandy7D7]

I love these people. If I remember correctly the finger thing I luv you.

[@endor8witch]

why do the girls have teresa the long island medium hair? lol

[@maxknuckles13]

What are they doing w those fingers that they just want to keep sniffing them.? I'm generally baffled

[@Splitt3rHe4d]

They look like aliens with runny noses.

[@Purpmaster]

1:53 the funniest one by far. I want to know wtf is going on with their hair? And why do all the guys touch their nose

[@robert48044]

The finger sniffers lol

[@talm5154]

friend sent me one your videoe, very nice, keep it yp

[@interestingstufffromaround8014]

Thanks 😁

[@revolvertaco7493]

Honestly it looks like a asian twist on the American 1980s.

[@monkeyisland819]

the red outfit and white facepaint while holding a rose are actually a a reference to the jumping man in fire walk with me by david lynch, a movie very popular in china

[@kr-pm1xg]

Yeah...at around 2:00 min... Why are those strange lookin'folks.. Sniffin their fingers..?

[@Misfitcore]

Reminds me of those flogger "kids" (now they're in their 30's) that were a subculture in south america back in 2005-2010, even the chinese are doing the same dance lmao

[@MikeSmedleyOLDSCHOOLSTRIPERS]

They have so many filters running it’s hard to see what’s real. You can see it glitch here and there revealing their much wider real faces for a micro second. It’s like an anime filter or something.

[@dirindindin1]

Выглядят опасно,но похожу их стиль ограничивается только прическами и поведением(возможны прочие атрибуты) потому что стиль одежды у них разный

[@AtroposLeshesis]

Did that kid really do blackface? 😂

[@mayanksinghfartiyal5290]

Perhaps this movement is modern version of "Begger sect"

[@Gregor147]

Finger thing is “Smell yer Maw”

[@nataliapockets]

the finger thing reminded me of how (and I don't know if it's Chinese culture or some other country but..) where they grow their pinky finger nail really long as a show of wealth and style? I don't really get it

[@Citizen_J]

Forget the look. Why do they all smell their fingers?

[@1COMIXMAN]

They are creepy

[@russellst.martin4255]

I think Sha Ma Te means "Head of broom bristles".

[@bruceleroy8063]

Man y'all been sniffin fingers? We could've been hanging out years ago😆

[@daneraman]

bless them

[@From_A_Diverging_Timeline]

Lol the pale face ones look freaky especially with the pointy chin filter. The ones with spikey hair are actually pretty cool. Gotta have some nuts going around china like that i imagine.

[@zachb8012]

What is the deal with the finger-smelling move?

[@mikemurphy5898]

3:25 whatever app they're using to change their appearance is outta control. Just look at the chin on the guy on the reg pic and then the dressed up pic. His chin is suddenly a triangle. Like wtf. I feel like especially Chinese women use these filters A LOT when having an online personality, so much so that I've heard they can't be recognized in person and have a real problem with never being able to do meet ups because they're look is so fake. That's crazy to me.

[@shonuff9181]

LOL I actually dig this

[@gatonegro1813]

mars attack arctors looks like

[@justsomeplantcells-]

ADV podcast sent me here

[@-xirx-]

Sha Ma Te aka Smell My Finger

[@HotDiggityDogg]

So just out of curiosity, why do they all wipe their upper lips like that?

[@uydagcusdgfughfgsfggsifg753]

Thx

[@Wandallz]

Why do i get the lead singer from the neverending story vibes?

[@matthewcordell8332]

What is the beehive/loaf of bread/frankenstein hair all about please anyone???

[@hyoomanmaol]

As a member of the JNCO Jean generation, sometimes youth culture is just stupid, and doesn't deserve your respect.

[@thesunexpress]

The leader of the sha ma te nonsense is called "toilet seat" -- on account of his odd blocky hairdo.