White monkey is a term for the phenomenon of

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

foreigners or immigrants in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

being hired for modeling, advertising, English teaching, or promotional jobs on the basis of their race. The phenomenon is based on the perception that association with foreigners, specifically white foreigners, can signify prestige, legitimacy, and international status. The jobs themselves, called "white monkey jobs" or "face jobs", often require little actual work on the part of the model, who in some cases is not expected to be fluent in Chinese. The concept is considered a subset of a larger "rent a foreigner" industry in China and parts of Asia. White monkey jobs are often related to

marketing Marketing is the process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services; potentially including selection of a target audience; selection of certain attributes or themes to emph ...

and

advertising Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...

. The "white monkey" may be hired to act as an associate of an individual or pose as an authoritative figure to promote a brand or company, and businesses will occasionally hire these individuals to pose as a founder or executive. While the concept is less viable in larger urban areas with more international exposure, the practice is common in smaller urban centers and rural areas, especially those trying to expand or attract real-estate attention by feigning an international presence. The concept of white monkey was covered in the documentary '' Dream Empire''. Another example of this can be found in the final episode of the first season of the comedy series ''

Awkwafina is Nora from Queens ''Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens'' (or simply ''Nora from Queens'') is an American comedy television series starring Awkwafina that first aired on January 20, 2020, on Comedy Central. The series was renewed for a second season before the series p ...

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References

{{Reflist, 2 Stereotypes of white people Immigration to China Employment in China Migrant workers