The Guangzhou Hash House Harriers have been continuously hashing in South China since 1984. We are a mixed and adult oriented hash but parents can bring their children as long as they are aware of Hash traditions and customs and won't think Dear Precious will be corrupted by Hash culture!

 

Anyone with a good sense of humor is welcum. It helps to have a moderate amount of fitness, however, you don't have to be a world class marathon runner. There are runners, walkers and some in-betweeners so there is a place for everyone.

 

The Guangzhou Hash is a truly international group with hashers from China, France, Holland, Malaysia, Syria, Taiwan, Italy, the U.S., the UK, Estonia, Brazil, Serbia, Colombia, Mexico, Denmark, Russia, Trinidad and/or Tobago, Switzerland, Canada, Israel, India, New Zealand, Australia, Iran and Germany.

 

We are lucky enough to have some great countryside within a relatively short drive from the Gold Mango Bar, so when we meet on Saturday we get the hell out of the city. Even for our Annual Red Dress Hash.

 

The charge is 50 RMB for regulars and that buys the transportation and beverages (beer, water, sodas) for during and after the hash. The charge has been 50 RMB for nearly 15 years now, and often it isn't enough to cover all the expenses. Therefore, newcummers, visitors and anyone who hasn't been running with us for a while pay an extra 70 RMB and get a cool hash shirt, a really posh beer can holder and a hash beer opener on top. This is our response to the rising inflation.

 

After the hash we  go straight to a local restaurant for the On On dinner before the bus returns to Guangzhou. The bill is split among all hashers and usually around 50 to 60 RMB, too.

 

Sometimes we have weekend hashes. These will be announced at least two weeks in advance.

 

Once a month we also have a Full Moon Hash which is usually run in Guangzhou proper, in the evening. We also have a Friday the Thirteenth Hash as well as the Annual Helloween Hash.

 

Click here for information on upcumming hashes!

 

 

 

To be really well-prepared we also recommend you to read this eye-opening article on the Guanzhou Hash, published in "In the Red", April 2012.

 

"It never ceases to amaze me to see the different people that make their way to the Gold Mango Bar on hash day.  One example was the long-haired, but nonetheless uptight teacher from a Western hemisphere country. It turned out he was a non-drinking vegan. Hence, it didn’t come as much of a surprise to us when he wasn’t really enjoying the post-run activities of the Guangzhou Hash House Harriers. We never saw him again, but at least he got a stunning 10 km run out of it.

 

Another example was the innocent looking student with the eyes of an angel, who only walked the trail in the company of the old and the lame, but found even that too exhausting. However once in the circle, and after a few beers, she came up with accusations so filthy that even the most notorious hashers blushed. Don’t get me wrong…on the Hash this is a compliment, and I am confident we will see her again.

 

It takes quite a few committed members to make the Hash happen Saturday after Saturday. Bus, drinks and ice have to be organized, and someone (aka ‘the hares’) has to go out there and find a trail. The hares on the Guangzhou Hash take a lot of pride in what they are doing…or perhaps it’s just the fear of being ridiculed and made a social outcast that pushes them to go beyond their limits.

 

The hares’ job is to set a breath-taking trail, with no roads or rubbish dumps anywhere near it. If it is a ‘live run’, they get a 15-minutes head start. After the 15 minutes have passed the others (aka ‘the pack’) set off. The pack always seems to come up with more or – more often – less than brilliant strategies on how to catch the hares. As the run progresses the effort seems to go into more obscure fantasies about adequate punishments for them, should they get caught. Of course, the hares can make use of various effective methods to slow down the pack. These include dropping checks at junctions, or setting false trails. However, as tempting as the overuse of these techniques may seem: if they make it too difficult for the pack, and lose too many other hashers on the run their fate is sealed!!

 

Once the run/ walk is finished the moment of truth for the hares arrives at the beginning of the circle. The Grand Master of the Hash (aka ‘the GM’) summons them into the infamous Hash circle, formed by 20 to 60 steaming and sweaty human bodies imported to Guangzhou from all around the globe and all corners of China. There can be no doubt this is a truly unforgiving pack!!

 

“What did you think of today’s run?” demands the GM. Usually this blood (and beer) thirsty mob voices the view, “too short, too long, too flat, too many mountains, too straight, too square…”. No matter how clear the verdict of the masses is, the hares will reply that their run was the “Best Hash Ever”.  Good humoured banter and beer charged exchanges follow.

 

The verbal abuse of the hares continues once the Religious Advisor (aka ‘the RA’) takes charge of the Hash. The RA’s first job is to introduce the virgin hashers and open the circle for accusations. Making an accusation is just like making a toast to someone.  Certainly it usually is a bit more creative as no hasher ever lets the truth get in the way of a good story!!

 

Once the circle opens for accusations anyone can make an accusation against another hasher, and since each accusation is accompanied by a ganbei of ice cold beer to be consumed from the highly elaborate Hash drinking vessel, the circle can drag on until all accusations are finished, or all the beer has been consumed, or – more likely – until the accusations cannot be heard any more. At that point the circle is closed and the group move onto a restaurant for dinner.

 

Dinner involves starved hashers wolfing down the delicious local food, many dehydrated hashers continuing to drink cold beer, and despite the circle closing the continuation of accusations. And finally, the Hares will be quietly approaching the hare-raiser and ask him when they may set just another ‘Best Hash Ever’."