when you say pub I do hope you are referring to "public house"? Because I have never ever seen anything remotely resembling a countryside or even township public house in China, even the best of the so called british or irish bars. They might have (expensive) guinness or even if as a englishman some kind of bitter if you are lucky, but mostly gassy carlsberg or heineken. The only place in China I have seen a pub done right is in HK, and even then only because of british management. I don't think the chinese get or know what a "pub" really is imho.They do have bars though, although a bar means something quite different to an englishman, don't you agree?

Yes and another example of the spreading cancer of devaluing English words. A pub is a place to drink bitter or scrumpy- have a gay old time-turnoi on the piano tickling the ivories until last orders- pickled eggs and crisps- dart board for the lower orders in the public bar. A refuge to relax, anguish and cogitate. I mean, if you've had a heavy day in the Exeter Crematorium Rest Room, printing yourself out a new degree and TEFL, then you can't beat "The Dog & Duck' to relax with a few pints of scrumpy, a fag in the rose garden,(all for the right to smoke even though I do not) and lots of deep thinking about your forthcoming career as an FT in China. A pub is not some sleazy bar in China.

{partly based on info given to me by other posters over the last few months}