Interesting Chinese Cultural Traditions
I am a complete idiot on Chinese tradition.However, to finish my paragraph on culture, I have to get a better knowledge of it.
The day before yesterday, I asked my friend for help and he gave me a lesson on Chinese cultural tradition which stimulated my interest in something that I thought insipid before.
Firstly, we talked about the table manners—the half –fish theory. When you are invited to have dinner in a Chinese family, it will be rude of you to eat the left side of fish firstly if one side has been eaten up. Because people in ancient China were poor and they usually treated the guests with one side of the fish. If you eat the left half, you will embarrass your host.
Then, it came to etiquettes. When you are talking to the senior or someone who you admire, it is polite of you to flex your knees to keep your sight line on the same level if you are taller than him. Besides, another well-known etiquette is saying goodbye with tea. When the host holds up his teacup and shows you the bottom of it, that means it is time for you to leave.
In addition, the most interesting and confusing custom I picked up from him is the colloquial expression—your life is so despicable. It sounds like abuse. However, the real meaning is totally different. It is widely used to praise the good health of the senior and may they live a long life in north China.
All above is just a corner of the whole huge iceberg called culture. It is fascinating, isn’t it?
I am a idiot on Chinese culture too.The customs you said is quite interesting and maybe I should pay more attention to our tradition.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting. As a Chinese, I even don't know the culture at all. Maybe I should try to learn more about our traditional culture.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea about what you mentioned. It seems that as a Chinese I still have a lot to learn.
ReplyDelete(I lived in Jilin province but we don't say "your life is so despicable" to the seniors.)
Social etiquette is not exactly a "cultural tradition". But I do agree that it arises from our cultural background. Living in a global city, it`s so important to be aware of different expectations with regards to social etiquette so as not to offend the other party. Yes, our world is getting more and more interesting to live in!
ReplyDeleteBecause I stay in a foreign country now, I am glad that I am a Chinese. There is seldom, if not never, a country like China that has that enormous culture. We can never understand even one tenth of it. In fact, I am quite into Chinese traditions too. Although I seldom read books about them, I can pick them up through my daily expenience
ReplyDelete