Tips For Your Journey To China
There are many differences between China and America, especially cultural. Culture shock is a phenomenon arising from cross-culture communication; it happens when different cultures clash with each other. Because the people live in different countries, they have different education, different languages and different cultures from birth. In order to avoid culture conflict, there are three important cultural habits which a visitor to China should be aware. The three cultural habits are about eating, demanding reciprocity and tipping.
A visitor should know how to eat the correct way in China. It’s the first difference that we use different tableware for eating. In America, people use knives and forks as the main tableware for eating, but in China, people use chopsticks for eating. In China, most restaurants don’t provide knives and forks. They only have chopsticks. It is important for foreigners to learn how to use chopsticks before they come to China. The second difference when it comes to eating is sharing food. In China, when we go to restaurants, we order food together and share it together with our companions or families. After we order meals, the waiter will put all the dishes on the table; everybody sits around table while eating; everybody is eating the dish on the same plate with his own chopsticks. In America, people order their own meals and eat their own food. So when you are in China, you should share food of the table with people while eating. The third difference is that when you are invited by your Chinese friends to go home for dinner, the host will put the dish into your bowl. If you encounter this situation; don’t worry. They just want to show that they are very friendly and they really like you.
A visitor should also know that courtesy demands reciprocity which means to return politeness for politeness: proper behavior is based on reciprocity. For most Americans, if somebody pays their bill; they will be really happy and appreciative, they don’t need pay back. But in China, if somebody pay your bill, you should remember to pay him back. Although they offer to pay your bill, you have to pay back to let them know that you are polite, you are not a stingy person, and you want to keep contact with them. As you do this way, they will want to keep good friendship with you. As the same thing, when you are in China, your friends from there might give you gifts; you need give back to show your politeness. They do these nice things for you to show their politeness, so you, as the recipient, should return your politeness and amity back to keep the harmonious friendship. Demanding reciprocity is a traditional custom in China, when you know this costume, you can avoid some unnecessary misunderstandings during your journey.
The third difference a visitor should know is that Chinese people do not give tips. In America, a customer give tips to all kinds of servers as a way of thanking for their service; it as a traditional custom in American culture. The reason is that workers with service-industry jobs can only get a small salary from their boss; they rely mainly on guest’s tips to make money. But in China we have different processing way; we don’t give tips to others. In China, workers with service-industry jobs, their boss pays them a handsome salary as a reward for their work. These years with the more communications between China and America. Some big cities in China, have begun to pay tips, especially some upscale restaurants and hotels. Now many Chinese changed their mind, they also thought that we should pay the tips, and paying tips is should get normal. But in small cities, people still keep their traditions without paying tips. Personally, I think the difference in tipping does not mean one side is wrong or right. It is because their cultures are different and now with the communication between the world, this kind of situation may be solved in the future.
There are three habits that a visitor should know when going to China. They are about eating, demanding reciprocity and tipping. These tips will help you for your journey of China. Have a good time in China!
R. Liu
