Chinese Etiquettes and Customs
Meeting EtiquetteGreetings are formal and the oldest person is always greeted first.Handshakes are the most common form of greeting with foreigners.Adress the person by their surname.
Gift Giving EtiquetteGifts are given at Chinese New Year, weddings, births and more recently birthdays.The Chinese like food and a nice food basket will make a great gift.Do not give scissors, knives or other cutting utensils as they indicate the breaking of the relationship.Do not give clocks, handkerchiefs or straw sandals as they are associated with funerals and death.
Gift Giving EtiquetteDo not give flowers, as many Chinese associate these with funerals.Do not wrap gifts in white, blue or black paper.Four is an unlucky number so do not give four of anything. Eight is the luckiest number, so giving eight of something brings luck to the recipient.Always present gifts with two hands.
Dining EtiquetteIf you are invited to their house, consider it a great honour.Arrive on time.Remove your shoes before entering the house.Bring a small gift to the hostess.Eat well to demonstrate that you are enjoying the food!
Amazing Facts about China
China is the fourth largest country in the world with just over 9.6 million square kilometer (3.7 square miles) of land area.
Lucky ColorRed is considered a lucky color in China. At one time wedding dresses were red. New Year's banners, clothing, and lucky money envelopes are still red.
Early inventionsEarly Chinese inventions include paper, printing, silk, kites, umbrellas, the abacus, porcelain and gunpowder.
Tea CeremonyPeople have been drinking tea inChinafor over 1800 years. Chinese White Tea is basically boiled water.
Chinese Lunar CalendarEach year in the Chinese calendar is represented by an animal.
Chinese New YearNew Year is one of the most prominent festivals of the Chinese calendar. It is about getting together. Red is believed to abolish bad luck. So people clothe in red for the New Year celebration.
Chinese weddings have certain traditional customs. As a form of expressing gratitude, the bride and groom kneel in front of their parents and offer them tea. In olden times, drinking the tea offered showed acceptance of marriageChinese Wedding
China is officially the most populated country in the world.
ChopsticksChopsticks are believed to symbolize kindness and gentleness. Confucianism taught the Chinese to abandon knives and forks from the dining table. So they have their food cut to bite-size before it comes on the table.
The Leading Figures in China ConfucianismTaoismBuddhism
The Great WallOne of the greatest wonders of the world, the Great Wall winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus, from east to west of China. With a history of more than 2000 years.
