Assignment 1

Chinese Culture
Jord Dijkstra, Fleur Kabalt, Niels Bijer, Joel
Overwater, Lauren Dorjee
Table Etiquette and Eating Habits

Within Chinese culture a round table is usually preferred over a rectangular table. The main reason
for this is that with a round table, not one individual is more important than others: in other words,
there is no head of the table. Also the round table allows everyone to engage equal conversations.
This is the same as for instance the knights of the round table in the lore’s of King Arthur where even
the king was equal to a lesser man at the round table.

Chinese dining is about showing respect and hospitality for the guest and is often used as an
extension of the boardroom. In business context, the most important guest sits on the right of the
host, and the second most important guest on the other side of the host. The host will expect that
the guests will let him sit first, and after that the guests. When all guests are properly seated, the
host should start with a toast to the guests. During the dinner, several toasts will be made. Also, the
host will actively involve guests in conversations. When all guests are properly seated and eating,
guests should try to keep the pace of eating that the host is keeping. Heavy drinking is often part of
doing business and it is expected that you keep up with the others. If you do not want to drink
alcohol you have to make it clear before you start. (Production, 2011)

Food dishes are set in the centre of the table to be shared between everyone. The best food or wine
will be presented to the most senior person first. In ancient times normal people lived a needy life,
but tried their best to support the elder mother or father.

Guests should not start to eat until the host says, "Please enjoy yourself", because this will suggest
disrespect and it causes displeasure. Also when the food is cut or by what means whatsoever it will
be placed facing the most important guests and elderly people at the dining table.

Obviously, in Chinese etiquette you do not eat with cutlery but with chopsticks. Chopsticks are very
important in the Chinese culture, because they reflect the wisdom of the ancient ancestors. You can
do a lot with this invention like nipping, picking, ripping and steering although steering food with
chopsticks is a not appreciated. Nowadays, chopsticks are lucky gifts for marriage of two people and
many other important ceremonies.

One is supposed to use chopsticks for all dishes but soup, for which a spoon is provided. These sticks
and the spoon will lie in front of you together with a cup and bowl. One should not pick food from
the table centre with chopsticks that they have already used and therefore have been in their
mouth. There are many specific rules when using chopsticks. To name some:
 - No playing with chopsticks
- Do not lick the chopsticks (clean)
- Do not point with your chopsticks (to others)
- Do not stir up your food with your sticks
- Do not stick chopsticks vertically in your food

Don’t be put off if you see someone spitting bones or seeds off their plate, because this is
considered perfectly normal.

It is polite to leave some food left which you do not eat. With this you show that you have had
enough, so when you eat everything your host may think that the food was insufficient for you. In
addition, as a reaction of the guest wanting to please his guests he or she will provide you with more
food. (Guide)

Chinese Food Features

Each region has its own local speciality, which the Chinese are often keen to try and introduce to
others. Generally you will find hot and spicy food in the west and centre of China and cooler food in
the south and the north.

Chinese food is generally healthy and is often beautifully presented. Texture, flavour, colour and
aroma are key considerations for all Chinese cooks. They are even more important than nutrition
contents. (Production, 2011)

Chinese food is characterized by the multiplicity of its ingredients, the complexity of their cutting,
the use of spices, its methods of cooking and finally the variety of its dishes.

Major Difference: Breakfast

Chinese do no eat food similar to the food the western people eat such as scrambled eggs, bread,
cereal and milk in the morning. Instead they prefer soy milk with their breakfast. Breakfast in China
is an important meal. The Chinese never skip breakfast. However, most Chinese people go out when
they have breakfast, they mostly get their breakfast in the streets at food vendors and eat it mostly
at their work. The breakfast is mostly hot and needs to be quick to prepare so that the breakfast can
be quickly consumed. They never drink tea or coffee and it is not a custom to read the newspaper in
the morning. Most of the food in the morning is sticky such as rice, noodle, dumplings and soup. You
will have a “hard” time finding something crunchy and cold. (Walewinder, 2014)
Chinese Cuisine

In China, cultures in different regions vary distinctively from each other. Like regions, there are also
significant differences between the food cultures. The different cultures
give rise to the different styles of food. Chinese culture can also be expressed through food. A
Chinese cuisine, just like Chinese philosophy, is organized along Daoist principles of opposition and
change. Examples of this are, cold is balanced by hot, spicy by mild and fresh by cured.

There are eight main cuisines in China each coming from a different region within China, these are
the following:

 Anhui Cuisines main ingredient is herbs from land and sea.

 Cantonese Cuisine is famous for their adventurous, diverse and rich palate. In Cantonese
Cuisine, various kinds of meat like snake, snail, organ meats of chicken and duck can be seen
on the dining-table.

 Fujian Cuisine is a style of cooking where the most simple dishes are changed into many
different forms in flavors that are soft, light and tasteful for the larger public.

 Hunan Cuisine is a cuisine that is well known for its hot and spicy taste. All cooking is done
with an explosion of the different flavors and spices.

 Jiangsu Cuisine stresses the freshness of the ingredients and meal that is being served. In
addition, they put a lot of effort into the decoration of a dish with the help of different
carving techniques.

 Shandong Cuisine’s is the oldest existing cuisine in China. Most dishes served are dishes
coming from the sea.

 Sichuan Cuisine is famous for its sublime balance of spices and aromatic flavorings.

 Zhejiang Cuisine is well known for it’s freshness, tenderness, softness, smoothness.
(Chinatravel) (Britannica)
Expect for those eight cuisines there are the Beijing and Shanghai cuisines. In Beijing because of
chefs and culinary traditions from other parts of china going there, a light and elegant cuisines was
founded through a mixture of cooperation and rivalry. With the roasted duck as their best known
speciality.

An eastern Chinese cuisine divides into several styles. The north famous for noodles and doublings.
South known for rice and fish although their cuisine also includes duck and pork. The port of
shanghai is unique, influenced by the west side and other parts.

All the classic dishes of the regional cuisines have in common that they are all in harmonious
balance of flavours, colours and textures as well as a long tradition of excellence. The delicacy and
refinement of the Chinese cuisines has characterized for much over 5000 year. (Chinatravel)
(Britannica)

Business implication

Doing business, China and Europe

Cultural Differences

In Europe a lot of the business is done through invites for having dinner. The different business
parties will get involved by building of relationships and discussing business during a meal. During
the meal you will mostly talk about the business that has to be done as Europe is has a monochromic
direct approach to business. Monochromic meaning that time is money so there is an existing
ordered structure with a certain time limit. In addition, people in Europe have a low context; they
are focused on the message that is stressed during a conversation instead of the environment.
(Duck & McMahan, 2011)

In China business partners are focused on other aspects, and having dinner with each other has
other meanings. Chinese live in a country and culture where time is seen as polychromic. Time is
used to build relationships and is needed to deepen these relationships. In addition, Chinese people
focus on the context and environment of a message, high context, instead of the message itself.
(Duck & McMahan, 2011) Often, Chinese partners will invite their partners for dinner. Chinese
people participate in such social engagements with the goal to build strong relationships. As a
business partner you should be willing to participate in these events and in addition show deep
respect for the fact that you are invited. The fact that you are invited shows that your Chinese
business partner has the desire to deepen the relationship.

When having a business dinner with Chinese, keep in mind their culture and their approach to the
business dinner. Culture because “ Chinese people tend to have strong national pride and are
patriotic. Therefore, knowledge of Chinese history and culture, and respect for it, is well received
and highly appreciated.” (centre, 2013)

Topics discussed during the business dinner should not be politically sensitive for the Chinese. Topics
that can be discussed are related to the increasing materialism such as real estate and stock
markets. A topic discussed with you business partner during dinner that is completely different with
the conversation you would have with European business partners is that Chinese are likely to ask
you about your family and kids. This is something that is considered private in Europe but in China
discussed openly.

To end the conversation, invite them over to your country out of respect. In addition, this shows you
are willing to deepen your relationship and creates trust.

Growth of Chinese restaurants in Holland

Even before the Second World War, there were already some Chinese restaurants in the
Netherlands. However, there has been a major increase in Chinese restaurants since the 1960’s. In
this table, this is illustrated: in 1960, there were 225 Chinese (and Chinese-Indian) restaurants, and
in ten year the amount has almost tripled to 618. The same story is in the 1980’s, while after that
period the growth has stagnated to almost 2000 Chinese restaurants.
 (Rijksuniversiteit van Groningen, 1998)

The amount of chinese restaurants decreased in the last 10 years with 7,4%. This means from 2201
till 2031. This decrease of restaurants is remarkable because while chinese restaurants decreased
the total amount of Asian restaurants increased. the Asian amount of restaurants grown with 3,9%.

The growth or drop of chinese restaurants is varies per region. In zuid-holland, noord-holland and
Groningen the amount of restaurants droped the most, they dropped with 10 to more than 12 %..
While on the other hand in zeeland, friesland en flevoland increased the amount of restaurants with
around 9% and 10%. (partners, 2010)

(partners, 2010)
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