Asian Etiquette

Rules of Etiquette for Guests at a Japanese Tea Ceremony

Be prompt in arriving so your host can begin on time.

Remove your shoes when entering a Japanese home -- the host will provide slippers to wear.

Drink the entire portion of tea (it will not be large) and eat everything served.

Turn the tea bowl slightly to avoid drinking tea from the front side.

Smoking is generally prohibited in the tea room.

Each implement used in a tea gathering (including scroll, flowers, and food) has been thoughtfully selected by your host and has special meaning. They should be treated as objects of appreciation. Admire them and compliment your host with sincerity. This is the most important responsibility of a guest.

After two or three days, call or write a note of thanks to express your appreciation. This is known as korei or "thanking afterwards."

For more than 5,000 years, people have been celebrating the Chinese New Year. The two-week festival marks the start of the lunar calendar and is the most important of Chinese holidays. Its many rituals include visits to ancestral shrines, parades and fireworks, and feasts with traditional foods.

Food customs include:

Offerings to the Kitchen God, made before the end of the lunar calendar.

A "harmony tray" of nine snacks symbolizing wealth, good fortune and family unity.

Gifts symbolizing wealth and good fortune, such as tangerines for good luck, candies in the shape of gold coins for wealth, flowers or homemade pastries.

Won tons, representing blessings such as good fortune and wealth.

A family feast to reaffirm kinship and pay respect to heads of households.

A whole fish, signifying prosperity and placed pointing to the guest of honor, is often the centerpiece of the meal and the last dish to be served. Fish and fowl served whole with the head suggest "a favorable start and finish."

Tofu, pork, roast duck and chicken may also be served, as they, too, represent good luck. Asian noodles, especially long, whole noodles, are served because they represent long life. For New Year's in Northern China, dumplings are served while noodles are eaten in the south.

Thin vermicelli noodles are called "silvery threads of longevity." Seasoned pork shoulder is "Mist of Harmony." The names of food served during the New Year suggest auspicious things. Some Chinatown merchants even put away foods that sound negative, such as "bittermelon."

Among Chinese dining customs:

Families often dine elbow-to-elbow at round tables to create a circle symbolizing unity and caring.

The head of the household sits facing the doorway, to greet newcomers.

The most senior diners are served first; children generally serve their elders.

Before a meal can begin, each child must invite the elders to eat.

Chopsticks are never placed across the bowl or vertically in it, because that symbolizes death and bad fortune.

Knives are not set on the table, as they are considered cooking utensils. You might cut off your fortune if you use a knife on New Year's Day.

Appearance

The color red is considered a lucky color in Hong Kong.

When dressing for a business meeting select a red tie to impress your host.

The color white is synonymous with death.

It is common in China to show one's surprise or dismay by sucking air in quickly and loudly through the lips and teeth. If you have been shown this gesture, it would be advisable to modify your request. Your host is obviously displeased.

Behavior

The toast is an integral part of the culture in Hong Kong.

All countries have a standard toast however each country has a different pronunciation for the word toast. Ganbei is the popular Chinese toast. It means dry glass or bottoms up.

Everyone is expected to drink a toast.

The guest of honor makes the first toast.

Follow the lead of your host when dining.

Do not blow your nose at the table or in public.

Do not rub your chopstick together before dining. It implies that you have been given poor quality chopsticks that may have splinters.

It is impolite to refuse to drink. Even if you do not drink, accept it and toast with your host.

Drinking helps to relax the host and is an important part of the relationship building phase in Chinese business culture.

Gift giving is a very important part of Chinese culture. See international business gift giving section.

Bar hopping and karoke are standard means of entertainment. Be prepared to be taken out on the town almost every night during your stay in Hong Kong.

At close of trip, have a dinner for your host as show of respect.

Communications

The handshake is fairly common in Hong Kong, however a slight bow will show a sign of respect.

A round of applause may greet you during your visit. The Chinese like to applaud. You are expected to return the applause out of respect.

Because Hong Kong is so densely populated the Chinese tend to converse very closely together.