5 Things That You Definitely Should NOT Do in China

When you travel to China it’s important to try and do everything you can to adapt to this unique and ancient culture. During your time here, while admiring the beautiful sights and the delicious cuisine, you should know how you’ll be expected to behave as a guest in this land. The Chinese have a well-established culture, that you as a foreigner should learn the basics of prior to your plane ever leaving the ground. Being informed of what you should, but especially what you shouldn’t do in China can make your journey a more pleasant one, not only for yourself but for the locals you encounter along your way as well.

Try to Avoid Touching People

In China, it’s considered to be abnormal to touch a person upon meeting them or in most casual social interactions. This may seem strange coming from the west, where a handshake, hug or casual peck on the cheek is considered a normal way to greet a casual stranger. The small exception here would be during a business meeting, where a formal greeting followed by a quick handshake would be expected. But when mingling with locals outside of a formal meeting, it’s a good idea to keep your hands to yourself.

In many areas of this vast country, the head is considered a sacred part of the body. Due to either religious or cultural tradition, many people will be deeply offended if you touch their heads. This goes for children as well, so unless you’re personally acquainted with an individual or family, it’s best to avoid any friendly pats on the head.

Show Table Manners

When dining in China it’s important that you remember that eating with chopsticks is serious business. So before you ever step foot on that plane, it’s a good idea that you’re at least somewhat proficient at eating with these uniquely Asian utensils. Once you have down the basics of how to eat and serve yourself using a pair of chopsticks, it’s a good idea to acquaint yourself with some of the more formal manners that surround them. China has several unique rules surrounding the use of chopsticks that any foreign visitor should be aware of.

First of all, you should never serve yourself from a communal dish using the same end of a pair of chopsticks that you stick in your mouth. When serving oneself you should flip the chopsticks around, serving with the butt end as to avoid transmitting your saliva to the shared dish.
Another good rule to follow when eating is to never stick your chopsticks into a dish so that they are sticking straight out. This is reminiscent of the two incense sticks that are used during the course of a Chinese funeral, so it’s considered incredibly bad manners. It’s also considered very rude to eat by using the chopsticks to spear your food. While you may be accustomed to a fork and knife, you’re in China now, so stabbing is not the proper way to eat, you should always use your chopsticks to pick up rather than stab your food.
Finally, you should use your chopsticks solely for eating. Don’t play with them, or use them to point at things, as you will be sure to offend any Chinese present. Simply use them to eat, and set them on your bowl when not in use, nothing less and nothing more.

Always Be Respectful

Like most cultures, Chinese culture values respect. When traveling in this country, it’s a good idea to always show respect to the people you encounter and be careful not to lose face. Losing face is when you do something to embarrass or shame yourself, of when you publicly display strong emotions such as anger or sadness. Losing face in front of others is considered incredibly disrespectful in China and should be avoided at all costs.

Another thing to be aware of when it comes to showing respect in China is your feet. When entering any temple, or most Chinese homes, it’s important that you remove your shoes. It’s considered very disrespectful to wear your shoes inside most Chinese homes, or in any place of worship, so this is a rule that should consistently be observed. Also, once your shoes are off, you should always avoid showing the bottom of your feet to people. This means that if you’re sitting cross legged you should make constant effort to be certain that the soles of your feet are ever facing another person. You should never point at people as well, not with your hands and especially not with your feet.

Watch What You Say

When travelling around China it’s also a good idea to be careful what topics you try and discuss with the local populace. Topics such as Chinese history and politics can be incredibly sensitive subjects here. Unless you’re well enough acquainted with Chinese culture to know how to successfully tip-toe your way through a conversation on these topics, it’s probably best to just avoid them altogether. Due to a rocky history, it’s also a good idea not to discuss Japan while in China, especially when it comes to making any comparisons between the two nations. You should also avoid certain taboo topics such as death. Death is considered a very serious topic in China and it is thought to be bad luck to discuss it publicly.

Give Gifts

In China, it’s considered polite to give gifts, although it’s important that you do so properly. First of all, it’s common practice for a Chinese gift recipient to decline a gift upon your first attempt to give it to them. This does not mean that they aren’t interested in the gift, but is done as to not make them seem greedy or selfish. Therefore, it’s polite practice in China to continue to offer the gift until the person accepts. Once they accept the gift do not brag about it. By doing this it will nullify the kind gesture.

Conclusion

China is a beautiful and culturally diverse country, so while traveling throughout it you should make the best of your time. By following the above guidelines your trip should not only go by more smoothly, but you may make some local friends as well!

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