The Surprising Truth about Chinese New Year - The US vs. China

We are fast approaching the Chinese New Year holiday for 2011 (February 3, 2011). This year is the year of the Rabbit. I have been lucky enough to spend Chinese New Year in both the United States and China and they are like two different holidays.


For those of you who were born or raised in the US ( I can't speak for other non-Chinese countries), Chinese New Year is one of those elusive holidays where you have no idea when it is until your parents tell you. Usually is involves just dinner at home with family and the most exciting part for the younger generation is the red envelopes (利是"lai see" in Cantonese). For those who don't know what a red envelope is, basically it is just a red envelope (pardon the obvious) that contains money. I will get into more details in a later post. We don't even get a day off for Chinese New Year unless you work for a Chinese owned company. If you live near a Chinatown, you may be lucky enough to join in some of the festivities (parades, lion dancing and fireworks)


In stark contrast, Chinese New Year is by far the biggest and most important holiday in China. Almost everyone gets about 10 days off, some even take extended holidays. Due to the migrant worker situation in China, this is the holiday where everyone makes their annual trek back to there hometown (老家 "lao jia" in Mandarin, "herng ha" in Cantonese). The traditional celebration is very festive. Everyone (I mean everyone) in the family gets together for a huge dinner on Chinese New Year's eve which takes days to prepare for and the full day to cook. Then at night, everyone watches the CCTV New Year's Gala (中国中央电视台春节联欢晚会) which features performances ranging from acrobatics to comedic skits (more details in another post). At midnight, the sky is lit up with fireworks and practically the whole city (I experienced New Year's in Beijing) seems like it's at war. After midnight, people get together an make dumplings, play cards and just hang out together. The next 5-8 days, you are either visiting relatives or they are visiting you ( 拜年 "bai neen" in Cantonese and "bai nian" in Mandarin). 

All in all, celebrating Chinese New Year in China is much better than celebrating it anywhere else. 

Unfortunately, as China is becoming more Westernized, many of these traditions are being watered down. More and more families are going out to eat and according to many Chinese I know, the holiday spirit wasn't what it use to be. 

Feel free to share your experiences of Chinese New Year in the comments section!

To celebrate the upcoming New Year, the next few posts will be on subjects related to Chinese New Year. Topics will include red envelopes, the Chinese Zodiac, lion dance and even dumplings!

The 4 Rules for Giving Away Money - Chinese Red Pocket

If you know what a red pocket is (利事 "Lai See" in Cantonese and 紅包 "Hong Bao" in Mandarin), you either love it or hate it.

If you are on the receiving end you probably love it but if you are on the giving end you probably hate it. If you are giving, the only perk is you don't have to rack your brain for a nice gift. A red pocket is pretty straightforward: Money inside a RED envelope.

This post is going to look at some of the rules that govern the give and take that is the red envelope:

General Rule #1:
Receivers: Children (and not just your own), Unmarried Adult Friend and Families
Givers: Married Couples (gives two) and Widows (gives one)

General Rule #2:
Receivers: Guests of Honor at Special Occasions (Weddings, Birthdays, Going Away, Travel)
Givers: Attendees of these Special Occasions

General Rule #3:
Receivers: The Worker
Givers: The Boss

General Rule #4: 
Receivers: People who provide you with service (Doorman, Maid, Lion Dancers, etc)
Givers: You

So now you are armed with the general rules of engagement, so do what you need to do to navigate this fun yet sometimes painful Chinese tradition!

Learn Chinese (I always see this on fortune cookies):

恭喜發財,利是逗來 (Gong Hay Faat Choy, Lai See Dou Loi)

Translation: Be Prosperous and Happy ...now give me my money! (that's what those Chinese characters say)

Can We Really Trust Eunuchs? Powerful Drag Queens of Ancient China

Every Chinese movie set in Imperial China all have one thing in common, Eunuchs (Cantonese - Thai Gaam). In most movies, Chinese eunuchs are usually depicted as pale, wily, evil and effeminate. They had high pitched voices and spoke with an air of femininity. Eunuchs, for those who don't know or have never heard, are castrated male Imperial palace servants primarily employed to guard the harems and service the female royalty. In order to make sure there was no hanky panky, Chinese eunuchs were emasculated (complete removal of the male genitalia). This loss of "manhood" gave eunuchs a false reputation for being docile, loyal and unwanting of power.
In Imperial China, there were eunuchs of all ages. They performed a variety of roles ranging from actors and servants to harem guards and Imperial advisers. Eunuchs experienced a wide spectrum of treatment but at one time they were able to reach power greater than that of the emperor. According to Hidden Power: The Palace Eunuchs of Imperial China by Mary M. Anderson, eunuchs gained power by winning favor with young princes and molding the "heir apparent to suit their own ambitions". They were basically the puppet master using the emperor as the powerless figurehead to wield their authority. It is interesting that in a society dominated by male leadership, that men without their "manhood" could come to "usurp enormous authority".

Although eunuchs were used in other cultures, they had the greatest historical record and significance in the history of the Chinese.

The Top 10 Ways to Respect Your Parents - Filial Piety

If you ever watch TVB (Hong Kong TV series), you will notice that children rarely move out of the house no matter how successful they are. A regular household usually always consists of the parents, the children and the grandparents. Most Chinese people take care of their parents as they reach retirement age. Although this may seem strange for Americans, it is the status quo in Asia. Filial piety is the main reason why you rarely see elderly Chinese people in nursing or retirement homes.

If you've ever studied Chinese history and culture, you probably came across the term filial piety (孝, xiao). Filial piety is a Confucianism concept which centers a relationship with parents around love and respect. The concept of filial piety is common to all of the diverse religious beliefs in China and can be demonstrated by (taken from Wikipedia):

• Taking care of one's parents

• Not being rebellious

• Show love, respect and support

• Display courtesy

• Ensure male heirs

• Uphold fraternity among brothers

• Wisely advise one's parents

• Conceal your parents' mistakes

• Display sorrow for their sickness and death

• Carry our sacrifices after their death ("Bai Saan" in Cantonese)

Filial piety is practiced by Chinese immigrants all over the world. Confucius emphasized the "circle of life". When the children are young, the parents are the strong and they take care of the children and must given respect. When the children become adults, they take on the strong role and take care of their elders. Some Confucian schools feel that children do not have to always obey their parents. If the parents make a mistake, as adult "children" it is necessary to help teach the parents. In America, there is much conflict among first generation families because teenage rebellion, usually viewed as a natural phase of growing up, is completely opposite the ideals of filial piety. This leads to much confusion, misunderstanding and frustration between the parents and the children.
You can find some Chinese fairy tales concerning filial piety here

How to End the Misunderstanding between the East and the West

There has always been a chasm between the East and the West. I'm not talking about the much publicized and rapped about battle of the coasts in the United States but one that is causing even greater controversy, Westernized Americans and the Easternized Chinese. We always hear about people becoming more westernized but rarely do we hear about people becoming easternized. Perhaps it is because I live on the western hemisphere but the general consensus is that being westernized is a sign of progress while being easternized is almost viewed as being "backwards".

So why the conflict between the East and the West? Misunderstanding

The main difference between Western and Eastern thinking that is causing this rift is the western idea of individualism. Although this is the backbone of our free society, it is often misunderstood in Asia and especially China. This is because in the Eastern Confucianistic society of Asia, success is measured by the fullness of human relationships. This is in direct contrast to the emphasis placed in Western society for individual achievement. To the Chinese, westerners seem to merely cultivate human relationships as a means to further their individual success thus painting an image of a lonely and harsh Western world. Even the word "individualism" when translated into Chinese (個人主義) carries a negative connotation of selfishness and self-centeredness. It is mistranslations and stereotypes like this that fuel these cultural clashes between traditional Chinese and Americans.

The Chinese view Americans and their ideals as being selfish and cold. American young adults who move out of the house or American adults who put their parents in retirement homes are testament to the views of the Chinese. The thing is, from an American point of view, it is accepted and even encouraged to "leave the nest" and become self-sufficient. Dependency including mutual dependency is seen as a weakness in the US whereas such dependency in Asia is actually seen as a validation of a worthwhile relationship. The Americans usually view the Chinese emphasis on relationships as a preface to corruption and also as a dearth to individual thinking. Americans usually view the Chinese as susceptible to group think and worst of all, unable to think for themselves.

These are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of East vs. West conflicts but as you can see, there is much misunderstanding between the two seemingly different cultures. The truth is both Eastern and Western ideology were formed for the betterment of the people in its culture. The motive to create a better and more productive society holds true for both cultures but until people from both East and West realize this similarity, conflicts from misunderstanding will persist.

Can We Really Trust China? Comeback or Catastrophe

I am proud to be Chinese.

I am proud of our glorious history.

I am proud of the phoenix like comeback of China today where most view China as the US's next rival for superpower after being labelled the "Sick Man of Asia" (東亞病夫).

But at the same time, I am afraid...

I am not afraid OF China but FOR China and the Chinese people!

Why am I afraid?

There are 3 reasons.

The ubiquitous construction cranes

China has always been known to pay off its debts and to save money but ever since Deng Xiao Ping opened China's doors to foreign trade and investment, there has been rampant credit expansion. There is nothing wrong with credit but in China much of the investment is being funneled into speculation as shown by the meteoric rise in housing prices. Having lived in China, I have seen empty housing communities and at the same time perpetual construction of new apartment complexes. My Chinese colleagues would tell me that most of these "empty" apartments have owners because it is deemed a good investment since housing prices have only risen and everyone is looking to buy and then sell in a few years. Sounds ominously familiar...

Chinese Apartment Complex

Something else I noticed when I was living in China was the wide gap between the rich and the poor. The rich would drive around in their Ferraris and Porches, eat at the best restaurants and live in these huge villas and mansions while on the same streets, you'll see the poor riding on their bicycles and if they are lucky, their electric scooters, living in run-down apartments where hot water is a luxury and eating at make shift street stalls. Now there is nothing uncommon about seeing rich people and poor people. We can see it everyday but I thought to myself - "Isn't China Communists?". I am not political science major but I thought communism was all about sharing the wealth, having a classless society where everyone is equal. This brings me to my 3 C formula:

Capitalism + Communism = Catastrophe

In my opinion, these two ideals can not coexist. One day the poor farmer or factory worker is going to wonder "When is it going to be my turn? When am I going to drive the nice cars or eat at the nice restaurants? When am I going to wear the brand name clothing?". When that time comes, China is going to have to make a decision: Is it going to be capitalism or is it going to be communism? Being fully entrenched in the internet age where the have-nots are constantly reminded of what they don't have and modern political revolutions are being publicly broadcasted, China is going to come to this crossroad sooner rather than later. Whichever road they choose, it is not going to be pretty.

If only this river's color was photoshopped

One of the main reasons why I quit my job in China is because I wanted to start a family but I didn't want to raise my kids where the air was polluted and the water is undrinkable. Many people are unaware that this unprecedented growth in China comes at a huge price. Chinese factories routinely dump toxic waste into rivers and lakes. Highways are filled with cars and trucks with no anti-pollution devices whatsoever and recycling as we know it does not exist. What is the result? According to the world bank, 20 of the world's 30 most polluted cities is located in China. Two-thirds of China's lakes and rivers are considered sewers and at one point Time Magazine ranked Linfen, China as the most polluted city in the world. If you ask me, that is too big of a price to pay for any type of growth.

The outlook is bleak but I already see that China is pushing hard for the clean energy initiative and is the world's supplier for solar panels. There is still much work to be done and I hope for the sake of my extended family living in China and the Chinese people that a solution is found to prevent the seemingly inevitable catastrophe.

Wind of Change...I hope

How Safe are You from Chinese Vampires?

Today is Halloween in the United States so I have decided to write a post on Chinese vampires (僵屍 "gerng see" in Cantonese and "jiang shi" in Mandarin). Anytime there is a Chinese "ghost" story, it'll usually involve these guys.  

Actually to tell you the truth, I am not sure if they are really called or why they are called vampires. I personally think they are closer to zombies but for the sake of clarity, I will refer to them as Chinese vampires. So how can you tell if you are dealing with a Chinese vampire? Well ask yourself these questions:

1. Does he have his arms up 90 degrees from his body?

2. Does he get around by hopping in a very stiff way? 

3. If you stick a piece of yellow paper with Chinese writing on his head, does it stop him from moving? 

4. Is he wearing clothing that officials would wear in the Qing dynasty? 

If your answer is Yes to any 3 of these questions, you have a Chinese vampire on your hand. So what should you do? 

• Run away - I can't see how hopping can be faster than running 
• Hold your breath - They detect you by smelling your breath, they are actually blind
• Get a mirror (specifically the 8 sided Ba Gua mirror) - Chinese vampires are afraid of their own reflections
• Handbell - Perhaps they are afraid to get run over by a bicycle
• Vinegar - Apparently wards off Chinese vampires although I would feel silly using it
• Straw Broom - If all else fails, why not try to sweep them away

In their defense, most Chinese vampires are just trying to hop back to their homeland and get a proper burial. Too bad they are misunderstood and get a beating for it. 

All of Chinese History in 5 Minutes

So you clicked on this post hoping to learn thousands of years in Chinese History in just 5 minutes...

If that's the case, we better stop wasting time. 

Chinese history began in the Shanxi Province along the Yellow river and for the most part the Chinese people were farmers.

Then came the ancient dynasties. First there was the Xia then the Shang but those were just warm ups. The first official dynasty and also the longest lasting one was the Zhou dynasty. This is where the concept of rule via the mandate of heaven first began.

Now the king was getting all these nice perks so people around him started getting jealous and soon the Zhou deteriorated (Spring and Autumn period) into the Warring States period. After a lot of fighting, the king of Qin was finally able to unite all of China which began the Qin dynasty. Although this dynasty is known for beginning the Great Wall of China and unifying China through a uniform law and money system, it was also know to quell opposing ideas by burning books and burying scholars.

No one likes book burnings so the Qin dynasty was quickly followed by the Han dynasty which was known for its advancement in arts and sciences and the development of the Silk Road. During the Han rule, someone tricked the Chinese people to adopt the Xin dynasty but that nonsense was quickly stopped and the Han dynasty returned to power shortly after. Due to some fighting between the Eunuchs and the king's lovers, China was thrown into another warring period romanticized by the famous novel called The Three Kingdoms.

The Jin dynasty finally beat out the other two kingdoms (Shu and Wu). When the Jin dynasty collapsed, China decided to use geography to name its dynasty so we ended up with Southern and Northern dynasties. No one liked those names and the thoughts of being divided so the Sui dynasty decided to take over. Unfortunately they ran the country poorly so the Tang Dynasty took power. This dynasty ushers us into the Golden Age of China where Buddhism was becoming more widespread, government is strong and poetry is rampant.

Of course, all good things come to an end and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period took its place. No one likes such a vague name so the Song dynasty takes charge of China. More dynasties come and go and then China is conquered by the Mongolians (shocking, I know). I'm not sure why they didn't rename China Mongolia or called the period the Khan dynasty but instead they decided to call it the Yuan Dynasty.

No one liked the Mongols so the Chinese people overthrew the Yuan dynasty and began the Ming dynasty. Those white and blue porcelain vases are named after this period (Ming Vase) and the Great Wall is finally finished. The Qing dynasty, the last dynasty in China, then took over up until 1911. That's less that 100 years ago.

Due to its refusal to work with other countries, China didn't benefit from the industrial revolution going on in Europe. Soon China offended some Europeans and the Opium War starts. Without the proper weapons, China loses Hong Kong to Britain and the opium trade is legalized (guess who makes opium? British-owned India ...).

As the western influence grows stronger in China, China begins to rebel with the Boxer Rebellion. The Chinese people weren't happy and decided to overthrow the Qing dynasty and Dr. Sun Yat-Sen pushed for revolution. This was sparked by the May 4th movement in protest of the Versailles treaty where China was not recognized and did not gain from its participation against Germany.

The Nationalist Party formed along with the Communist Party and they joined forces against the Japanese. After beating Japan, the Nationalist Party focused its attacks on the Communist Party. The Communists ended up winning and Mao Ze Dong became the country's leader. When Mao died, Deng Xiao Ping took over and opened the doors to China and create a market socialism.

China took of economically and is the second largest economy in the world. It is currently being led by Hu Jintao. For those who don't know, Britain did give back Hong Kong back to China in 1997.

That's it.

Chinese History in a nutshell.

The Chinese Person's Guide to Dim Sum Etiquette: Tapping to Say Thanks!

Old people like dim sum too!

Being born in Hong Kong and growing up in a predominantly Cantonese culture in New York City, I have always looked forward to and still enjoy going to Yum Cha (literally "drink tea" in Cantonese). Most foreigners recognize this as "dim sum" and I have heard some even describe it as Chinese brunch (Quick Note: In Chinese, one would never say "Let's go to dim sum". It would always be "Let's go drink tea".  - this does not really translate well in English).


For those who still have no idea what I am talking about, "dim sum" is basically brunch (9am-2:30pm) usually at a noisy Chinese restaurant (not sure if there are really any quiet Chinese restaurants ... if there are, there were probably no Chinese people in it). At more traditional restaurants, the food is served on push carts heated by hot water to keep the food warm. Smaller restaurants may offer dim sum items off of a menu. Typical foods you will find are usually all types of dumplings, rice noodle, tripe, shumai, pheonix claws (the glorified name for chicken feet) and many other Cantonese style foods. The word "dim sum" (点心 - "dian xin" in Mandarin and of course "dim sum" in Cantonese) literally means small snack. 

Dim sum literally means "snack"

There are always people having dim sum. During the weekdays, you'll see the older retired crowd. During the weekends, restaurants will be crowded with families and other groups looking to spend their late-morning eating tasty food, drinking tea and catching up with friends. It is a very Chinese experience that I recommend for everyone to try. It'll definitely help if you have a Chinese friend to help navigate but it is not necessary as most restaurants cater to non-Chinese.      

2 finger for 2 legs

Now, if you ever been to dim sum or if you ever decide to go, one thing that you'll notice is people tapping their fingers on their table. Usually, it is a 2 finger tap (pointer and middle) and you will observe this when another person is pouring tea for the finger tapper. At first glance, this seems like a very rude gesture as it naturally looks like you are trying to hurry the tea pourer but in actuality, it is a sign of appreciation. 

So how did finger tapping become a sign for thank you? Well, according to one of my colleagues when I was working in China, this finger tapping goes way back during the era of Chinese dynasties when China had emperors. The story goes like this:

There once was an Emperor who wanted to experience the common life and to observe the commoners in there natural state so he disguised himself (how cliche, I know) and went into the city. Still being the emperor, he had to be accompanied by his top officials and bodyguards. One day as they stopped at a restaurant, the Emperor wanted to pour tea for his companions but the general rule was that you had to bow to the Emperor when in the presence of the Emperor and especially if the Emperor is doing something for you. In order to stay incognito but still allow his subjects to abide by the rules, the Emperor ordered his companions to "bow" to him every time he poured them tea by tapping 2 fingers on the table with the fingers signifying the bended knees. This custom has carried on since and ahs expanded outside of the dim sum context (it's pretty much anytime when someone is pouring something for someone else). 

So, if you want to impress your Chinese friends, let them see you tap your fingers whenever someone is pouring you something to express "Thanks!". 

If you know of another version of the story that explains the finger tapping, feel free to share in the comments section. 

You can find dim sum in almost all Cantonese restaurants. If you are ever in NYC, some excellent dim sum places I recommend are (email me if you can't find it on google):

1. Golden Unicorn (Manhattan Chinatown - 18 East Broadway)
2. East Harbor Seafood Restaurant (Brooklyn Chinatown - 65th Street and 7th Ave)
3. Ping's Seafood Restaurant (Manhattan Chinatown - Mott Street)

If you know of any good dim sum restaurants in your city or country, please feel free to list it in the comments section. I am always looking for good dim sum restaurants!

There are 8 Chinese Cuisines?? - What a Chinese American Didn't Know About Chinese Food

Ever since I was born, I ate Chinese food. I ate it at home and I ate it when I went out so naturally I thought I've seen and tasted it all.

That all changed when I moved to China for work.

It was there where I learned that I've only been eating a very specific Chinese cuisine. I didn't even know there were different cuisines. What's interesting is that they're all significantly different from each other. Since then, I've tried each type and learned to appreciate the qualities of each one.

This is probably not a shocker for anyone from China but for any Chinese-Americans out there, here is the list of the Eight (yes, eight!) Chinese cuisines conveniently named for the region they come from:

Zhejiang

This is the cuisine from my parent's hometown in Hangzhou. The taste is light and the popular ingredients is fresh fish, bamboo shoots and seafood. The major cooking methods are stir-frying, braising and steaming. Vinegar and sugar is the most popular marinade for meat and fish.

Hangzhou is also known for it's Longjing Tea.

Popular dishes: Shrimp in Longjing Tea and Dongpo Pork

Also known as Zhe Cai (Cai means cuisine in Chinese)

Jiangsu

Jiangsu cuisine comes from a region not too far from Hangzhou. The food is more flavorful than Zhe Cai and the major flavors are salty and sweet. There is an emphasis on freshness and the use of soup. The main cooking methods are braising, stir-frying and stewing. Presentation is also an important element in Jiangsu cuisine.

Popular dishes: Salted Dried Duck, Thin Tofu Skin, Lion's Head (meatball in crab shell powder)


Also known as Su Cai.

Fujian

We now head south to the Fujian region. The popular flavor is sweet and sour. The major cooking method is to cut up the food and then to stir-fry them or put them in soup. Common ingredients include seafood, pork, duck, chicken and beef. 

Popular dishes: Fried Xi Shi's Tongue (Mussels), Buddha Jumps Over the Wall (Sharkfin Soup), Jade Pearl Abalone

Also known as Min Cai.

Shandong

Shandong cuisine is crispy and salty. Since Shandong is in Northern China, there is a much higher use of Chinese bread than rice. Onion and garlic are common seasoning and most food are cooked through braising, stir frying and frying. Soups are also part of this cuisine. The common ingredients are seafood and vegetables.

Popular dishes: Braised Abalone, Crispy Carp, Sea Cucumber with Meatballs, Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea (Braised Shark Fin Soup)

Also known as Lu Cai.

Guandong

Growing up in New York, Guandong cuisine was by far the most popular cuisine. The flavor is sweet and the food can be both light and heavy. Ingredients include almost anything. Southern China has always been known to eat anything that flies, crawls, walks or swims. Foods are cooked by braising, sauteing, steaming or stewing and seasonings used are sugar and spiced salt.

Popular dishes: Suckling Pig, Won Ton, Dim Sum (spring rolls), Egg Custards


Also known as Cantonese Food or Yue Cai.

Sichuan

When people hear Sichuan (sometimes spelled Szechuan), they think spicy. The flavors are bold and there is alot of chili, garlic, peppers, gingers and peppercorns used. Peanut is also used as a common ingredient. Food is prepared with braising, stewing or stir-frying.

Popular dishes: Ma-Po Tofu (Stir-fried tofu with minced beef in spicy bean sauce), Twice-Cooked Pork, Kung Pao Chicken and Tea-Smoke Duck


Also know as Chuan Cai.

Hunan

Hunan cuisine is also spicy and food is commonly sauteed, stir-fried, stewed, steamed or smoked. The flavors are strong and common ingredients are meats, cabbage and frogs' legs. There is heavier use of oil and the colors are strong.

Popular dishes: Crispy Duck, Dong'an Chicken and Orange Beef.

Also known as Xiang Cai.

Anhui

Foods are commonly braised or stewed and considered healthier than other cuisines because there is less frying. Often-used ingredients include ham, mushrooms, berries and bamboo shoots. Seasoning is mainly sugar based.

Popular dishes: Braised Turtle with Ham, Fuliji Grilled Chicken, Dried Mushrooms, Stinky Tofu

Also known as Hui Cai.

So there it is, a short guide to different cuisines. Most restaurants will have on their signs or menus the type of cuisine they serve so I encourage you to try all the different foods.

Feel free to talk about your own experiences with these different Chinese cuisines in the comments section.