66: Gang Li - Courtesy - Meals and Business

China, Sichuan

Uh, actually, eating and drinking culture is inseparable from business. For Chinese people, food and drink culture, food and drink are often an aspect of business. It’s, uh, when Americans go to China on business, they often find that their Chinese hosts invite them out to eat, and that it’s a really lavish dinner. Americans are often startled by this. Uh, this is a, one side of this is that Chinese are very proud of their eating culture. When a guest visits from afar, we want to, want to, for example show off a little, or perhaps want to convey our pride to you. Another aspect is that Chinese people feel that, uh, when we’re eating we can discuss some, a lot of things that we can’t talk about in formal settings. Let me give you an example. Western people often observe that Chinese people are more reserved and serious in formal settings. But, during meals, Chinese people, people are more lively. At these times, we can discuss more cultural issues and talk about our customs. By taking this approach, Westerners can build closer, more personal relationships with Chinese people. In China, these kinds of relationships, that is to say, whether you have these personal relationships, is extremely important to doing business. If a Chinese personal feels that you can get along, that you aren’t too aloof, that everyone can be partners who work together as equals, it will be very helpful to your future business activities. So, for Americans who go to China, the first thing they have to learn is how to eat. The second thing they have to learn is how to treat other people to a meal. There’s a lot of skill involved in this. You need to, that is to say, Americans must make an effort to experience it for themselves and learn. That’s all. Thanks.

啊，事实上饮食文化跟商业是密不可分的。对中国人来讲，饮食文、饮食常常是商业的一个部分。这个，啊，美国人到中国去做商业活动的时候，经常会发现中国的主人会请他去吃饭，而且会发现一个非常丰盛的晚宴。这经常会让美国人很吃惊。啊，这个一个、一方面是因为中国人对自己的饮食文化很骄傲，这当有客从远方来的时候，我们想、想、比如说炫耀一下,或者说想向你传达一下我们的这种骄傲。另一个方面，是因为中国人感觉，啊，吃饭的时候,我们可以讨论一些很多在正式场合不能够讨论的问题。举个例子讲，西方人常常会发现中国人在正式的场合比较拘谨、不苟言笑。但是，在吃饭的时候，中国人就可以显得比较活跃一些。这样我们就可以讨论一些文化的问题，讨论一些风俗习惯的问题。通过这种方式，西方人可以跟中国人建立起一种比较密切的、私人的关系。在中国，有这样一种关系，也就是说是否有这种私人的关系，对做商业活动是非常重要的。如果中国人觉得你可以交往，你不是那么高高在上，大家可以做平等的合作的伙伴，这样对你未来的商业活动会有很大的帮助。所以对美国人到中国去，要、第一要学会怎么去吃饭，第二是要学会怎么请别人吃饭，这里面有很多的技巧，需要，就是说美国人去用心的去体会和学习。好的，谢谢。

啊，事實上飲食文化跟商業是密不可分的。對中國人來講，飲食文、飲食常常是商業的一個部分。這個，啊，美國人到中國去做商業活動的時候，經常會發現中國的主人會請他去吃飯，而且會發現一個非常豐盛的晚宴。這經常會讓美國人很吃驚。啊，這個一個、一方面是因為中國人對自己的飲食文化很驕傲，這當有客從遠方來的時候，我們想、想、比如說炫耀一下,或者說想向你傳達一下我們的這種驕傲。另一個方面，是因為中國人感覺，啊，吃飯的時候,我們可以討論一些很多在正式的場合不能夠討論的問題。舉個例子講，西方人常常會發現中國人在正式的場合比較拘謹、不苟言笑。但是，在吃飯的時候，中國人就可以顯得比較活躍一些。這樣我們就可以討論一些文化的問題，討論一些風俗習慣的問題。通過這種方式，西方人可以跟中國人建立起一種比較密切的、私人的關係。在中國，有這樣一種關係，也就是說是否有這種私人的關係，對做商業活動是非常重要的。如果中國人覺得你可以交往，你不是那麼高高在上，大家可以做平等的合作的夥伴，這樣對你未來的商業活動會有很大的幫助。所以對美國人到中國去，要、第一要學會怎麼去吃飯，第二是要學會怎麼請別人吃飯，這裏面有很多的技巧，需要，就是說美國人去用心的去體會和學習。好的，謝謝。

Ah，shìshíshàng yǐnshí wénhuà gēn shāngyè shì mìbùkěfēn de。Duì zhōngguórén láijiǎng，yǐnshí wén、yǐnshí chángcháng shì shāngyè de yīgè bùfēn。Zhègè，ah，měiguórén dào zhōngguó qù zuòshāngyè huódòng de shíhòu，jīngcháng huì fāxiàn zhōngguó de zhǔrén huì qǐngtā qùchīfàn，ěrqiě huì fāxiàn yīgè fēicháng fēngshèng de wǎnyàn。Zhè jīngcháng huì ràng měiguórén hěn chījīng。Ah，zhègè yīgè、yīfāngmiàn shì yīnwéi zhōngguórén duì zìjǐ de yǐnshí wénhuà hěn jiāoào，zhè dāng yǒukè cóng yuǎnfāng lái de shíhòu，wǒmén xiǎng、xiǎng、bǐrúshuō xuànyào yīxià, huòzhěshuō xiǎng xiàng nǐ chuándá yīxià wǒmen de zhèzhǒng jiāoào。Lìngyīgè fāngmiàn，shì yīnwéi zhōngguórén gǎnjué，ah，chīfàn de shíhòu, wǒmén kěyǐ tǎolùn yīxiē hěnduō zài zhèngshì de chǎnghé bùnénggòu tǎolùn de wèntí。Jǔgè lìzi jiǎng，xīfāngrén chángcháng huì fāxiàn zhōngguórén zài zhèngshì de chǎnghé bǐjiào jūjǐn、bùgǒuyánxiào。Dànshì，zài chīfàn de shíhòu，zhōngguórén jiù kěyǐ xiǎnde bǐjiào huóyuè yīxiē。Zhèyàng wǒmén jiù kěyǐ tǎolùn yīxiē wénhuà de wèntí，tǎolùn yīxiē fēngsú xíguàn de wèntí。Tōngguò zhèzhǒng fāngshì，xīfāngrén kěyǐ gēn zhōngguórén jiànlì qǐ yīzhǒng bǐjiào mìqiè de、sīrén de guānxì。Zài zhōngguó，yǒu zhèyàng yīzhǒng guānxì，yějiùshì shuō shìfǒu yǒu zhèzhǒng sīrén de guānxì，duì zuòshāngyè huódòng shì fēicháng zhòngyào de。Rúguǒ zhōngguórén juédé nǐ kěyǐ jiāowǎng，nǐ búshì nàme gāogāozàishàng，dàjiā kěyǐ zuò píngděng de hézuò de huǒbàn，zhèyàng duì nǐ wèilái de shāngyè huódòng huìyǒu hěndà de bāngzhù。Suǒyǐ duì měiguórén dào zhōngguó qù，yào、dìyī yào xuéhuì zěnme qù chīfàn，dìèr shì yào xuéhuì zěnme qǐng biérén chīfàn，zhè lǐmiàn yǒu hěnduō de jìqiǎo，xūyào，jiùshìshuō měiguórén qù yòngxīn de qù tǐhuì hé xuéxí。Hǎode，xièxiè。

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View original Cultural Interviews with Chinese-Speaking Professionals from University of Texas at Austin.