business lunches and other entertainments in China. Invitations. Negotiate for the food?
Business lunches are becoming common in large capital and not in small where they still retain many customs. Business lunches are a tradition that the Chinese are importing from the West. Not so the breakfasts, activities that they do not practice. What does exist in some small towns is a "morning tea", but can not be considered a breakfast meeting, but rather a complimentary welcome.
evening banquets are much more traditional in China. These events usually occur in the afternoon to have more time to enjoy them, usually start about 5.30 or 6 pm. Take a long time and are very ceremonious, especially when guests from abroad. Never in a hurry in this type of event and should be very open-minded he can not make any ugly hosts, which would jeopardize their relationships.
arriving early is likely that their hosts are already there, and you will be treated in a more distentida and less ceremonial than it does the banquet. The banquets are held in restaurants, and rarely, especially when many diners held at the home of the hosts.
When a seat must be very careful, because they highly value the importance of precedence (hierarchy). Therefore it is best to wait to tell us where we sit down, and avoid any awkward or compromised.
rule, the center seat at the table, facing the door, is reserved for the hosts. The most senior guest or honor sits to the left of it. The remaining guests will be placing greater or lesser degree of importance. Also the oldest member of the feast has a preferential place in the table.
All these rules must have the account if you're the one who organizes a feast of this kind. Best, reached this case is to hire the professional services of someone's native country for advice on these issues. Do not let it ruin a social gathering their expectations of business.
The host is the person who marks the beginning of the meal. Once the host starts eating before taking the first sip of your drink (usually making a toast to all present), the other guests can start eating well, but not before a small ceremonial further explained below.
If you are the host should take the best piece or a piece of your plate and place on plate of the guest of honor, after taking a sip from his cup first.
This is a courtesy and an indication of the warmth of the encounter. So if you are the guest do not be surprised that serves something on your plate the host.
should not treat any item of business during the meal. They respect a lot this time of the meal as a time for personal relationships.
not panic if you see a lot of food because the Chinese like plenty to entertain your guests. You can see food for 15 or 20 people, although you are only 6 or 8 people. However, the final should not be much food left as it can be interpreted as they did not like the food. Like your guests are well satisfied, so that should give evidence that it is (if I have to pretend a little.)
Rice, contrary to what one thinks, is considered as a simple accompaniment, and can be served at the end of the meal. If you want to take it with a particular dish that you have been served, the best thing to do is ask the waiter or waitress (shou jie). Take with food of all kinds. If you eat rice from a bowl, keep it close to the mouth as is customary in that country.
At a banquet of some importance can be served up to 20 or 30 dishes of food. The secret in China for food (or any another in which they serve many dishes), is to eat only a little of each.
Never try to leave a completely clean plate (which is known in Castilian as a dish mop.) They can interpret it ate everything because he has not had enough, and what can be considered as a small offense. The same on the opposite side, leaving a plate without touching it as a slight against the hosts. At least try it a bit. The best as we said above is a taste of all dishes, pure and simple courtesy. They were very grateful for this detail.
One of the most important parts of the label in China, is the ritual of tea, known as "yum cha". It is widely used to establish a first contact before a meeting or during the meal. But want to serve him more tea, leave some in your cup. Otherwise whenever you want to see empty interpreted more tea and serve you again.
If you serve food that does not require a fork or chopsticks, you are given a bowl of water to clean your fingers. But only you must do to finish eating that food.
Typically have a wide variety of dishes for you to go take that you want.
As recommended in many parts of this website but knows how to do it, it is best to observe, as do their hosts and follow these guidelines.
If you find seeds, bones or any other "small non-food items" lay them gently on the plate there for it and even on the table, but never in the bowl where it eats.
Valoran much you know eating with chopsticks, so it is good practice before going to lunch with them. When finished eating is best left chopsticks on the table again. Leave chopsticks in the bowl in parallel is believed to bring bad luck. So never do or to pause. Be careful with the use of chopsticks, because certain positions they might represent the use of these for Chinese religious rituals. Nor
must enter the chopsticks in your mouth but only be used to transport food to her. Drop the sticks is played com a sign of bad luck, so be careful not to drop them. Drink
making a little noise is not considered bad manners to them, quite the contrary, for them is a sign that you are enjoying what you drink. There
underutilized foods in our Western cuisine, but they are a delicacy and as such it is offered, scorpions, lobsters (not seafood, but the insect), snake, dog meat, turtle, etc. All are considered luxury dishes for your gastronomic culture. They are what we call their "delicatessen." Make an effort to try, but not like too much.
In some cases, they may even use toothpicks at the end of the meal, although you can use at the table, do so as discreetly as possible.
establish a good personal relationship (guanxi) is very important in their future business relations. Must also participate in the ritual of the typical drink of China. If not participate in any phase of a meal can sow distrust between them and you, and not good for their business relations with them. If you can not drink for medical reasons, religious, etc. should let them know to not be offended. The
toast usually made with beer, wine or any liquor, are an important part of Chinese ritual meals. The same applies to drink some kind of Chinese liquor. They usually have their own ritual both when serving and when drinking.
Different types of glass and glasses for each drink.
which uses should be careful at all times. There are special drinks for Chinese liquor called "matoai" and "wu liang ye."
The host of the banquet is what makes the first toast. If you do not drink for the above reasons (or for personal reasons) may well provide a natural juice or plain water, but must accompany the toast. The toasts are quite popular in Chinese food, there are two, namely: the "ganbei 'and' kai wei."
disfrtutan watching Chinese drink to his guests, what is known as "lou wai." However we must be careful because they have a high ranking spirits as the "er gua toe" may become "lost it", so it is best to drink but with something in your stomach (you have to eat something before).
For smoking, and ask permission, you must provide all guests at the table.
The end of the meal is usually determined when the fruit is put on the table, and give us a warm moist towel to cleanse your hands with it. A Once we have reached this stage of the meal, we must prepare to finish the feast. According to the label China, the host is not who goes first in the table, but the guests will be the first people to leave the table.
If you are invited to a banquet you must match after a banquet of the same characteristics. But never try to beat their hosts as they may consider offensive.
The best way to entertain their hosts is to return the invitation in a traditional Chinese. They are not accustomed to Western food and therefore not invited to appreciate that a good French restaurant, for example. It is better to invite the same kind of food they are accustomed.
When we play host to exercise, it is best to be some time before our guests arrive at the scene of the celebration. Late or not be present when guests arrive is a lack of courtesy and an insult to them.
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