Kazakh Ablai Khan University of International Relations and World

and World Languages

Culture of China

Done by: Kushekbayeva S.
Checked by:

Almaty, 2013

Gift Giving Etiquette
Family life

oldest cultures.  Important components
of Chinese culture include literature,

music,  visual arts , martial arts ,
 cuisine , religion etc.

eaten?" is a common greeting among older Chinese.
As an informal

greeting, Chinese people like to use "chī le ma?" -- which means "have you eaten yet?" -- when it is the time for a meal. Foreigners who don’t understand this kind of custom might regard this as an invitation to have a meal together. However, this is just a simple greeting, not a real invitation, so can reply with "chī le" or "méi ne" which means "yes, I have eaten" or "no, not yet."

answer them very quickly and generally, such as "I am

going out for a moment" or "I have something to do." So, if you are in China and are greeted in such a way, do not think too hard about how to respond! No explicit answer is necessary.
Though such greetings that ask about daily life are universally used in people's daily lives throughout China, more and more people now say “nǐ hǎo” to express "hello." The simple "hello" is used in formal situations no matter whom is speaking to who, but younger people are more likely to greet each other with it. Older generations are more likely to greet each other with questions about their daily lives.

a communist state, there is no official religion. About a

quarter of the people practice Taoism and Confucianism and other traditional religions. There are also small numbers of Buddhists, Muslims and Christians.

Hakka, Wu, Min, Xiang and Gan . Pŭtōnghuà , the

type of Mandarin based on the speech in the capital Beijing, is the official national language of mainland China. Many Chinese are also fluent in English. The written language is symbol-based.

by geography and ethnic diversity. Among the main styles of

Chinese cooking are Cantonese, which features stir-fried dishes, and Sezchuan, which relies heavily on use of peanuts, sesame paste and ginger and is known for its spiciness.
The Chinese word for rice is fan, which also means meal, and it is a staple of their diet, as are bean sprouts, cabbage and scallions. Because they do not consume a lot of meat — occasionally pork or chicken — tofu is a main source of protein for the Chinese.Tea is the beverage of choice.

than in their homes, especially when entertaining foreigners.
If you are

invited to their house, consider it a great honour. If you must turn down such an honour, it is considered polite to explain the conflict in your schedule so that your actions are not taken as a slight.
Arrive on time.
Remove your shoes before entering the house.
Bring a small gift to the hostess.
Eat well to demonstrate that you are enjoying the food!

sit. The guest of honour will be given a seat

facing the door.
The host begins eating first.
You should try everything that is offered to you.
Never eat the last piece from the serving tray.
Be observant to other peoples' needs.
Chopsticks should be returned to the chopstick rest after every few bites and when you drink or stop to speak.
The host offers the first toast.
Do not put bones in your bowl. Place them on the table or in a special bowl for that purpose.
Hold the rice bowl close to your mouth while eating.
Do not be offended if a Chinese person makes slurping or belching sounds; it merely indicates that they are enjoying their food.
There are no strict rules about finishing all the food in your bowl.

workers although older workers still consider it an insult. Leaving

a few coins is usually sufficient.

and mystical history. Many sculptures and paintings depict spiritual figures

of Buddhism.
.

Festival — marks the beginning of the lunar new year.

It falls between mid-January and mid-February and is a time to honor ancestors. During the 15-day celebration, children receive money in red envelopes for good luck and people thoroughly clean their homes to signify a fresh beginning. The holiday is marked fireworks and parades with dancers dressed as dragons.
The Moon Festival is celebrated in September or October with fireworks, paper lanterns and moon gazing.

greeted first.
Handshakes are the most common form of greeting with

foreigners.
Many Chinese will look towards the ground when greeting someone.
Address the person by an honorific title and their surname. If they want to move to a first-name basis, they will advise you which name to use.
The Chinese have a terrific sense of humour. They can laugh at themselves most readily if they have a comfortable relationship with the other person. Be ready to laugh at yourself given the proper circumstances.

Year, weddings, births and more recently (because of marketing), birthdays. The

Chinese like food and a nice food basket will make a great gift.
Do not give scissors, knives or other cutting utensils as
they indicate the severing of the relationship.
Do not give clocks, handkerchiefs or straw sandals as
they are associated with funerals and death.
Do not give flowers, as many Chinese associate these
with funerals.
Do not wrap gifts in white, blue or black paper.
Four is an unlucky number so do not give four of anything.
Eight is the luckiest number, so giving eight of something
brings luck to the recipient.
Always present gifts with two hands.
Gifts are not opened when received.
Gifts may be refused three times before they are accepted.

young adults will date just a few people, perhaps only one, before choosing

a partner. The average age for marriage is 25 to 30 year old. The bride will usually wear a long white wedding gown . The bride will not change her name. As in any country, there are strong traditions around the entire process, from selecting partners to proposing to planning the wedding to the wedding itself. Chinese Wedding Customs is an outstanding guide to the process from start to finish.
Children typically live with the parents until marriage. After a brief honeymoon, the newlyweds will move into an apartment. But, it is not uncommon for newly married couples to remain in one of the parents' homes for a short period after the marriage. The newly married couple then move into a small apartment with one or two bedrooms, a bath and cooking/living room.
The couple are allowed by Chinese law one child. There are exceptions to the one child rule, the most common being minority groups, and in areas where there is labor shortage(rural areas and farms).

of a strong family unit led be the father and

husband, who largely has absolute rule and control of the family. Religion plays a major part in defining the roles and responsibilities of family members. This control also extended to selection of marriage partners, which was often arranged for the children.
Much has changed today in the family make-up. The father still remains the strong family leader and decision maker. At a minimum, he influences the major decisions of the children. But, normally he no longer exerts absolute control. The father no longer arranges the marriage, although this still exists in some of the most traditional families and in less developed areas. Children select their career fields, again strongly influenced by the father.

as the arts, beliefs, customs, institutions and all other product

of human work and throught creted by a people or group. Chinese culture is rich in all of these,and it dates back thousand of years.