Anyone from China, or lived in China? Care to answer some quick questions?

[LIVENUDEGIRLS]

I need some info. Hoping someone here who is part of or is familiar with Chinese culture can help. I need some general information on what takes place during Chinese family gatherings (in China) and how it might compare or contrast to American culture.

Is there anything similar to BBQ'ing in China?

Are any cusines ever cooked outside?

What are activities that people in China take part in before or after family dinners, generally speaking?

Do chinese men drink and watch sports in the same manner American men do?

Is there anything that an Americans normally do during their family settings that would be violate Chinese norms?

Any other interesting insights regarding Chinese family gatherings are also greatly appreciated.

[sidneylo]

Superjetset is more appropriate for these types of questions.

The only answer you will find in the Trash is "they eat dog".

[Guest DUM]

they start young, man...

*note this is hosted on xanga

[LIVENUDEGIRLS]

haha, I had a feeling I'd get shit on.

Genuine answers still greatly appreciated.

[kauflust]

when are you going to china? and just for a family gathering?

[Guest DUM]

^It's probably for school.

[homme.homme]

when i have spent time with chinese families in china special occasions are usually spent in restaurants in private rooms rather then in the home. The fathers close business partners are refered to as aunt and uncle and are invited to special events. toasts are frequent during the meal and are done with an alcoholic drink similar to vodka and are usually directed at specific people at the table everytime. after dinner the men may gamble at a tea house... im not chinese and was kinda unsure of that was going on around me the whole time but i hope this helps even a little.

[sushijerk]

I need some info. Hoping someone here who is part of or is familiar with Chinese culture can help. I need some general information on what takes place during Chinese family gatherings (in China) and how it might compare or contrast to American culture.

Is there anything similar to BBQ'ing in China?

Are any cusines ever cooked outside?

What are activities that people in China take part in before or after family dinners, generally speaking?

Do chinese men drink and watch sports in the same manner American men do?

Is there anything that an Americans normally do during their family settings that would be violate Chinese norms?

Any other interesting insights regarding Chinese family gatherings are also greatly appreciated.

BBQ (I'm assuming you mean grilling and not "competition bbq" which is closer to smoking/roasting) does not really exist in China. Cooking large pieces of meat directly over coals/open flame is just not a part of any major chinese schools of cooking. However grilling is very common in certain nomadic, minority Chinese tribes that live in the northern areas near Mongolia/Nepal/Tibet. These people came to Chinese cities and set up roadside grills and sold skewers of goat meat and various organ meats(shishkabob style) that became very popular. Everything is flavored with chili, cumin, and coriander powers rather than any tomatoe/vinegar based sauces like in America. Also chicken and beef is almost never grilled.

Cooking outside is traditionally not done. BBQ is getting more popular due to western influence, but the idea of everybody gathering outside while a meal is prepared on an outside grill is almostly an entirely foreign concept in Chinese cooking. Even though common skewers I mentioned above is considered street vendor food at best and nobody does it at home.

Most Chinese families just watch TV before and after dinner.

Chinese men love to drink beer and watch sports, especially soccer. However most people don't have big living rooms or big TVs so the gathering is typically done in bars. During World Cup bars will actually run nearly 24 hours because everybody gathers to watch the games broadcast live from Europe.

I can't think of anything that makes Chinese and American dinners distinctly different from each other from a social standpoint. The only point of note is that many Chinese kids do not move out of the house even after college/jobs so it is common for the son or daughters to eat dinner with thier parents and grandparents every night even when they are 20-30 years old.

[branespload]

Anyone from China, or lived in China?

Only about a billion people..

[whizkit]

they start young, man...

*note this is hosted on xanga

That's Korean!

[chris_n]

^^ no wonder that baby has such a gigantic head

[Guest DUM]

That's Korean!

Korean import dog. Baby is chinese. Point stands.

[CactusArmy]

Are you studying chinese?

[alexmak]

we have something call "hot pot", we do that both outside or inside

[Wilkes]

stop eating in my park wtf

[kenthenoob]

we eat dog...

www.wikipedia.org should help.

[LIVENUDEGIRLS]

when i have spent time with chinese families in china special occasions are usually spent in restaurants in private rooms rather then in the home. The fathers close business partners are refered to as aunt and uncle and are invited to special events. toasts are frequent during the meal and are done with an alcoholic drink similar to vodka and are usually directed at specific people at the table everytime. after dinner the men may gamble at a tea house... im not chinese and was kinda unsure of that was going on around me the whole time but i hope this helps even a little.

BBQ (I'm assuming you mean grilling and not "competition bbq" which is closer to smoking/roasting) does not really exist in China. Cooking large pieces of meat directly over coals/open flame is just not a part of any major chinese schools of cooking. However grilling is very common in certain nomadic, minority Chinese tribes that live in the northern areas near Mongolia/Nepal/Tibet. These people came to Chinese cities and set up roadside grills and sold skewers of goat meat and various organ meats(shishkabob style) that became very popular. Everything is flavored with chili, cumin, and coriander powers rather than any tomatoe/vinegar based sauces like in America. Also chicken and beef is almost never grilled.

Cooking outside is traditionally not done. BBQ is getting more popular due to western influence, but the idea of everybody gathering outside while a meal is prepared on an outside grill is almostly an entirely foreign concept in Chinese cooking. Even though common skewers I mentioned above is considered street vendor food at best and nobody does it at home.

Most Chinese families just watch TV before and after dinner.

Chinese men love to drink beer and watch sports, especially soccer. However most people don't have big living rooms or big TVs so the gathering is typically done in bars. During World Cup bars will actually run nearly 24 hours because everybody gathers to watch the games broadcast live from Europe.

I can't think of anything that makes Chinese and American dinners distinctly different from each other from a social standpoint. The only point of note is that many Chinese kids do not move out of the house even after college/jobs so it is common for the son or daughters to eat dinner with thier parents and grandparents every night even when they are 20-30 years old.

Thanks for the info!

Yeah, this is for school. The due date creeping up on me and I'm realizing that there is still some info I haven't gotten and figured I could probably get some useful info here, given the global nature of this forum. Luckily, the assignment requires that all information aqcuired be gotten from interviews, whether personally or virtually.

Also anyone know if Chinese have a specific name for family gatherings?

What would be the consequences for violating any of the norms surrounding family gatherings?

Are all cuisines prepared in a manner where the use of chopsticks is feasible?

Are chopsticks always used? Or are western eating utensils used as well?

[Handlethevibe]

What would be the consequences for violating any of the norms surrounding family gatherings?

[futuredwight]

we have something call "hot pot", we do that both outside or inside

"One of these things is not like the other, one of these things is not the same..."

[nimo112]

^^ no wonder that baby has such a gigantic head

lololololol

[homme.homme]

hotpot is the best thing that has come from China. I have this at home twice a week.

[soraanaam]

seriously, screw beijing or shanghai, that shit is overcrowded, go live in ningbo very nice and international clubs, streets are wide and modern, youd think you are livivng in the states and there is a very tight ass walmart in ningbo that beats all the walmarts in america combined.