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Customs for the w ould-be mothers
Lifestyle / Local Customs
Written by : text by Lena Gidwani, Image by Zoe Pan
Oct 29, 2008
Tags :
Customs for the w ould-be mothers
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In China, once a woman announces her pregnancy, celebrations
will abound! A girl? A boy? Oh, as long as its healthy!
As pregnancy poses many risks to the health of both the
mother and the baby, this statement often means a call to
action as much as it is a sincere wish. In Chinese culture, many
customs and superstitions surround the state of pregnancy and
post-partum care. They function to protect the pregnant woman and
newborn child from "malign influences," and to avert problems with
pregnancy and birthing such as miscarriages and stillbirth. With
the one-child policy in full force, its better to be safe than sorry, as
the old adage goes.
So if you're interested in appeasing those Chinese in-laws, or
simply want to understand why yourself or your partner can't use
glue or eat crab during the pregnancy, here's your foolproof guide.
PRE-NATAL PRECAUTIONS:
Do not use sharp objects, i.e. scissors and knives, on the bed because
it can resu ... ... |
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How to …give and get guanxi
Lifestyle / Local Customs
Written by : Lena Gidwani
Jul 13, 2008
Tags :
guanxi
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| Schmoozing. Sucking up. Connections. 'Mutually beneficial relationships'. Call it whatever you want, honey, but here in China, its known simply as one word: Guanxi.
Guan means close together, and Xi means relationship. You are your relationships; you are defined by your guanxi. It is much more than just friendship; it is your competitive advantage, your golden ticket to everything: securing that much-coveted contract, landing your dream home, and even gaining that long awaited promotion.
Fortunes have been made and lost based on good or bad guanxi. It's also the notion that if somebody does you a favor, you will be expected to repay it one day. Put simply, it's the "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" philosophy.
Cracking the guanxi code may take impossible work and perseverance, but playing the game is still imperative. If you are open-minded and patient, as well as willing to bend over backwards, then you can start building guanxi immediately.
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Picture yourself in a boat on a river...
Lifestyle / Local Customs
Written by : Lena Gidwani
Jun 5, 2008
Tags :
sightseeing
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| Did you ever yearn to take a cruise after seeing The Love Boat on cable TV? Was there something about those sexy white-haired captains or young bikini-clad ladies that got your blooding rushing? Of course, not all of us have the privilege to hop on a cruiser and majestically set sail in search of love (unless your name happens to be Captain Stubing.) But then again, with one of the nation's most iconic rivers at our doorstep, it's no wonder we're all getting that summer-evening-cruise feeling.
So, just skip on down to the Pearl River and feast your eyes on the old and new icons that imbue the city with sparkling charm
(under incredibly gaudy yet picturesque neon lights.) Clichéd as it may sound, it's amazingly romantic and soothing to watch the Guangdong world go by and feel the breeze in your hair. For cynics out there, Guangzhou may not look all that much by day, but once night falls an illuminated boat cruise is a stunningly brilliant way to dine the dusk away.
A word ... ... |
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24 hours around...Guangzhou's temples
Lifestyle / Local Customs
Written by : Cen Jieying
Jun 5, 2008
Tags :
travel
temples
religion
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| The hustle and bustle of the Pearl River Delta can often be
totally overwhelming. That's why we offer this little travel
page – to give you some idea about getting out of the cities
for a long weekend in order to rejuvenate your body and
mind. And, if it's spiritual healing you're after, then the tranquility and
peace of Guangzhou's many temples are a perfect place to melt into
the Great Absolute again. Here's how we did it...
9.45am
Energize yourself, Cantonese style, with a beef rice roll, preserved
egg and pork congee breakfast, together with a couple of deep-fried
twisted dough sticks at Yin Ji (519 Hui Fu East Road), one of the iconic
morning restaurants of Guangzhou.
10.45am
Now visit the Temple of Forgiving. Follow a narrow lane just beside
Yin Ji and arrive in Da Fo Si, or The Grand Buddhist Temple (21 Hui
Xin Zhong Jie, Hui Fu East Rd.) The name of the temple, of course,
indicates tolerance and forgiveness. Originally built by the ... ... |
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The Big Easy
Lifestyle / Local Customs
Written by : Ernest White
Jun 5, 2008
Tags :
travel
Indonesia
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| There's absolutely nothing to see in KL!"
This wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear on my first morning in Kuala Lumpur, but my friend's words actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. You see, he was only exaggerating slightly, but more importantly, his
comments meant that my partner and I felt
absolutely no obligation to spend our weekend traipsing from one "must-see" attraction to another. Instead, we simply wandered off and got lost in Malaysia's capital city.
Doing this on foot was sticky, and sometimes tricky, with KL's climate hot and humid, and some of its street layouts seemingly designed to deliberately
confound pedestrians. Nevertheless, alongside occasional taxi, train and monorail rides for longer journeys, pounding the pavements was still a great way of getting to know the place and its laidback inhabitants.
At every turn we were confronted by the sights, sounds (and smells) that give KL its intoxicating multicultural character. We str ... ... |
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The Fawlty Towers of Guilin?
Lifestyle / Local Customs
Written by : Elliot Brenchley
Jun 5, 2008
Tags :
travel
South China
Guilin
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| Living in Guangzhou can pose frequent challenges to one's sanity, so this spring we thought it best to get away for a long weekend. Our expectations were simple: to enjoy the silence, good food and genuine people of rural China . What we got surprised us in more ways than we was counting on. It's not all friendly people, sunny skies and relaxing atmosphere in the countryside. Consider the following before making the decision to travel out into the unknown for a little R &R.
OUR RETREAT
Location : Ai Shan Men village, 10 km. outside of Yangshuo and 2 hours from Guilin .
Accommodation : An old resorted yellow brick farmhouse, run by an eccentric Dutchman and his wife.
Transport : Train to Guilin and flight back.
CON
Getting into Guilin only to discover that our arranged pickup was nowhere to be seen and having to arrange tr ... ... |
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Climb every mountain...
Lifestyle / Local Customs
Written by : Lena Gidwani
May 9, 2008
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| Those who aspire to ascend the 29,028-foot peak of Qomolangma (Mt Everest) this month will have to scupper their plans - at least till 10 May. Its temporary "closure" (for obvious reasons) means that adventurers will have to set their sights on something a little less, um, steep, yet closer to home.
For some two thousand years, the grassy peaks of Guangdong have always inspired scholars, scribes, poets and painters. Yet for the rest of us, who want to see havens of beauty undisturbed by pollution and noise, these glorious natural wonders are only a short drive away. Guangzhou leans against the Jiulian Mountains in the north, Luofu Mountain in the west, Qingyun Mountain in the east, and the Jiulian-Nankun Mountain range in the middle, giving the city extraordinary aesthetic mountainous features. Here's our guide to a walk on the high side…
Lotus Mountain
Escape the daily grind with a visit to Lotus Mountain (Lianhua S ... ... |
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How to... cheer for China in Beijing
Lifestyle / Local Customs
Written by : Lena Gidwani
May 7, 2008
Tags :
Olympics
sports
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| China is making no bones about its intentions to break records at this year's Olympics. So it's time to see where we think Team China will dominate on the final medal podium. On your marks. . .
Badminton
Recipient of three golds in Athens 2004, China is expected to swing to another victory in Beijing.
Number of athletes: 172
Number of Gold Medals to be won: 5
Chances of Gold: 4/5
Venue: Beijing University of Technology
Men's Team: Singles- Singles- Li Dan and Bao Chunlai.
Women's Team: Singles - Zhang Ning and Xie Xingfang. Doubles - Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen and Zhang Yawen/Wei Yili
WHEN TO WATCH:
Women's Doubles Final: Friday, 15th August, 6.30pm-10pm CCTV-5.
Men's Doubles Final: Saturday, 16th August, 6.30pm-10pm CCTV-5.
Table Tennis
The ultimate "dream sport", China always dominates here, winning 16 of the 20 gold medals at the last five Olympic Games. Phew!
Number of athletes: 172
Number of G ... ... |
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How to. . . give gifts
Lifestyle / Local Customs
Written by : Lena Gidwani
Apr 1, 2008
Tags :
gift
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| It's time for some Trade Fair 'special' treatment.
Lavish gift-giving has always been an important part of Chinese culture. Today, official policy in business culture forbids giving gifts (the gesture is seen as bribery). Yet the Chinese business community, when all said and done, still possess a relatively collectivist attitude and therefore accepts gifts with a reserved demeanor.
So, with more than 200,000 people expected for this season's Canton Trade Fair, knowing a few tips about gift-giving might lead to lower prices and the elimination of the 30% down payment (we hope!) And, of course, an increase in your guangxi.Discretion, savvy, know-how, and an adherence to the following tips will make you a seasoned Sinophile. . .
*As a sign of courtesy and respect, always use both hands to present or receive a gift.
*When presenting gifts to business partners, always stress you're giving it on behalf of "your company".
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How to …have good table manners
Lifestyle / Local Customs
Written by : Lena Gidwani
Mar 11, 2008
Tags :
seating
chopstick
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| All it really takes is some courtesy and common sense
Just as Chinese food seems to taste better when eaten with chopsticks, a whole meal can be more enjoyable if one knows a little of the ancient traditions and beliefs that place the meal in a 5,000-year-old culinary heritage. So here is a short guide to Chinese dining etiquette...
Seating
First of all, don't sit! Wait for your host to seat you. The guest of honor will usually be seated facing the door or furthest away from the door. The younges will be closest to the door.
Serving
After being seated, wash your cutlery in the bowl of tea. Also wash the lip of the bowl. Before eating, the host may offer you words of greeting. Guests should not start to eat until the host says, "enjoy yourself!", otherwise it suggests disrespect.
Pecking Order
The practice of presenting the best or finest foods first to the senior members of the family has been observed for countless generations. With a fis ... ... |
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