It will not be easy for any European who comes to China to get used to Chinese manners and formalities, especially since Chinese customs differ not only from European ones, but also from those that exist in other Asian countries. Some mistakenly believe that the Chinese and Japanese have the same customs. But these two countries are so different that a Chinese person might be offended if they say that their culture is similar to that of Japan.

Greetings and farewells in China

In China, it's considered rude to call someone by their first name if you don't know that person from childhood. At work, people call each other by title, such as "teacher Wang." In society, they call each other either by last name and first name, or they are treated as master and lady, for example, "Mr. Zhang." In everyday life, household members refer to each other by a nickname or by the name of the degree of kinship.

The Chinese also use the designation of the degree of relationship for relatives who are not relatives. For example, older people can be addressed by young people with the words “big brother”, “uncle” or “grandfather”.

The Chinese do not smile at strangers and do not greet them.

When the Chinese say goodbye, they bow and nod their heads in respect. Beijingers often say "zhu-yi", which means "take care" or "be careful". In general, according to Chinese tradition, when they wish good to a person, they advise to do everything slowly. For example, to a departing guest they usually say “man-man zuu”, which literally translates as “go slowly” and means “take your time”, “go carefully”. At dinner they wish Bon appetit the words "man-man chi", which translates as "eat slowly."

Bows, touches, applause and handshakes in China

Unlike the Japanese, the Chinese do not bow to greet or say goodbye. For the Chinese, bowing is a sign of respect, especially important at various ceremonies and holidays. The deeper the bow, the more respect they want to show.

During the dynasties, guests who came to the emperor had to fall to the floor and knock their heads 9 times as a sign of respect. Such gestures are still used in temples to worship the Buddha statue. Such bows are a powerful gesture of showing respect for the dead or respect for the temple. During the Cultural Revolution, it was a tool to humiliate those who committed a political crime.

Traditionally, the Chinese did not usually shake hands when meeting, but in Lately it has become their practice. According to many foreigners, they shake hands too long and gently. A soft handshake is considered by the Chinese to be a gesture of humility and respect.

When interacting with Chinese, avoid hugs, pats on the back, and other touches other than shaking hands. Sometimes at the entrance to a school, to a meeting or to a banquet, the Chinese, welcoming, clap their hands. In this case, it is customary to clap back.

Respect for elders in China

Chinese youth treat their elders with respect - they give way, give them the opportunity to speak first, sit down after them and do not argue. When offering a book or newspaper to someone who is older, it is necessary to pass the item with both hands. In a crowded subway or bus, they give way to older people. A flattering comment about age can sometimes be taken as an insult. The New York Times described the case of a businessman. At a meeting with a high-ranking official, he said this compliment: "Perhaps you are too young to remember." The comment was meant as a compliment to show that the official looked young for his age. But it was taken as an insult. The official was not old enough to be treated with respect for this reason.

Gestures in China

The Chinese gesticulate little, especially avoiding excessive waving of the arms. Winking and whistling are considered rude. You can't look directly into your eyes. Two raised thumbs up means praise, pointing the little finger at a person, on the contrary, means that something is not working out for him. In China, you can not call a person index finger. To attract attention and call a person to you, you need to pat your hand on the nearest object, and then wave in your direction. Usually this gesture is used in communication with children, taxi drivers and waiters. And they will consider it rude if this is done in relation to the elder. The most polite way to get the attention of elders is to catch the eye and lean in a little.

Public displays of love between people of the opposite sex in China, such as kissing, hugging, holding hands, are considered rude. But it is quite acceptable to hold hands and hug people of the same sex.

Social habits in China

In China, it is considered rude to look directly into your eyes, cross your arms or legs, or keep your palms in your pockets when talking to an interlocutor. The Chinese try to focus their eyes on the neck of the interlocutor, stand close and try to avoid stare. The Chinese don't like it when Europeans point at people, use a lot of perfume, sit on tables, show off, speak their mind easily, want immediate answers, and show no patience.

The Chinese are very punctual. They are never late for solemn events, often catching the owners of the house unprepared. It is also rude not to be patient with those who are late for a good reason. In rural areas, these rules are less rigid, as people are less tied to time.

The Chinese rarely give compliments, which should be answered with a denial of “oh, well, that’s not about me” or with self-condemnation.

In conversation with the Chinese

The Chinese often ask foreigners a lot personal matters especially about family and marriage. If you're over 30 and don't have a family, then it's better to lie or the Chinese will start feeling sorry for you. It is believed that only an unfortunate person does not have a wife and children. Sometimes the Chinese are too frank in their statements. Comment on the appearance or make a comment about big nose for a resident of China - a common thing.

It is better for foreigners to avoid talking about politics with the Chinese, and it is also better to refrain from making comments about China that can be interpreted negatively. China in a foreigner's speech should sound like a people's republic, and in no case should it be confused with Taiwan or assume that Taiwan is not part of China. Tibet is also a sensitive issue for the Chinese. Also, no remarks should be made about Chinese traditions. Innocent observations can be perceived in a negative way. Safe topics of conversation are conversations about food and family, and a harmonious atmosphere is the way to create ideal communication.

Place of negotiations - China

The Chinese like to designate the place of negotiations in their office or in the meeting rooms of various public places(hotels, restaurants, business centers). If the priority of choosing and appointing a place for negotiations belongs to the Chinese, it would be appropriate to ask the other side where exactly they are arranging a meeting, what kind of place it will be, what will be full program conducting negotiations. Usually, Chinese companies have a tradition of combining negotiations with subsequent refreshments. It is not always convenient to refuse this, but when it comes as a complete surprise to you, it will not be easy for you to refuse and, most importantly, to be understood by the Chinese. Eating in China is part of the negotiation process, refusing food is sometimes perceived as an insult or an insult (especially if lunch or dinner is already pre-ordered). However, it should be noted that the lack of advance notice of the planned joint meal by the Chinese is also a gross violation of etiquette, including Chinese. Almost always, such events are discussed with foreign guests in advance.

If there is no clear demarcation of responsibilities for choosing a place for negotiations between the parties, and you do not feel constrained in choosing such a place, it is better for you to choose something that suits you best in terms of style and habits white man. Usually, if the place of negotiations is appointed by the Russian side, this inspires respect from the Chinese partner. Especially if this place is chosen in a purely Western business style (special meeting rooms at hotels, specialized business centers for foreigners, Russian institutions abroad). The further course of negotiations and the attitude of the Chinese side largely depend on the meeting place at the first meeting, if the Chinese understand that you paid a lot of money for renting an apartment, or when the meeting takes place on the territory of diplomatic institutions. This obliges the Chinese to be serious, gives you additional trump cards in terms of psychological impact on a partner and contributes to the negotiation process in the direction you need.

Place of negotiations - Russia

When planning a meeting with the Chinese on your own territory, in no case should you accept the invitation of the Chinese partner (if the initiative comes from him) without specifying in advance the place of negotiations. It is likely that the Chinese simply invite you to their hotel room for "sofa talks". Agreements reached during such "gatherings" usually end in nothing. The Chinese who came to Russia are determined to find out the level of your solvency, to assess the degree of your interest in the deal, and will do this on the basis of the practical steps you take in relation to them. Appointing a "worthy" place for negotiations is half the battle.

If you do not have a well-equipped meeting room in your office, when you first meet, it is better to negotiate on no man's land. Transferring subsequent negotiations to your office will pleasantly surprise the Chinese and give you an extra plus. Do not be afraid to be caught in the "splurge". As perhaps the biggest poseurs in the world, the Chinese rarely notice this vice in Europeans, unless, of course, they go too far. When demonstrating your financial situation and property wealth, it is important to observe a certain middle ground, in no case showing that the surprise and admiration of the Chinese (who may be thousands of times richer than you) flatters your pride and that this is exactly the effect you were trying to achieve with all this demonstration. Greatest effect produces modesty, especially when it is natural.

Cloth

Don't try to stand out. But do not be afraid to appear rich as well - wealth and expensive things are very prestigious in China. Try to adhere to the business style as much as possible, avoiding excesses in clothes and especially jewelry. business women and wives should avoid excessive revealing neckline and defiantly short skirts above the knees. Extravagance in clothes business man may cause an inadequate reaction of the Chinese negotiating partner, especially at the first meetings of the negotiating parties.

Search for a partner

The Chinese are extremely distrustful in matters of doing business, especially if it involves commercial risk. Finding a worthy partner in China is extremely difficult despite the large population and the high density of various commercial structures in cities. Any proposal coming from a European is perceived in advance by the Chinese as a “surprise with a catch”. Quite often one can encounter in China with undisguised hostility towards an unfamiliar European. This leads to an important conclusion for the conditions of China: any process of finding a partner should begin with the choice of an intermediary - a conductor of your thoughts.

As a rule, in China it is enough wide choose intermediaries of this kind: from gloomy personalities at airports and railway stations to sticky "translators" at exhibitions and in hotels. If you have not taken care in advance to find a trustworthy intermediary through a consulting firm, a travel agency, personal acquaintances, you should in any case avoid contact with the above-mentioned personalities.

The search for a Chinese partner is necessary and can be started at home. To do this, first of all, you should very carefully study all the country-specific literature on China available to you. In the future, knowing the realities will greatly facilitate your communication with the Chinese. It should be noted that China, much like the former Soviet Union, the country is very multinational. Moreover, even the main nation of the country is the Chinese (“Han” - from ancient name Chinese principality of Han - as they call themselves) differ so much in appearance, language and cultural traditions that they can essentially be considered different nationalities. The only thing that connects all these peoples in this case is hieroglyphic writing. Short southerners - lovers of fruits and vegetables, who consider plus 20 degrees Celsius almost frost - will not understand without an interpreter a “meat-eater”-northerner who does without a headdress even at minus 35. But as soon as they write down their words in hieroglyphs, they are a great friend get along with a friend.

If you want to find a lively and quirky partner who will understand you perfectly, he will be ready to go for minor violations law, in order to avoid excessive costs for product certification, customs costs, you'd better look for it in the northern provinces of China: Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jilin. However, you must be prepared for the fact that your temperamental friend can easily ignore your agreements with him.

The recently famous South China will give you a more civilized and more law-abiding partner. However, this does not mean that southerners will be more accommodating or pliable in business matters. Quite the contrary: experience, erudition, commercial literacy, awareness, perfection of financial instruments give southerners serious trump cards in negotiations with you.

The division of the Chinese into northern and southern is very conditional. The south of China is certainly more economically developed and famous for its consumer goods. The north - Manchuria - is the base of heavy industry, a buffer zone of trade with Russia, replete not only with intermediaries greedy for profit, but also with serious partners. At the same time, many northerners work in the South, and many people from the southern provinces work in the North. So everything is determined in the end by your ultimate goal. There are, of course, whole line formed stereotypes even in China. For example, Shanghainese (not necessarily indigenous - just residents of Shanghai!) Are considered the most intelligent, cunning and lucky. And the inhabitants (here, rather, the natives) of Henan province are considered slow-witted, stupid, simpletons.

You can directly search for a partner in several ways:

• through acquaintances is one of the most effective and less costly ways. It should be noted, however, that high probability fraud on the part of professional swindlers specially brought to you, of which there are no less in China than in Russia. Approach this method with great care.
• through specialized offices - a rather expensive, but, nevertheless, effective way. You can become a client of specialized intermediary companies, translation agencies, trading houses, consulting firms, etc.

Tactics of the negotiation process

The Chinese are famous for their patience, endurance, punctuality and ceremoniality. However, the famous Chinese trick is a nominal and subjective category. In most cases, this is just an attempt by the white man to justify his lack of restraint and his inability to understand Chinese psychology. Despite the fact that by no means all Chinese have the above qualities of character, many of the inherent or attributed to them virtues should by no means be ignored. If you are not familiar with the word “restraint”, you need to think about whether it is necessary to get involved with the Chinese at all.

It is also impossible to start your business with the Chinese, being sure in advance of the "correctness" or exclusivity own style business. Polite Chinese people will be happy to know what you are and your style, but they will never come to think that your style is better than theirs.

Approaching the entrance to the room with you, the Chinese will definitely offer you to go first. You must in return offer to do the same to him, and only after he refuses can you move forward.

Like this custom, the whole process of negotiating with the Chinese is a continuous series of retreats, attacks, diversions and detours, deceptions, demarches, bluffs and even threats.

The most common Chinese negotiation techniques are: Tight control over the schedule and venue of negotiations

If the Chinese feel that the Russian side has spent a lot of money and time to come to China and does not want to leave empty-handed, the Chinese may behave at the negotiating table with deliberate indifference to their success or failure, overpricing or imposing harsh conditions. . Sometimes the Chinese only negotiate "for practice." In other cases, in particular, on Russian territory, the Chinese are conducting "empty negotiations" in order to bring down the prices of goods purchased in Russia ("deceit tactics", when numerous groups of Chinese conduct exhausting negotiations, ending in nothing allegedly due to "high Russian prices");

Insinuations or direct threats to do business anywhere or with anyone else other than you if their requirements are not met.

Usually, such a technique has a very effective effect on the Chinese side, as well as all other methods of "Chinese cunning" directed against their inventors;

Demonstration of anger

Although according to Confucian etiquette, the manifestation of anger, irritation, as well as joy, is not welcome, the Chinese can afford to portray controlled anger in order to test the nerves and composure of the opposite side. It is understood that foreigners will be afraid of losing the contract and will make concessions.

Quality check

If the Chinese feel that you have calculated everything to the smallest detail and that you are 100 percent sure that the contract will succeed, they may deliberately make a demarche in order to disorientate you and make you doubt your own rightness (the ultimate goal is additional concessions on your part).

Flattery

Sometimes the Chinese resort to rude and undisguised flattery - praising both your personal qualities and business talents. You should not go on about your own "ego" to the detriment of your own business.

Knowing your departure date can be another trump card in the hands of the Chinese

The final decision will be deferred until various pretexts to the last, until your patience runs out. According to the Chinese, your fear that you will leave without signing a contract will make you give in. The antidote - reserve multiple departure dates and be prepared to stay longer than planned if you feel there is a realistic chance of success. Active protection: Deliberately tell the Chinese the date of departure a day later, and in case they delay resolving any issues, tell them the day before the actual departure date that you are leaving tomorrow, and not the day after tomorrow (as previously planned).

"Hauling Tactics"

Dragging out negotiations in order to cause impatience and irritation in a foreign partner. Especially Russians want to quickly finish official business and take care of personal ones. The Chinese will skillfully lead you along the path of combining exhausting negotiations during the day and unlimited entertainment in the evening and at night.

Using you against yourself

During negotiations, the Chinese will carefully outline your words and will not miss the opportunity to catch you in a contradiction or catch you in a lie. Try to be careful when naming specific numbers, even in conversations with your comrades.

Artificial price increase

The Chinese may be ready to make concessions in advance, up to the level of your asking prices from the very beginning, but first they will lower (Chinese buying) or inflate (Chinese selling) prices to an absurdly unacceptable level.

Techniques and techniques that will help you when negotiating with the Chinese:

Be fully prepared for negotiations.

Sitting down at the negotiating table, you should know all aspects of doing business, including the technical details of the deal. Be prepared for the fact that you will have to give long and detailed explanations about the mechanism of work on your part. Be careful not to give important commercial or technical information before the full signing of the contract.

Push interests.

If negotiations are going poorly, it is not shameful to remind the other side that they are not the only contenders for the role of partners. Competition among Chinese manufacturers is very strong, and there is always an alternative manufacturer or supplier for any product in China. If price is a problem, you can always try to find a cheaper item. If quality is a problem, Japanese or Taiwanese manufacturers may offer a better product.

Be prepared to put up with the cost of the trip and return home empty-handed.

Make it clear to the Chinese that the lack of results for you is a perfectly acceptable alternative to a bad deal.

Work out all the details of the contract before signing.

Negotiate all points with the Chinese side. Make sure the Chinese people interpret all the points the same way you do.

Pay close attention to all remarks and comments.

Look again at everything the Chinese side said and ask for clarification of any ambiguities.

Bargain like the Chinese do.

Be prepared to compromise, but don't give up any position without a fight.

Remain calm and unflappable during negotiations.

Even if you went out at night like good buddies, try to block personal moments during negotiations. Show the Chinese that good business comes first.

Be patient.

The Chinese are sure that Europeans are always in a hurry. They will try to force you to sign a contract before you study all the nuances of the deal and negotiate all the details.

Approach negotiations and all business with the Chinese from the point of view of a long-term strategy.

Some concessions to the Chinese in some individual moments can result in significant benefits in the long run.

Security measures

If you are a seller or buyer of military or dual-use goods, you will surely encounter attention from Chinese special services. The Chinese will try to get as much as possible more information, firstly, about your plans, secondly, about your powers, thirdly, about your personal data. The goal pursued in this case is to get the maximum possible benefit from the transaction.

Chinese intelligence agencies are extremely reluctant to use technical means, although in many cases one cannot be absolutely guaranteed against this. At the same time, it should be taken into account that living in a hotel that is jointly (Chinese-American, Chinese-Japanese) property, and even more so 100% owned by a foreign company, gives much more chances that the Chinese will not dare even in the event of an extreme the need to use listening devices. This does not guarantee, however, that the hotel's junior staff (almost always Chinese) will not show an increased interest in the contents of your business papers or in the files of your laptop. The risk increases dramatically if you stay in departmental "reception houses", state dachas, sanatoriums or in a 100% Chinese hotel. The chances of being settled in a "plus" number are very, very high.

The use of various anti-technical devices, such as scanners, etc., is highly undesirable: the Chinese can turn your actions against you in 99.9% of cases, even if you find a dozen "bugs" in your room. In general, it is believed that technical methods of retrieval of commercial information are used only on the very high level or when conducting any disinformation or recruitment operations. The level of technical equipment of the Chinese in this area has recently become quite high. However, even the most sophisticated method can be countered with elementary tricks: "do not speak", "do not do", always keep the TV or radio on, carefully destroy all notes on papers, do not leave documents and a computer unattended. In the latter case, if there are still situations when it is necessary to leave the computer in the room, it is recommended that you either dump all critical information onto a floppy disk and take it with you, or use programs like PGP-disk to create virtual cryptomodules (cipher programs open to civilians). use).

Another feature of Chinese psychology is "to do everything to the end." In practice, you may encounter this when, after signing a contract, or even after transferring money, you allow yourself to relax somewhere out of reach (as it seems to you) of your partners: at the border station, in a train compartment, in a car on the way to the airport . There were cases when critical information was taken from people on the airstairs. In a word, be vigilant!

Crime

China is considered to be one of the most low levels crime against foreigners. However, do not flatter yourself about this: even in the classiest hotel, an expensive camera can be stolen right from under your nose, not to mention pickpocketing. But this is something that probably exists in any country and that depends more on your personal caution and attentiveness.

Most of all, in China and in dealing with the Chinese, "careless treatment of people" is to be feared. Too much confidence, too much familiarity, too much impudence, or too much rudeness can cause very, very sad consequences.

The basic rule of doing business with the Chinese is don't make enemies! The Chinese are vindictive and vengeful. At the same time, they are also so impulsive in their actions that it is easy to become a victim of Chinese intemperance in China.

The basic rule for avoiding "extreme measures" in relation to yourself by the Chinese - do not make the Chinese feel "lost face." The concept of "losing face" is multifaceted, and foreigners like to talk about it a lot - almost like the Japanese "hara-kiri". But in practice, you need to remember only one thing: when humiliating, insulting, deceiving a Chinese (willingly or unwittingly, with or without a subsequent feeling of remorse), try to make sure that as few Chinese as possible know about it, except for himself. "Loss of face" is a social phenomenon! And your deceit (cunning) or insult for the Chinese in itself is not something terrible. On the contrary: your deceit is an indicator of your mind, and the insult inflicted by you is an indicator of your inner strength! But if a few other Chinese know about it or, God forbid, it was seen, and even more so by those close and respected by “your” Chinese, this is already a “loss of face”, a loss of authority in the eyes of others. It's not far from a public or behind-the-scenes announcement of a vendetta for you. And the Chinese won’t have a problem with the technique of executing such a vendetta! It may be pulled out into the light of God forgotten by you IOU five years ago, and photographs or videos of wild merriment taken during the time of "friendship", and even an "executioner" hired for a couple of tens of thousands of yuan from a distant city - how last argument. The Chinese are extremely promiscuous in the means and methods of resolving commercial disputes. Especially when it comes to large sums.

jokes

If you want to tell a joke or just have a joke, try it first on your Chinese translator or on a Chinese person you know. The humor of situations is not perceived by the Chinese. If you really want to cheer up the Chinese, learn a few Chinese proverbs: your pronunciation alone will cheer up the Chinese. Your efforts in mastering the language will also be admired. If you are not sure about the meaning of certain Chinese words, it is better not to use them. For example, you can jokingly compare someone to a monkey, but comparing a Chinese person to a dog is an insult.

When the Chinese are visiting you

Chinese officials and heads of state firms love overseas business trips. For you, this is an ideal opportunity to show your hospitality and impress guests with your influence: book an office in the most luxurious restaurant or invite the mayor of the city to dinner.

When a Chinese visitor comes to your office, it is better to meet him at the porch of the building, and not at the door of your office. Rest assured, in China you would have been received in exactly the same way. If you do otherwise, your guest will say nothing, and even attribute it to your cultural tradition, but this may affect some of the subtleties of your relationship.

If you invited a Chinese to dine, do not treat him with an expensive filet. She may not be interested in him at all. If you still decide to insist on your own, do not order anything semi-rare or medium-rare. The Chinese prefer fried meat. Most Chinese people prefer Chinese food even when they are away from their homeland.

A Chinese person will never complain about anything: not that the schedule is too tight, or that the car is going too fast, or that the food is cooked badly. You must be as attentive to details as possible and precautionary. Do not think that the Chinese feel good in our territory, even if they come here often. Silence and the absence of complaints does not mean that they are doing well.

If you are taking a Chinese on a tour, do not stay in one place for a long time. They don't like long stories. They will be more pleased with a cursory acquaintance with 50 different places during the day with mandatory photography at each place.

“Drops of water sharpen over time at the boundary of the hole.” So says a Chinese proverb.

Perseverance and patience pays off over time. If you intend to build your business with China, first of all try to understand the people who inhabit it and try to make them understand you. Add to this a little perseverance and patience, attentiveness and scrupulousness, caution and foresight, punctuality and perseverance, endurance and equanimity - and you are almost guaranteed success.

They say that they don’t go to a foreign monastery with their own charter. And yet, when visiting foreign countries, we often want to feel at home: hear familiar music, dine in a national restaurant, and even have a little joke. So we are more accustomed and calmer, and everyday worries do not distract from the main thing: sightseeing, business negotiations, etc.

When guests from abroad come to us, we also try to create maximum comfort for them so that only the most pleasant impressions remain from visiting our country.

People from different countries have varying degrees capriciousness. And yet, if a foreign guest, or even an entire delegation, comes to you, then you should always take into account 3 main factors that will create a successful basis for any trip: this food,entertainment And accommodation.

This is the order in which Chinese citizens prioritize.

The first is always food. After all, eating for them is the main event of the day! This is the satisfaction of needs, and entertainment, and communication with friends, colleagues, partners.

So what to feed the Chinese guest in our Motherland?

When choosing a restaurant for the Chinese, you should always give preference to Chinese cuisine. Find out in advance what Chinese restaurants are in your city, try to get as many reviews about them as possible, or visit them yourself. It is worth paying attention to the following points:

1) Authentic cuisine. Due to other taste preferences of Russians, as well as the lack of many necessary ingredients (fruits, vegetables, seafood, etc.), dishes often lose their original appearance and taste.

2) Nationality of the cook and waiters. It is most desirable, of course, that both the owner and the staff were Chinese. And if the waitresses are Russian, then at least the cook must be Chinese.

3) Service speed. If for us to sit for an hour and a half waiting for an order is the norm, then for the Chinese it is an awfully long time! All their dishes are prepared in 5-15 minutes, and slower service can negate all other advantages of the establishment.

If you decide to be original and take guests to a Russian restaurant, then be very careful with the choice of dishes and the institution itself. Be sure to take into account which region of China the guest came from, and what gastronomic features exist there. If your guests are residents of southern China, then Russian cuisine may seem bland to them. Order them some spicy appetizer, horseradish or mustard. If guests come from Xinjiang (northwest), then Middle Eastern cuisine is more suitable for them, you can also treat them to dumplings and potatoes. Residents of the Inner Mongolia region are likely to prefer beef to pork and noodles to rice.

I will give an example from personal life . The Chinese delegation arrived on a visit to Novosibirsk. Thinking how to surprise the guests, it was decided to take them to a restaurant for dinner national cuisine peoples of the North of Russia. Stroganina was ordered among other dishes. When the guests found out that it was such a frozen raw fish, they tasted it piece by piece as a courtesy, but in the end they left the fish to thaw quietly. Only later did we remember that in China it is generally not customary to eat raw fish or meat, especially in the south! Everything spoils very quickly there, and because of the climate, the risk of the spread of infectious diseases is high. And it's good that our guests were from the north, and even very polite!

The second question: how to entertain oriental guests?

Be sure to give them a mini-program to visit the main attractions. It makes no sense to tell the whole history of the city from the moment of its foundation, the main facts are enough. Guests will listen to you, be sure to capture their visits to historical places huge amount photos and be ready to move on to more mundane entertainment. It also makes no sense to look for some special places to visit, exhibitions, unusual concerts. It may sound rude, but for the Chinese everything is bright, pop, and not very long. Take them to the ballet, if possible. Or some national performance. To the theatre or there is no point in leading the guests to the opera: in the theater they simply will not understand anything, and most likely they will not appreciate our opera (Chinese opera is very different from European).

The Chinese love to be photographed, shopping and clip pop.

The second favorite activity of the Chinese, besides contemplation and photography, is shopping!

If you don't know what to do free hours, feel free to take guests to the largest shopping mall In your city! And if there is also a sales season, then consider your entertainment succeeded.

Also, don't overlook shops of folk souvenirs, fur and leather products, as well as semi-precious stones (especially amber and jade).

Don't take the Chinese to jewelry stores where gold is traded. Chinese gold different from our other composition and more yellow(no red tint). Therefore, they simply will not understand our gold, will not appreciate it and will consider it a fake, however, just like we do.

And last but not least important point: where to accommodate guests?

In fact, the Chinese are usually quite unpretentious in terms of housing, but still, before booking a hotel, you need to clarify a few points.

1) If the guests themselves will pay for accommodation, specify the desired price and category of the hotel. Or maybe a rented apartment is suitable for them?

2) If there is a delegation, then find out if everyone should order the same numbers? And also how are the visitors planning to be accommodated: one or two people per room?

3) Find out in advance if you need smoking rooms. In many hotels you have to ask in advance for a smoking room.

4) Location - always at the choice of the host. It may not be located in the city center, but at a convenient traffic intersection or just in a beautiful place.

Follow these simple rules, and, of course, always rejoice from the bottom of your heart when foreign guests come to you, the opportunity to communicate with them and exchange experiences!

After all, it is so nice to meet guests, create comfort for them, so that later they will receive you at home with the same cordiality!

The Chinese celebrate the New Year in a completely different way than the Russians imagine. They don’t dress up “in the favorite colors of the Yellow Mouse”, they don’t put cheese on the table. But everything is in order.

The scariest holiday of the year

In China, there is a popular legend: a long time ago, a huge terrible dragon lived in a forest on a mountain. At night after the first day of every spring, he came down from the mountains to feast on people. People did not know if they would live until morning. Therefore, by this night they tried to put their affairs in order, put on the best clothes in order to meet death with dignity. The members of each family gathered together that night to protect each other, and arranged the most luxurious dinner they could, because it could be their last. Once people noticed that the dragon is afraid of red, light and noise. Therefore, on the eve of the night when he came, everyone began to dress in red clothes, hang red decorations on the houses, turn on a lot of lights and arrange noisy fireworks. The monster descended from the mountains, but, frightened, ran back without touching anyone. And people noisily congratulated each other.

Unlike us, the Chinese do not celebrate the change of the year, but the onset of spring and getting rid of adversity. Chinese New Year also called the Spring Festival.

Cleanliness is the key to good luck

For the Chinese, it is important that the house shines with cleanliness. Order is put in place a day or two before the holiday. By no means on New Year's Day - you can sweep your luck out of the house. They also remove knives, scissors and other cutting tools so as not to cut off the path to happiness and good luck.

Counts bad omen meet Chinese New Year in bed or bedroom, so even seriously ill people, as well as small children, should be appropriately dressed and present at the New Year's meal.

"Bad" New Year's signs there are many in China. On a holiday, you can’t quarrel and speak in a harsh tone, get angry and be dissatisfied, and say swear words. Punish children. Cry or complain. Wash and cut hair. Borrow or borrow money. Mention the number "four" or numbers containing it (in Chinese, the word "sei", that is, "four", is consonant with the word "death"). You can not talk about death, misfortune, illness. Tell stories about spirits and ghosts. Mention old year. Use negative forms in speech - for example, "I will not eat this" or "I do not like this." It attracts misfortune. What should be done in Chinese new year's eve ? To rejoice in ourselves and to please others, to bring others as much positive as possible. Then the whole next year will be happy and successful.

Red girls and well done

They choose the best clothes that are in the wardrobe. traditional outfits for the celebration Chinese New Year- red.

However, modern Chinese believe that any color is good for New Year's Eve, except for white (it symbolizes death and sorrow). The main thing is to be beautiful, clean and tidy. The fact that every year you need to meet in clothes of a color corresponding to the symbol of the coming year has never been heard in the Celestial Empire. Those who have heard consider it a cute European custom.

The house is also decorated in red tones. The most popular decorations are the so-called "red couplets", wishes of happiness written in calligraphy on red paper. The most standard - "Peace and tranquility all year round"," May there be peace and tranquility everywhere. Wishes can be bought at specialized stores, but you can make it yourself - if available beautiful handwriting, of course.

Everywhere in the house they arrange dishes with tangerines and oranges, dried fruits and sweets.
Very important detail- Natural flowers. They are grown especially for the holiday.

The Chinese try to organize as much light as possible in the house. Ignite all available lighting, use a special New Year's illumination.

From one pot

Some families have New Year's sets, but most people in Hong Kong, for example, use disposable tableware - it's easier, cheaper and saves time. Candles, flowers and other decorative elements are never used. The table in a standard tiny Chinese apartment is very small, and at least twenty people gather at it - the families here are large. There just isn't enough room for decorations.

On New Year's Eve, most Chinese people eat fondue. Fondue is a great dish for family evening, it promotes communication like no other. A pot with meat broth is placed in the middle of the table. A fire is lit underneath. Meat (beef, lamb), fish, squid, shrimp are cut into paper-thin slices, laid out on plates. When the water boils, each guest takes a slice of meat, fish or any other food, dips it into the boiling broth, then dips it in soy sauce and puts it in his mouth.

The Chinese love symbolism. On New Year's table dishes are served appearance or by name reminiscent of something good.

For example, dumplings that look like old gold bars (gok jai) symbolize wealth. Long noodles, which are forbidden to be cut, signify longevity. A dish of grass that looks like long black hair - fat choy, which is consonant with the word "prosperity", symbolizes financial well-being and stability.

Money and no sentimentality

On New Year's Eve, the Chinese give money to each other. There is simply no place to store anything in the apartments. The gift is supposed to be put in a small red envelope.

Money should be even number(moreover, parity is determined by the first digit, and not by the last - for example, the number 52 in China is considered odd). Also, the figure should not contain the ill-fated number four. It is best if the amount of money is small, but includes the number "8", since the word "eight" ("fat" in Chinese) is consonant with the word "wealth".

Traditionally, the Chinese wish each other prosperity in the new year. Traditional new year greeting in Chinese it sounds like this: "I wish financial prosperity!" (Kong hei fat choy)

On the streets

No country in the world knows how to arrange such salutes as in China. And, probably, there is no fireworks more beautiful than New Year's fireworks over the Victoria Strait in Hong Kong.

Imagine - thousands of lights fly into the sky, which crumble into multi-colored stars, ribbons, dust, take the form of mythical characters and wishes of happiness. Before one volley has time to go out, a new firework is already lit in the dark sky, repeated many times by reflection in the water of the strait. All boats, boats and ships passing through the strait are festively and brightly lit. Small homemade boats float in the water, on which burning lamps are installed. Such a fairy tale on New Year's Eve lasts several hours.