All about the Chinese

A Few Good Reasons to Like Chinese People

2012-01-20T20:31:00.003-05:00

The 8 Fastest Ways to Offend a Chinese Person

2011-12-31T00:19:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately, Chinese people are not known for being polite: We talk loudly, don't wait on lines and we rarely respect other people's personal space. I am not even going to talk about the spitting, shoving and staring. Despite being quite rude, Chinese people can also be easily offended.

Here are the 8 Fastest Ways to Offend a Chinese Person:

1. Gift a Clock:

Certain gifts that may be harmless in Western culture will deeply and instantaneously offend a Chinese person. For example: when you gift a clock to a Chinese person, you are basically telling them that you are counting down to their death. This will automatically put you on their sh*t list. For other bad gift ideas, click here.

2. Serve Food with Your Used Chopsticks:
If you want to gross out a Chinese person, take the chopsticks you've been eating with and start serving everyone. The polite and hygienic way would be to use separate serving chopsticks or the unused end of your chopsticks to serve others.

3. Invite them to Dinner and Ask them to Go Dutch:
If you have ever been invited by a Chinese person to dinner, you'll notice that they will almost always pay for the bill. This is a part of the Chinese culture which means if you invite a Chinese person to dinner, they will expect you to do the same. If you ask them to go dutch, they will most certainly pay their portion but don't expect them to accept your invitation the next time.

4. Badmouth Mao Tse-Tung:
If you are with someone that is from Mainland China, do not say anything bad about Mao Tse-Tung (also written as Mao Zedong). He is beloved by the Chinese people so even if you have undisputed dirt about Mao, it is better to keep it to yourself. Unless of course your aim was to offend. Citroen, the French automaker, did just that (click here for the story).

5. Imply Japan is More Superior than China:
Japan and its people are a very sensitive topic for the Chinese. During the 2nd Sino-Japanese War, Japan committed many atrocities concerning the Chinese people (i.e. Nanjing Massacre). These abuses have left a huge scar on China and have been dramatized in countless Chinese tv shows and movies (i.e. Ip Man). The Chinese people have a negative sentiment towards the Japanese and any mention about the Japanese being better than the Chinese will deeply offend.

6. Not Drinking Enough:
This is probably more prevalent among men. If you go out with a Chinese man for drinks and he toasts you to go bottoms up ("Gan Bei!"), you better go bottoms up. If you don't, you WILL offend him and he will begin to question your manhood. By not drinking the same amount or more, you are telling him that you do not respect him enough to drink the same amount he just drank when he toasted you. This was one of the main reasons why I could not live in China - my liver couldn't handle it. I will detail the etiquette of drinking in a future post.

7. Point Out Their Mistakes:
You've probably heard about this thing call "face". Chinese people will do everything in their power to not "lose face" and to save the face of those around them. When you point out a Chinese person's mistake, you've basically humiliated them by shining a spotlight on their error, which prevents them from saving face. This is extremely offensive and it doesn't matter what your intentions are. I have to admit that I have been guilty of this and I have seen the immediate change in the person's attitude towards me. Even to this day, I think he holds a grudge against me.

8. Slant Your Eyes with Your Fingers
This is perhaps the fastest way to offend a Chinese person.

This is offensive!

If you know of any other ways to quickly offend Chinese people or if you are a Chinese person that keeps getting offended by something in particular, please leave a comment.

The Top 5 Reasons Chinese People Collect Cans - Why do they do it?

2011-11-30T23:16:00.009-05:00

Who needs weights to do powerwalking

When I was young, I use to enjoy keeping all the old soda and beer cans in our house in a sticky plastic bag and waiting for the day my mom would take us to the local A&P supermarket to put these used cans in the "can-crushing" machine for money. It was innocent back then. It wasn't about recycling but just the pure joy of destruction (the same joy I got when I popped bubble wrap) and getting paid for it. I still remember the smell of beer and soda, the need to put the cans in the "right way"or else the machine would not take it and the usual two machine set up: one for soda cans and one for beer cans.

Upgraded to the Push Cart

I don't remember the last time I saw a "can-crusher" but I have noticed an influx of can-collectors in my neighborhood. Before it was rare to see these lone nomads with there push carts but now they seem to be everywhere. I see on average about one a day and if I am out and about either early or late in the day, seeing 2-3 is not rare. They pretty much go through everyone's recycling bags and take out the cans/bottles that are worth something. It can be quite annoying to come home to someone who is inside your gate looking through your trash or to find your recycling bin ransacked and left in disarray the morning after.

Can collecting is definitely not something you would brag about doing but what I noticed is that almost all the can collectors seem to be of Chinese descent. For a culture so worried about face, I would think that Chinese people would be the last group to want to be associated with this type of activity. Although I personally do not know of any can collectors, this is what I think may be going through their minds:

Survival: I am hungry and I have no money. 100 cans = $5. 10000 cans = $500.

Advantages: I get exercise, I make money, I go places, I see things.

Sense of Achievement/Creativity: I am making a living on my own. I can challenge myself to get more and more cans everyday. I need to constantly think of new ways to get more cans and be efficient.

Peer Pressure/Fad/Rebelling: My friends are doing it. It's what's hot right now. My kids would flip out if they knew I was doing this.

The number one reason why I think Chinese people do it is because just like with napkins at rest stops, Chinese people can not resist free stuff (Read Chinese People Love Free Stuff article). It's our kryptonite.

Feel free to share your experiences with can collectors in the comments section. If you are a can collector, let us know why you do it.

How Safe are You from Chinese Vampires?

2011-10-31T23:12:00.002-04:00

Today is Halloween in the United States so I have decided to write a post on Chinese vampires (僵屍 "gerng see" in Cantonese and "jiang shi" in Mandarin). Anytime there is a Chinese "ghost" story, it'll usually involve these guys.

Actually to tell you the truth, I am not sure if they are really called or why they are called vampires. I personally think they are closer to zombies but for the sake of clarity, I will refer to them as Chinese vampires. So how can you tell if you are dealing with a Chinese vampire? Well ask yourself these questions:

1. Does he have his arms up 90 degrees from his body?

2. Does he get around by hopping in a very stiff way?

3. If you stick a piece of yellow paper with Chinese writing on his head, does it stop him from moving?

4. Is he wearing clothing that officials would wear in the Qing dynasty?

If your answer is Yes to any 3 of these questions, you have a Chinese vampire on your hand. So what should you do?

Run away - I can't see how hopping can be faster than running
Hold your breath - They detect you by smelling your breath, they are actually blind
Get a mirror (specifically the 8 sided Ba Gua mirror) - Chinese vampires are afraid of their own reflections
Handbell - Perhaps they are afraid to get run over by a bicycle
Vinegar - Apparently wards off Chinese vampires although I would feel silly using it
Straw Broom - If all else fails, why not try to sweep them away

In their defense, most Chinese vampires are just trying to hop back to their homeland and get a proper burial. Too bad they are misunderstood and get a beating for it.

Can We Really Trust China? Comeback or Catastrophe

2011-09-28T19:13:00.001-04:00

I am proud to be Chinese.

I am proud of our glorious history.

I am proud of the phoenix like comeback of China today where most view China as the US's next rival for superpower after being labelled the "Sick Man of Asia" (東亞病夫).

But at the same time, I am afraid...

I am not afraid OF China but FOR China and the Chinese people!

Why am I afraid?

There are 3 reasons.

The ubiquitous construction cranes

China has always been known to pay off its debts and to save money but ever since Deng Xiao Ping opened China's doors to foreign trade and investment, there has been rampant credit expansion. There is nothing wrong with credit but in China much of the investment is being funneled into speculation as shown by the meteoric rise in housing prices. Having lived in China, I have seen empty housing communities and at the same time perpetual construction of new apartment complexes. My Chinese colleagues would tell me that most of these "empty" apartments have owners because it is deemed a good investment since housing prices have only risen and everyone is looking to buy and then sell in a few years. Sounds ominously familiar...

Chinese Apartment Complex

Something else I noticed when I was living in China was the wide gap between the rich and the poor. The rich would drive around in their Ferraris and Porches, eat at the best restaurants and live in these huge villas and mansions while on the same streets, you'll see the poor riding on their bicycles and if they are lucky, their electric scooters, living in run-down apartments where hot water is a luxury and eating at make shift street stalls. Now there is nothing uncommon about seeing rich people and poor people. We can see it everyday but I thought to myself - "Isn't China Communists?". I am not political science major but I thought communism was all about sharing the wealth, having a classless society where everyone is equal. This brings me to my 3 C formula:

Capitalism + Communism = Catastrophe

In my opinion, these two ideals can not coexist. One day the poor farmer or factory worker is going to wonder "When is it going to be my turn? When am I going to drive the nice cars or eat at the nice restaurants? When am I going to wear the brand name clothing?". When that time comes, China is going to have to make a decision: Is it going to be capitalism or is it going to be communism? Being fully entrenched in the internet age where the have-nots are constantly reminded of what they don't have and modern political revolutions are being publicly broadcasted, China is going to come to this crossroad sooner rather than later. Whichever road they choose, it is not going to be pretty.

If only this river's color was photoshopped

One of the main reasons why I quit my job in China is because I wanted to start a family but I didn't want to raise my kids where the air was polluted and the water is undrinkable. Many people are unaware that this unprecedented growth in China comes at a huge price. Chinese factories routinely dump toxic waste into rivers and lakes. Highways are filled with cars and trucks with no anti-pollution devices whatsoever and recycling as we know it does not exist. What is the result? According to the world bank, 20 of the world's 30 most polluted cities is located in China. Two-thirds of China's lakes and rivers are considered sewers and at one point Time Magazine ranked Linfen, China as the most polluted city in the world. If you ask me, that is too big of a price to pay for any type of growth.

The outlook is bleak but I already see that China is pushing hard for the clean energy initiative and is the world's supplier for solar panels. There is still much work to be done and I hope for the sake of my extended family living in China and the Chinese people that a solution is found to prevent the seemingly inevitable catastrophe.

Wind of Change...I hope

The Chinese Person's Guide to Dim Sum Etiquette: Tapping to Say Thanks!

2011-08-31T20:35:00.138-04:00

Old people like dim sum too!

Being born in Hong Kong and growing up in a predominantly Cantonese culture in New York City, I have always looked forward to and still enjoy going to Yum Cha (literally "drink tea" in Cantonese). Most foreigners recognize this as "dim sum" and I have heard some even describe it as Chinese brunch (Quick Note: In Chinese, one would never say "Let's go to dim sum". It would always be "Let's go drink tea". - this does not really translate well in English).

For those who still have no idea what I am talking about, "dim sum" is basically brunch (9am-2:30pm) usually at a noisy Chinese restaurant (not sure if there are really any quiet Chinese restaurants ... if there are, there were probably no Chinese people in it). At more traditional restaurants, the food is served on push carts heated by hot water to keep the food warm. Smaller restaurants may offer dim sum items off of a menu. Typical foods you will find are usually all types of dumplings, rice noodle, tripe, shumai, pheonix claws (the glorified name for chicken feet) and many other Cantonese style foods. The word "dim sum" (点心 - "dian xin" in Mandarin and of course "dim sum" in Cantonese) literally means small snack.

Dim sum literally means "snack"

There are always people having dim sum. During the weekdays, you'll see the older retired crowd. During the weekends, restaurants will be crowded with families and other groups looking to spend their late-morning eating tasty food, drinking tea and catching up with friends. It is a very Chinese experience that I recommend for everyone to try. It'll definitely help if you have a Chinese friend to help navigate but it is not necessary as most restaurants cater to non-Chinese.

2 finger for 2 legs

Now, if you ever been to dim sum or if you ever decide to go, one thing that you'll notice is people tapping their fingers on their table. Usually, it is a 2 finger tap (pointer and middle) and you will observe this when another person is pouring tea for the finger tapper. At first glance, this seems like a very rude gesture as it naturally looks like you are trying to hurry the tea pourer but in actuality, it is a sign of appreciation.

So how did finger tapping become a sign for thank you? Well, according to one of my colleagues when I was working in China, this finger tapping goes way back during the era of Chinese dynasties when China had emperors. The story goes like this:

There once was an Emperor who wanted to experience the common life and to observe the commoners in there natural state so he disguised himself (how cliche, I know) and went into the city. Still being the emperor, he had to be accompanied by his top officials and bodyguards. One day as they stopped at a restaurant, the Emperor wanted to pour tea for his companions but the general rule was that you had to bow to the Emperor when in the presence of the Emperor and especially if the Emperor is doing something for you. In order to stay incognito but still allow his subjects to abide by the rules, the Emperor ordered his companions to "bow" to him every time he poured them tea by tapping 2 fingers on the table with the fingers signifying the bended knees. This custom has carried on since and ahs expanded outside of the dim sum context (it's pretty much anytime when someone is pouring something for someone else).

So, if you want to impress your Chinese friends, let them see you tap your fingers whenever someone is pouring you something to express "Thanks!".

If you know of another version of the story that explains the finger tapping, feel free to share in the comments section.

You can find dim sum in almost all Cantonese restaurants. If you are ever in NYC, some excellent dim sum places I recommend are (email me if you can't find it on google):

Golden Unicorn (Manhattan Chinatown - 18 East Broadway)
East Harbor Seafood Restaurant (Brooklyn Chinatown - 65th Street and 7th Ave)
Ping's Seafood Restaurant (Manhattan Chinatown - Mott Street)

If you know of any good dim sum restaurants in your city or country, please feel free to list it in the comments section. I am always looking for good dim sum restaurants!

How to Watch TVB - Confessions of a TVB Addict: TVB 101 - Intro to Chinese Soaps

2011-07-30T01:54:00.005-04:00

TVB has become such a phenomenon all over the world and I have known so many people who are literally addicted to TVB. I never got why people wanted to "boil tapes" (which is the literal translation of the Cantonese slang "bo dai" which means to go on a TV series marathon). I was finally able to convince one such addict to help me write a series of articles exploring their fascination with TVB.

If you are interested in contributing your thoughts and feelings on TVB, feel free to email me or to comment on the articles that come out.

The United States has Hollywood…India has Bollywood…So what do the Chinese have? Well, at least in Hong Kong, they have TVB!

TVB (which stands for Television Broadcasts Limited) is one of the more popular TV stations owned by media mogul Sir Run Run Shaw. Established since the 1960s, TVB has grown to become one of the world’s top television producers today.

One of the best known aspects of TVB is its ability to produce soap operas. In the US, soap operas like “Days of Our Lives” are continuous sagas and TV series like “The Office” run for many years. On the contrary, TVB often produces short series that generally span 15 hours long (divided into twenty 45-minute chapters). Series will involve a number of topics including solving mysteries, the police academy, law and order, or just plain drama. Almost all have a love twist as well.

Like all TV stations, some stories are written and produced better than others. When that happens, the outcome is usually a suspenseful saga that is attention grabbing and a great entertainment factor. Prolonged watching can also improve one’s Chinese language skills, especially since Chinese captions are available. Further, in cases where the story plot includes historical characters (such as an ancient king in a certain dynasty), one can learn a bit about Chinese history too since the stories (although fictitious) often incorporate real-life events such as a famous battle.

On the contrary, if the story is not written well, the saga often becomes too predictable and a complete waste of time. While it is logical to stop watching altogether, many TVB viewers, myself included, find it hard to stop midway. As such, they often end up watching the entire series anyway and get nothing done. It’s an unexplainable addiction that is hard to explain and deserve some more exploration!

As you can see, the contributor for this article is a true expert and I am looking forward to the analysis of this unexplainable addiction.

Also, if you or someone you know is a TVB addict, I am very interested in hearing your or their opinions on this.

For anyone who has never heard of TVB, I have included a sample of one of their more popular shows ("Triumph in the Skies"):

The full top 10 TVB series in 2010 are:
1. Can't Buy Me Love, 34 points (2,150,000 viewers)
2. No Regrets, 33 points (2,110,000 viewers)
3. The Mysteries of Love, 32 points (2,040,000 viewers)
4. A Pillow Case of Mystery II, 31 points (1,990,000 viewers)
5. A Watchdog's Tale, 31 points (1,970,000 viewers)
6. When Lanes Merge, 31 points (1,960,000 viewers)
7. Every Move You Make, 31 points (1,950,000 viewers)
8. Gun Metal Grey, 30 points (1,920,000 viewers)
9. Ghost Writer, 30 points (1,910,000 viewers)
10. A Fistful of Stances, 29 points (1,820,000 viewers)

Warning: Don't Leave Free Stuff Around Chinese People - The Culture of Hoarding

2011-06-30T18:10:00.076-04:00

Whatever fits in one hand

I was recently travelling with some friends and as we were driving back from Boston, we stopped at a rest stop that had a McDonald's. As we were eating our Big Mac and fries, we began reminiscing about how our parents would take massive amounts of napkins, plastic utensils and condiment packets every time they stopped at a rest stop. When I was younger, we use to have an entire drawer dedicated to McDonald sauce packets. The crazy thing was that most of the time, we never used the stuff that we took (except for the napkins and even those were used liberally).

As we continued to discuss the issues, we began to realize that this abuse of "free stuff" manifested itself in many other environments as well such as taking extra office supplies from work, plastic bags from the supermarket, amenities from hotels, any gift from any giveaway, etc. There seems to be almost something genetic that drives us to take as much free stuff as we can.

Caught red handed

Some people can argue that everyone likes free stuff but there seems to be a higher number of Chinese hoarders of free stuff than any other culture. There is actually a Facebook page about "Asians Who Take Too Many Napkins from Restaurants"

Here are some of the reasons why I think Chinese people engage in such behavior:

1) Chinese people have a competitive nature: There is a mentality that "If I don't take it, someone else is going to take it and I am not going to get any so let me take as much as I can". There seems to be a general feeling of scarcity and that you always want to take as much as you can because it is going to run out. You can see this anytime there is a panic in China (i.e. salt when Japan was hit by the tsunami and everyone was afraid of radiation).

2) Chinese people like to save: Whether it is money or ketchup packets, Chinese people like to save for a rainy day, just in case. They see the use in almost anything and they associate strongly with the pain of not taking something that might come in handy one day.

Give me that!

3) Chinese people don't like to seem stupid: When you don't take advantage of free stuff, Chinese people will usually view and actually call you out as being "stupid" for not taking what is being offerred for free. For most, it is this pressure of being left behind and having someone say, "I told you so" that drives them to feed into this madness.

It is exactly this type of abusive behavior that ruins these free conveniences for everyone. Most rest stops no longer offer sauce packets. In China, you need to bring your own tissues and toilet paper to many of the restaurants and most amenities that would be free here must be paid for in China (i.e. shopping bags). They say it is because they want to protect the environment but judging from the amount of pollution and waste I see from other sources, I believe it is because they know how Chinese people are when there is free stuff around.

Apparently Al Gore is on to us!

How to Say "Thank You" the Right Way in Chinese

2011-05-16T23:04:00.003-04:00

I am ashamed to admit it but until recently (very recently) I have been saying "thank you" all wrong.

Both 唔該 ("mh goi" in Cantonese) and 多謝 ("daw jeh" in Cantonese) mean "thank you". So naturally, thinking they meant the same thing (which in my defense, they sort of do), I've been using these two phrases interchangeably. One day, my faux pas was brought to my attention when I was ridiculed at my fiancee's mother's house for saying thank you (唔該 "mh goi") which I thought was the polite thing to do after having dinner at someone else's home. The funny (or sad) thing is that when they tried to explain the difference, I had no clue what they were talking about.

That is why I am writing this post. I hope by explaining the distinction between these two words that have a deceptively similar meaning, I'll finally be able to make sense of when to use what.

This is what I have found:

唔該 (mh goi) is used when someone does something for you that is expected or requested. For example, when you ask someone to hand you a tissue, you would say 唔該 "mh goi" to acknowledge he/she has helped you.

多謝 (daw jeh) is pretty much used all other times.

So getting back to that home cooked dinner at my future mother-in-law's house: I basically told her that it was expected of her to cook for me whenever I came over for dinner.

Talk about trying to be polite.

The Zen of Being Grateful for the Simple Things in Life

2011-04-18T19:37:00.007-04:00

Great commercial - Reminds me of when I find parking in Chinatown!

How to Give Gifts to Chinese People - A Practical Guide to Gift-Giving

2011-04-08T00:14:00.060-04:00

The art of gift giving is exactly that in China - an art. If you want to survive in China socially, politically, professionally, etc you will need to master this not-so-simple art.

Note: Pay special attention to the gifts you should NEVER give to a Chinese person!

1. Offer gift 2-3 times: Chinese people will polite refuse an invitation, gift or favor 2-3 times in order to show that they are modest and humble. No one wants to look greedy so continue to offer your gift a couple of times. For the same reason, don't expect the Chinese to open the gift in front of you.

Note: If they refuse after the 4th or 5th time, then you may need to re-evaluate your gift's appropriateness (happens especially in business since the gift may be seen as a bribe).

2. If invited to someone's home, bring a gift: If a Chinese person invites you to his or her home, it is NECESSARY to bring a gift! The more expensive your gift, the more respect you have for your host but be careful not to go overboard since the your host will feel obligated to reciprocate. Remember to make use of lucky numbers (e.g. 8 flowers - click here for my article on lucky numbers).

3. Use two hands: As a sign of respect, offer the gift with 2 hands. If gift is offered to you with 2 hands, accept with 2 hands.

4. Be fair: Chinese people gossip and word is going to get around if you get one group a gift and not the other. For groups, you are better off giving something that can be shared by all. When I use to go on business trips, I would always bring my colleagues food from the local regions I would visit.

5. NEVER give the following items:

No clocks - no matter how cool

Clocks - If you give a clock, you are pretty much telling the recipient that you are going to count the seconds until their deaths. The Chinese word for gifting a clock (送钟 - "song zhong" in both Cantonese/Mandarin) sounds just like the Chinese word for funeral (送终 - "song zhong" in both Cantonese/Mandarin)

Fans - Similar to clock, the Chinese word for fan (扇 - "shan" in Mandarin and "saan" in Cantonese) is a homonym for the Chinese word separate/scatter (散 - "san" in Mandarin and "saan" in Cantonese)

Not a happy camper but who can blame him

Green Hats (to men) - The Chinese expression "wearing a green hat" means the man's wife/girlfriend has been cheating on the him

Pen with Red Ink, Scissors, Knives, Sharp Objects - All these items symbolize the severing of ties and relationships

Note: One work around for giving these "taboo" gifts is to give the gifter a small amount of money (10 cents, etc) so the gift is no longer a gift but a purchased item.

6. Wrap gifts in lucky colors: Red is always lucky. Gold, silver and pink are also ok. When in doubt consult a department store or just go RED.

7. Red envelopes are always accepted: You can never go wrong with cold hard cash. click here for my article on Red Pockets

If you know of any other Chinese gifting customs not covered, please feel free to share in the comments section!

The Quick Guide to Chinese Lucky Numbers - Good for the Lottery

2011-03-20T23:50:00.018-04:00

This guy better not hit and run!

(888) 888-8888

This is the most coveted US-based phone number for the Chinese because the number 8 is considered very lucky. In China a phone number containing all 8's was sold for $270,723 USD which is a lot of money in China (actually it is a lot of money in the US as well).

Similarly, the Olympics in Beijing, was started at 8pm on 08/08/08 (August 8, 2008).

Look on any nice car driven by a wealthy Chinese man and I'll be surprised if there isn't an 8 on the license plate.

So why all the hoopla about 8 (八 - "Ba" in Mandarin and "Baat" in Cantonese)?:

It sounds very similar to the word for "prosper" (發 - "Fa" in Mandarin and "Faat" in Cantonese)
88 looks like 囍 (which means double happiness)

On the flip side, the number 4 (四 - "Si" in Mandarin and "Sei" in Cantonese) is very unlucky

Where are those 4's?

because:

It sounds very similar to the word for "death" (死 - "Si" in Mandarin and "Sei" in Cantonese)
One of the unluckiest numbers is 14 (十四 - "Shi Si" in Mandarin and "Sup Sei" in Cantonese) because it sounds like "10 deaths" (十死 in Mandarin ), "Wants to die" (要死 in Mandarin) or "Certainly die" (實死 in Cantonese) - heavy stuff.

For that reason, many buildings in Asia do not have the number 4 (see picture). If you look at a lot of product lines (Canon Powershot G3 and G5 but no G4), phone numbers, license plates, etc, you'll see that the number 4 is missing.

Other lucky numbers include: 2, 3, 9 and 13

Other unlucky numbers include: 5

Numbers that can be both lucky and unlucky: 6 and 7

Your phone number, license plate, the floor that you live on and/or apartment number are all status symbols to the Chinese. The more lucky numbers you have the higher your status, especially in East Asian countries, since you probably have to pay up in order to get those numbers.

Chinese people have a special relationship with numbers (maybe this is why we're good at math).

Let me know if there are other lucky or unlucky numbers out there!

The Shaolin Guide to Soul - An Interview

2011-03-04T19:26:00.006-05:00

When I hear the word Shaolin, I automatically imagine monks dressed in orange-yellow garments, doing flips, one finger push ups and handstands, breaking iron bars with their heads and lying on a bed of nails (Iron Body). Other things that come to mind are Jet Li, The Wu-Tang Clan and "shadow kicks". Unfortunately, these days I also associate Shaolin with the term "sell out" since it seems like the Shaolin Temple (少林寺 - "Shaolin Shi" in Mandarin, Siew Lum Si in Cantonese) is more concerned with making money than reaching enlightenment (as a proper temple should aspire to).

My idea of Shaolin

Recently I came across an article featured in National Geographic Magazine (March 2011 issue, available on newstands) titled "Battle for the Soul of Kung Fu" (click link for online version). There is a saying in Chinese (天下功夫出少林) that "All martial arts come from Shaolin". These days with the popularity of the UFC and mixed martial arts along with the rising popularity of Wing Chun, Shaolin has suddenly become the grandparent that no one visits but yet still commands some, although not a lot of, respect (especially from the younger generation).

Commercialization at its finest

The writer of the Battle for the Soul of Kung Fu appropriately sets a morbid feel right off the bat, reflective of the current sentiment of Shaolin, by describing the final moments in the life of a Shaolin master. Then he goes into the dichotomous description of two monks. One with the dilemma of whether or not to accept a leading role in a kung fu movie that will further feed the over-commercialization backlash but at the same time bring the much needed funds and publicity for Shaolin (not to mention his kung fu school) and the other, a prodigious recluse trying to revitalize the traditional ways.

I believe that this article is trying to convey hope for Shaolin but like the host of Reading Rainbow always said, "You don't have to take my word for it". I was able to get an interview with the writer of Battle for the Soul of Kung Fu (Peter Gwin, writer for National Geographic magazine) and here are some of the highlights:

What inspired you to write an article about Shaolin Kung Fu?

P: The kung fu monk is such a Chinese archetype, especially the monks from Shaolin. In many ways the Chinese fascination with the Shaolin monk is akin to the American fascination with the cowboy. They are portrayed as strong, honest, self-sufficient, brave, the protectors of the weak—heroes, basically. Of course, the temple’s history is vastly more complicated than the legends have it, and the romanticized view of the monks hardly matches the reality, much like the history of the American West has been romanticized by movies and the popular idea of cowboys hardly resembles the actual modern incarnation.

What was your impression of Chinese Kung Fu before you wrote this article? What was it after?

P: I didn’t have a lot of deep knowledge. I don’t practice kung fu, though as a kid I certainly entertained a lot of the stereotypes from the Kung Fu television series and assorted movies. As I reported the piece, I became especially fascinated by the traditional relationship between a kung fu master and his/her students. Once a master takes on a student, he puts not only his own reputation on the line but also that of his entire kung fu ancestry. And it’s not just placing trust in the one new student, but in anyone that that student may take on as his own pupil in the future and on and on. Therefore, the old masters put a very high emphasis on evaluating a novice’s character, more so than his/her physical potential, before agreeing to teach him/her. Now with the rise of the commercial kung fu academies, so much of that tradition has been mooted since the academies generally will take anyone with ready cash.

As a foreign journalist in China, did you have any issues with transparency from your sources? Did they give you what you wanted to hear or were they candid?

P: The Shaolin Temple has gotten a fair amount of press in recent years, especially under Shi Yongxin, who has a sophisticated understanding of the media and how it works, both inside China and abroad. So I did encounter what seemed like canned responses to some questions from some sources, but I also felt like I was able to get many frank answers about the state of the practice of kung fu in that part of China and about the temple’s reemergence over the last several years.

Please leave comments about your experience with Shaolin.

When is Chinese New Year and Why is the Date Different Every Year?

2011-02-13T19:22:00.003-05:00

I remember seeing these and never
understanding why the numbers
never matched the calendar I used.

When I was younger, I always wondered why Chinese New Year was on a different day every year. It just didn't make any sense to me. The same applies not only for other Chinese holidays but also for my parent's birthday. It made it so difficult to keep track of any dates relating to anything Chinese.

The culprit is actually the existence of different calendars. In the US, we use the Gregorian (solar) Calendar with its 12 months and 365 days a year (366 every leap year). In China, a "lunisolar" (yes, lunisolar, not lunar) calendar is used for marking traditional holidays. The lunisolar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon and usually the middle of the month is the full moon. A lunisolar calendar incorporates aspects of both the solar and lunar (used in Islamic countries) calendars.

Since this is a blog about all things Chinese, I am not going to go into the details of the different calendars. Basically all you need to know is that is is commonly referred to as 夏曆 ("xia li" in Mandarin and "ha lik" in Cantonese) and all you need to do is use a Chinese Lunar Calendar when figuring out the days for Chinese holidays. Most Chinese Calendars also comes with astrological information about whether the day is auspicious, lucky, etc.

Here is the calendar converter from the Hong Kong Government

Finally, no more missed Birthday gifts and wishes for my parents.

The Chinese Guide to RED

2011-02-07T22:05:00.003-05:00

During the Chinese New Year or any other auspicious Chinese holiday, you'll notice one dominant color: RED

To the non-Chinese, the color RED reminds people of blood, stop signs, communism, fast cars, valentine's day (love), little riding hood, lipstick, etc but one thing that most Americans can agree on is that RED is not considered a very lucky color.

On the contrary, the Chinese love RED. When others think about China or the Chinese, RED is usually the color that pops into their minds. Here are the reasons why the Chinese are so crazy about RED:

RED is vibrant and has historically stood for dignity, loyalty and honor (RED China)

It is the color for auspiciousness, courage, health, vitality (fire), happiness, harmony, fertility, fortune, peace and prosperity.

RED is especially prevalent during Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) and Chinese Weddings

In the US, declining stock prices are reflected with RED color but in China, rising stock prices are RED. (If you don't believe me, check out the picture below)

Picture List of Things Chinese and RED:

RED Chinese Lanterns - (pic reminds me of the Karate Kid zip-lining down one of these things)

Auspicious RED Chinese Knot

RED dresses have come a long way

Flag of RED China

RED Chinese Firecrackers

RED Hawthorne Candy ("bing tang")

RED Pocket - Lucky Money

Traditional Chinese RED Paper Cuttings

Chinese Stock Market Prices - RED is good, Green is BAD

Even the doors are RED

Now we are starting to go too far...

We have officially gone too far!

Please leave some comments and let me know if I have missed anything else RED and Chinese.

What Chinese Words Can Teach Us about Culture - Upside Down Signs and Dumplings

2011-02-06T01:13:00.010-05:00

The Chinese love play on words and especially for the Chinese New Year Holiday. Many Chinese traditions can be explained using word play and since we're celebrating Chinese New Year with the last couple of posts, let's look at the following examples:

1) Upside-Down Signs: I have always wondered why the signs on the doors/windows of houses and stores were upside down. Did someone drink too much the night before when they were putting up the signs? After some quick research, it appears that a play on words is the reason for all this madness.

The most common sign you'll see upside down is the one containing the character "福" which means fortune in Chinese ("fu" in Mandarin and "fook" in Cantonese - that's why you see fu and fook in many restaurants in US Chinatowns). Anyways, the reason to hang this sign upside down is because the Chinese word for upside down ("dao" in Mandarin and "dou" in Cantonese) sounds like the Chinese word for arrive so when you hang the 福 sign upside down it signifies that "Fortune has Arrived". For the same reason, sometimes you'll see the Chinese character for the season Spring "春" ("chun" in Mandarin and "choon" in Cantonese) upside down.

Looks like a Chinese ingot to me

2) Dumplings "饺子":
It is a well known tradition that Chinese people make and eat dumplings for Chinese New Year. As with long standing traditions, the reason behind the tradition is probably forgotten. There are a few reasons besides the obvious camaraderie and fun of a family getting together to make and to eat dumplings.

The first is that dumplings look like Chinese gold ingots which symbolize wealth. The second reason which is a word play is that "饺子" ("jiao zi" in Mandarin) sounds like "sleep and have sons" which is a traditional blessing despite the sexist connotations. I think the word play only exists in Mandarin which may explain why some of the southern parts of China where Cantonese is more prevalent might not have the same tradition. Also, dumplings are very popular in Northern China.

Chinese Ingot

So there you have it. Two of Chinese New Year's mysteries explained! Stay tuned for other posts providing clarity for things you've always seen or done but couldn't figure out why.

Feel free to leave your comments or to suggest alternate explanations! 　

Why Doesn't the US Observe Chinese New Year?

2011-02-04T00:29:00.007-05:00

Question: It is 2011, why doesn't the United States and other developed countries observe Chinese New Year (The biggest holiday by far in China) as an official holiday despite observing other ethnic related holidays?

Answer: Because Chinese people don't vote and we don't stand up enough for ourselves.

You want to change the rules, you need to play the game.

(Think of all of the children who have to painfully contemplate whether to sacrifice their "perfect attendance" award for a day off with their family)

Petition your Councilman, Congressman, Whateverman today!!

Secrets of Lion Dancing - An Insider Look

2011-02-03T01:23:00.009-05:00

Every year during this time, if you live near a Chinatown or in Hong Kong, you'll hear the familiar sounds found in this video.

I present: Lion Dancing (舞狮 - wushi). Although it seems like fun and games, the first hand account from a veteran of such lion dance shows was quite different. From the gang land roots to the modern day evolution, this is a side that most people never get to see nor hear about it.

Here it is, raw and unedited (source anonymous):

"i remember for years my parents didn't want me to go out to ctown during the chinese new year parade... one year i found out why...
when my uncle took me to watch all the lion dancing and the fireworks i thought this was great... everyone coming out to celebrate... it was exciting, until... two groups crossed paths, it's customary to keep the heads low when meeting another group, when you raise the heads it means you want to fight... well apparently someone didn't tell the dude underneath the yellow lion, cause the dude under the black lion went over and gave him a kick in the chest... next thing you konw all hell breaks lose... massive fight.... both groups go at it using everyting from the flags, cymbals and drum sticks as weapons... the drumer even kicked over the drum to reveal a bin of knives and machetes underneath...

this was back in the day where gangs ruled ctown... where you couldn't walk down certain streets otherwise you would get beat up or robbed... if you were from a different gang or group you know better than to cross into the next territory, and they knew also... it was an unspoken underground etiquette. when gangs ruled ctown, they had a designated area, which they went to stores asking for money... each group would stay in their area and you knew better than to go into an opposing group's turf... things are different now... cops aren't as tolerate... now each group needs to petition for a permit in order to go out on chinese new year, you then get a police escort and a desginated route... and under no circumstances should you be deviating from this mapped route. so many rules you need to follow. but groups are more friendlier, greetings and smiles are exchanged rather than dirty looks and stare downs...

but there is still an animosity towards groups outside of ctown who come just to advertise and try to take money out of the community. groups from outside of the ctown like queens and staten island come out trying to attract new members or collect extra money... these groups aren't frowned upon, but nothing really happens... if an opposing group was rude or holding a threaten posture you would jsut cry to the 5-O and they would lose their permit for the following year, cuase they were black listed from receiving a permit next year...

nowadays... most of the trouble is caused by the younger generation who are over cocky and protective over their groups name and reputation. like asian fraternities they go harass and beat up other group's members or trash their house. but it's nothing like back in the days"

So if you don't know, now you know.

If you want to learn more about the history and traditions of Lion Dancing, check out Wikipedia's entry and also visit www.theLionArts.com

Feel free to leave comments about your own experiences with lion dancing!

The 4 Rules for Giving Away Money - Chinese Red Pocket

2011-02-03T00:00:00.004-05:00

If you know what a red pocket is (利事 "Lai See" in Cantonese and 紅包 "Hong Bao" in Mandarin), you either love it or hate it.

If you are on the receiving end you probably love it but if you are on the giving end you probably hate it. If you are giving, the only perk is you don't have to rack your brain for a nice gift. A red pocket is pretty straightforward: Money inside a RED envelope.

This post is going to look at some of the rules that govern the give and take that is the red envelope:

General Rule #1:
Receivers: Children (and not just your own), Unmarried Adult Friend and Families
Givers: Married Couples (gives two) and Widows (gives one)

General Rule #2:
Receivers: Guests of Honor at Special Occasions (Weddings, Birthdays, Going Away, Travel)
Givers: Attendees of these Special Occasions

General Rule #3:
Receivers: The Worker
Givers: The Boss

General Rule #4:
Receivers: People who provide you with service (Doorman, Maid, Lion Dancers, etc)
Givers: You

So now you are armed with the general rules of engagement, so do what you need to do to navigate this fun yet sometimes painful Chinese tradition!

Learn Chinese (I always see this on fortune cookies):

恭喜發財,利是逗來 (Gong Hay Faat Choy, Lai See Dou Loi)

Translation: Be Prosperous and Happy ...now give me my money! (that's what those Chinese characters say)

The Surprising Truth about Chinese New Year - The US vs. China

2011-01-14T20:15:00.006-05:00

We are fast approaching the Chinese New Year holiday for 2011 (February 3, 2011). This year is the year of the Rabbit. I have been lucky enough to spend Chinese New Year in both the United States and China and they are like two different holidays.

For those of you who were born or raised in the US ( I can't speak for other non-Chinese countries), Chinese New Year is one of those elusive holidays where you have no idea when it is until your parents tell you. Usually is involves just dinner at home with family and the most exciting part for the younger generation is the red envelopes (利是"lai see" in Cantonese). For those who don't know what a red envelope is, basically it is just a red envelope (pardon the obvious) that contains money. I will get into more details in a later post. We don't even get a day off for Chinese New Year unless you work for a Chinese owned company. If you live near a Chinatown, you may be lucky enough to join in some of the festivities (parades, lion dancing and fireworks)

In stark contrast, Chinese New Year is by far the biggest and most important holiday in China. Almost everyone gets about 10 days off, some even take extended holidays. Due to the migrant worker situation in China, this is the holiday where everyone makes their annual trek back to there hometown (老家 "lao jia" in Mandarin, "herng ha" in Cantonese). The traditional celebration is very festive. Everyone (I mean everyone) in the family gets together for a huge dinner on Chinese New Year's eve which takes days to prepare for and the full day to cook. Then at night, everyone watches the CCTV New Year's Gala (中国中央电视台春节联欢晚会) which features performances ranging from acrobatics to comedic skits (more details in another post). At midnight, the sky is lit up with fireworks and practically the whole city (I experienced New Year's in Beijing) seems like it's at war. After midnight, people get together an make dumplings, play cards and just hang out together. The next 5-8 days, you are either visiting relatives or they are visiting you ( 拜年 "bai neen" in Cantonese and "bai nian" in Mandarin).

All in all, celebrating Chinese New Year in China is much better than celebrating it anywhere else.

Unfortunately, as China is becoming more Westernized, many of these traditions are being watered down. More and more families are going out to eat and according to many Chinese I know, the holiday spirit wasn't what it use to be.

Feel free to share your experiences of Chinese New Year in the comments section!

To celebrate the upcoming New Year, the next few posts will be on subjects related to Chinese New Year. Topics will include red envelopes, the Chinese Zodiac, lion dance and even dumplings!

The Top 10 Reasons Why Chinese People are Skinny

2011-01-02T23:29:00.002-05:00

This is more the rule than the exception!

In addition to being good at math, Chinese people and others of Asian descent are also known to be skinny. I have compiled here the Top Ten reasons why I believe Chinese people are skinny along with pictures.

Please feel free to comment!

Top Ten Reasons Why Chinese People are Skinny

Clean and Healthy

1. The average traditional Chinese person eats mainly vegetables, fruits and rice/noodles. They also eat a lot of fish and does not eat much red meat.

2. Chinese food is usually prepared steamed, boiled or stir fried. Never deep-fried unless you go to a Westernized Chinese Take-Out place.

3. Chinese people have less exposure to sugar - the traditional breakfast is usually rice porridge or noodles not cereals or pancakes that can contain a lot of sugar. Also Chinese people drink a lot of tea as opposed to juices/soda.

Everyone for themselves

4. Chinese people almost always eat family style (sharing of dishes). This pressures them to save some for others and gives them a variety of both healthy and not as healthy foods.

5. Chopsticks - you can only fit so much between those 2 skinny sticks (like Jerry Seinfeld said "Which is more efficient - Pool Cues or a Shovel?". Same goes for the small rice bowl.

We don't need Gym Membership

6. Physically Active - Check out any park around 6am and I'm sure you'll find Chinese people doing Tai Chi or some form of exercise.

7. There is social pressure to stay skinny. Chinese people can be ruthless when talking about the obese especially for Chinese women. Mothers also tend to be tough on their "fat" daughters.

The Exception!

8. Genes - Who knows, I guess it's possible (but there is always the exception as well)

9. China use to be and is still in some areas very poor so there are no opportunities to overeat. Also when you are poor, meat is a luxury.

You thought your commute was bad

10. Chinese people work hard and we pretty much walk or bike everywhere. Cars only recently came into play in China and many families still do not have access to a car.

As China is becoming more and more wealthy and Westernized (foods, snacks and lifestyles), it seems that many of these reasons will no longer be valid and I believe we will see a rise in the obesity rate of the Chinese population along with the health problems that come along with it.

perhaps it has already begun...

Don't Get Hurt Eating Fish - It is Not Worth It

2010-12-22T23:07:00.002-05:00

For most Americans (pardon the generalization), fish is served usually in a boneless form (fillet, fish sticks, fish steaks, etc). If you order fish at an American restaurant or other western style cuisines, it will most likely be served without the bones or the head.

This is in contrast to how fish is usually served in traditional Chinese homes and "authentic" Chinese restaurants ("Chinese People Don't Order Chinese Take Out" article). Usually what you'll find is the entire fish, descaled and steamed (sometimes fried) with the head and tail fully intact. Growing up, this was the norm and I never realized that some non-Chinese have never seen the head of the fish served for dinner before. (This goes for the head of the chicken and duck that you'll sometimes find as garnish in a Chinese restaurant). Not only is it repulsive for some people, but for those who have never eaten fish with bones, it can be a very dangerous undertaking.

I have seen unsuspecting people take a bite out of what looked like a fillet of fish at a Chinese restaurant just to grimace in pain and find out the hard way that there are fishbones. Then they go into a hacking cough frenzy trying to get the bone out (which is not appetizing at all to see or hear). I guess this is to be expected if all the other foods you've ever eaten have either all been boneless (hamburgers, chicken breast, hot dogs) or had obvious bones (steak, ribs, chicken leg).

Don't be fooled by the fillet form - There are still bones!!!

Remember: In China and probably other asian countries, fish is usually served with the bone (Japanese sushi excluded although the Japanese do serve fish with bones as well) so be forewarned.

I'll leave you with one last tip: when you get steam fish with the fish head intact, the best part of the fish's meat is actually its............*drum roll*...................cheek. Try it!

Do you Drive Like a Chinese Person?

2010-10-17T17:57:00.005-04:00

For anyone who has ever wondered why Chinese people drive the way they do, you have obviously never been to China.

Having recently returned from China, I have realized that Chinese people are bad drivers because their driving skills have been taken out of context.

In China, if you drive courteously (allow pedestrians the right of way, signal, stay in lane, etc) you would never get anywhere. It is the unfortunate reality of the traffic situation in China. There has been much improvement but for someone who has been raised in the United States, I am still shocked when I see cars going the opposite way on the HIGHWAYS (yes the highway) in China.

Anyways, next time you see a horrible Chinese driver, just remember that it's not completely their fault, it was the way they were raised.

Side note: This in no way explains the terribleness of women drivers. Perhaps its a gender thing.

Warning: No Tanning Allowed - Light Skin Beauties - The Paler the Better!

2008-07-14T17:27:00.008-04:00

I recently made a trip to China and was exposed to a phenomenon that surprised me. Chinese people find light skin tones infinitely more attractive than darker ones. This seemed strange to me since everyone I know in the US is always trying to get a nice tan and people who are pale are usually considered "not as attractive" and "unhealthy". As every major city in the US is infested with tanning salons, I did not see any while I was in China.

This phenomenon is also evident in the realm of beauty products where many American products are geared towards "bronzing" the skin while Chinese beauty products usually aim to whiten the skin. When I met up with my relatives in China, they immediately mentioned skin tones when referring to each other's beauty. "Your skin is so nice and white" and "Why is your skin so dark?" was frequently asked of the children and young adults by their elders. It is almost comedic and vampire-like to watch droves of Chinese people walk in a narrow shaded walkway or tote umbrellas on the sunniest days just to avoid the sun.

Although I may be completely wrong, I think this obsession with white skin has to do with the fact that in olden times any body with a tan was associated with manual labor and peasantry therefore having pale skin was a sign of your wealth. It seems that this type of thinking is still very prevalent in China today. Also as controversial as this may sound, this might be the basis for the somewhat bias attitude Chinese people have towards races of darker skin colors.

For those who don't believe me, just take a trip to China and you'll know what I mean.

An Expert's Guide to Dominating in Mahjong - An Ultimate Guide

2008-05-12T00:00:00.007-04:00

An informative article written by Bulldozer, an expert Mahjong player:

Chinese people love to play Mah-Jong. Although everyone can learn to play, in order to win at this game, you need good memory, skills, and of course, what everyone needs when gambling, luck.

Mahjong consists of 144 tiles: 108 of them are suited tiles, 28 are honor tiles (Winds and Dragons) and 8 are bonus tiles or what most people call flower tiles. There are 3 different types of suits: Circles (Dots), Bamboo (Sticks) and Chinese Characters (Ten Thousands - "Maan"). Each suit consists of numbers 1 through 9 repeated FOUR times (so 3 suits x 9 numbers x 4 tiles = 108 suited tiles). For the circles and bamboos, the number is determined simply by counting the number of dots or sticks that are on the tile. For the Chinese characters, it is necessary to learn and memorize the Chinese numbers from 1 through 9, although some "Americanized" Mahjong sets have the numbers written in the corner.

The honor tiles consist of dragons and different wind tiles:

There are 3 types of dragons, four tiles each: Red, Green, and White. The red dragon is actually the Chinese character for middle ("joong" in Cantonese) and the green dragon is the Chinese character for good fortune ("faat" in Cantonese). The white dragon is just a clear rectangle (you can't miss it). If you don't want to memorize these characters, you can just go by color. If you get three of the same dragon it counts as 1 point.

There are 4 different types of wind tiles: East, South, West, and North (each consisting of four tiles). Each person is assigned a wind depending on the number decided by the dice throw and each round is also assigned a wind. If you get 3 of a kind of your assigned wind or the wind of the round, 1 point is awarded. It is possible that both your assign wind and the wind of the round is the same in which case, 3 of a kind of that wind will count as 2 points.

When the game starts, everyone receives 13 tiles, unless you’re the dealer who starts with 14 tiles because the dealer has to discard one tile to get the game started. Out of these 13 tiles you have to make combinations of either 3 of a kind (Pung) or a 3 tile straight (Chow). In Mahjong, you can either make these combinations by drawing or by taking from others (you need to have at least 2 tiles of a combination to take from others). In order to make a straight combination, you can only take from the person going directly before you. For making 3 of a kind combination, you are free to take from anyone on the table. In order to take another player's discarded tile, you must declare Chow or Pung at the moment the tile is discarded or else no one can take the card. Those who Pung have priority over those who Chow. Also if you make four of a kind (Kong), you need to pick up an extra tile in order to preserve 13 tiles in your hand. Kong is when you already have 3 of a kind and you need it to make 4 of a kind. Mah-Jong is very similar to Gin Rummy, you can not make a combination if the suits are different. For example: 1 circle, 2 circle, and 3 sticks is not a legal combination. In order to win, one can either draw the winning tile from someone else ("serng" in Cantonese) or by themselves ("ji maw" in Cantonese). Each player has 13 tiles but in order to win, you need 14 tiles. So most winning hands consists of 4 combinations and a pair (also known as the eyes - "ahn" in Cantonese). When the winning tile is drawn, those Cantonese ("serng" or "ji maw") sayings must be declared. False declarations of winning lead to automatic loss and heavy penalties. Points mentioned throughout this article are only awarded if a person declares a win. Those who do not win, do not get points, regardless of their hand. One final note on winning- each winning hand must also have two matching tiles (the eyes). For example, if you have four sets of three of a kind, there will be one tile left over (your 13th tile). In order to win, you must either self pick a matching tile to complete your eye or if that is the only tile you need to declare a win, you can take from any one else that discards it.

The bonus tiles consist of pictures of flowers with Chinese and Arabic characters counting from 1 through 4 in two different colors, usually red and blue. Similar to wind tiles, each player is assigned a certain number flower. If you get your assigned flower, 1 point is awarded. If you do not get any flowers, some people also reward that with one point. If you get all the flowers (1 through 4) of the same color, it is 2 points. When you have seven flowers it’s usually an automatic win or 3 points depending on the house rules. If you can get all eight flowers it is usually awarded the maximum number of points you decide to play with.

In addition to winning the "traditional" way there are also special hands that is usually awarded maximum points. Here are some of the hands:

“The 13 Wonders”
A concealed hand with #’s 1 and 9 of each suit. One of each dragon and one of each directional wind. And to win with this hand just match it up with any of the above tiles. So you’re calling on 13 different tiles.

“9 United Sons”

A concealed hand of all one suit in the following formation 1,1,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,9,9 when completed by any tile of the suit, either drawn or discarded. For this hand you’re calling 9 tiles.

“All Kong’s (18 temples?)"

Four sets of four-of-a-kind and a pair of any sort.

“4 Large Blessings”

Sets of either 3 or 4 of a kind of all 4 winds with a pair of any suit or honor.

“3 Great Scholars”

Sets of either 3 or 4 of a kind of all 3 dragons with another any kind of set and a pair.

“Hidden Treasure”

A concealed hand of 4 sets of 3of a kind and to win with any pair. Everything must be drawn from the wall and you need to draw the winning tile yourself also.

“Heavenly Peace”

When East's original fourteen tiles (or after flowers and Kongs have been grounded) form a complete hand. Extremely Rare.

“Earthly Peace”

When a player's other than East, completes his hand with East's first discard (and after flowers and Kongs have been grounded). Extremely Rare.

These rules to Mahjong are very basic and definitely many intricacies have not been mentioned. Also, look for future articles concerning basic and advanced strategies for Mahjong. If you have anything you would like to add, feel free to do so in the comments section below.

How to End the Misunderstanding between the East and the West

2008-04-29T13:31:00.009-04:00

There has always been a chasm between the East and the West. I'm not talking about the much publicized and rapped about battle of the coasts in the United States but one that is causing even greater controversy, Westernized Americans and the Easternized Chinese. We always hear about people becoming more westernized but rarely do we hear about people becoming easternized. Perhaps it is because I live on the western hemisphere but the general consensus is that being westernized is a sign of progress while being easternized is almost viewed as being "backwards".

So why the conflict between the East and the West? Misunderstanding

The main difference between Western and Eastern thinking that is causing this rift is the western idea of individualism. Although this is the backbone of our free society, it is often misunderstood in Asia and especially China. This is because in the Eastern Confucianistic society of Asia, success is measured by the fullness of human relationships. This is in direct contrast to the emphasis placed in Western society for individual achievement. To the Chinese, westerners seem to merely cultivate human relationships as a means to further their individual success thus painting an image of a lonely and harsh Western world. Even the word "individualism" when translated into Chinese (個人主義) carries a negative connotation of selfishness and self-centeredness. It is mistranslations and stereotypes like this that fuel these cultural clashes between traditional Chinese and Americans.

The Chinese view Americans and their ideals as being selfish and cold. American young adults who move out of the house or American adults who put their parents in retirement homes are testament to the views of the Chinese. The thing is, from an American point of view, it is accepted and even encouraged to "leave the nest" and become self-sufficient. Dependency including mutual dependency is seen as a weakness in the US whereas such dependency in Asia is actually seen as a validation of a worthwhile relationship. The Americans usually view the Chinese emphasis on relationships as a preface to corruption and also as a dearth to individual thinking. Americans usually view the Chinese as susceptible to group think and worst of all, unable to think for themselves.

These are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of East vs. West conflicts but as you can see, there is much misunderstanding between the two seemingly different cultures. The truth is both Eastern and Western ideology were formed for the betterment of the people in its culture. The motive to create a better and more productive society holds true for both cultures but until people from both East and West realize this similarity, conflicts from misunderstanding will persist.

The 5 Surprising Reasons Why Chinese People Avoid Confrontations

2008-04-25T12:54:00.005-04:00

Some people love looking for and starting trouble, Chinese people on the other hand strive hard to avoid confrontations AT ALL COSTS. You would be hard pressed to see a Chinese person asking for a store's managers or raising his/her voice in public when they are wronged. Usually Chinese people just "let things go" and go on with their merry lives. This non-confrontational attitude has its pros and cons. On the one hand, being passive avoids huge escalations or time consuming arguments. On the other hand, this passiveness can be taken advantage of as Chinese people become known as being pushovers. This would explain the "Chinese (Asian) Workhorse" phenomenon of any non-Chinese firm. Let's take a look at why Chinese people hate confrontations:

Reasons Why the Chinese are Non-Confrontational

Chinese People Dislike Scrutiny - Most Chinese people are known to engage in somewhat questionable activities such as bootlegging and tax evasion (Chinese people live in a CASH dominated society) so naturally they prefer to stay in the shadows.

Not Worth the Trouble - In addition to disliking scrutiny, Chinese people hate it when other people get into their business. They like to minimize the amount of people involved even if it is the costlier alternative. For Example: If you ever get into a car accident with a Chinese person, most likely they would like to handle the situation without calling the police and without involving the insurance companies. Many times this may prove to be more expensive than the increase in their insurance premium.

Xenophobic - In America, Chinese people will avoid confrontation with foreigners at all costs. In general, the Chinese don't like dealing with foreigners (Chinese people hate teaching things to the "Gwai Lo" - Cantonese for foreigner).

Our Upbringing - My parents dislike confrontation and so did my parents' parents. I was always raised to not make a fuss and just "let it go" so naturally that is what I am inclined to do.

Losing Face and Embarrassment - Generally, it is considered embarrassing to cause a scene. All confrontations should be done behind closed doors. To "act a fool" in public will cause your a loss of face for you and your family which is taboo among traditional Chinese people.

Let's face it, Chinese people are non confrontational. Next time, there is a public confrontation, it is safe to say, Chinese people aren't involved (unless it's in Chinatown).

Feel free to comment on this phenomenon in the comments section.

How do Chinese People Stay Out Debt - C.R.E.A.M. - Dolla Dolla Bill Y'all

2008-04-21T01:06:00.006-04:00

The Wu Tang Clan must have been singing about their Chinese roots when they released C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rule Everything Around Me) because most Chinese prefer to deal in cash. Chinese people truly dislike borrowing money and being indebted to someone because it is embarrassing and it makes them seem weak. There is a general mistrust of credit among the Chinese which is exemplified in these Chinese proverbs:

"A good debt is not as good as no debt"

"Free from debt is free from care"

Another good reason for exclusively using cash is the power cash has when haggling and negotiating prices for consumer goods and services. Chinese people can't resist bargains and discounts so naturally they would gravitate towards cash (Try bargaining with a credit or debit card). A third reason is that many Chinese immigrant workers get paid in cash, so in order to avoid leaving a "paper trail" come tax time, they solely use cash. If they use credit/debit cards or checks, it is easy to figure out exactly how much they are spending.

I am sure there are many other reasons but whatever the reasons, in the eyes of the Chinese, Cash is King.

Feel free to give other reasons why cash is used so much among the Chinese in the comments section!

The Top 10 Ways to Respect Your Parents - Filial Piety

2008-04-17T22:39:00.016-04:00

If you ever watch TVB (Hong Kong TV series), you will notice that children rarely move out of the house no matter how successful they are. A regular household usually always consists of the parents, the children and the grandparents. Most Chinese people take care of their parents as they reach retirement age. Although this may seem strange for Americans, it is the status quo in Asia. Filial piety is the main reason why you rarely see elderly Chinese people in nursing or retirement homes.

If you've ever studied Chinese history and culture, you probably came across the term filial piety (孝, xiao). Filial piety is a Confucianism concept which centers a relationship with parents around love and respect. The concept of filial piety is common to all of the diverse religious beliefs in China and can be demonstrated by (taken from Wikipedia):

Taking care of one's parents

Not being rebellious

Show love, respect and support

Display courtesy

Ensure male heirs

Uphold fraternity among brothers

Wisely advise one's parents

Conceal your parents' mistakes

Display sorrow for their sickness and death

Carry our sacrifices after their death ("Bai Saan" in Cantonese)

Filial piety is practiced by Chinese immigrants all over the world. Confucius emphasized the "circle of life". When the children are young, the parents are the strong and they take care of the children and must given respect. When the children become adults, they take on the strong role and take care of their elders. Some Confucian schools feel that children do not have to always obey their parents. If the parents make a mistake, as adult "children" it is necessary to help teach the parents. In America, there is much conflict among first generation families because teenage rebellion, usually viewed as a natural phase of growing up, is completely opposite the ideals of filial piety. This leads to much confusion, misunderstanding and frustration between the parents and the children.
You can find some Chinese fairy tales concerning filial piety here

Why Chinese Students Study Engineering

2008-04-15T14:46:00.003-04:00

Chinese families have always placed a heavy emphasis on practical jobs. Chinese parents just can't understand college majors that don't lead to "successful" jobs. Occupations fitting the mold are Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers, Computer Science/Programmer, Pharmacists and Finance/Business related jobs. Technical schools such as those for Architecture, Hotel/Restaurant Management and Dentistry are also accepted. College majors that traditional Chinese parents and relatives understand are pre-med, economics, business, math and any type of engineering or physical science related major.

Naturally this would lead to ignorance and disdain for the more "useless" liberal arts majors such as sociology, Asian studies, any languages, art, performing arts, history, etc. Chinese people can't understand majors that do not translate into a practical job. If you have a liberal arts major, the best way to save yourself the trouble of having to explain to the older traditional Chinese is to say you are going to become a lawyer. Being a Spanish major means nothing to Chinese parents but being a Spanish major with the intent of going to Law School is infinitely more respectable (in Chinese eyes of course, no offense to Spanish majors).

Although this may seem ridiculous to some, just look at the percentage of Chinese people for each major and I guarantee that it will be heavily skewed to the more "practical" majors. If you are Chinese, just look at what major you and your other Chinese friends chose to pursue. I'm pretty Americanized yet my major was Chemistry and Economics during college and most of the Chinese people I knew were engineers, math, economics or in physical science majors.

One thing that ranks higher than obtaining practical jobs on the Chinese list of priorities is the stability and safety of a certain occupation. Chinese parents love their children and they also expect them to take care of them when they become old (more on this in another article) so any job that may have inherent risks and dangers are frowned upon. Positions that are consider dangerous and/or heavily frowned upon are policemen, firemen, inner city teachers and positions that pay solely on commission (including freelance work) and have no health benefits.

Perhaps one day, Chinese people will break out of this mold and accept more liberal arts majors but having many of these beliefs hard-wired into our system, I wouldn't hold my breath.

How to Fight for the Bill Against a Chinese Person

2008-04-10T23:57:00.004-04:00

If you ever go to a Chinese restaurant for dinner and take a look around, I am positive that you will see at least one table where people are wrestling for the check. This may seem paradoxical since Chinese people are usually pretty frugal (check out the Dishwasher Article) but in Chinese culture, there is one thing that trumps all other Chinese-related behavior. For the Chinese it is all about "face" (面子, pronounced mian zi in mandarin and Meen Ji in Cantonese). Treating for dinner makes you the BMATT (Big Man at the Table) and you are usually showered with thanks and appreciation after the rival part concedes. The fights are especially fierce among parents of children who are dating. Distant relatives or adult acquaintances dining together also have their fair share of check wrestling. Most of the time the battle is between the main "representative" of each group or family, which is usually the father although these duties may be handled by the oldest son/daughter.

So what is the best way to secure the bill? The most common and popular strategy to secure the bill is to grab it from the waiter's/waitresses' hand and then immediately put the check behind your back while fending off the other arms trying to grab for the check. Another more effective strategy is to just approach the cashier and pay for the bill before the dinner ends during one of your "bathroom breaks". For me, I personally like to just sit and watch the action and wait for my chance to shower my appreciation and thanks on the victorious party. Although as I become older and have my own family, I'm sure I will have my share of "end of dinner at a Chinese restaurant" battles.

Good luck to all the people fighting to pay for dinner (what a weird blessing)! May the tips in this article give you the upper hand at your next fight for the bill.

ABCs vs FOBs

2008-04-07T10:39:00.001-04:00

The epic battle between ABCs (American Born Chinese) and FOBs (Fresh Off the Boat) have been going on ever since I can remember. Racism within one's ethnic group somehow always seems to be more widespread than those from people outside the ethnic group (Chris Rock's famous Black People vs. N@&&$$! stand up bit). When Chinese kids in America become teenagers, they are forced to choose a side, either ABC or FOB, each group extremely critical of the other. The bitterness of the rivalries are pretty strong but lessens dramatically with age as people from both groups mature and focus on other things.

ABCs are embarrassed by FOBs and use the term in a very derogatory way. If you do something embarrassingly Chinese, you're a FOB. FOBs make fun of the fact that ABCs can't speak Chinese despite the fact that they are Chinese. They don't understand why ABCs tend to act so "white" or so "black". Their mutual dislike for each other explains why ABCs and FOBs rarely coexist in the same cliques.

The major distinction between ABCs and FOBs is their ability to speak English. If you prefer to speak Chinese during casual conversation and when you do use English it is with an accent, you are almost immediately identified as a FOB even if you have the most Americanized lifestyle or you have been living in the United States for decades. ABCs on the other hand speak English almost exclusively even when someone is speaking to them in Chinese. For those who do understand Chinese, it is very limited and contains almost no Chinese colloquial sayings. They are also pretty ignorant to most Chinese cultural events and holidays.

These days it is easier to recognize ABCs and FOBs by outward appearances. Hair is probably the best way to differentiate between the two groups. FOBs have very funky hairstyles mimicking those of Japanese and Korean teens who mimic the hairstyles of anime and video game characters. Their hair is usually long and requires high maintenance. ABCs usually have more traditional spiky hair, mohawks or Italian style blowouts. Their hair is usually short and clean cut.

Clothes is another good way to tell ABCs and FOBs apart. Most FOBs like to wear Japanese-style funky clothing. Male FOBs sport the Hong Kong Superstar metrosexual look while female FOBs enjoy wearing striped shirts with overalls and other Japanese inspired looks. ABCs tend to dress in more Americanized styles either reflecting the "hip-hop" clothing style, Abercrombie and Fitch style, Performance Gear (North Face and Nike) style or the young professional styles found at Express and Banana Republic. Although clothing and hairstyles are a good way to distinguish between FOBs and ABCs, their ability to speak English is still the most accurate.

There is much peer pressure against ABC-FOB relationships. ABCs will usually never date a FOB no matter how attractive they are because the peer pressure is usually too great. Those that do date, either do so in secret, or isolate themselves from both groups. This is similar to the forbidden love found in Romeo and Juliet without the tragic ending.

Last interesting topic - Crossovers. Crossovers are Chinese young adults that were born or raised at a young age in the USA but love Chinese culture or FOBs that have crossed over to become very Americanized. Crossovers speak perfect English but love Chinese music and are knowledgeable about Chinese traditions and culture (food, holidays, Chinese soup). They can also read and write Chinese and have many FOB like tendencies. To ABCs, crossovers may be considered FOBs although they are always thrown off when they speak English. The only criteria for a successful crossover for FOBs is to get rid of their accents.

This internal division among Chinese Americans will probably persist for ages to come. Which side are you on?

Can We Really Trust Eunuchs? Powerful Drag Queens of Ancient China

2008-03-28T00:37:00.006-04:00

Every Chinese movie set in Imperial China all have one thing in common, Eunuchs (Cantonese - Thai Gaam). In most movies, Chinese eunuchs are usually depicted as pale, wily, evil and effeminate. They had high pitched voices and spoke with an air of femininity. Eunuchs, for those who don't know or have never heard, are castrated male Imperial palace servants primarily employed to guard the harems and service the female royalty. In order to make sure there was no hanky panky, Chinese eunuchs were emasculated (complete removal of the male genitalia). This loss of "manhood" gave eunuchs a false reputation for being docile, loyal and unwanting of power.
In Imperial China, there were eunuchs of all ages. They performed a variety of roles ranging from actors and servants to harem guards and Imperial advisers. Eunuchs experienced a wide spectrum of treatment but at one time they were able to reach power greater than that of the emperor. According to Hidden Power: The Palace Eunuchs of Imperial China by Mary M. Anderson, eunuchs gained power by winning favor with young princes and molding the "heir apparent to suit their own ambitions". They were basically the puppet master using the emperor as the powerless figurehead to wield their authority. It is interesting that in a society dominated by male leadership, that men without their "manhood" could come to "usurp enormous authority".

Although eunuchs were used in other cultures, they had the greatest historical record and significance in the history of the Chinese.

Top 5 Advanced Strategies for Winning in Chinese Poker (Big Two - Chaw Dai Di)

2008-03-25T01:06:00.008-04:00

For those who are not familiar with the game Big Two, check out Big Two: An Introduction. For all those that already know how to play Big Two, I have compiled a short list of useful strategies that will take your money game to the next level. Directly quoted from a dominant Chaw Dai Di money player that I know, these strategies are sure to aid you in winning some nice spending money from your friends. Although these tips are geared for all those who want to get involved with Big Two for money, their usefulness carries over to friendlier versions of the popular game. So without further delay, I give you:

Useful Tips for Winning in Big Two When Playing for Money

"Never hit the player before you unless you have a sure win hand" - If there is no possible way for you to win, it is always better to help the person that goes before you to win since they will have the opportunity to go first in the next round (this applies mainly for the variation where the Big Two winner and not the holder of the Diamond Three gets to go first in the next round)

"Always counter the player going after you if you have higher ranked cards to do so" - This is related to the first tip where the main goal is to not be stuck going last in the first round of play in the next hand. If the player after you wins, you will have to "protect the back door" (Sau Hau Moon), which is one of the worse positions to be in for a money game. Countering the player in front of you with higher cards will decrease his/her chances of winning.

"When you know you cannot possibly win with the hand that you have, always try to run as soon as possible even when you hold the two of spades to avoid doubling, tripling and quadrupling penalties for cards remaining" - If you can't win, RUN. The difference between being in double penalty territory and triple penalty territory is ONE card, so on hopeless hands, try to get rid of as many cards as you can.

"Try to keep tabs on the Twos, Aces, Kings and Queens that have already been played. This information will be very crucial towards the end" - When it comes to the endgame, knowing what cards are the highest and that can "take control" (Wah See) can be the difference between winning and losing. Being able to go first in the next round is a huge advantage so winning the current round is a huge goal if you have the cards to do so. Future posts on advanced strategies will discuss certain times when it is more profitable to lose.

"Be more aggressive and conservative" - When playing for money, it is always better to be on the offensive and try to pressure and "stir-fry" (chow) your opponents into double, triple or quadruple penalty card counts. The more cards they have translates to the more money they owe you.

Many thanks to CDD Grandmaster A for providing such great tips. If you enjoyed this post, help promote the site. There will be more to come on Big Two strategies so check back often. If you would like to provide your own unique tips, leave a comment or send an email to chineseppl@gmail.com.

The Serious Truth about Chinese Families

2008-03-22T02:47:00.005-04:00

Every since I was a child, I would watch shows like Growing Pains and Charles in Charge and wonder why my family wasn't as warm and affectionate as those I see on TV. To this day I have not told my parents that "I love them", not because I do not care for them but rather because it would make everyone feel awkward. This goes for my siblings as well. I have other Chinese friends who have similar experiences so I figure it must be a Chinese cultural thing.
Like I said before, it is not that the parents don't like their kids or vice versa but rather family love is expressed differently in Chinese society. The way Chinese parents show that they love their kids is by cooking huge meals or catering to their needs. My dad and I have never hugged or reciprocated verbal expressions of love but every time I come home for dinner, there is a feast of my favorite foods waiting for me. Another popular sign of affection among the Chinese, is a phenomenon I call chauffeuring. I have noticed that Chinese parents make up for a bulk of the people waiting in cars outside of schools and workplaces where there are Chinese people.

An interesting observation related to awkwardness towards public displays of affection is whenever the entire family is watching TV or a movie and a sex scene comes on, I will usually try to remove myself from the room or somehow change the channel. It doesn't even have to contain nudity, the suggestions of raunchy action is enough to make things extremely awkward. Even to this day, when I visit my parents, I become extremely uncomfortable when such scenes come on the TV.
Of course Americanized Chinese households might have a different experience but I believe embedded in Chinese tradition is a type of unspoken taboo against public displays of affection. Although expressions of affection has its place, I personally enjoy the way things are now (no outward displays of affection among my family) and would be completely mortified if my parents all of a sudden became more like Mr. and Mrs. Seaver.

How to Order Authentic Chinese Food: General Who? - Chinese People Don't Order Chinese Take Out

2008-03-19T02:45:00.010-04:00

All Chinese people know that Chinese Takeout is not real Chinese food. My parents have never tried General Tso's Chicken, Chop Suey or Crab Rangoon. Chinese takeout restaurants serve cuisine that caters to Americans and differs drastically from authentic Chinese cuisine. Chinese people, unless they are americanized, rarely order from these takeout joints. They don't consider the food at these places Chinese food and in most urban areas, they can buy real Chinese food for less than what they would pay at these "fake" Chinese restaurants. Most Chinese would rather eat street vendor food than order from Chinese takeout. What is interesting is that most Americans when referring to Chinese cuisine would most often be talking about Chinese takeout food. There is a gap between what they perceive as real Chinese food and what real Chinese food really is. They are not aware of the huge differences between food you would get at Panda Express and food you get at a real Chinese restaurant.

Here are some main differences between American Chinese Takeout and Real Chinese Takeout:

Americans Chinese foods tend to be cooked very quickly with a lot of oil and salt. Frying seems to be the most prevalent cooking technique and MSG is usually a signature of most American Chinese takeout places. Authentic Chinese food tends to be prepared in a variety of ways from steaming to broiling to stir frying. These methods usually require longer cooking times and also fresher foods.

Vegetables are emphasized as a dish on its own at real Chinese restaurants where as most American Chinese takeout places use vegetables as garnish.

Menus are written bilingually at authentic restaurants whereas American Chinese takeout places usually only have menus in English (since there is no need to cater to Chinese people because they don't patronize such restaurants). American Chinese takeout menus also have "Lunch Specials" which would look absurd on a bilingual menu at a real Chinese restaurant.

When entering a real Chinese takeout place, there is usually a butcher that cuts up cooked meats (roast pork, spare ribs, roast duck, etc.) to order. At an American Chinese takeout place, you will see a counter with a large overhead billboard containing pictures of popular dishes such as Sesame Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Egg Foo Young, etc.

Real Chinese restaurants don't serve fortune cookies nor do they give deep fried "noodles" (the ones that look like fried strips served with egg drop soup) unless you are American.

A sure fire way to test whether or not the Chinese restaurant you patronize is authentic or not, just order Beef with Broccoli. If the broccoli is western, you are at an American Chinese restaurant. If it is Chinese broccoli (Gai-Laan), then you know you're eating at an authentic Chinese restaurant with most likely bilingual menus and oranges awaiting you at the end of your meal.

Some popular authentic Chinese takeout dishes over rice are (I have included Cantonese phonetics if you want to try to order in Chinese) : Spare ribs with black bean sauce (See Jup Pai Kwut Faan), Triple Delight (Roast Pork, Soy Sauce Chicken and Egg) (Saam Bo Faan), Peking Style pork chop (Ging Doe Kwut Faan), Singapore (Amoy) Chow Mei Fun (How Moon Chow Mei), Shrimp with Egg Sauce (Waat Daan Ha Yun Faan) and Satay Beef (Sa Deh Auh Yook Faan).

Feel free to expand the list of authentic Chinese takeout dishes in the comments section.

Secret Tip: Most authentic restaurants have two dine-in menus - One for Chinese people and one for foreigners. The foreigner menus are usually slightly more expensive and exclude some delicacies (liver) that westerners may find unappetizing. Only way around it is to find a fluent speaking Chinese person to go with you.

Chinese People ARE Good at Math

2008-03-19T02:20:00.007-04:00

Pythagorean theorem, 2x + 6 = 30, isosceles triangles. Terms that bring a sense of nostalgia to Chinese people all over the US. It brings back such good memories because math was something I, in fact almost every Chinese person I know, was always good at. Just think back to your junior high school or high school math classes and you'll soon realize that this popular stereotype is actually true (of course, this only applies to schools that have Chinese students). We just have a thing for numbers. If you take all the SAT scores for Chinese people in the US, I would not be surprised if 95% of those scores had a higher math score when compared to verbal. Math always seemed intuitive and easy. It always just made sense. Whether it is algebra, geometry, trigonometry or even calculus, we find it equally unchallenging. Maybe the Chinese are genetically predisposed to excel in math? It is hard to find reasons not to think so.

I can still remember when my parents used to look at my high school calculus textbook and scoff at how this level of math was being taught in middle schools all over China. This usually progressed into a tirade on the slack educational system in the US and how the kids in China are getting a much better education. I've always wondered what type of math Chinese students would be doing in college if they studied calculus during middle school. To this day I still don't know, if you can shed any light on this, please do so in the comments section of this article.

Chinese Only Please - NACBA

2008-03-11T23:15:00.001-04:00

For all you Chinese basketball players, there are tournaments out there just for you! Most urban city Chinatowns hold local Chinese tournaments and leagues throughout the year but the main event and certainly the most prestigious of Chinese basketball tournaments is the NACBA Invitational Tournament held every year during Memorial Day Weekend. The first invitational tournament was started in Chicago in 1981 and has been hosted annually all over North America (Toronto, Boston, San Francisco, Montreal, Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, Arizona, Washington DC, Philadelphia) with the requirement that all players must be 1/4 Chinese (at least on grandparent must be Chinese).

So why a Chinese-only basketball tournament? Is it because we can't hang with the best non-Chinese ballers? Some may think so but I personally do not. Having seen the high caliber play of some of these tournament players, in addition to the increasing number of Chinese players entering the NBA (Yao Ming, Wang Zhi Zhi, Mengke Bateer and Yi Jian Lian), it is safe to say, we can play with the best. I think this tournament started because a bunch of Chinese guys in Chicago really liked basketball and was tired of playing the same local Chinese teams. Chinese people love to compete against other Chinese. To this day, I think the main appeal for this tournament, in addition to bragging rites for being the best Chinese basketball team in North America and fostering unity among Chinese basketball enthusiasts, is the chance to go up against top notch Chinese players that you would never have the chance to play with otherwise. For more information, visit the NACBA website.

How to Use Chopsticks in 5 Minutes - Short and Sweet Guide

2008-03-09T03:19:00.009-04:00

Chopsticks, the preferred eating utensil by all Chinese people, is very strongly associated with Chinese and other Asian cultures. Some non-Asians may never use chopsticks within their lifetime, although the popularity of sushi restaurants have spurred an unprecedented increase in chopstick usage. The picture to the right is the way I have been holding chopsticks ever since I could remember. I always had the impression that the instructions for using chopsticks were imprinted in the genes of Chinese people so naturally I never gave it another thought. Recently, I was with some friends discussing the proper usage of chopsticks and it has come to my attention that my method was wrong. Although I have heard similar passing comments in the past, I never thought to change it because my method was working just fine and no one really pressed me to do so...until now.

Holding chopsticks the wrong way can be considered bad etiquette so I have decided to go on a 90 day program, starting today, to try to rewire my brain to correctly handle chopsticks. I have also added a new poll on the right sidebar that will last exactly 90 days as a good way to keep track of time. During these 90 days, I will try my best to use the correct form for every meal involving chopsticks. My initial tries have been pretty tiring on my fingers but my friends assure me that this transition is possible.

For those who don't know the proper chopstick technique, here is a brief tutorial and an image taken from Wikipedia.

Place one chopstick (thicker side) between the palm and the base of the thumb, using the ring finger to support the thinner side. Using the thumb, squeeze the chopstick down while pushing the chopstick up using the ring finger. The chopstick should be stationary and stable.
Using the tips of the thumb, index and middle fingers, hold the other chopstick like a pen. It is important to make sure that the tip of the two chopsticks line up.
Pivot the upper chopstick up and down while keeping the bottom chopstick still.
With enough practice, the chopsticks act like pincers.

So comparing my way to the correct way, here are some sure signs that you are holding your chopsticks the WRONG WAY:

The thick part of the chopsticks cross. This basically happens when you move both chopsticks as opposed to keeping one stationary.

It is extremely hard for you to pick up thin things lying flat on a plate.

People tell you that you are holding chopsticks the wrong way.

Here are some proper Chinese etiquette concerning chopsticks:

Do not use chopsticks to make noise during normal dining circumstances.
Do not use chopsticks to stab food unless it is to help cut large food items.
NEVER leave chopsticks standing vertically in any bowl of rice or food because stick-like objects standing vertically are used for offerings to deceased family members.
The thick end of the chopsticks may be used to transfer food from a common dish to one's bowl although this may be rude in other cultures.
When rice is in a bowl, the Chinese will hold the bowl to one's mouth and use chopsticks to push rice directly into the mouth whereas Koreans find it rude to pick up the bowl from the table and eat from it (no wonder they use metal rice bowls!).

I'm sure there are other rules concerning chopsticks, so feel free to post in the comments section on anything chopsticks related. Wish me luck!

How to Dominate in Chinese Poker (Big Two - Chaw Dai Di)

2008-03-07T23:36:00.029-05:00

If you didn't know this was a card game then you obviously are not Chinese. This is a game familiar to both young and old and may possibly be the most popularly played Chinese card game out there. This game has occasionally and mistakenly been called "Chinese Poker" which is a completely different game that Chinese people refer to as "13 Cards (Sup Saam Jerng)". For those interested in learning how to play or those who know how to play but never really learned the exact rules, here are the basic rules for a four player Big Two game (more detailed rules can be found here):

1) How to Win: Be the first to get rid of all of your cards.

2) Cards and Suit Rules: A regular 52 card deck is used and the order for the suits from high to low is Spades > Hearts > Clubs > Diamonds

3) Playable Combinations: Legal Hands in Big Two
Single Cards - Two of Spades is the highest and Three of Diamonds is the lowest.
Pairs - Again Twos are the highest and Threes are the smallest. Among same numbered pairs, the pair containing the spade is the higher pair.
Triples - Yet Again, Twos are the highest then Aces all the way down to Threes.
Five Card Hands - If you play regular poker you should have no problems but here are the hands from weakest to strongest:
Straight - five cards of consecutive numbers with mixed suits. (Ex: KH-QC-JC-10H-9D), usually A-2-3-4-5 is the highest straight but there are variations.
Flush - any five cards with the same suit. (Ex: 9H-7H-6H-5H-3H). Some people play flushes by suit while others play by the highest card within that suit.
Full House - Consists of a Triple and a Pair where the higher numbered triple determines the strength of the hand. 8-8-8-5-5 beats 3-3-3-A-A.
Four of a Kinds (Quads) - Consist of all four cards of a certain number plus one fifth card of any number. Some people allow Quads to be played as is (four of the same number by themselves without the fifth card) but others do not so it is important to find out the custom rules for each game).
Straight Flush - pretty much a combination of a straight and a flush, which is five cards of consecutive numbers with the same suit (Ex: AS-KS-QS-JS-10S)
You can only play combinations within the same group. So triples cannot beat pairs and single cards can only beat single cards.
4) Dealing the Cards: At the start, players pick cards to see who deals first. Highest card picked deals first. After the first round, the winner of each round becomes the dealer. The dealer shuffles and the player to the right cuts. After the cut, the dealer randomly shows one card within the deck (card is shown by lifting the top part of the deck and showing the bottom card and then putting the top part back so the order of the cards remain the same) to determine who gets the first card of the deal. This is done by counting the numerical value of the card starting from the dealer and moving counter clockwise until the number is reached (Ex: if the card is 8, then you count 1 dealer, 2 left, 3 across, 4 right, 5 dealer, 6 left, 7 across, 8 right - so the first card is dealt to the person to the dealer's right). Deal and play are usually counterclockwise. A good thing to remember to speed the deal is Ace, 5, 9, and King are all cards where the dealer deals himself/herself first.

5) How to Play: The player holding the three of diamonds will go first and put down a playable combination that includes the diamond three. Then the person to his right plays a card within that combination group that can beat the first combination put down and so on around the table. All cards are placed down face up. If you can't or don't want to beat the current combination, you can pass and the player to your right will go until three of the four players pass. Then the player who put down the "unbeatable" combination will be allowed to put anything he wants. Usually the cards from the previous round is turned over but most people just leave them as is. Everyone is allowed to know how many cards the other players have in their hands at any time so if asked you have to answer honestly. When a player has only one card left, he must announce "last card" and the player right before him must play his highest single card ("Ding Dai") or a non single playable combination (pair, triples, etc). Failure to "ding dai" results in a penalty discussed in the scoring section. The first player to get rid of all the cards win. Usually the game ends here but there are variations that play on until there is only one loser.

6) Points: Usually if you play with only one winner, penalty points are given to all the other players. The penalty is one point per card if you have 8 cards and under, 9-10 cards are double points (18 and 20, respectively), 11-12 are triple points (33 and 36, respectively) and 13 is quadruple points (52). Of course, these breakpoints can be moved around, many people play 1-9 as single point, 10-12 as double point and 13 being triple points. People usually play this game for money. When they do, everyone agrees on a money value per point (Ex: $1 per point). At the end of the entire session, the differences in the score determine the payout. When playing for money, if a player does not "ding dai" (#5), he has to pay the losses for all three players of that round.

After reading this post, you now know how to "Chaw Dai Di" (play big two). There are a ton of variations to this game of rules #2 to #6. There are differences in straight and flush strengths, direction of deal and play, point systems, game play nuances and much more. The rules listed above are the most common rules that I have encountered but when you do play, make sure you ask if there are any variations.

You can find the Big Two computer game here at Tray Games or here at Netbig2

Remember: Knowing how to play and playing well are two different things. Also, playing for money and playing for fun have very different strategies.

Look out for future posts on Big Two strategies.

Yeet Hay - A Practical Explanation

2008-03-05T00:12:00.001-05:00

For those who don't know Cantonese, yeet hay literally means "hot air" (I think in mandarin it's huo qi da - "fire air big"). This is a concept that all Chinese people learn from an early age and is prevalent throughout our lives. The interesting thing is that outside of Chinese people, no one has any idea or any similar representation of the concept of yeet hay. I always thought yeet hay was an Asian idea but after many frustrating discussions with my Korean, Japanese and Indian friends, I realize this ideology is exclusively Chinese. Even after a thorough explanation, non-Chinese people just can't relate (I can't understand why!) and even have the audacity to question yeet hay's existence. For those of you who have never heard of yeet hay, you're about to learn one of the most important ideologies of Chinese society.

Yeet hay is a term used in Chinese medicine to indicate a state of being too "hot" (You can also be too cold, wet or dry). Yeet hay, from my experience, is brought upon by eating lots of fried and greasy foods such as potato chips, fried chicken, pizza and barbecue foods. Hot spices, Chinese Hot Pot (Shabu Shabu) and lack of sleep can also cause someone to be yeet hay. The symptoms of yeet hay can vary depending on how yeet hay you are. If you are only slightly yeet hay, you will probably have a slight sore throat and some pimples but if you are overly hay, mouth sores and nose bleeds are not uncommon. The ease with which you can become yeet hay also varies from person to person. Some people are just more susceptible than others in becoming yeet hay.

Now that you know the causes and symptoms of yeet hay, it is only fair to talk about some cures. Chinese philosophy is dominated by the idea of balance so it is only natural that Chinese medicine revolves around the same concept. When you are "too hot" (yeet hay), the cure will be to eat or drink something "cool". The most common drink for balancing yeet hay are "leurng chahs" (literally meaning "cool teas") such as Chrysanthemum tea, "yah-sei mei" (24-flavor tea) and "gum mo cha" (influenza tea). Other cooling drinks include green bean soup, sour plum soup and even beer. A good night's sleep also goes a long way in helping someone who is yeet hay.

For those who never heard of yeet hay until this article, next time you eat something fried and greasy and feel sort of strange, you might just be experiencing some yeet hay. For Chinese readers, feel free to send this article to all your yeet hay doubting friends.

If you know of any other causes, symptoms and cures of yeet hay, please share in the comments section below.

The Chinese Guide to Dishwashers aka Dish Closet

2008-03-01T16:01:00.002-05:00

Chinese people are notorious for not adapting to common household conveniences. One such convenience, available in most homes and condos being sold today, is the dishwasher. The main reason why Chinese people don't use dishwashers is because they can hand wash dishes, so "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". The same reasoning goes for dryers, food processors, juicers and breadmakers.

Another reason for not using technological advances in everyday activities, perhaps more significant than the first, is the Chinese thrift factor. Chinese people are savers by nature and having to shell out for dishwashing tablets, electricity, gas (for the dryer component) and excess water is just too much. Especially since the alternative, hand washing, wiping and air drying, is effective enough. Most dishwashers, including my own, is used mainly for storing dishes and perhaps to air out some wet dishes after a good hand washing.

So for the Chinese, an image of a dishwasher will always be a nice pair of hands (with or without rubber gloves).

Chinese People in the NBA - Yo! Yao...

2008-02-29T00:18:00.001-05:00

If you haven't heard by now, then you're probably not a fan but China's most beloved international sports star, Yao Ming, has been sidelined for the rest of the NBA regular and post season due to a stress fracture. Although this is a heartbreak for the fans of both Yao and the stampeding Houston Rockets, bigger concerns are coming from China as Yao's status for the 2008 Olympic Games is in question.

No other Chinese sports player is more widely known or more loved by Chinese people than 7'6" Yao Ming. If it wasn't for Yao, basketball would be to the Chinese as soccer is to the Americans. Despite being the 3rd Chinese basketball player in the NBA, the first being Wang Zhi Zhi and the second being Mengke Bateer (who knew?), Yao Ming is by far the most visible and popular, not to mention he was first pick in the 2002 NBA draft. He not only exudes a sense of innocence, humility and honesty but he can actually play some ball as well (6 time NBA All-Star). Since we're talking about Chinese basketball players in the NBA, it is only fair to also mention newcomer Yi Jianlian. He was the overall 6th pick in the 2007 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and is one of the most athletic 7 footers out there today; so don't sleep on this guy.

A national hero in China and a basketball icon in America, Yao Ming is one of the most famous Chinese things out there. If he does not play in the Olympic Games, Chinese all around the world will feel the pain Houston feels now.

How to Eat on a Budget - Hong Kong Mini Cakes

2008-02-27T00:20:00.008-05:00

With food prices rising so quickly, it is hard to find anything for a dollar. Even the "dollar menu" at McDonalds has become the $1.39 menu with a few exceptions (like my favorite 2 for $1 apple pie super deal). Anyways, I digress. Having grown up in New York City, I've always had a thing for Hong Kong Mini Cakes. I'm not sure if they're sold anywhere else but I can only assume that they have them in Hong Kong. For the longest time, the mini cake cart on the intersection of Grand St. and Bowery St. had what seemed like exclusive rights to these easy-to-make yet delicious-to-eat snacks. I remember having to constantly wait on line for these cakes. Even now, there is only one other rival cart on Pell St. and Bowery St., who in my opinion, makes inferior mini cakes. Perhaps Hong Kong mini cakes are just not a lucrative business.

Anyways these mini cakes deserve recognition since they are popular among all Chinese people, young and old. They are not only light, tasty and seemingly healthy but also so damn cheap. Right now, they go for, I think, 15 for $1 (feel free to correct me in the comments section) but with rising food and oil prices I wouldn't be surprised if its 10 for $1. Still these snacks can't be beat. The key to enjoying these cakes is to eat them while they're hot. If you let them get cold, they pretty much taste like crap, so eat them while they're hot.

Hong Kong Mini Cakes- Perfect Recession Snack!

The Minimalist Guide to Ping Pong

2008-02-25T22:07:00.009-05:00

What Chinese related blog would be complete without the mention of ping pong (also called table tennis). Although this pastime has become synonymous with the Chinese, it was actually invented in England around the 1880s. Even the name, Ping-Pong, seemingly Chinese, is actually an onomatopoeia first trademarked by English manufacturer J. Jacques & Son in 1901. Nonetheless, the Chinese are crazy about this sport and almost every Chinese person I know has played the game. Since its inclusion in the Olympic Games in 1988, the Chinese have dominated this event, winning the most medals in this event and winning gold EVERY Olympics for Women's Singles.

One notable event in the history of ping pong was the Ping Pong Diplomacy. This referred to the invitation of US ping pong players by China to visit China in 1971. This was a monumental event because this US ping pong team became the first Americans to set foot in China since Mao Tse-tung's communist takeover in 1949. Click here to hear first hand about this incident from Zhuang Zedong, one of China's premier ping pong players at that time.

Top 10 Ping Pong Shots of All Time

For you history geeks, you can find a comprehensive history of Ping Pong here at the ITTF Museum.

Play On Players.

Warning: Chinese People Don't Wait on Lines

2008-02-24T17:45:00.009-05:00

One interesting observation about Chinese people is that they don't seem to believe in waiting on line. It is always a race to the front unless waiting is strictly enforced. For example, take New York City's Grand Street and Canal Street train stations both located in the heart of New York City's Chinatown. These stations are always filled with Chinese people. During anytime of the day, if you find yourself on one of these platforms, you must brace yourself as the train pulls in to the station because it is complete chaos once the train doors separate.

Some Chinese people have gotten the science of "Being First" to the tee. It all starts with the art of "boxing out" once the train becomes visible. Basically, everyone will start to inch closer and closer to the edge of the platform and elbows will start to "outline" personal territories in front of the doors. Even if you are fortunate enough to be standing exactly in front of the doors, it won't matter because within seconds some middle-aged Chinese lady with 50 red bags of groceries (a sure sign of the Chinese, remember red is lucky) will miraculously find a spot in front of you, ignoring your presence and the fact that you were there first. The funny thing is I don't think she feels she has done anything wrong and maybe she is just so focused that she can not even see me.

When the doors finally pull open, it is utter chaos. The mob will start to rush in even though passengers are trying to get out. It is so severe that I have witnessed more than a few instances where people were not able to get off until the next stop thus having to take another train backwards! For those successful in rushing in first, it all becomes a game of musical chairs, but instead of say 5 chairs for 6 players, there is usually 1 seat left and 20 people wanting to play. You can only imagine what's going to happen.

So next time you find yourself on Grand or Canal Street -- tired and hoping for a seat-- Get those elbows ready and GOOD LUCK!

The Truth about the Chinese - For Every Five, There is One

2008-02-24T00:35:00.004-05:00

China's population makes up about 20% of the world's population. This is despite the currently running "One Child Policy" implemented by Deng Xiaoping since 1979 limiting each family to one child only. In addition to having 1/5 of the world's population in China, Chinese immigrants can be found all over the world.

The focus of this blog is to discuss all things Chinese. The culture, the language, the people and the stereotypes. Please feel free to add to any of the topics by way of comments and I am open to suggestions at chineseppl@gmail.com.

Some quick facts about the Chinese:

Red is the lucky color for Chinese people. Wedding dresses, New Year's banners and clothing and lucky money envelopes are all red

Chinese currency is the Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY)

Cars in China are driven on the right side of the road with the exception of Hong Kong (left)

"Chi Le Mei You" translated "Have you eaten?" is the most traditional Chinese greeting

"March of the Volunteers" is the National Anthem

Mandarin is the official language but over 200 listed languages are spoken throughout China