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]]> http://lengyue.wordpress.com/2007/07/25/agloco-own-the-internet-2/feed/ 5 lengyue http://lengyue.wordpress.com/2007/07/25/quick-view-to-civilization-of-chinese-food/ http://lengyue.wordpress.com/2007/07/25/quick-view-to-civilization-of-chinese-food/#comments Wed, 25 Jul 2007 08:15:39 +0000 lengyue http://lengyue.wordpress.com/2007/07/25/quick-view-to-civilization-of-chinese-food/ ]]> Quick  View  To
Civilization   Of   Chinese   Food

It is not easy to brief the civilization of Chinese Food in a short message, it is because, there are more than 56 folks inside the Mainland China, and the large area causes difference dining habits among the difference districts. First of all, we need to know that, the old China was developed in a faming society, and most of the dining habits and meals culture are based on this factor.      Dining Tool and habits Not same to the people living in western area, Chinese used to have their dinner together with all the family members, sitting around a table and each person will have one set of dining tool in front of them, including two bowls which one for rice and another for soup, one pairs of chopsticks and one plate for meat / vegetable. They will share the food dishes which were made and put into the central of table, diners will only pick up the food from the dished which who want to eat. He will pick it and places it into the small plate in front of him. There are 2 special habits, one is, Chinese diners never pick up rice from the bowl but will handle the bowl towards their lips then poke the rice into their mouths by the chopsticks. The other one is, Chinese always have soup during or after dining.       　  Traditional Chinese Food There are so many traditional and special Chinese foods, according to the folk culture, district, religion, and festival. For the famous classes divided by district, there are style of Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan, North-West, and so on…or by folk, there are kajia, Yunan, Fujian, etc. These all above mentioned styles are well-known in the worldwide. Here, introduce some special dishes, perhaps you have had it, or you have never heard :     Doufu Doufu is the most popular food in Chinese Society. It is also the main food in a faming family. The recipe shown : Unicorn Doufu with Yunnan Ham Major Ingredients : Bean curd, Yunnan Ham, Black Mushrooms     Steamed Fish Chinese always make the fish recipes by steaming style. Just only with some light soy sauce and some seasoning. The recipe shown : Steamed Snakehead in Chaozhou Style Major Ingredients : Snakehead, Preserved Lemon, Spring Onion     Dim Sum Dim Sum is the most famous food in world-wide. It is a Guangdong Style snack which served as light meal. The recipe shown : Steam Shrimp Dumpling  Major Ingredients : Shrimps, Pork, Wheat Flour for pastry     Lobster Lobster is the famous style seafood in Hong Kong. Some difference from the traditional western chef’s style.. The recipe shown : Lobster in High Stock Major Ingredients : Lobster, Chicken Stock, Garlic     Dark Rice Vinegar With Ginger You perhaps have never heard this…..this is Guangdong style. It is a supplementary diet for women who is weak,  new mother. The recipe shown : Pig’s Fore Hands in Vinegar and Ginger Ingredients : Sweet Dark Rice Vinegar, Pig’s Hands, Egg, Ginger     Eggs In Tea This is a very special snack of Guangdong.. It is very nice food for the party, gathering, with beer. The recipe shown : Eggs In Chinese Tea Ingredients : Eggs, Chinese Dark Tea     Festive Dishes Because of the poor and hard lifestyle character of a farming society, the Chinese farming families would have food which were being get from the farming field, such as, potatoes, tomatoes, vegetable, sweet corn, mushrooms, etc. So, the Chinese will have many dishes of meat recipes like Chicken, Pork, Fish that they do not have in the normal days. The are some special snack, or to be said, festival food will be made during the Chinese festivals, Such as Sweet-Stick Cake and Turnip Pastry in Lunar New Year,  Glutinous Rice Tamale in Dragon Boat Festival, Moon Cake in Middle Autumn Festival, etc, and Steamed Buns to the Birthday person…… 　  Religion Culture – Vegetarian Diets Buddhism and Tao is the main religions in Mainland China, and, it is must more simple to know that vegetarian diets becomes the main food to the people whose cult as monk and nun, as well as Taoist. There are so many vegetarian diets made looked like meat as pork, beef, fish, cuttlefish, etc. It is so funny and tasty, and healthy. Islam is one of the large religion in Mainland China, but it is well-known that, the Muslins never eat Pork, and their famous recipe is BBQ Lamb……      Main Food Generally, we can divided the farming products of main food in China into 3 styles, those are, Rice in Southern and Eastern China, Wheat in Northern China and Sweet Corn in Middle, Northern, Western China. Because of their farming products, the people living in Southern China will have rice, congee or rice noodle as their main food, and who will have wheat made products like Bun, noodle, pancake in Northern China. The populace who living on seaside and lakeside will have seafood or lake fishes as meals. Of course, people can have any food as they want nowaday.      Taste Depends On Climate There is a big difference about the diets between Northern and Southern China, that is, the dishes made by Northern Chefs are in heavier taste and those are comparably light in Southern Chefs’ recipes, sometimes, we say it is tasty as sweet and fresh in Southern Chinese food. In the Northern and Western Provinces of China like Lingxia, hebei, Sichuan , Shenxi, and Yunnan, the diets are made in hot and spicy, because of the humid cold weather and high altitude, Chinese people wonder that to perspire is a good method for preventing diseases caused by humidity and cold. 　  Herds And Spices, Preserved Materials There are not popular to use herds and spices in Chinese Food, perhaps Chinese chefs will use some parsley, aniseed, fennel, cloves, Sichuan peppercorn, red chili pasty……however, they mostly use light and dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, rice vinegar and oyster sauce as the main seasoning and sauce. Chinese chefs usually like to use the preserved and salty Ingredients like preserved eggs, potherb and pickled mustard, dried shrimps, bean curd cheese, dry and salty pork, salty duck, meat sausage……it is a long and traditional habit since the ancient hard and poor farming society. 　     Cooking Tools For Chinese Diets

Ⅰ.What is cultural difference?

There are many meanings of the word “culture”. Sometimes, we say that people who know about music, art, and literature are cultured. However, for anthropologist, the word “culture” has a different meaning. To an anthropologist the word “culture” means all the ways that a group of people think, feel, art, and dress. The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English gives such an explanation of culture: the customs, beliefs, art, music, and all the other products of human thought made by a particular group of people at a particular time.

Different nations hold different cultures. For instance, “full moon” symbolizes jubilation and reunion in China, and “a bright moon in the sky” makes people feel quiet and at leisure. Ideas of beauty differ from one culture to another. For example, the Flathead Indian of North America used to bind the heads of babies between board so they would have long sloping foreheads. In the Flathead culture, long sloping foreheads were beautiful. Other cultures might think that they are strange-looking and unattractive. For another example, when people die, different cultures deals with their bodies in different ways. Sometimes bodies are buried. Sometimes bodies are buried under the ground. In many cultures in the past, people were buried with food, weapons, and other things that might be useful in the next life. For instance, the ancient Egyptians buried people with little human figures which were from clay. This clay figures were intended to work the death person in the other world.

From these examples, we can see that cultures are quite different from one country to another. It is brief that different people do the same things or consider the same things in different ways.

Ⅱ. Several aspects of the cultural difference in language

There are many different cultural differences in language, such as culture of appellation, culture of euphemism, culture of tourism, culture of colors, culture of numbers, and culture of allusions. It may influence the quality of translation, if you do not realize these cultural differences in language what I will discuss in the following paragraphs are the two aspects: culture of numbers and translation, culture of colors and translation.

1. Culture of numbers and translation

Numbers are used here and there so that culture of numbers has come into being.

Cultures are carried by language, and there are differences between the English and Chinese languages. The differences her I will mention is not the one of the figure’s calculation or arrangement, but the different phenomenon of idioms composed of numbers displayed in the two different cultures.

As far as Chinese culture is concerned, there are numerous Chinese idioms and

idiomatic usages with “numbers”, we are familiar with them: 一目了然；一唱一和；三天打鱼，两天晒网；三长两短；七嘴八舌；三年笛里关山月，万国兵前草木兵（杜甫《洗兵马》），etc. If you want to translate these Chinese idioms into English literally, the version will not be accepted by western culture. For example, translate “ 一目了然” into “one eye sees it all clearly”; “七嘴八舌” into “seven mouths and eight tongues”; “三长两短” into “three longs and two shorts”; no one will understand what does it really mean.

And in English culture, there exists culture of numbers everywhere, which deals with many fields, showing that culture of numbers should be paid attention to, too. “seven ” is holy and mysterious number which is regarded as a lucky numbers, if “seven” or “nine” times any of the odd numbers, and your age is one of them: 21,27,35,45,49,63,81, you will be considered as the one who has a dangerous time. The seventh son of one’s seventh son is always accepted as an outstanding. And what is more, there are many idiomatic usages with “seven” in English culture. For instance, how do you translate this sentence into Chinese: Seventy times seven did I take counsel with my soul. Some one will translate it like this: 我在内心深处考虑了多达七十七次，but the right one should like this: 我在内心深处不知考虑了多少次。Here “seventy times seven” can be translated into “很大的数目” which comes from the Bible: Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times: but, until seventy times seven.

From the above examples we can see that, either Chinese or English idioms with numbers, we should translate them freely for cultural differences exist everywhere.

This basic guide of Chinese culture makes it easy for newcomers to Shanghai to fit right in.

About people
Unlike the Japanese, Chinese do not commonly bow as a form of greeting. Instead, a brief handshake is usual. While meeting elders or senior officials, your handshake should be even more gentle and accompanied by a slight nod. Sometimes, as an expression of warmth, a Chinese will cover the normal handshake with his left hand. As a sign of respect, Chinese usually lower their eyes slightly when they meet others.

Moreover, embracing or kissing when greeting or saying good-bye is highly unusual. Generally, Chinese do not show their emotions and feelings in public. Consequently, it is better not to behave in too carefree a manner in public. Too, it is advisable to be fairly cautious in political discussions.

Do not worry if people around you do any of the following, it just comes naturally to them: burping, spitting, farting, yawing, and chomping. There is no shame here for such activities.

Don’t be timid when it comes to waiting in line. It is very likely someone will come and butt in front of you. More than often there aren’t any lines at all, just people massing at something. If you don’t fight your way in, you probably won’t get there at all.

At the dinner taple
Traditionally speaking, there are many taboos at Chinese tables, but these days not many people pay attention to them. However, there are a few things to keep in mind, especially if you are a guest at a private home.

Don’t be afraid to say you don’t want it when someone places food you don’t like into your bowl. Don’t look down at people if they make noise when eating as that I how they enjoy the food.

Don’t stick your chopsticks upright in the rice bowl. Instead, lay them on your dish. The reason for this is that when somebody dies, the shrine to them contains a bowl of sand or rice with two sticks of incense stuck upright in it. So if you stick your chopsticks in the rice bowl, it looks like this shrine and is equivalent to wishing death upon person at the table!

Tiping etiquette
Tipping is a completely foreign concept in China and is often refused by service staff, unless they are familiar with foreign customs (eg hotel and international restaurant staff). While there is no expectation of a tip by service staff, good service is rather rare in Shanghai, so a discreet reward for a job well done can only encourage more of the same!

Survival Chinese
Shanghai has its own version of Chinese, known as Shanghainese. Luckily, mostly everybody understands Mandarin Chinese. Here are some phrases that will help you get around in Shanghai.

ShoppingFor the traveller who is new to Asia, be careful when you bargain and remember that you should start at about 30-50% of the initial asking price. It’s always a good idea to eavesdrop on fellow shoppers in order to get more of an idea of a suitable price.

egocentric:

American citizens emphasize on achievements and respect heroes. They have great sense in their hearts to praise success and heroes. Personal achievements are one of those with the highest value in Americans mind. Americans have very strong senses of success. Success is the pursuit of most Americans, it is their attractive future and the incentives for moving forward. They believe that one’s personal value is equivalent to his achievements in his career. Some high achievers in their career such as entrepreneurs, scientists, artists and all kinds of super starts became modern heroes. The process and result of how they strived have become the frame of reference of social culture value and the real life text book for parents to educate their children.

incentive: Serving to induce or motivate:

American society has great movements within itself. These movements are shown in two aspects: movements amongst locations and movements inside the society. The United States are relatively more open and have more freedom. Developed transport and the tradition of adventure and sporty makes a lot of American migrate from countryside to cities, from downtown to uptown; and from north to the southern sunny land, from one city to another. Unlike European countries, the social classes in America is not so stable. Further more, with the advocation of public education, movements upwards along the social ladder have become possible. Many people living in the states, no matter whether they are Native American or immigrants from overseas, have the same dream of changing their social class and make their lifetime dream come true through their own efforts. This is what they often called “American dream”.

Sometimes in life,

You find a special friend;

Someone who changes your life just by being part of it.

Someone who makes you laugh until you can’t stop;

Someone who makes you believe that there really is good in the world.

Someone who convinces you that there really is an unlocked door just waiting for you to open it.

This is Forever Friendship.

when you’re down,

and the world seems dark and empty,

Your forever friend lifts you up in spirits and makes that dark and empty world
suddenly seem bright and full.

Your forever friend gets you through the hard times,the sad times,and the confused times.

If you turn and walk away,

Your forever friend follows,

If you lose you way,

Your forever friend guides you and cheers you on.

Your forever friend holds your hand and tells you that everything is going to be okay.