A taste of Chinese culture, one dumpling at a time

Holly McCoach/Columnist

Going out for Chinese? Beef and noodles may be on the menu, but any hint of Chinese culture there will be nothing like actually visiting China.

Certain areas of China have the own characteristics. Zheng Wang and Lixing Yang, both second-year electrical engineering studirents, share information on their hometowns and various other aspects of China.

Wang is from a small town in south China, called Shangrao, and Yang is from Tianjin, a big city in northern China. Although the culture is pretty similar throughout the country, there are some small differences.

“People in the north are taller. In the north, they like to eat wheat. But in the south, people like to eat rice. Some people eat rice with every meal,” said Wang.

Other differences include the dialects in each city. Unlike the United States and some other countries, the dialects are so different between the north and the south, that sometimes people can’t even understand one another.

Dialects aside, Mandarin Chinese is spoken everywhere except in the province of Hong Kong. Cantonese Chinese is spoken there, along with some British English.

Dumplings, known as “jiaozi,” are one of the most popular foods among Chinese, especially for Chinese New Year. However, dumplings are also eaten as a breakfast delicacy in the south, while the northern Chinese prefer them for lunch or supper. Wonton is a breakfast item in the north. Tea is the sound choice for beverages nationwide.

“Tea is the most common drink. We drink tea before the meal. Some like to drink after the meal,” said Wang.

Other popular foods include Chongqing hot pot—a pot filled to the brim with beef, chicken, vegetables, and noodles—lychee fruit, and sugar cane.

As far as fashion goes, it’s not too different from the United States.

“The brands aren’t the same. They’re more expensive in China,” said Yang.

There is a traditional style of dress, but it is not as popular. An example is the cheongsam (qipao in Chinese), a body-hugging dress made for females.

Clothing is not the only product more expensive in China. Although Lenova computers, Dell computers, and other Chinese products were created in China and are also sold in the United States, they are still more expensive in China. Other products such as iPods, iPhones, and Mac books are just as popular in the country as it is in the Western world.

Wang and Yang received a bit of a culture shock when first visiting the United States, but it also proved to be intriguing to them.

“People in the U.S. are more passionate and talkative,” said Wang.

According to Wang, people in China mostly keep to themselves. When meeting a stranger for the first time, it is unlikely to ask for names right away. Generally, you introduce yourself in meeting them for the second or third time.

Chinese food in the United States is unlike authentic Chinese food from China. When it comes down to cooking their own food, Wang and his Chinese roommates find it difficult to get the ingredients they got back home.

“I think the reason why Chinese food is different here is because Chinese chiefs in the U.S. are trying to make foods that fit Americans’ appetite. A Chinese TV commentator once said, when he was in the U.S. and had a dinner in a Chinese restaurant, the owner thanked him for letting him cook a real Chinese meal, which he had not done for many years since he immigrated to the U.S.,” said Wang.

Entertainment differs by age in China, like in the United States.

“We go to karaoke. That is very popular. You can see karaoke places everywhere,” said Wang. “There is a TV show that is very popular in China. A lot of young people like to watch Hunan TV.”

Hunan TV is similar to MTV in that it is popular among young adults and young musicians. Older people usually play mahjong, a gambling game that is played with various colorful tiles.

Because of communist China, certain websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are blocked, and voting is restricted. Still, similar websites are provided to the Chinese population, that also have very similar layouts.

Wang and Lang prove to be good sports, especially when others confuse them with being Japanese, Taiwanese, or even Korean. Wang has been approached with the Japanese translation of “Hello,” “Konnichiwa,” but never gets offended by those kinds of mistakes.

Fortunately, both Wang and Lang are usually greeted with a “Ni Hao,” “Hello!” in Chinese, especially as international students at the University.

If you ever visit an Asian festival, or perhaps even China Apple Buffet, do not compare it to an actual visit to China, where you would eat, talk, and breathe like a true Chinese native.

-holly.mccoach@fiusm.com