262 CultureShock! China
Do observe and provide appropriate token gifts for Chinese
holidays like Mid-Autumn Festival.
Do accept that ‘business is personal’ in China, and
encourage friendly relations among staff and clients.
Do fee free to share your perspective on Chinese culture,
cities and other experiences with Chinese people in a way
that is constructive and respectful.DON’TS
Don’t take offense at invasive questions like how much
money do you make or how much do you weigh; they are
asked out of genuine naïve interest.
Don’t be one of those expats that lives in an expat enclave
and never tries to enjoy China.
Don’t constantly compare what is good at home and
lacking in China.
Don’t feel uneasy about people staring or being far more
invasive than you are used to with personal space; there is
a different sense of privacy in China than other places.
Don’t give up on learning Mandarin Chinese; you can learn
at least enough to get around if you try.
Don’t feel you must eat something you find repugnant; you
can politely push it around on your plate while continuing
to eat other things.
Don’t be impatient with small talk—it is often a prelude
to more important things.
Don’t interpret a token gift as implying anything.
Don’t accept anything more than a token gift without
considering clearly what is being implicitly ‘asked for’
in return.
Don’t give a clock as a gift: it is considered unlucky. The
Chinese for ‘to give a clock’ sounds the same as ‘to wish
someone death’.
Don’t crumble to repeated offers of food or drink; if you
decline more than three times, it will be accepted.
Don’t fail to offer someone food, drink or paying the bill
multiple times as Chinese people may be declining so that
they will not seem greedy.