Chinese Drinking Culture

Joanne Chen2015

Chinese Alcohol Alcohol is an important component of Chinese cuisine and culture. People drink it for joyous or ceremonial use. Alcohol beverages are divided into:

1. White wine 白酒2. Yellow wine 黄酒3. Fruit wine 水果酒4. Beer 啤酒

Jiǔ

Alcohol as an Aspect of Chinese culture• Nearly all important occasions

are celebrated with alcohol. • Holidays • Ancestor worshipping • Wedding ceremony • Reunions New Year’s Eve Dinner

WeddingReunionAncestor worshipping

Alcohol Culture 酒文化• Drinking as a currency converted to friendship

and successful business. • Drinking under social pressure • Drinking being part of one’s job

Ganbei 干杯Alcohol means business and power, and alcohol equals emotions and an informal long standing masculine social tradition of softening social barriers. “Ganbei” (dry cup) is prominent in China’s formal banquet culture.

Many Chinese will watch your reaction to the first ganbeito decide how they are going to drink. If you down your drink on the first one, you will probably be expected todo them same each time.

中国人的酒桌文化：不喝就是不给面子

• If you turn down a drink, your Chinese counterpart may feel like he has lose his face.

• The host and guests always have different reasons that you cannot stop “Ganbei”.

Drinking and Face

Drinking is a matter of being together and getting close emotionally for Chinese people.

Drinking and Guanxi

• In China, drinking is an essential part of cultivating “guanxi” (relationship)

• 1: Know who and when to toast, unless you’re the host, never make the first toast.

• 2: To clink, or not to clink. Clinking glasses equals to “Ganbei” (bottoms up)

• 3: How high do you clink- click the rim of your glass lower than the higher rank of people

• 4: Watch and follow the superior

Tips For Success

关系

关系

No social ties can be formed in the absence of alcohol

~Chinese Saying~

• Many business deals in China take place at the banquet table.

• In China, the most important thing is giving face to your host and fellow guests.

• Toasts can be made frequently throughout the banquet until the very end.

• Drinks serve as a vital tool for good guanxi (relationship)

• The primary goal of drinking together is to bond.