Culture, Customs and Etiquette in China: A Traveller's Guide

First impressions and greetings

Chinese social life runs on mianzi (face) and guanxi (relationships). A little awareness goes a long way.

• A light handshake is standard, often with a slight nod. Wait for elders or hosts to extend their hand first.
• Address people by title plus surname. The surname comes first, so Wang Wei is Mr Wang, not Mr Wei.
• When you receive a business card, take it with both hands, read it, and never stuff it straight into your back pocket.

Dining etiquette

Meals are the heart of Chinese hospitality, usually shared from communal dishes on a revolving lazy Susan.

• Let the host seat you. The seat facing the door is the place of honour.
• Never stick chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice. It resembles incense for the dead.
• Try a bit of everything offered. Leaving a little food shows the host was generous.
• At a banquet, expect toasts of baijiu. Say ganbei (dry the cup) and return the gesture, holding your glass slightly lower than an elder's as a sign of respect.
• The host normally fights to pay the bill. Offering once is polite; insisting too hard is not.

Gifts and good fortune

• Bring a small gift when visiting a home: tea, fruit or quality sweets are safe.
• Avoid clocks (the phrase song zhong sounds like attending a funeral), and avoid anything in sets of four, since four sounds like death.
• The number eight is lucky, and red signals joy and prosperity. Money gifts go in red envelopes (hongbao).
• Present and receive gifts with both hands. A gift may be politely refused once or twice before being accepted.

Public behaviour and dos and donts

• Remove your shoes when entering most homes.
• Keep public displays of affection modest.
• Bargaining is expected in markets like Beijing's Silk Street, but not in malls or supermarkets.
• Mobile payment rules daily life. Alipay and WeChat Pay now accept foreign cards, so set one up before you travel.

Tipping in China

Tipping is not customary and can even cause confusion. Restaurants, taxis and hotels do not expect it. The main exceptions are upmarket international hotels and private tour guides or drivers, where a small gratuity is appreciated but never demanded.

Stay connected in China

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