Tag Archives: Toasting

Baijiu: the Misunderstood Drink of China

01/12/2015 Sean Upton-McLaughlin 25 Comments

Chinese Baijiu (bái jiǔ, 白酒), pronounced BUY JEE-OH, is the national drink of China, though it remains rather misunderstood by Westerners.

Sometimes called “rice wine” in English, Baijiu has developed a bad reputation among Western expatriates and businesspeople due to its high potency and strong, unfamiliar taste.

However, despite its perceived unpleasantness, drinking Chinese Baijiu, and alcohol in general, is an extremely important part of doing business in China.

Therefore, in this short article, I will explain a few Baijiu basics and attempt to help Westerners understand this elusive liquor, as well as make a case for why Westerners should take up drinking, or at least be open to sampling, Chinese Baijiu.

A Short History of Alcohol in China

Before the birth of the Baijiu we know today, alcohol had already been present in China for thousands of years. Alcohol is said to have appeared in China as early as 5,800 – 7,000 B.C., and later took on a revered role in Chinese society.

Considered to be a luxury in ancient China, it was used by the political and religious elite to commune with the spirit world, as a part of various rites, during important state banquets, and as a prestigious gift. Baijiu (or something close to it) first appeared sometime during the Song dynasty (960–1270) or Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), when foreign distillation techniques were first introduced into China.

This new and much cheaper form of alcohol (compared to that favored by the Chinese elite) quickly spread throughout China, and was manufactured primarily with sorghum (meaning that “Rice Wine” is not a particularly accurate description), though rice and certain types of wheat were used as well.

Baijiu in Modern China

In China today, Baijiu is drunk almost exclusively at meals, as alcohol is a very important part of Chinese dining culture. Baijiu is served in shot-sized glasses and used during toasts to show respect and build relationships.

When toasting, the Baijiu glass is gripped with both hands, with either one hand on either side, or with one hand/finger on the bottom of the glass. After a toast, the Baijiu is usually consumed in one gulp, though exceptions are sometimes made, usually out of respect, for those not accustomed to Baijiu’s potency.

Following a toast, the glass can be turned upside down or tilted forward to display that one has consumed the entire glass, and thus give face to your friend, partner, or host (for more rules on toasting, click HERE).

Unfortunately, the very nature of drinking Bajiu is partly to blame for why many first-time Western drinkers quickly grow to hate it. As it is common for multiple shots to be drunk in quick succession, Westerners usually have no time to adapt to the flavor. (While Westerners may sip Whiskey and other liquors, the Chinese, as a rule, do not sip Baijiu.)

In addition, while Face is and will always be important in China, its interaction with toasting and Baijiu can make for a very unpleasant experience for the uninitiated. In many places in China, especially northern China, the drunker a person becomes via being toasted with Baijiu (or other liquors and alcohols), the more Face has been conferred upon them.

Therefore, it can be common for visitors to China to be entertained by well-meaning Chinese hosts who are intent on showing them as much respect as possible, by getting them as drunk as possible, on a completely unfamiliar and relatively strong liquor. Needless to say, this does not provide an ideal foundation for Westerners to learn to like and appreciate Baijiu.

There’s Actually More than One Type of Baijiu

Another element that may contribute to Westerners’ misunderstandings regarding Chinese Baijiu is in the name itself. Baijiu, which literally means “clear alcohol,” is not so much one type of alcohol, but rather a common term used to refer to many different types of Chinese liquor. Different types of Baijiu vary in taste, ingredients, quality, and price.

The cheapest type of Baijiu is small 2-5 RMB bottles of low-quality (and potentially hazardous) alcohol, which can be found almost anywhere. In contrast, more expensive brands can often go for over 1,000 RMB per bottle. Below is a short introduction to the key types, or aromas, of Baijiu:

Strong Aroma (nóng xiāng, 浓香): this is the most popular variety of Chinese Baijiu. It is fermented in earthen pits and made with either a single or multiple types of grain. It has a strong, fiery flavor with a hint of sweetness. This type of Baijiu has strong ties with the Sichuan province and some areas in eastern China.
Light Aroma (qīng xiāng, 清香): this type of Baijiu is distilled using sorghum and rice husks and fermented in ceramic jars. Barley and peas are used in the process to give it a mild sweetness. It is most common in northern China.
Sauce Aroma (jiàng xiāng, 酱香): this type of Baijiu requires a good deal of resources and labor, and it is fermented in underground pits. Its taste is said to resemble that of soy sauce, and it is closely associated with the southeastern Sichuan and northwestern Guizhou provinces.
Rice Aroma (mǐ xiāng, 米香): this type of Baijiu is distilled from long grain or glutinous rice, and is sometimes fermented in combination with Chinese medicinal herbs. This type of Baijiu is often infused with fruits, tea leaves, and herbs. It is common throughout all of southern China, particularly in the Guangxi and Guangdong provinces.

There are many other lesser-known aromas of Baijiu as well. For more in-depth information on all the different types, I highly recommend taking a look at “Baijiu: The Essential Guide to Chinese Spirits,” by Derek Sandhaus.

Why I Drink Baijiu, and Why You Should Too

When I first came to China, like many others, I quickly acquired a negative impression of Baijiu, which in my case was brought on by drinking multiple shots of cheap (and possibly counterfeit) local variety.

This initial impression worsened when, while studying abroad in Chengdu, I later had the disturbing experience of sampling a type of Chinese alcohol called Snake Wine (shé jiǔ, 蛇酒), which was basically a big jar of Baijiu with a dead snake fermenting inside.

However, despite this rocky beginning, I was able to slowly become accustomed to drinking Chinese Baijiu and experience it in several different settings. I’ve drunk Baijiu with local government officials in the Zhejiang province, with friends in Tianjin, with local businessmen in Beijing, and with coworkers in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

And while I cannot yet say I drink Baijiu just like one of the locals (i.e., profusely), I have found there to be a great value to drinking Baijiu that is completely separate from one’s subjective impressions of its taste. As mentioned previously, drinking in China, including Baijiu, is a very important part of Chinese dining culture, a time when important relationships are built and maintained.

And while in my experience the Chinese will usually never coerce or expect a Westerner to drink Baijiu, the Chinese are universally pleased and surprised when a Westerner is willing to proactively bridge the (dining) culture gap and drink Baijiu with them.

Therefore, for any Westerner who is currently doing business in China or plans to in the future, I would strongly recommend exploring Chinese Baijiu in advance. It can be somewhat shocking to the uninitiated, but given a little time, one’s palate can adjust to it, making attending Chinese banquets and developing Chinese friendships a much more enjoyable experience.

Sources and Additional Reading

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If you or your organization is navigating China execution or cross-border alignment challenges, I work with teams on an embedded and remote basis. Reach out directly: Sean@SageSightConsulting.com

CULTURE BASICS

Chinese Dining Etiquette

08/01/2013 Sean Upton-McLaughlin 2 Comments

When doing business in China, business meals and banquets are an important issue that cannot be ignored.

No matter whether you are meeting with a private business or the government, or whether you are doing business over dinner or attending a large banquet with multiple parties, the act of dining in China is a channel for conducting business deals, building relationships, and showing respect.

While the practices associated with dining in China may be strange or unknown to the average Western or non-Chinese businessperson, and dining customs may vary slightly from place to place, there exist several universal dining customs that the Western businessperson should be familiar with before venturing to China to conduct business.

Below are a few key issues to be aware of as you participate in business meals in China.

Seating Arrangements

The seating arrangements during a business dinner or banquet serve the purpose of denoting where a particular person exists in a hierarchy (business, society, family, or friends) and also clearly define how much respect or face that particular person is due.

Knowing and understanding this hierarchy can not only be useful to Westerners during the course of the banquet (e.g., who to toast first), but can also offer some insights into the internal dynamics and power structure of a Chinese company or government office.

As the saying goes, “if two people cannot even eat a single meal together, how will they be able to converse as like-minded fellows?” Thus the traditional significance of the word “eat” in Chinese often also indicates relationships between several people…..in China, if two parties must remain unrelated, even over a dinner table, it will be impossible to develop a deeper relationship. – Barbara Bian, General Manager

Aside from denoting hierarchy, seating arrangements also serve to give face to attendees, especially those who are guests of the host. When dining at a round table, the seat directly facing the door is generally reserved for the most important or high-level attendee.

The second-highest-level attendee sits to the left of the highest-level attendee, and the third-highest-level attendee sits to the right of the highest-level attendee. From there, the seating hierarchy will continue outward from the seat of the highest-level attendee, with left taking precedence over right when distance is equal.

Ordering and Eating

Generally, when attending a more formal dinner or banquet, ordering dishes is reserved for the host or someone from the host company as delegated by the leader.

However, is it also common for “Face” to be given to a guest or client by allowing the designated guest or client to order some or all of the dishes? In this event, it is recommended to choose something in the medium-price range, which all attendees are comfortable partaking in.

In the event that the menu is completely in Chinese or the guest or client is unfamiliar with the cuisine being served, it is acceptable to politely decline and allow/request a member of the host party to order.

Chinese cuisine is composed of meat and vegetarian dishes, as well as hot and cold dishes, with cold dishes being served before the hot. An average of one dish per attendee is usual; when mostly men are in attendance, more dishes can be ordered and with a larger percentage of meat; when more women are in attendance, it is suggested that the majority of dishes ordered be vegetarian or low in fat.

And when ordering, it is best not to ask or try to haggle about prices, even in jest, as this can give the impression of being stingy, a trait severely looked down upon.

Eating usually commences with a signal from the host and can be accompanied by a speech at more formal events. By and large, most Chinese banquet tables are round, seat eight to twelve people, and contain center turntables on which dishes are placed.

Although some dishes contain their own serving utensils, it is more common in China to use personal chopsticks to serve oneself, even at formal banquets. This does not violate any rules of etiquette. It is advised to wait until a dish is directly in front of you before serving yourself, and then only in relatively small amounts, as doing otherwise can give the impression of greediness.

Lastly, when dealing with pieces of meat that contain bones (there are no knives at most Chinese dinners and banquets), it is common, though not required, to place the entire piece in the mouth, chew until all meat is removed, and then place the bone on the plate.

Drinking and Toasting

Drinking during meals is common throughout Chinese dinners and banquets and has deep roots in Chinese history as a method of demonstrating respect.

Although this subject in its entirety is too extensive for this article, several general rules can be followed by Westerners doing business China:

Company leaders or the highest-ranking executive are the first to give and receive toasts (host and guest), after which the rest of the attendees can engage in toasting.
If you are a regular attendee, your first toast should be given to the highest-ranking person at the table (the person most deserving respect).
When delivering a toast, it is customary to stand and use both hands to hold your glass or cup.
Multiple attendees are allowed to deliver a toast to a single person (e.g., the CEO), but it is against the rules of etiquette for a single attendee to toast multiple attendees, unless the person delivering the toast is the highest-ranking attendee.
If drinking from a larger glass (e.g., for beer), use the right hand to hold the glass, with the left hand cushioning the bottom. Smaller glasses (e.g., shot glasses) should be grasped with both hands, one on either side.
When delivering a toast, it is respectful to dip the tip of your glass below that of the person you are toasting. If you are the leader of the host delegation, this is not required.
To give the proper amount of face and demonstrate your generosity, it is important to make sure you toast everyone at least once, starting with the highest-ranking attendees and moving down.
A toast should be accompanied by a few words or a short speech.

Advice for Westerners in China

Lastly, aside from the dining rules discussed above, there are also several cultural issues that Westerners should be aware of as they seek to build and develop relationships with their Chinese counterparts over meals:

First, on many occasions while dining in China, there will likely be at least some undercurrent with regard to building relationships.

And since Westerners may find that meetings and office environments in China are often the arenas of unclear communication and half-truths, it is therefore advisable, even necessary, to take advantage of meals (formal or otherwise) to get to know your business partners, friends, and acquaintances.

Details or facts that a Chinese businessperson may find inconvenient to mention in front of a boss or colleague may come forth more easily when combined with a filling meal, several beers, and an enjoyable time.

Second, as China becomes internationalized, business will conversely become more local, with much new business taking place in second-, third-, and fourth-tier cities.

The significance here is that, in contrast to the bustling metropolises of China’s Eastern seaboard, many Chinese businesspeople in the more local areas speak English and foreign languages to a lesser degree, and are less Westernized in how they conduct business.

Therefore, it is likely that developing guān xì over meals, as well as understanding the many complex dining rules and customs, will become even more important for Western businesspeople to understand.

And, remember that developing real guān xì has little to do with having a sharp business presentation, wearing a smart suit, working for a well-known firm, or being introduced by someone.

Those factors may get a deal done on one occasion, but be insufficient to convince your Chinese counterpart to engage in a long-term business relationship. Therefore, don’t neglect the importance of the Chinese customs and ideas of proper behavior with regard to dining, such as toasting, showing respect, or sitting in the proper places.

Yes, many Chinese people have indeed adapted to the Western way of doing things, but remember that to develop guān xì you must make your Chinese counterpart feel comfortable, not yourself.

More and more Chinese people are now studying Western methods…..however, the Chinese people’s tradition of emotional exchanges over a meal will continue to be preserved and maintained. – Jeff Zhang, General Manager