One of the founding philosophies of our guidebook series has always been to help people understand the cultures in which they are living, in the firm belief that this will help them get the most out of their stay in a new place..
Here then are the top 10 cultural tips worth knowing for living in Hong Kong:
- Chopstick etiquette. When eating in a group you will usually be given two sets of chopsticks — one for serving from the communal dishes and a personal set of chopsticks for putting food in your mouth. Make sure you know which is which and do not confuse the two. Serving chopsticks tend to be slightly larger than personal ones and are often beige or ivory. Personal chopsticks are typically black. Never — and I repeat, never — stick your chopsticks pointing upwards in a dish. This makes the chopsticks look like a marker for a grave, and therefore symbolises death or misfortune.
- Birthdays. It is usual to throw a party for a baby after the first month of his birth, in celebration of the fact that he or she has survived these early critical weeks. Guests will receive brightly coloured eggs, painted red for good luck. Guests should bring presents or red lai see envelopes containing money for the newly-born. A persons sixtieth birthday is also very important, and usually occasion for a grand celebration. Every birthday after that takes on a renewed significance.
- Weddings and funerals. Money is usually given at both weddings and funerals, but with an important difference. At a wedding make sure that you enclose an even number of notes in the envelope, since this signifies togetherness. But at a funeral make sure that the number of notes in the envelope is odd. At either event you should make sure that the amount of money that you give does not add up to a number that is considered unlucky. Do not give 400 dollars, for example — better to give 300 or 500 instead; the word ‘four’ in Cantonese (‘si’) signifies ‘death’.
- Gifts. Always give and receive gifts with both hands. Pay attention to the colour of the wrapping paper. Red is a lucky colour. Pink and yellow are symbols of happiness and prosperity. Grey and black, on the other hand, must be avoided at all costs since they are the colours used during funerals. There are also some gifts that you should avoid giving. White or yellow flowers, especially chrysanthemums, are a bad idea since these are used at funerals. Clocks also make poor gifts, since they suggest you are counting down the hours until the death of the recipient. Don’t give a green hat, especially to a married man, since this indicates that his wife will be unfaithful or that she is already. In Cantonese, the Chinese characters for ‘cuckold’ sound a lot like ‘wearing a green hat’ (‘dai mao‘).
- Numbers and symbols. In Hong Kong words and numbers take on special significance when they sound like something else. For example, the number ‘four’ (‘si’) sounds like the word for ‘death’ in Cantonese and therefore Hong Kongers try to avoid things that have this number in: buildings will not generally have a floor ‘four’ or ‘fourteen’, for example. Conversely, the word for ‘bat’ (‘fu’) is a homonym for ‘good luck’, so you will often find bats printed on clothing and decorating houses.
- Office hierarchy. The office structure in Hong Kong is, like its society, hierarchical. If you are working in a Hong Kong office environment make sure that you pay attention to the hierarchy. Do not ask a junior clerk to give a message to the department head especially if that message could be construed as an order. Do not ask a secretary to go down to the post office or to change a light bulb. If there is someone whose job it is to make a cup of tea, do not do so yourself. This hierarchical structure explains why Hong Kong people will often not clear away their tray in a fast food restaurant, as might be the norm in other societies. The assumption is that this is not their job, and someone else has that particular role in the hierarchy.
- Tipping. Tipping is not traditionally part of the culture in Hong Kong and you will rarely see locals tip. However, it is becoming more and more common among the expat community. Many restaurants, especially high-end ones, already include a 10% service charge in the bill — so tipping is not really necessary.
- Feng shui. Literally meaning ‘wind and water’, feng shui is perhaps the single most important Chinese concept that is universally embraced in Hong Kong. Feng shui is a major factor to think about before any plans to erect new buildings are put into action. It looks at things such as the selection of the site, orientation of the building, alignment of the doors and windows and placing of furniture. If you work in an office that also employs local Hong Kong staff, make sure that you ask before you move any of the interior plants — locals take feng shui extremely seriously! Feng shui is considered no less important for choosing a burial site, in order to give the departed a peaceful rest and to make sure that their descendents enjoy wealth and longevity in this life.
- Religion. Food is put on tombs in the belief that it will reach those in the afterlife. Copies of fake things — such as money and cars — are often burnt in the belief that they will reach the spirit world. Offerings to the gods are also burnt to appease them, for forgiveness or to bring good luck (before a wedding takes place, for example). You can see this practice in many of the temples around Hong Kong, particularly during religious celebrations. If you want a quirky look at how ancestor worship has gripped the Hong Kong populace, walk along Lockhart Road in Wan Chai just before nightfall. This is where many of the strip joints and unofficial houses of ill repute are located. Each evening, just before they get into full swing, the working girls can be found outside, burning bucket-loads of coloured paper in order to appease the gods for the business that they conduct.
- Food and health. The Cantonese table reveals a lot about Hong Kong culture, particularly their strong belief in staying healthy. Many of the traditional dishes that are widely available in Hong Kong have some perceived health or cosmetic benefit associated with them. For example, women especially like to dine on fish eyes because it is believed to be good for the beauty of their own eyes. Similarly, the local delicacy of chicken feet is held to be good for both skin and bone. Turtle jelly — an acrid black dessert, which certainly benefits from a good dousing in honey or sugar — is also highly valued for its healing properties. Similar beliefs and traditions exist for many other dishes.
Are there any cultural tips that you would like to suggest? Why not put them in the comments below?