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Perhaps you are a corporate manager who is about to attend a few business dinners in China, or maybe you are meeting your significant other' s family at a dinner in Shanghai. Either way, you can be sure that lots of drinking is involved during these Chinese social events.
What you will be drinking.
Baijiu- Also called sorghum wine, baijiu is the drink of choice for business dinners in China. The most popular brand of baijiu is Maotai, which can be as strong as 60% alcohol-by-volume （compared to an average vodka at 40% ABV).
Red wine-Red wine has increased in popularity at Chinese dinner tables in recent years along with the rising interest in luxury goods.
Beer-Popular Chinese beer brands include Tsingtao and Harbin Beer, which are crisp, refreshing lagers(淡啤酒） that can cool the burning sensations from drinking baijiu.
Courage, quantity, and quality
It's perfectly all right if you get drunk, and if you leave sober, your hosts might think they've failed to show the proper hospitality.
The bottom line is, it's best if you drink whatever they give you. This is called jiudan-“drink courage". Of course, having jiudan doesn't automatically mean you have a good jiuliang-“drinking capacity" or the ability to hold your drink. But this really doesn't matter, as long as you have good jiupin-“drink manners" or the way you behave when drunk. Ideally you'll have all three, but if you don't, the first one is the most important.
General etiquette
When clinking glasses, the junior people should always hold their glasses lower than those of senior folks. Also, if you are late for the party, you are expected to punish yourself by drinking.
Lastly, it is considered extremely rude to refuse a drink after someone toasts you. Of course,
“drying your glass" is considered the utmost respect at the dinner table.
21. What is beer more likely to serve as at Chinese dinner tables?
A. Appetizer. B. Primary drink. C. Secondary drink. D. After-dinner drink.
22. What policy should you follow when drinking in China?
A. Under no circumstances should you get drunk.
B. If you don't love the drink offered, you can say no.
C. You have to get drunk to show respect for your host.
D. Drink courage matters most when you drink with others.
23. What is the proper behavior for a young adult over 18 at Chinese dinner tables?
A. Refusing a drink if you don't want it.
B. Drinking yourself under the table when late.
C. Holding your glass lower when toasting seniors.
D. Toasting seniors as many times as you can.
