Author Archives: Matthew Im

Chinese Drinking Game

Nationality: Chinese-American
Age: 20
Occupation: student
Performance Date: 4/25/12
Primary Language: English
Language: Cantonese and Mandarin

In the game described by my source, who first learned about the game through a study abroad program to Hong Kong, a circle of individuals will pass around a bottle cap of a bottle of hard alcohol, below which is attached a sort of metal safety seal that can be twisted and ripped off. This excess piece of metal is twisted in a way in which the seal has almost broken off, but is just barely hanging on. This cap is then passed around and flicked at. The person who first flicks off the seal will lose the game and must drink more than everyone else. There are apparently subtleties of the game such as the person who flicks too lightly is considered a pansy, and you are encouraged to flick harder to make the game more intense.

My source describes this game as a fun game amongst people who are already slightly inebriated, and therefore have less overall motor control. This game seems to me like a sort of Russia roulette with alcohol, and the loser is almost guaranteed to do worse each and each time, as he is going to have less control. He explained that this game did not even have a name, yet everyone he was playing with already knew the rules, suggesting a word of mouth passage as a folk game.

New Year’s Bow

Nationality: Korean American
Age: 50
Performance Date: 4/20/12
Primary Language: Korean
Language: english

In Korean custom, my source described a deep traditional bow that one does to his or her elders on New Year’s Day. The bow is completed along with a phrase in Korean that roughly translates to “may you receive many New Year’s blessings.” The elder in turn gives to his child or grandchild pocket money and a few words of wisdom. My source first experienced this as a young boy in Korea.

This is a ritual that I myself have experience with as well. Because I was born and raised in the United States, there were many aspects of Korean tradition and custom that I was unawares to, and when I first visited Korea during the turn of the New Year, I too was expected to follow along in the ritual. The intense reverence of one’s elders is an aspect of Korean tradition that is deeply ingrained and one that I, raised as an American, had somewhat of a difficult time adjusting to.

Polite to slurp

Nationality: Chinese-American
Age: 20
Occupation: student
Performance Date: 4/20/12
Primary Language: English

In Japan culture, it is apparently polite to slurp one’s noodles or even tea, as this action demonstrates to the chef or host that the food or drink is particularly delicious. My source first experienced this custom on his first trip to Japan from a tour guide. He claims that nearly all of the people inside of the noodle shop were slurping their noodles vigorously, meaning they were all extremely polite, of course.

This custom is one that directly contrasts with that of western customs. Slurping in the united states, or other western countries for that matter, is an action that is typically looked upon as showing bad table manners. However, in Japan, it is the complete opposite. This must be just as confusing to Japanese tourists in the US as it was for my source in Japan.

Personality and Bloodtype

Nationality: Korean-american
Age: 20
Occupation: student
Performance Date: 4/25
Primary Language: English
Language: Korean

The relationship between personality and blood type is professed to be an actual predictable relationship according to my source. She first heard this from her friends in middle school. It is a widely held belief in Korean culture that blood type determines one’s personality. Blood type A represents uptight, more meticulous people, blood type B represents more relaxed and easygoing personality traits, blood type O is ambitious and athletic, but more vain, and finally blood type AB represents cool and controlled, but more critical people. She asked me my own blood type and analyzed my own personality traits in accordance with my blood type.

 

I find that the fact that this folk belief is still widely held, while lacking any real scientific or empirical evidence behind the fact is interesting. Much like how the Chinese calendar and your zodiac animal is said to describe your persona, this folk belief is one in which blood type designates personality. The notion of predetermined pathways in life is a common aspect of many east asian cultures.

Chinese palm reading

Nationality: Chinese-American
Age: 20
Occupation: student
Performance Date: 4/22/12
Primary Language: English
Language: Cantonese and Mandarin

Chinese palm reading and fortune telling is a custom that still exists to this day and was passed on to my source directly from his mother, who in turn learned from her own mother. By reading the top line, one understands his or her own love line. The longer the line is, the longer a love life he or she has, and the more cracks or off-shootings that appear, the more love affairs that person has. Next comes the career line. If it is a solid long line, one will have a good long career; however, if it splits or stops short, he or she will have one or more choices, or will have a poor career altogether. Finally comes the life line. My source seemed to emphasize this line as the most important to Chinese. This line tends not to shoot off in multiple directions, and is very straightforward. A long line means a long life while a short line leads to a short one.

 

I found the fact that my source, despite being born and raised, still learned this fortune telling from his mother. He described it more as a game that people play and being less serious, yet at the same time, the notion of fortune and predetermination seems to be a common East Asian theme.