Chapter 21 some people like this

Claire took out her homework book and did her homework in front of me. Question 1: What kind of gift do you like? Question 2: What kind of gift did your parents give you? Question 3: What kind of gift do you want your classmates to give you? This chapter of her school is learning Chinese social etiquette.Among them, I learned a lot of vocabulary about gifts, birthday parties and the taboos of Chinese people giving gifts, etc. Claire read it aloud, a good word, picked up the pen when it was over, and wrote it without asking for my opinion: I like money, my parents give me money, I hope my friends and classmates give me money for Christmas Gift.

I fainted on the spot. But I couldn’t say that she made a mistake, so I picked up the eraser and wiped it off carefully for her, and with a fake smile on my face, I reminded her very kindly: “Can you put it another way? For example, I like books, and I like dolls.” , I like notebooks or something?" She thought about it for a while, and rejected me decisively, without giving any face: "It's not good." I said: "Honey, everyone likes money, but if it is a gift, it seems a bit lacking in thought. The gift is carefully selected by you, and it is a surprise for the other party. Moreover, if you just say you, why don't you give me money?" , seems too...too straightforward. I think it’s better to use a more euphemistic way of saying it.”

Claire said very seriously: "If the teacher asked me what gift I would give my classmates, I might say something about books, but if the teacher asked me what gift I hope to receive, since I want to receive money, I will say money. Otherwise I will Telling lies, saying I like books, people sending me a bunch of crap books that I don't like, and I have to fake surprise hug them and say thank you, isn't that bad?" This little guy is very difficult to deal with. She is about to enter the age of teen-ager, just 10 years old, but because she reads a lot, she is very thoughtful and insightful, so she is not easy to fool.And I seldom act according to my opinion. To be precise, I don't give me face.

I said, since this chapter is about Chinese etiquette and customs, then I will talk about Chinese customs.Chinese people are more polite, polite means not expressing one's own thoughts directly.There is a joke, but it is very typical, which represents the social thinking of Chinese people. It is said that a relative from afar traveled all the way to the city and told the owner of the city that the crops in the village have grown very strong this year, and the children are in good health. They are all in good health, the poultry and livestock are thriving, etc., etc., and finally, your father asked me to inform you that your mother died of illness, and I will wait for you to go home for the funeral.

Claire opened her eyes wide at me and said, there is such a REDICULOUS thing?I said, this is a joke, some exaggeration, but in general, we always say something nice, say some compliments, and finally put forward the shortcomings and shortcomings in a way that does not cause others to feel uncomfortable.For example, if you did well in this exam and got first place, you can’t proudly tell others that I am very smart and I got first place in the exam again.You have to say, I happened to do well in the exam this time, firstly because the teacher taught well, secondly because of the help of my classmates, and thirdly because I happened to have read all the questions.In other words, even if you are very proud, you can't express it in words, and you should cover up your sadness appropriately.Don't let others read your true thoughts. How can I say this should be the "middle way" in China?

Claire, you said you like money, that's too direct.What do you want money for?It’s just that you want to buy something you like. You might as well just list the things you like directly, such as the name of a book or a specific game. This will be much better than asking for money directly. Claire thought for a while and said, "I want money, and I want to save it. Maybe I will use it someday in the future. Who KNOWS?" Her thoughts are very strange, not quite like a child. She said that since she was a child, she has saved up all the money given by adults, and never spent it recklessly. When she has enough, she deposits it in the bank. Now there are thousands of Singapore dollars.

She smiled and said: "My mother said I look like Chinese. This is not derogatory, this is commendatory, you know, Chinese is famous for saving money. My brother is like AMERICAN. He always uses up all the money in his hand, and then I asked my mother to borrow it, and every time I borrowed it, I signed an IOU, saying that I would pay it back when he grows up and earns money." I was curious and asked, what did your brother spend money on? Claire said that his brother took out the money to buy a pair of beautiful shoes for his mother on her birthday, and her mother was very happy. However, two days later, he cried and told his mother that he had no money to buy game cards, because the money was stolen by his mother. Spend it, so I had to borrow money from my mother.

I laugh out loud.Very American indeed. I asked, "What gift did you give your mother?" Claire smiled embarrassedly and said, "I draw a picture for my mother every year, and it doesn't cost any money." Two children, very different personalities, interesting. Claire added a few words of "money" in the blank space I just erased in the notebook, sighed and said to me, teacher, I have to be an American when it comes to asking for gifts, and I have to be an American when it comes to saving money. Chinese, I have decided. I thought about it carefully and decided to keep the unique personality of the child.I can only tell her what I know. As for the way to go, it is up to her to choose, because there is more than one way to the square.

And this world, because of such a bright and colorful character, is extraordinarily enchanting. 2004-12-03