When overseas travelers first visit China, they are often surprised to find themselves served what seems a lavish meal consisting of cold plates, hot dishes, soup and rice. They consider this a lavish spread. However, this Chinese typical meal and especially, dinner banquets are social occasions. Moreover, Chinese hosts repeatedly ask their guests to help themselves. They seem to overwhelm guests with food, but they are simply being hospitable. It is not a guest’s job to stuff himself to the point of discomfort; but eat too little may dismay the host. If your host serves you something that you don’t like, you may simply leave it uneaten on your plate. Traditionally, it is the host’s duty to ensure that guests are well served.

This article by Yang Tianqing and Daniel Kister.