We have an amusing advert on UK TV at the moment. HSBC bank are talking about the importance of local knowledge - knowing the differences in social behaviours etc. The current advert shows a British man in China, being brought a meal of eel. The eel is brought into the dining room in a bag and shown to him still alive, and then they take it off and cook it. He is none to keen to eat this meal. The voiceover says something like "In Britian it is considered polite to eat everythingon your plate, whilst in China this is seen as slighting your hosts generosity". The Brit manages somewhat reluctantly to clear his plate, at which point his hosts look distressed and bring in an even bigger eel....The Brit again clears his plate. By the end of the ad, three men are struggling to bring in a Moray eel in the largest baggie ever seen! The voiceover continues "At HSBC, we never underestimate the importance of local knowledge".
Chinese psyche