Case 2

Try to put yourself in the shoes of Wang Ming. He has invited a foreign friend, Lisa, to his home for a meal. Unfortunately, as you read their conversation, the occasion gets off to a rather bumpy start.

(Lisa; Wang—Wang Ming)

Wang: Hi! Lisa, welcome! Come in, come in.

Lisa: Thank you for your invitation. It’s a lovely room and very warm in here.

Wang: My room is very small and untidy. Please sit down and have a cup of tea. You must be tired after the long walk here.

Lisa: What a strange thing to say—your room is perfectly clean and tidy! And as for the walk I’m very strong, you know. I usually walk for at least half an hour every day. Don’t you think walking is a good way to keep fit?

Wang: Yes, I do. Dinner is ready. Please sit at the table.

Lisa: Wow! So many dishes—eight! They look very tasty.

Wang: I’m sorry that I’m not a very good cook. Here are only a few cold dishes. Please try this fish, though I’m not very good at cooking, I’m afraid.

Lisa: This is delicious.

Narrator: Later on in the meal, just before they finish the cold dishes, eight hot dishes are placed on the table.

Lisa: Another eight!

Wang: You know the figure “eight” is a lucky number in China. So there are two sets of eight dishes for the most distinguished guests.

Lisa: If I had known earlier, I would have left some room for the second eight. But I’m completely full. I’m terribly sorry, but I’m afraid I couldn’t eat another mouthful.

Think about the culture reflected in this case.