China
Leanne Patton/1A
Main Crops
The main crops that are grown in China is rice, wheat, oil seeds, cotton, and tea. Rice of mainly grown in the southern regions of China; the north is too frigid. So, in the north they eat wheat, noodles, buns, and dumplings.
Customs
- Eating is an important way of socializing and building relationships in China
- In some areas, slurping is no impolite; it's actually used to compliment the host
- At restaurants, diners may choose from several dishes on a revolving tray at the center of the table.
- At formal banquets, cold dishes are offered first as appetizers. Rice or noodles are served next to accompany the main, hot dishes. Fruit is normally served last.
Traditional Holidays
- Chongyang Festival/Elder's Day: It's celebrated the nineth day of the nineth lunar month is a day to be celebrated as a Double Yang Festival. To celebrate it's marked by a family outing, viewing and admiring juhua, decorating houses with zhuyu, eating double-yang cakes, and drinking chrysanthemum wine. In 1989, the Chinese government made the festival the Elders' Day to encourage young people to respect their parents.
- Winter Solstice Festival: Even though this holiday's popularity has decreased over the years, it's still celebrated in certain parts of the country. The day is celebrated with eating huntun in Northern China and mituan in the south. The festival is also marked by the worshiping of heaven and ancestors.