Food speaks louder than words Growing up in a Chinese family, one of the things that always came up when I talked to my relatives was asking “Have you eaten yet? " I like to think of this question as one of their ways of caring for someone, and they do so in many other ways. These habits and their relationship with food are what define Chinese culture as a culture of courtesy, generosity and family. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Many of these habits can be observed in my family every day and not many of them are very significant but they can bring a lot of feeling. Some examples are when someone invites us to breakfast, but then ends up competing over who can pay the bill fastest so that the other one doesn't have to. My mother always told me to bring fruit or candy whenever we went to visit one of our relatives. Table manners are also very important, for example not eating the food until everyone is ready; if you spill your tea, you have to pour everyone else's tea, or just sit together with our fist-sized cups of rice and chopsticks at hand surrounding our main dishes, often consisting of a vegetable and a meat dish, and start eating. This is the time when we can share our thoughts and talk to each other as a family, and all this is reflected in their generosity and courtesy. Food is very important in Chinese culture, because it represents good health and well-being. In my family they are not very used to expressing affection directly, but the relationship and the importance we give to food helps them to express themselves in many ways, from gratitude to love. Small gestures like inviting you to eat or preparing your favorite food are ways they can express that they care about you. For example, whenever we went to visit my grandmother, she always made my mother's favorite dish. Or one time when my sister and I were at a friend's house and they were about to have lunch, her grandmother insisted that we eat with them even though we had already eaten. Another example is when one of my closest Chinese friends tells me how his mother constantly calls to make sure he has already eaten and prepares a lot of food for him to eat. They do this because they want to know that we are healthy and eating well, and that perhaps they don't want us to be hungry because they know how difficult it is to be truly hungry. My favorite thing about Chinese food isn't the taste or presentation, it's the intention. A few years ago I took a nine-hour trip from Guangzhou to Guang Xi Province with my aunt, cousin and her wife to visit her family. When we arrived, we were greeted by a small village full of chickens, mud brick houses and really welcoming people. Every family we visited offered us homemade meals, snacks and drinks. And I noticed that even though they were from a different province and spoke a different dialect, the culture was still the same. They treated me like I was part of their family and it was a really touching experience and this shows how Chinese culture is very generous and kind. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Chinese culture is one of generosity, courtesy, and family, and they convey these values ​​through food and table manners. Making your favorite food until you get tired or offering you food even if you don't want it. Actions like this might seem a little forced and can be misunderstood, but ultimately they show that they mean it.