Culture and Society: Gift Giving

Gift giving is an important part of Chinese culture.

Gifts are allowed if they are perceived as company to company.

General

Lavish gift-giving was historically an important part of Chinese culture. However, after the advent of Communism, gift-giving became more modest. Despite all of the changes in society over the past century, the Chinese still consider gifts an important demonstration of courtesy.

The wrapping of gifts in an attractive package communicates almost as much as the gift itself, so the Chinese always make sure this is done well. The color of the wrapping is equally important, and acceptable paper colors include red, gold, pink, or yellow because of their positive symbolism. 

The Chinese are also particular about numbers associated with their gifts. Auspicious numbers include six, eight, and nine. 

Gifts are given and received with both hands, and offered in private. In China, it is good manners to refuse a gift three times before accepting it so as not to appear greedy. The giver then emphasizes that the gift merely represents a small token and insists politely until the recipient accepts. Then, the giver thanks the recipient for accepting. The recipient thanks the giver and sets the gift aside to open later in private. This ritual symbolizes the Chinese values of humility and modesty.

In China, thank-you notes are unnecessary. They are considered redundant, because thanks have been expressed at the time of receiving the gift. 

Hospitality Gifts

Chinese culture dictates that a person invited to someone’s home always brings a gift of appreciation. High-quality chocolates, wine, liquor, foreign cigarettes, cigarette lighters, candy, pastries, fruit, and tea are common choices. Gifts are generally small and not too expensive to make it easy for the host to reciprocate later. A gift that is too ostentatious could cause the recipient to lose face if he or she is unable to reciprocate.

Although the Chinese traditionally associate cut flowers with old superstitions, floral bouquets have become more acceptable as gifts in recent years. If the host has children, the guest may also bring small toys, games, or cartoon T-shirts as gifts for them.

Personal Gifts

Today, gifts are exchanged for birthdays, weddings, and festivals, especially for New Year. The traditional gift of money in a red envelope (hong bao) is still most commonly given for all these occasions, though non-traditional gifts are becoming more usual for young people's birthdays and anniversaries. Grandparents, parents, relatives, close neighbors and friends are the usual benefactors. The amount of money in the envelope depends on the age of the child, with young children receiving the equivalent of a few dollars.

The colors red and gold symbolize prosperity and are often used for New Year and weddings. Mandarin oranges make popular gifts during the New Year, their gold color and sweet flavor bringing luck for the coming year.

Besides money, gifts to newlyweds and birthday gifts for the elderly are given in pairs. New Year’s money envelopes have also become a popular way for companies to give bonuses to employees. Additionally, the Chinese bring gifts when visiting patients in the hospital.

The value of a gift depends on the social status of the giver and recipient, but this is acknowledged privately rather than publicly.

Business Gifts

Today, official policy in China dictates that giving business gifts is bribery. Nevertheless, Chinese businesspeople may and do exchange gifts at the close of negotiations or at the completion of a major project. In order to avoid suspicions of bribery, they make it clear that the gift is offered from company to company; the gift is presented to the company’s team leader. Popular gifts include good-quality pens, souvenirs, or craft items from the visitor’s home country or region.

In China, hosting a banquet is more acceptable than giving a business gift and is a recognized way to show pleasure at closing a deal or to thank someone for his or her assistance. 

Taboos

Giving gifts in public is seen as ostentatious, and frowned upon. Accepting a gift too quickly indicates that one is greedy. 

Taboos and superstitions run strongly in Chinese culture, so the Chinese take great care in not only selecting the proper gift but also in avoiding presents that can send the wrong message. Below are some of the more common avoided items:

• Gifts given in numbers of four, because the Chinese word for "four" sounds like the word for "death."
• Odd-numbered groupings (except for nine), because they are considered unlucky
• Sharp objects like knives or scissors, because these represent the severing of a relationship
• Clocks, because the Cantonese term for gift giving, “sung,” and the word for clock, “chung,” put together mean paying last respects at someone’s death
• Handkerchiefs, which are used at funerals
• Umbrellas or pears, because the Chinese words for these sound like the word for "separation"
• Green hats, which symbolize infidelity, because the Chinese word for "cuckold" translates literally as "wearing a green hat"
• Mirrors, which symbolizes the fragility of the relationship
• White or yellow flowers (particularly Chrysanthemums) or other white objects, which are used at funerals
• Depictions of storks or cranes, because they are thought to carry the souls of the dead to heaven
• Shoes or straw sandals, because they imply that the recipient should go his or her separate way, ending the relationship
• White, gray or black colors, as these connote death
• Pens with red ink or anything printed in red ink, because red ink is used to print funeral notices

Article written for World Trade Press by John E. Roper.
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