Formality of business or academia.

[murrayspeaks]

Hi, would Chinese businessmen or academics be formal or quite relaxed when greeting a new associate for the first time? How about in general, are matters conducted formally or not?

[大块头]

You'll find that people's dress is relatively more casual. If you are visiting them you'll likely be invited out to lunch/dinner, which involves toasting customs different from what you've seen in the west (sip your beverage only when toasting or being toasted). If you are dining in a private room (common in many Chinese restaurants) they will likely make a fuss about putting you in the seat of honor next to the host. I wouldn't call it more formal exactly, just different. Nobody will get angry if you mess something up because you're a foreigner (they may assume you don't even know how to use chopsticks, for example).  Many many books have been written on Chinese business etiquette. Reading one is worth the time if you want to give a good impression.

[Chris Two Times]

murrayspeaks,

 

I'm just curious about the rationale behind all of these seemingly random, disconnected questions that you have been posting on the forums as of late.

 

Warm regards,

Chris Two Times

[imron]

From one of his earlier posts, he's writing a science fiction novel, and China plays a central part.

​

​I'm actually considering merging them all in to a single thread, so as to provide context for people reading them.

[Chris Two Times]

Ah! Cheers.

 

Warm regards,

Chris Two Times

[Shelley]

I have been following murrayspeaks's topics and even joining in one topic.

 

I find myself torn between wanting to congratulate murrayspeaks for wanting to write a sci-fi book about China in the future and wanting to say "write what you know about" but not sure how to reconcile this with books written about the future which are by their very nature are unknown to everyone.

 

I wonder how the famous sci-fi writers managed this.

[murrayspeaks]

Well, if it is a Sci fi novel though is themes perhaps not those normal to the genre and though it is in part set in China, Scotland, Mars and another planet also feature

[gato]

It'd be better if you can keep all your questions related to your novel in one thread.

[889]

So it doesn't matter that not all that many trains these days arrive at Beijing Zhan.

[murrayspeaks]

Why is that?

[889]

Because there are other stations, too.

 

Best to look at 12306.

[murrayspeaks]

This is perhaps what is confusing me. I had presumed that each station served a different line but if I understand you correctly they do not?

[889]

A train from Qingdao, say, might arrive at Beijing Zhan but it more likely will arrive at Beijing Nan. It all depends. The Chinese rail system is pretty complicated.

[murrayspeaks]

hmmm, that is rather confusing, surely it can't be random there must be some determinant

[889]

Well, the Z96 from Wuchang arrives at Beijing Xi, while the Z14 from Wuchang arrives at Beijing Zhan. Both taking a bit over 10 hours and routing via Shijiazhuang.

[imron]

Heading West? You'll probably leave from Beijing West Station. Heading South? You'll probably leave from Beijing South and so on.

[889]

Yes, there was the time I showed up at Beijing North, as it was years ago, for my overnight train to Chifeng. I didn't even look at the ticket, it seemed so obvious. Of course, the train actually left from Beijing South, as it was years ago, then a wonderful relic of 1950s China.

 

Point is, China has its own sense of geography.

[imron]

Hence the 'probably' in my post above

[murrayspeaks]

Can then a mainline train enter Beijing from say the north, and exit on a line heading in another direction. This you understand is not possible in London

[roddy]

Yeah. They keep it quiet, but actually all the Beijing stations are connected through the old Cold War air raid shelters.