In a loud smoky restaurant somewhere in China, two friends have just raised their shots of Baijiu, a potent Chinese liquor that’ll put a little more hair on your chest with every sip, high in the air to toast to their friendship.

They each yell out a hearty “Gan bei!” Dry glass! The Chinese cheers that contains a promise to drain the rest of your cup. But as their shots come together for the musical union of glass on glass, a strange thing happens. Both glasses begin to sink down, as if pulled by magnets, until they finally clink close to the table, whereupon both friends laugh and throw back their shot.

In China it is considered polite to cheers your elders or superiors with your glass held lower than theirs. When friends or business associates meet, since they are on even footing, a good humored battle to see who can have the lower glass, to show respect and “give face” (See Mianzi article) to the other , may unfold.

So when toasting with your new Chinese friends, they will be quite impressed with your familiarity of Chinese customs, and your gracious modesty, if you cheers low to give them face.

Business Etiquette. The US China Business Council. http://www.uschina.org/info/china-briefing-book/section6a.html

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