Adventures in the Inner Mongolia Grasslands

Inner Mongolia - few outside China even know it's part of the PRC.  In the grasslands it's the real Wild West, where daily transportation is by horseback and plateaus continue for miles.  

I was a little skeptical at first how a group of almost 15 friends would fair on the grasslands and desert of Inner Mongolia.  My skepticism was heightened when we arrived at the yurts met by horse riding natives welcoming us with baijiu and a somewhat complex ritual that involved a few shots of the Chinese white wine.  It appeared these Mongolians had already had a few themselves, perhaps because of the inner conflict they felt about selling out some of the most precious aspects of their culture. 

{Baijiu in Inner Mongolia}

For instance, each of us were given a “hada,” a white silk scarf that signifies an award for a great deed.  A friend who skinned the sheep we ate for dinner possibly deserved such an honor; I, who only paid around $100 for the entire weekend experience, did not.  Yet, while talking with the horse handlers, one of them noticed the hada and congratulated me on such a high honor.  I offered it to him and he refused, clearly feeling undeserving of the honor that he actually assigned to the scarf.  

{Working for our dinner}

Our group then took a very nice ride through the grasslands on horseback.  The fields were genuinely beautiful with the rolling plains and mountains in the backdrop.  The situation was made increasingly romantic as one of the Mongolian horseriders then decided to start a conversation with me in Mandarin that ended with a marriage proposal and the request that I move to Inner Mongolia.  He sweetened the deal by offering to give me his horse, a generous offer particularly given the fact that the horse is just about all he owns.  (Note: I declined.) 

{Mongolian Ex-Fiancee}

We then watched a staged “marriage” between two of our friends that was intended to represent our Mongolian cultural experience and involved the guy holding a slice of the lamb in his teeth while the girl bit the other side to take it from him.  Some people do a similar act in the US, but it’s usually with cake.  Somehow a greasy piece of lamb doesn’t photograph as well as fondant, but it was one of the funniest things I have witnessed complete with Mongolian singing as accompaniment.

Wrestling and horse-racing followed.  Three friends wrestled a Mongolian who obviously was experienced as he beat all three fairly easily.  I saw later hanging out with the horse-hands that wrestling is an actual part of daily life in Mongolian culture, ostensibly as a way for men to show their strength and show off for ladies. 

{Mongolian Wrestling}

More lamb and drinking for dinner, and then it was time for a party in the yurt.  A yurt is the form of home for Mongolians – essentially, it’s a very large and more substantive tent.  We fit 8 in ours and all huddled together for body warmth because it was freezing even in October. 

But a walk outside revealed the most beautiful sky I have ever seen.  It’s so strange not to realize how many stars you miss out on when you live in big cities, it’s almost like they don’t exist but in reality the evening sky is always filled with stars.  We even saw a shooting star that made me wonder if they aren’t more frequent than I realized, and instead I usually just fail to see them.

Dry Your Glass! Drinking Tips for Chinese Banquets

Ah, the minefields of the Chinese banquet.  Anyone who travels to China on business, to study, or to visit relatives will encounter it at some point.  (This post is particularly apropos as Chinese New Year was yesterday, when many toasts were undoubtedly made!)  New friends, new cuisine, new alcohol, and new etiquette.  It all comes with the territory and makes for an excellent night.  

Source: kaleidoscope.cultural-china.com via Courtney on Pinterest

Nervous?  Don’t be.  To help you enjoy the banquets, here are my answers to a few questions that might be on your mind.

• "What do I say when I toast?  'Chin chin?'" Chinese toast with a rousing “Ganbei!” (pronounced “gone bay”).  It means, “to dry the glass.”  Which leads to the next question…
• "How do I toast at a Chinese banquet?"  You dry your glass.  The host of the party will generally give the initial toast.  When a toast is suggested, a drink will be chosen to toast with.  Everyone will toast with the same drink as tradition.  Generally, it will be baijiu, (白酒), literally “white wine”, but it’s not made from grapes.  It is very, very strong Chinese wine made from rice or sorghum, and the alcohol content is often around 60%, sometimes higher.  It is served in very small cups, about 1/3 the size of a normal shot glass.  The cups will be filled with the clear liquor, and the toaster will offer a few words to the honored recipient.  Everyone will raise their glasses, and drink the cup.  You then show your neighbor your emptied glass just to confirm you, in fact, dried the glass.  Repeat at next toast suggestion.
• "What if I want to toast someone?  How do I do it?"  Way to join the party!  This is a particularly good idea if you are the one that is treated to dinner, or if you are in business with a Chinese partner.  
  • First, decide if you want the entire room to toast with you, or if you prefer to make it more of a private affair.  In China, you can walk over to just the individual you wish to toast, say what you wish to say, and then toast just their glass.  For this kind of toast, the two toasting will both stand.  If the entire group is involved, not everyone necessarily need stand, only the toaster.
  • Second, choose your drink.  You can toast with anything, including tea, but whatever drink you choose, those toasting will need to drink as well. 
  • Next, say a few words.  Every Chinese banquet needs its share of flattery, so don’t be shy to complement your hosts and the toast recipient, if they aren’t the same.  You might want to note how much food there is, as over-ordering is a mark of hospitality.  
  • Finally, clink glasses with your toast recipient.  Whether you clink above or below the rim of the glass depends on who is the superior in the relationship.  If the recipient is older, a government official, your boss or client, be sure to move the rim of your glass below the rim of theirs as a sign of respect. 
• "I’m thirsty!  How do I get another drink?"  Unlikely this will be a problem – more than likely it will be the opposite.  In China, you always refill your neighbors’ glass before your own, whether with tea or alcohol.  If you are running low, wait for the host of your table to pour for you.  If the alcohol is in your reach, offer it to your neighbors before pouring for yourself. 
• "What if I don’t drink, or I’m a lightweight?"  Chinese understand if you prefer not to drink, particularly if you have a medical reason.  Similarly, don’t feel pressured to continue drinking if you are nearing your limit.  In fact, your hosts may continue to offer you alcohol after they reach their limit as a show of pride, or “face.”  (A cultural phenomenon to be explained in a coming post…)  Bow out gracefully by offering an alternative drink to toast with, or indicating you need to stop for the night.