Dalian update: Finding a gift

Chinese food symbolism is rather interesting. For instance, apples are a symbol of peace and oranges are a wish for good fortune.

Recently, I was involved in a conversation between Ma laoshi and Christina regarding a dinner they were invited to by the latter's host family in Dalian. As is custom in the West, you bring a gift, a token of appreciation for the invitation, to the dinner. Usually a bottle of wine, spirits, chocolates, whatever. But the Chinese are not known to be chocolate lovers, nor do most people drink much alcohol. "So what could I give them, Ma laoshi?", said Christina. "Whatever you do, do not give them a pear!!" She replied very seriously. A pear? Why on earth would anybody give a dinner host a pear as a gift?! A minute later, as the monty python-like scene faded away in my mind, Ma laoshi went on to explain that giving a pear means you wish a married couple to split up. The word and written character for 'pear' is the same as for 'separation' ...

So, be aware of your fruit!

I will now find out whether you can throw tomatoes at someone in honour of him :-)