I have been living in Beijing for over 2 years now (exactly 2 years and 2 weeks, actually). Since our arrival there are a few things that I got accustomed to. (food to some extend, language still working at it, traffic maybe, pollution not sure, spitting really not). Well, I am sure there are a few things I got accustomed to, right?
Actually, one simple thing as slowly grown on me: the Chinese have the habit of drinking hot water rather than cold water. Here, in restaurants, hot water is brought to you when you wait. In meetings. At the doctor's office, while waiting. In various situations where you wait, hot water is brought to you. There is even at times a genuine confusion between "water" and "tea water" (but more on that on another post).
In fact, there is a traditional chinese medicine belief behind this. There is the shared understanding that a cold drink will harm your body. Ice drinks will bring down the temperature and slow down the energy and blood circulation inside the body, essentially it will be like pouring ice onto the fire of your internal body. In fact, it is believed that ice-cold drinks may cause several health problems, such as over weight, cough, headache, stomach problems, weak immunity and even infertility.
So, over the last 2 years, I have slowly moved away from drinking cold drinks to more warm drinks. It does feel better, in some ways. And it makes sense too.
However, it is not always that simple to get the kids to drink hot water... So for them, I often request "wen shui", which can be translated as room-temperature water. And as much as it would seems simple for the occidental mind, this is nothing simple. At times, despite my request, I only get hot water. Other times, the order is just forgotten. Last time we were out, they just told me they did not have "wen shui". So I asked them if they had hot water. Yes? And if they had cold water. Yes? So, I told them, put a bit of both in a glass to make "wen shui", right!?
So what do you get?? 2 bowls of water, one hot, one cold. and two empty cups, to make our own "wen shui"...
sigh...
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