Methods and taboos for receiving tourists from Southeast Asia

In countries that believe in Buddhism, such as Myanmar, Thailand and other Southeast Asian areas, people respect monks very much. When monks ride in cars or boats, people have to stand up and give up their seats. Every household must observe fast, prepare meals at dawn, and wait for the monks to visit. Men must be tonsured at least once in their lives and become a monk before they are considered adults, even the crown prince is no exception. Monks and devout Buddhists are generally vegetarians. In addition, they pay great attention to their heads and are taboo about others carrying items over their heads. The elders are present, and the younger ones cannot be higher than their heads. So we often see them keeping their posture very low. Don't touch children's heads casually. Some Chinese people like to touch children's heads, which is taboo. They believe that except for Buddha, monks, or parents who can touch a child's head, it is considered a blessing. If others touch it, it will be unlucky and will make them sick. Thais are also taboo about crossing their legs and pointing the soles of their feet towards others. They should not face the west when sleeping, because sunset in the west symbolizes death.

Countries that believe in Islam observe Ramadan every year, and Ramadan is calculated according to the Hijri calendar. During Ramadan, you cannot eat or drink after sunset and before sunrise, so try to avoid this period when visiting or traveling. Devout Muslims must pray five times a day facing the direction of the holy city of Mecca, that is, there are morning prayers, ringing prayers, preserved meat prayers (from 3 to 5 o'clock every day), evening prayers, and evening prayers. They (Muslims) all bring their own rugs and pray in the direction of Mecca when the hour comes. When encountering this kind of situation, you should be understanding. Don't be curious, watch the fun, or laugh at others. Be careful to avoid the direction in which they worship. Islamic countries stipulate that Friday is a day of rest. Generally, you have to go to the mosque to pray. If it happens to be Friday, you should pay attention to this custom. Pay attention to scheduling time for people to worship. Take off your shoes before entering the mosque, and be careful not to wear torn socks when visiting the mosque.

Muslims generally believe that the left hand is dirty and it is taboo to use the left hand to pass items, especially food. When visiting a Muslim home, the host will sometimes grab some meat or rice with his right hand and share it with everyone. At this time, do not refuse, show embarrassment, or unwillingness to accept. When accepting tea from the host, we generally think it is more civilized to accept it with both hands, but in Muslim countries, you should be careful not to accept it with both hands, but with your right hand. When handing something to a Muslim, be careful not to use your left hand. In some Islamic countries, such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, women must wear a chador, a black robe that covers the head and body when going out. Nowadays, some young girls don't like to wear this kind of thing because it is inconvenient, so they wear mantong, which is a loose robe similar to a raincoat. Although it is not mandatory for foreign women to wear chadou or mantong, they must wear a black headscarf. This headscarf is usually black, white, or brown, and must cover the entire hair. If you wear a dress, it must be long-sleeved, not tight, not revealing, and must be plain-colored. If wearing a skirt, wear dark-colored stockings. If they are light-colored, they cannot be transparent. In addition, women cannot shake hands with men. If they forget to extend their hands for a moment, they should turn their hands into a gesture of greeting.

1. Buddhist etiquette and customs

The countries in Asia that believe in Buddhism are Japan, Thailand, and Bhutan. There are some countries where the majority of people believe in Buddhism, such as South Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka.

1) Taboos

Do not drink alcohol; do not wear colorful clothes or make-up crystals; do not listen to singing and dancing; do not sleep on high beds; do not eat after noon; do not store treasure; do not touch meat and fish.

2) Etiquette

A ritual performed between believers or when meeting others, called clasping hands or joining hands. When putting your hands together, put your palms together with your fingers facing up, place them on your chest, and recite "Amitabha" in your mouth to show respect. If you clasp your hands and squat down at the same time, it is a great salute.

2. Islamic customs

There are 28 countries in Asia that believe in Islam, with a population of 835 million, accounting for 26% of the total population in Asia. The religious taboos and living habits of Muslims are as follows:

1. No pork, and avoid using pig-related leather sofas, hair brushes, and leather shoes.

2. Drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited.

3. Fasting of ferocious birds and beasts, and animals with strange shapes.

4. Edible animals include: ruminant, grass-eating livestock, millet-eating poultry, such as cattle, sheep, camels, deer, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons, fish and shrimps, etc. .

5. Men are prohibited from wearing silk fabrics and gold ornaments.

6. Women are prohibited from wearing revealing clothing.

7. Etiquette related to social situations.

If the other party’s female guests do not appear, the Chinese female guests do not have to appear; for female guests, it is best not to take the initiative to shake hands with them: face-to-face meetings are limited to relatively close male guests; banquet On the table, do not put wine, but mineral water and fruit juice; the beef and mutton in the dishes should be slaughtered halal food, and gifts should not be items that may be suspected of idolatry.

8. Gambling, idolatry, and drawing lots are prohibited.

9. Smoking is not allowed in mosques. Men must dress neatly and cannot wear shorts.

Business etiquette and customs in Southeast Asia and Buddhist countries

Buddhism and its main etiquette and customs:

Buddhism is one of the three major religions in the world and is also the oldest religion in the world. , it was founded in the 6th century BC and is mainly popular in Asian countries such as China, Japan, India, Thailand, Cambodia, and Singapore. In recent years, some countries in Eastern Europe and America have also begun to believe in Buddhism. The World Buddhist Federation, headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, is a worldwide Buddhist organization. Buddhism is divided into Mahayana, Hinayana, Tantra and other sects, as well as Lamaism, which combines the three. Male and female believers who become monks live in temples and nunneries respectively and are called "monks" or "nuns"; Buddhists who do not become monks are called lay people. There are many precepts in Buddhism, the most basic of which are not to kill, not to steal, not to engage in sexual misconduct, not to drink alcohol, and not to lie, which are called the "Five Precepts." Some Buddhists are vegetarians all year round and do not eat meat or fish, and some eat "flower fasting". During the fasting time, they do not eat fish and spicy foods such as onions, garlic, and peppers. The most important Buddhist festival is the Buddha's Birthday, also known as the Buddha Bathing Festival or Water Splashing Festival, which is popular in some countries in East and Southeast Asia. In some Buddhist-influenced areas, such as Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Sikkim and other countries, people attach great importance to the person's head and despise the feet. It is forbidden to touch people's heads with their hands, even for children's heads; Keep your feet up, and don't point your feet towards others.

Business etiquette in Southeast Asian countries:

Singapore, Singaporean businessmen are humble, honest, civilized and courteous. They usually show three characteristics at the negotiation table: First, they are cautious and do not make any mistakes. The second is keeping promises, as long as a contract is signed, it will be fulfilled seriously; the third is focusing on "face", especially for the older generation, "face" often plays a decisive role. It is taboo for Singaporeans to say "Congratulations on getting rich"; they believe that "getting rich" means "making ill-gotten wealth", which is an insult and insult to others. In Singapore, men with long hair are frowned upon. Singapore attaches great importance to environmental protection and civilized hygiene. If you spit anywhere in Singapore, you will be fined 200 Singapore dollars, and if you throw a cigarette butt anywhere, you will be fined 1,000 Singapore dollars (equivalent to the monthly income of an average person).

Thailand, Thai businessmen like to be honest and humane. In Thailand, the Buddha and the King are supreme; the human head is sacred; except for walking, it is best not to move your feet lightly, otherwise you may offend your friends without knowing it. When Thai people meet, it is common to perform a clasping salute, with both palms joined together and raised between the forehead and chest. The higher the palms are raised, the higher the degree of respect. However, those with high status and the elderly are not allowed to use their wrists when returning the salute. Higher than chest. Thai people like elephants and peacocks. The white elephant is regarded as a national treasure, and the lotus is their favorite flower. They like red, yellow, and especially blue, which they regard as a symbol of "tranquility." They avoid using red pen signatures and dog images.

In Indonesia, 90% of the people in Indonesia are Muslims. The best time to go to Indonesia to discuss business is from September to June of the following year, because most Indonesian businessmen go out for summer vacation in July and August. Indonesian businessmen attach great importance to the spirit of mutual help in the industry. They are very polite to others and do not speak ill of others, but it is difficult for them to become close friends. Once a trustworthy relationship is established, it is easier and more reliable to work with someone. An important characteristic of Indonesian businessmen is that they like to have people visit their homes. Home visits are an effective means for smooth business discussions with Indonesian businessmen. Indonesia is a multi-ethnic country, and many ethnic groups have their own special etiquette and taboos. If you are visiting Indonesia, it is best to understand these etiquette first

Vietnam. In Vietnam, if you meet people of your own age, do not address them as "Mr.", "Ms." or "Master". Not to mention "eldest brother" or "eldest sister", you should politely and respectfully address each other as "second brother" or "second sister".

The Vietnamese are very hospitable. If you are a guest in some mountainous areas in the south, you can drink "Tong Tan Wine" with them, and you must drink it on the first round. If you are not able to bear the power of the wine, just clasp your fists and raise your hands to the right to stop drinking. However, outsiders are not allowed to enter the villages with green branches hanging at the intersections and the houses with green branches hanging at the door; the Dai people are taboo on the names of things with accents on their surnames.

Myanmar is known as the "Land of Pagodas". No matter who enters a pagoda or temple, or even enters some people's homes, they must take off their shoes and enter barefoot; believe that cows are loyal friends, and eating beef is an ungrateful act; believe that "the right is big, the left is small" , "The right is noble, the left is cheap", and the principle of "men on the right, women on the left" must be followed at all times; it is taboo to give things to others on Sundays, and to do things on Tuesdays; when sleeping, the head must be facing the east, which represents light.

In Malaysia, Islam is the state religion. The best time to conduct business activities with Malaysia is from March to July every year, because most businessmen are on vacation from November to February of the following year. Be careful to avoid Ramadan and major traditional festivals. Malaysians like green and taboo yellow; taboo numbers are 0, 4 and 13; taboo animals include pigs and dogs, but they love cats very much.

Philippines. Most people believe in Catholicism, and the culture has a distinctly Spanish flavor. However, most residents of the southern Philippines believe in Islam and follow Islamic rules.