Her life looks like one out of a fairy tale, Li Ziqi impressed millions of people with her videos where she makes seemingly everything from scratch（从零开始）with her own hands, from coloring a dress with fresh grape juice to fashioning traditional lipstick（口红）from roses in her garden. She even rides a horse to get materials for the meals. She has about 50 million fans in China and another 8 million overseas. Behind her fame at home and abroad, her experience is like a motivational（励志的）book.

Li grew up with her grandparents in the countryside of Sichuan Province. When she was 14, she went to work in the city. In 2012, she decided to return to the countryside to take care of her grandmother. Four years later, she started filming her life there. Whatever she makes, she leaves no stone unturned. In one video, she uses flowers to make pies, and even deep-fries the flowers themselves. Besides food, she is also known for her videos introducing traditional crafts（手工艺）, like building bamboo furniture sets, which she says was inspired by one of her grandfather’s old benches（长椅）. Three years after she first picked up the camera, Li is one of China’s most successful online video makers.

CCTV praised that “She did not praise China with a single word, but she did a good job of showing Chinese culture and Chinese stories”. Many viewers say Li creates beauty in her common life and her videos help them find inner（内心的）peace and get a break from their busy lives. Li says, “I hope I can prove how amazing the Chinese culture is!”

The customs in different countries are rather different. If I have dinner with a Chinese host, he will always put more food onto my plate as soon as I have emptied it. That often discomforts (v.使尴尬）me greatly. I have to eat the food even if I do not want to because it is considered bad manners in the West to leave one’s food on the plate. I have also noticed that when a Chinese sits at an American’s dinner party, he often refuses the offer of food or drink even though he is still hungry or thirsty. This might be good manners in China, but is not in the West at all.

In the United States, it is impolite to keep asking someone again and again or insist on (坚持要求）accepting something. Americans have a direct way of speaking. If they want something, they will ask for it. If not, they will say, “No, thanks.” When an American is served with beer by the host, for example, he might say, “No, thanks. I’ll take some Pepsi-Cola (百事可乐）if you have it.” That is what an American will do. So when you go to the United States, you’d better remember the famous saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

Eating and drinking in China can be an enjoyable cultural experience. However, there are likely to be many surprises along the way. We would like to prepare you for, and even warn you of, the main differences between eating and drinking in China and in the West.

Be prepared for your Chinese host placing food in your bowl, usually without even asking. The host will often put chicken legs or other parts of the meal in the guest’s bowl. Though Westerners may see this as interfering (干涉) with one’s independence and personal space, it is a sign of hospitality (好客) in China.

Though in the West it is sometimes considered rude to put one’s elbows on the dining table, this is quite acceptable in China, especially when eating noodles. However, you may want to avoid this in some restaurants. Using your own antiseptic wipes (消毒湿巾) may help to put your mind at ease in some situations.

In China it is also common practice to spit things out on the table or the floor. However, in more upper-market restaurants in China or in the West, people usually use one of the methods below rather than spitting. Using chopsticks, forks, or tissues (餐巾纸) is a polite way around the problem. You might want to ask for a side plate or an extra bowl for the bones (骨头), etc. Be warned if seeing piles of things that came out of someone’s mouth may put you off your food. You may want to order dishes with no bones.

We realize Westerners usually come to China to experience things you don’t have at home. Our customers usually want to eat different things. If you want to enjoy Chinese food and experience the eating and drinking in China, see our recommended (被推荐的) China tours.