Generally I (Peter) have found that it is very easy to not be too much frowned upon by our Chinese hosts, and that all family and friends I have met are nice, humorous, layed-back, and forgiving towards any foreigners' strangenesses. But I was asked repeatedly for it, so here is a small list on the few things that come to my mind to make a stay even more relaxed:

1. Even though grass is now legal in Germany, be aware that all(!) drugs are under heavy punishment in China.


2. Do not stick your chopsticks into any kind of food. Place them on or next to the plate.


3. Western world views are not Chinese world views. China has been colonized and suppressed by the West and Japan multiple times in the 19th and 20th century, and the impact is still present and visible in society and landscape. So please tread lightly when bringing up politics and the Chinese view on past and current political developments. And yet, interesting dicussions may arise, so this is no general taboo.