Last weekend Zhao Min invited us all out to dinner and drinks to celebrate her 25th birthday. Of course this is the Chinese age - children are one when they are born. She was born in 1986 so in America we would have celebrated her 24th birthday. We ate at a restaurant near Zhao Min's work and the food was incredible. She ordered spicy chicken, coconut shrimp, crispy beans, tender pig feet, noodles and a giant chocolate cake.
Everyone was in high spirits and it was really fun to celebrate with Zhao Min. After dinner we headed to a nearby bar for beers and dancing. We eventually had to leave the bar since it was Sunday night and all of us had early class or work on Monday morning but it was a very fun way to end the weekend.
There are some interesting traditions during Chinese birthdays. Unlike in America, the birthday boy or girl is the one who pays for everything: dinner, drinks, entertainment etc. The guests are expected to bring the cake and maybe some small gifts. The birthday girl should not open the gifts in front of you as it might make her seem a little greedy. A birthday meal should always include noodles because eating noodles is symbolic of longevity. At the end of the meal with Zhao Min, we had some tasty noodles right before digging into the cake.
Unfortunately for me, I have heard that the 30th birthday is not often celebrated in China because it is considered bad luck. This is what one of my culture books says: "For many Chinese, turning 30 is a period of uncertainty and danger when mishaps often take place. In order to avoid bad luck, Chinese women often do not celebrate their 39th birthday, remaining twenty-nine for two years and skipping right to thirty-one. This way, they hope the 30th year will go by quietly and without any troubles."
Sean doesn't have to worry about an unlucky birthday until he turns 40. Good thing we're probably not going to be in China for another ten years.
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