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April 04, 2008

'Kill Chicken , Frighten Monkey'

 

 

As we look at recent developments in Africa, Tibet and around the Pacific Rim, it's helpful to remember the Chinese can be oblique (and sometimes brutal) in their approaches to achieving political, military, economic and social goals.  See the (true) story, below.  Happened while I was living in China a few years ago. -- Jim Richmond

 

The Chinese love fish head soup.  With the head left floating in the broth.

 

The cheeks of the fish head are considered the most delicate and desirable. 

 

The guest of honor at the typical Chinese dinner is offered opportunity to eat the fish's cheeks.

 

Nibble.  Nibble. 

 

Which I did one evening .

 

Dinner with my Chinese wife LiLi and her family in Dalian, northern China, just across the Yalu River from N. Korea .

 

 A typically crowded, noisy, smoky Chinese restaurant -- families having dinner, business/communist party officials soaking up free food and drink.

 

 

About 20 of our extended family members sit around a large dinner table.. rotating food platter in the middle -- stacked with perhaps 30 different food dishes.

 

 

Suddenly, LiLi’s uncle, face aglow and eyes watering from the  toasts, a poo-ba in the Dalian Communist Party and host for the evening, yells at the waiter in Chinese about the quality of the fish head soup.

 

The waiter slinks off.  Replaced by the Restaurant Manager dragging behind him a cook clad in a filthy uniform. 
Wife translates for me:
"Cook is fired!," Restaurant Manager proclaims to Uncle.

 

‘New’ waiters bring a platter of complimentary green beans with hot, spicy pepper slices, and bottles of pungent rice wine.
Chinese uncle smiles, leans over, says something to LiLi.

 

I ask: “What did Uncle say?”

 

She whispers: “Kill chicken, to frighten the monkey.”

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Comments

Jim, this was soooo interesting. I had no idea that ate fish head soup. I don't think I could eat it, but very interesting to learn this fact.

Posted by: LuckyandCharming | July 04, 2008

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