Mei Chin in conversation with Blanca Valencia

Whether giving a red envelope to a grandchild or bribing a government official, the practice of gift-giving in East Asia is complicated, hearkening back to Confucius and the Book of Rites. Here, we will explore gifts and their meanings, examine ritual gifts like those one offers to one’s ancestors, and explain the endurance of ostentatious, edible gifts like astronomically priced fruits and pastries. Plus, gifts are an entertaining way to give relevance to an often ratified past. Scholarly presents like books and calligraphy scrolls have always crossed over to the vulgar merchant world of money, sex, and bling, especially when they are encrusted with jewels. Gifting women and exotic animals, once a common diplomatic practice, continues today, such as when Xi Jinping presented Vladamir Putin with a female panda. Finally, we wrap up with the touchy, but crucial topic of taboo gifts, because you never know when a pocket watch or Nashi pear might cost you an important guangxi (relationship) or a friend.

FREE, no booking required