"Can I have a glass of hot water?" This is a very common question for Chinese customers in a restaurant. For many Chinese people, nothing is more common than drinking hot water every day. However, the simple habit is like a mystery to some from other countries.
For many Westerners, the idea of drinking hot water is very strange. However, most Chinese people think the Americans' habit of drinking ice water is equally odd and even unhealthy. Some seniors would even carry a tea kettle when they travel, since their Chinese stomachs refuse to take the cold water from the tap. Drinking hot water is considered to be healthier among Chinese people. Traditional Chinese medicine explains drinking cold water leads to an imbalance in temperature. Chinese doctors are encouraging more people outside China to take on the habit of drinking hot water, especially for women.
But in Western countries, drinking hot water isn't common. Westerners often take drinks with ice, not just on hot days but almost every day.
There is a story online that a British man, who has been in Beijing for over five years, visited a local cafe when going back to England. He was waited on by a friendly waitress and in a British accent said, "Can I have a glass of hot water? Please?" The waitress' eyes widened. She was so confused. "To… to… to drink?" she doubted. Eventually, the man received the steaming liquid but felt cold stares from every corner of the cafe.
Westerners are as curious about why Chinese people drink hot water as Chinese are about why Westerners drink cold water. This cultural difference is not a simple issue(问题), but related to history, culture, and science.
As a matter of fact, many teenagers now rely on bottled water for daily drinking. With the younger generation growing up, will drinking hot water become a less popular life habit? Who knows!
