Recently arrived in Taiwan, and trying to find my cultural bearings. My guidebook tells me that when receiving something from a Chinese person, it’s important to make a series of slight bows and accept the object with both hands. I did that yesterday when getting the receipt and the change at 7-Eleven and again this morning at McDonald’s but it felt really awkward. On the other hand, I seriously want to respect the local culture. What to do?
well you should take the receipt with two hands as the clerk usually takes your money with two hands as well, there is no need to bow and actually I saw most Taiwanese just put the money on the desk for the clerk to pick it up and take the change and receipt with one hand… so do I, it’s more convenient.
If you ever get a business card, take it with two hands and look at it before you put it away, otherwise it’s rude
Joshuaintaiwan -
Not necessary in store transactions.
That ritual is usually only for receiving a business card, personal card or an envelope with money inside.
Although, courtesy is always the correct thing to do… 
Just try to give and take everything with two hands. It becomes natural. That way you are never too formal and never too rude.
Business cards and gifts are a different thing, as everyone has mentioned. Take with two hands and bow a little bit (not the ridiculous Japanese bowing though). Everthign else like your thank you comes naturally.
More specifically on business cards: I went to a networking thingy and purposely watched the Taiwanese business men take and receive cards. They definitely accept give and take with one hand and receive with the other, but then they hodl the card with two hands and stare intently at teh card. Most look to see what’s written on the back.
The one thing the guidebook probably says is “Don’t put the card in your pocket or put it away in their presence.” That’s ridiculous. If you have a business card holder, put the card in there. I noticed some men putting the card in their breast pocket. Just never in the trouser pockets.
There is absolutely no etiquette to follow when shopping at 7/11 as long as you have money.
Bowing isn’t a popular as it once was. Bowing is acceptable, but not in all situations, for example in a very professional setting a handshake is customary. Not bowing won’t upset anyone either as long as you are courteous. You’ll also notice snickers sometimes when you bow as no one else is doing it and they notice that the foreigner is trying to follow some ritual he/she read in a guidebook or saw on tv.
If bowing as appropriate, then you also need to think about social, professional, family, neighborhood, etc. status of people invovled. For example, if a CEO is accepting a gift from an employee, the CEO isn’t going to bow to the employee. If in a temple or religious situation, bowing would be more frequent.
Be careful when bowing during business card exchange also as you might be much more superior to the person you are exchanging business cards with and bowing might actually be inappropriate and consciously or subconsciously detract from your senior position.
Don’t believe everything you read in a guidebook as they are frequently outdated, are using the same old write-up from 20 years ago, are trying to build up a cultural idea that isn’t really that prevalent, are written by people who don’t really have the experience, or are just fill some space and tryign to sound experienced.
None of the guidebooks for Taiwan are in any way like you describe except the dreadful National Geo which no one uses. With respect to etiquette most will tend to be conservative as that is more useful for most situations. Travellers can learn the subtleties as they go. 
Delightful - you’ve made me smile 
. Are you sure you’re not trolling?
If not, then I suggest you continue with what you’re doing.
For some reason (I suspect the same reason as you - I once read a guide-book that told me to *), I always hand over notes with both hands (even at the 7), but I’ve never performed slight bows. I might start to incorporate them into my future transaction routines.
* from the Taiwan Lonely Planet ,1990 edition
‘always hand a piece of paper to someone with both hands’
DON’T FEED THE TROLL! Mind you you get newbies in Thailand who “wai” everyone they have any sort of interaction with; that gets old pretty fast.
I used to bow even in Canada. Didn’t the rest of you?
One time I see farang Pattaya pay money to prostitute ( he think girlfriend!).
She wai him, because he pay too much.
Then he wai her.
Everybody laughing!
Farang think Thai people all happy people like to laugh, like to happy for girl get money!
[quote=“tango42”]There is absolutely no etiquette to follow when shopping at 7/11 as long as you have money.
Bowing isn’t a popular as it once was. Bowing is acceptable, but not in all situations, for example in a very professional setting a handshake is customary. Not bowing won’t upset anyone either as long as you are courteous. You’ll also notice snickers sometimes when you bow as no one else is doing it and they notice that the foreigner is trying to follow some ritual he/she read in a guidebook or saw on tv.
If bowing as appropriate, then you also need to think about social, professional, family, neighborhood, etc. status of people invovled. For example, if a CEO is accepting a gift from an employee, the CEO isn’t going to bow to the employee. If in a temple or religious situation, bowing would be more frequent.
Be careful when bowing during business card exchange also as you might be much more superior to the person you are exchanging business cards with and bowing might actually be inappropriate and consciously or subconsciously detract from your senior position.
Don’t believe everything you read in a guidebook as they are frequently outdated, are using the same old write-up from 20 years ago, are trying to build up a cultural idea that isn’t really that prevalent, are written by people who don’t really have the experience, or are just fill some space and tryign to sound experienced.[/quote]
Japan people like to bow when they destroy company.
Japan people like to bow when they make nuclear disaster same same Chernobul.
I think better Japan people make Chernobul make a seppuku, which is cut open stomach with sword.
Taiwanese business people start crying and ask for forgiveness after trying to poison/hustle the whole country … :loco:
bowing? you should be kow-towing, you stupid, inferior, funny-looking, barbarian foreigner. Blood on your forehead! Feel the might of the Ming!
insert picture of Ming the Merciless.
[quote=“Jack Burton”]bowing? you should be kow-towing, you stupid, inferior, funny-looking, barbarian foreigner. Blood on your forehead! Feel the might of the Ming!
insert picture of Ming the Merciless
.[/quote]
