Asia is the world’s largest continent which covers about 30% of the earth’s total land mass. It’s surrounded by 3 oceans (Pacific, Arctic, Indian) as well as 3 seas (Black, Mediterranean, Caspian) and the Ural Mountains. The continent is also home to some of the world’s largest countries namely, China, Russia, and India. And due to the vastness of the area, different cultures have also developed in Asia which are quite distinct compared to most Western cultures.
Let’s face it, Asian culture is a collection of unique cultures. And it’s a bit different than the American culture that most of us are already familiar with. So we invite you to continue reading as we are going to tackle some trivia facts about Asian culture that you might not have heard of before in today’s article.
Trivia Fact 1: The Usage Of Chopsticks
Chopsticks are some of the common items found in most Asian cultures. But did you know that the type of chopsticks used differs in some countries? To be specific, China, Japan, and Korea use different kinds of chopsticks. And they vary in length too.
In China, they use wooden chopsticks that are longer than what the Koreans and Japanese use. And the reason behind the lengthy size of their eating utensils is for reaching food at the farther side of the table since the Chinese are accustomed to eating with many dishes on the table that are being served as a whole and divided into portions the way Koreans and Japanese eat.
On the other hand, Koreans prefer using metal chopsticks instead of wood because they believe it is more hygienic and easier to clean. While Japanese also use wooden chopsticks, but shorter since all the food they need is already placed directly in front of them during meals.
Trivia Fact 2: Longest Life Expectancy
Japan is said to have the longest life expectancy with an average of 80.9 years for males and 86.6 years for females. Unfortunately, their average age group is getting old as most of the younger generations of Japanese families don’t have children because of the strict attitude towards work as embedded by their culture.
Trivia Fact 3: Slurping Is Good
Western dining etiquette discourages the act of slurping during meals. However, it’s the exact opposite in most Asian countries because it means you are being polite to others and you are enjoying your meal.
But this is a big no-no when you’re in South Korea since their table manners are quite similar to what we have here.
Trivia Fact 4: PDA Is Discouraged
Kissing, hugging, and showing intimate acts to your partner in public is shunned upon by most Asian countries since these things are still considered as something that has to be done in a private setting.
On the flip side however, holding hands with somebody from the same sex is acceptable as it is seen as an expression of companionship with friends.
Trivia Fact 5: Filipino’s Love Affair With Basketball
While most Asian countries have a passion for soccer, the Philippines has a long time love affair with basketball. The Filipinos love this sport so much that you’ll expect to see basketball courts or makeshift rims on every corner of the street once you visit their country.
And what’s even more amazing is that despite the obvious height discrepancy of Filipinos they are so good at playing ball that neighboring countries are asking pro Filipino ballers to play as imports in their respective professional basketball leagues.
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