Lately I've been reading a book titled River Town, written by Peter Hessler. It is about his life on the Yangtze River in China for two years. For those foreigners who have read it or are about to read it, I bet the stories in the book will absolutely resonate with you.

I have heard of many anecdotes happened between foreigners and Chinese people. It is coming across the words "hot water" while looking through the book that makes me feel like sharing them all in CD community. The part I read is when Mr. Hessler was drinking Jasmine flower tea with Teacher Kong. He described it like this. The dried petals unfolding like blooming lilies on the surface of the hot water. And here it is, hot water. It is what catches my attention rather than how vividly or beautifully Mr. Hessler depicts the tea.

Jasmine flower tea is one of the commonest tea in China and fortunately affordable for most people. Chinese people like to drink hot water in the freezing winter, unlike foreigners drinking cold water. I know this from a teacher. He once said that his mother presented a bottle of hot water when his foreign friend paid his visit to his home. He grabbed the water and was desperate to drink it out of thirst but tured out to be a tragedy. Ever since that, I bet he will never dirnk like that in China. Also, I was reminded of this story when I was helping in the office back in my university. A overseas student asked whether I could get a cup of water for her. As I was about to pour water into the cup, she reminded me whisperly," Please, cold water." At that moment, I could not help thinking if she was hurt like the man drinking hot water without a pause.