Chinese and Western Culture: Hot Water vs Cold Water中西文化冲突：喝热水还是喝冷水？

唐毅/译

Why do Chinese people drink hot water？ Many westerners find it so interesting that they always see Chinese people carry a vacuum cup no matter which season it is. If you go to a restaurant in western countries， they usually serve you a cup of cold water， sometimes even with ice. And every time when Chinese people ask the waiter if they can change to hot water， actually they may receive a strange look from the waiter or people nearby. Hot water？ Seriously？

为何中国人总是喝熱水？许多西方人发现一件很有趣的事，那就是无论什么季节，他们总能看到中国人随身携带一只真空保温杯。如果你去西方国家的餐馆吃饭，他们总是会递上一杯冷水，有时甚至加入冰块。每当中国人向他们要求换成热水时，总会遭遇侍者和旁人异样的目光。热水？没开玩笑吧？

For lots of Chinese people， nothing is more common than drinking hot water every day. But for most of the Westerners， the idea of drinking plain hot water is really odd since they drink cold water even in winter. Why do Chinese people drink hot water？ Hot water vs cold water， which one is better？ Follow us to find an ideal answer.

对于许多中国人来说，每天喝热水是最普通不过的事了。可对大多数西方人来说，喝白开水的想法真是很奇怪，西方人即使在冬天都喝冷水。那么为何中国人总是喝热水呢？喝热水还是冷水，哪个更利于健康？请跟我们来寻找一个最能释惑的答案吧。

Water Quality

水质

Water became a matter of civic debate by the 1930s in China， while the water supplies were polluted. In order to prevent people from infectious diseases， the government suggested people drinking boiled water， because they considered it a way to kill off microbes and bacteria. They always boil water daily and store it in a thermos to keep the water warm for the day. Even now， you can find hot water dispensers everywhere， in schools， factories， and government departments across the country.

到1930年代，水成为中国市民讨论的话题，当时供水总是受到污染。为了防止国民感染疾病，政府建议喝烧开的水，因为他们认为此举能杀灭微生物和细菌。每天人们都把水烧开后存放在保温瓶里，让水整天都是热乎乎的。时至今日，无论是在学校、工厂还是政府部门，中国各地遍布热饮机。

While for western countries， as a result of the loss from severe plague， they took water quality seriously from then on， so that people can drink water directly from the tap rather than having to boil it.

而在西方国家，曾经有许多人因瘟疫丧命，于是从那时起西方人就非常重视水质。所以现在水龙头接的水可以直饮，而不必烧开后再喝。

Eating Habits

饮食习惯

It is well known that Chinese people prefer hot meals every day. Moreover， some parents always teach their children to drink hot water with meals， because they think mixing cold liquids with hot meals is really bad for the stomach， and cold liquids may solidify fats in your stomach， which can cause digestive problems， whereas hot liquids aid in digestion.

众所周知，中国人喜欢每天吃热的餐食。有的父母也总是教导孩子们吃饭时喝热水，他们坚持认为冷水就热饭对胃不好，因为冷汤冷水会将胃里的脂肪凝固，从而引起消化不良，而热汤热水则会帮助食物消化。

According to the eating habits in western countries， they prefer “raw” food， so they also prefer their water “raw”. At the same time， they are fond of hamburgers， cheese and fried stuff， which are all with high calorie. As a matter of fact， they need cold drinks to cool them off.

按照西方国家的饮食习惯，人们偏爱“未经加工”的食物，所以西方人也更喜欢喝“生”水。他们又喜欢吃汉堡、奶酪和油炸食物，这些食物热量很高。实际上他们需要喝冷饮来降温。

Digestion

消化

Chinese people all believe that hot food is better to the stomach. Based on the traditional Chinese medicine， cold food may decrease the temperature of your internal organs which causes chill into your body， makes you easily suffer from cold. Hot water can warm your internal organs， keep the Yang in your body. Thus， hot water can warm your stomach， by this way， your stomach will function well， and it gives less chance to gastrointestinal diseases.

中國人都认为热的食物有利于养胃。依据中医的说法，冷的食物会降低脏腑的温度，让寒气进入体内，使人易患感冒。热水则会温暖五脏六腑，保持体内的阳气。因此，热水可以暖胃，从而让胃更好地发挥作用，减少患肠胃病的机会。

Since Chinese people prefer hot meals every day， theyre also used to having hot drinks with it， because its better for digestion. Thats the reason why waiters always serve you a glass of hot water or hot tea when you are in a Chinese restaurant.

中国人每天喜欢吃热的餐食，也总是喝热饮，因为这利于消化。这就是为何在中餐馆就餐时，侍应生总会为你端上一杯热水或热茶的缘故。

Medical Basis

医学依据

Under the influence of traditional Chinese medicine， Chinese people consider drinking hot water as a kind of panacea. They think hot water increases blood circulation and helps decrease complications associated with cramps and indigestion. It washes away the coldness clogged up in ones body， and thus eases pain.

在中医的影响下，中国人视热水为灵丹妙药。他们相信热水会加快血液循环，帮助减少腹绞痛、消化不良等问题引起的并发症。此外热水还会将淤积在体内的寒气驱走，从而减轻病痛。

On the contrary， for most westerners， the idea of drinking hot water is odd enough. They believe that drinking hot water may weaken your body immunity. If you are used to drinking hot water， the body is unable to stand water below your body temperature after a long period of time. That is to say， the body endurance and stress capability decline， which goes against the state of natural survival.

与此相反，对大多数西方人来说，喝热水的想法非常奇怪。他们认为，喝热水会削弱身体的免疫力。如果习惯喝热水，喝的时间长了，身体就无法耐受低于体温的水。也就是说，身体的耐受力和承受力会下降，这不符合人自然生存的状态。

Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Cultivation

中医健康意识养成

Lets talk about the main functions of drinking hot water from the standpoint of traditional Chinese medicine.

让我们从中医的角度来讨论一下热水的主要功能吧。

According to the traditional Chinese medicine， health is due to an internal balance of Yin and Yang. In the Yin-Yang theory， water is Yin-type while hot stuff is Yang-type， drinking hot water can enrich Yin and tonify Yang in your body， keeping Yin and Yang in equilibrium.

依据中医的说法，人体健康是因为体内阴阳平衡。阴阳之说认为，水是阴，热的东西是阳，喝热水能滋阴补阳，从而保持阴阳平衡。

If you have cold symptoms or other Yin-type imbalances such as frequent chills， thirst， depression， sleepiness， bloating or retention of fluids， hot water plays the role of the Yang and brings your body back into balance. Doctors of traditional Chinese medicine always tell patients to drink more hot water. They call it the method of resolving exterior.

如果你有寒症或是其他阴虚失衡的症状，如寒颤、口渴、抑郁、嗜睡、水肿或水潴留等，热水都可以发挥阳的作用，使身体重回平衡。中医大夫总是告诉病人多喝热水，他们称此举为解表法。

（译者单位：东华大学）