I remember having the opportunity to eat dinner at the home of a Chinese friend and her family shortly after I arrived in China as a student. The family had invited me to their home for "an ordinary home-cooked meal." I was pleased to accept the invitation and relieved that it wouldn't be a very formal affair.
　　He family greeted me very warmly when I arrived at their home. After talking for about twenty minutes, they suggested that we move to the dinner table. Only then did I realize the magnitude of their effort: there were so many dishes on the table that I couldn't see the table itself. For this "ordinary home-cooked meal," the family had prepared about fifteen separate dishes!

　　As we sat down to eat, my friend's mother said, "Unfortunately, there's not very much here; this is just an ordinary dinner." Even having spent little time in China, it was clear that the family had gone to considerable effort in preparing this feast. I doubted that this would truly be considered an "ordinary home-cooked meal" in any country.