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Myanmar is a mysterious country with a land area of 676578 square kilometers and a population of about 54.58 million people, with 7 provinces, 7 states and 2 municipalities.
In the past, Myanmar was deeply influenced by the Tang Dynasty, and was very similar to Chinese civilization in terms of culture, writing, and food, but modern Myanmar has been greatly influenced by Western culture.
So how developed is Myanmar as our neighbor, and how are the living habits and cultural customs of the Burmese people different from ours?
Different customs
Myanmar borders Yunnan on the mainland geographically, but the economy is very backward, but Myanmar has a long history and culture, first of all, in terms of food, Burmese people like to eat food with their hands.
Their staple food is rice, noodles, and locally produced vegetables, and they eat them with their hands, rather than utensils.
Eating rice with your hands is also a local custom, and many tourists who have just arrived in Myanmar are not used to eating with their hands, but they will still respect the local customs and experience eating rice with their hands.
However, restaurants in Myanmar also have cutlery and disposable gloves for other ways to eat, and there are many stalls on the streets of Myanmar filled with bottles and jars filled with different spices.
In fact, these stalls are the famous local betel nut stalls, chewing betel nut in Myanmar is a habit for many people, especially men, the local people chew betel nut can be traced back to ancient times, because in the traditional culture of Myanmar, betel nut is a symbol of good luck.
Legend has it that during the Bagan Dynasty, betel nut was even used as currency for trading, which shows how much influence betel nut had on Myanmar.
In addition to these, the Burmese Shan people in Myanmar also use betel nut as a token of love for young people, and it is said that after a man and a woman fall in love and get married, the man must serve in the woman's home for three years before he can bring the woman home.
If a man can climb a tall betel nut tree on his own and give the ripe betel nut to the woman, he will be spared the three years of hard labor.
Burmese people chew betel nut by first unfolding a leaf, then diluting it with water and brushing it with a layer of lime, then sprinkling a few betel nut grains, plus spices in different jars, and then wrapping it in fresh leaves when the raw materials are ready.
Men in Myanmar chew two packs of betel nut a day, and eating betel nut is really addictive, because it contains alkaloids, once you don't eat it, it will be sour in your mouth, so it is a very common thing to see people eating betel nut on the street in Myanmar.
Compared with men, women in Myanmar are fond of smoking, and most women in Myanmar smoke cigars, and the cigars they hold in their mouths are locally produced cigars in Myanmar, which are thinner than traditional cigars and are a cheap cigar.
The strange phenomenon of men chewing betel nut and women smoking cigars has also become a major feature of Myanmar.
Customs and culture of Myanmar
Myanmar is a Buddhist country, and the country's urban and rural areas show the characteristics of Buddhism everywhere, and the majestic stupas and monasteries in the city make the houses of residents eclipsed.
There are more than 300,000 monks across the country, and you can see them everywhere on the streets and in parks.
80% of the people in Myanmar believe in Buddhism, and there are various large and small temples held throughout the country, which can provide spiritual sustenance for the people, and tourists can visit the splendid stupas and feel the unique charm of Buddhist culture.
Among them, Shwedagon Pagoda is the most representative of Myanmar's religious architecture, and is also known as the four ancient buildings of the Orient together with the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal in India, and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
Shwedagon Pagoda Yangon, one of Myanmar's most famous landmarks, is also a symbol of Myanmar's culture and spirituality.
This pagoda was built in 585 A.D., after many repairs, the height of the tower finally reached 112 meters, the area of the base of the tower is 115 square meters, and the tower body is pasted with more than 1,000 pieces of pure gold leaf, and more than 7 tons of gold are used alone.
There are more than 15,000 gold and silver bells hanging around the tower, and the sound of bells can be heard after the breeze blows, which attracts countless tourists and believers who come to visit.
In Myanmar, the top of people's heads can not be touched at will, in their opinion, there are gods on the top of their heads, and they will feel very bad luck after being touched by others, of course, when entering the pagoda in Myanmar, you must take off your shoes, and the Buddha statue is not casually touched, and do not climb, because this is disrespectful to the Buddha.
Some Buddhists also sleep with their heads facing east, which they consider unlucky to sleep with their heads facing west, and there are many places to visit in Myanmar, such as the ancient city of Bagan, which is located on the left bank of the middle reaches of the Ilova River.
The ruins of the Bagan Dynasty were built in 804 AD, when the kings created a huge city, and there are also many Buddhist temples, Tahe temples and other buildings.
It's only when you're in the middle of it that you'll be captivated by its amazement, and in addition to the architecture, Myanmar's folk dances, music, and food are all colorful.
Gastronomy of Myanmar
Myanmar is rich in rice, and the locals also eat rice as a staple food, and they are also very frugal when cooking, usually with fish and shrimp paste, chili, boiled beans, and sauerkraut leaf soup as auxiliary ingredients.
The taste characteristics of the locals are sour, spicy, light and non-greasy, similar to the taste of the Sichuan people in China, and they will put some chili oil on the table.
Myanmar is famous for its cuisine, including tea salad, which is the national dish of Myanmar, which is used by locals to make desserts, and to make this dish, it is necessary to mix sour and slightly bitter tea leaves with shredded cabbage, tomatoes and fried beans, nuts, and pour garlic oil over them.
This dish is very versatile, and with some chili peppers and vegetables, it is a delicious meal with rice.
In addition to tea salad, Myanmar is also famous for its curry rice, which is also a very important element in the local area, and many dishes are cooked with curry, which is mixed with other vegetables, and has also become a specialty of Myanmar cuisine.
Myanmar's soups are also varied, their soups come in a variety of colors, the soups are easy to carry and quench your thirst, you can make clear soup if you want something simpler, and you can make some sweet, spicy and sour soups if you want to taste better.
There is a local soup called tea soup, which contains a lot of ingredients, including tea leaves, garlic, chili peppers and salt, and it is made in the same way as ordinary soup, the only difference is the addition of tea leaves.
The soup taste of tea soup is very strong, and people drink some tea soup when they are working, which can not only supplement nutrition but also refresh the mind.
In Myanmar, most of the food choices are chicken and beef, they don't like to eat pork, because in the local traditional culture, "pig" is a kind of animal that harms the family, so even if guests come to Myanmar, they will not use "pork" for entertainment.
People's livelihood in Myanmar
More than 7.94 per cent of the population in Myanmar is illiterate, which is one of the lowest in Asia, and although there are more than 40,000 schools in Myanmar, there is no nine-year compulsory education in the country, so the tuition fees for students are very high.
Moreover, it is very difficult for children in Myanmar to go to a good university, because many universities in Myanmar have very few students, with an average of only one child per million people being admitted to an internationally renowned university.
Although many students are not admitted to university, there are also some students with good family conditions who will go to technical schools to study, and it is easy to find a job after learning a skill in a technical school.
Burmese people living in rural areas, their living conditions are relatively poor, and the development of information is not good, the way of life is similar to the previous rural areas, a family has a washing machine, a TV and a refrigerator, the three major items are like a song, that is, a proper rich person.
In terms of infrastructure, Myanmar has increased investment in infrastructure, including the construction and upgrading of roads, railways and electricity, and the implementation of these infrastructure projects has not only increased the living standards of the people but also increased the development of Myanmar.
Myanmar's wages are also not high, because of the long-term war in the country, their lives are below the poverty line, the largest proportion of Myanmar's exports is the garment industry, where female workers earn about 1,000 yuan a month, although many Myanmar people are very content.
Marriage here is equal for men and women, the inheritance rights of boys and girls are the same, and both parties are the same when it comes to supporting the elderly.
At weddings, Burmese people believe that weddings cannot be held in September, October and December because of local customs, and guests are not allowed to wear blue, gray and black clothes at Burmese weddings.
A daily taboo for the Burmese people
Burmese people will be used to use their right hand every time they hand something to others, because the left hand is unclean in their opinion, and Burmese people also have taboos when sending things, they don't like to send on Sundays, so they can only choose other days to send.
People here are still very taboo about the number "13", which must be influenced by the West, because Western culture taboos "13", thinking that it is very disadvantageous, so there is no 13th floor or 13th floor on the house in Myanmar.
And in terms of car numbers, Burmese people are also very particular, whether it is "10, 20, 30" is not popular, because "0" in their eyes means losing.
Myanmar is a country to explore and admire, with a unique charm and charm. 去缅甸旅游，你可以感受到不同的文化和风情，可以品尝到不同的美食和小吃，可以看到不同的风景和建筑，不用花太多钱就可以享受到丰富多彩的生活。
However, you must also pay attention to safety when traveling to Myanmar, try to visit the central and southern regions, and do not go to the northern regions!