Thermos

Each Chinese family has one or two thermoses. Even if there is an electric drinker carrying a bottle of pure or mineral water, the elderly people still like to keep the thermoses full of hot water. Not long ago, it was an honor to be granted a thermos printed with colorful patterns and the big character "jiang"(award) The thermos was granted if one became a model worker, helped someone in need, or won a prize in a singing contest. Earlier than that, such a colorful thermos with iron surface was a descent dowry. Hai Feng, a traveler, recalls that once he asked for a bottle of buttered tea in a restaurant in Lhasa. The waitress asked him if he wanted a small thermos of 3 pounds, or a bigger one of 5 pounds. Soon, a thermos full of buttered tea was placed in front of him. It was warm until the very last drop. The Chinese are known for the hobby of drinking hot water. But many foreign countries don't follow this tradition.
Some Chinese travelers thus take an electric cup that can boil water wherever they go. In Guangdong, where the summer is hot and steaming, desserts stores often put green bean paste mixed with ice in the thermos. This is another wonderful function of the thermos.