Chinese Culture Connections at Sheraton Macao

Her name was Eka and she ushered me into a polished, serene room filled with the scent of sandalwood. It wasn’t just Eka’s shy smile and chattiness that grabbed my attention; it was that her careful questions about my Chinese elements before my spa treatment represented the first in a series of connections to Chinese traditions in Macau. Chinese culture is woven throughout the services and amenities at Sheraton Macao. From spa treatments to meals, I learned that Macanese culture values the centuries-old customs of its Chinese heritage.

The five natural elements of wood, fire, Earth, metal and water represent the interconnection between all living things and are the hallmarks of Chinese medicine, Feng Shui and Chinese astrology. When I stepped into Sheraton’s Shine Spa, Eka gripped an iPad with a questionnaire to record the dates and preferences that would help calculate my personal elements.

As a student of Chinese medicine and astrology, I waved away the questions and quickly informed her that I was a wood dragon. That means that high energy, creativity and a certain amount of bossiness are characteristics of my personality. Eka suggested a soothing herbal body wrap that incorporated citrus and sandalwood to balance my energy and stimulate my liver, a wood-focused organ.

A 60-minute ritual of moisturizing herbal treatments, warm showers and gentle massage followed, all administered according to my elements. Afterwards, Eka offered me green tea infused with cinnamon and dandelion. As I sipped the tea, she explained that the mixture honored my wood element, which is associated with the color green and the cinnamon and dandelion invigorate the liver and digestion systems, which are regulated by wood. It was just my first day in Macau and already I felt like I had experienced a crash course in Chinese culture and symbolism.

My lessons would serve me well on the next night when I reveled in a banquet of Chinese food and performances. A six-course feast representing the richness of Chinese culinary traditions unfolded in a crimson ballroom at the Sheraton. From suckling pig with wasabi jellyfish, to steamed grouper in golden pumpkin sauce, each dish symbolized a specific region and food custom.

In between courses, I was presented with iron Buddha tea, a delicate green tea, to cleanse my palate. After my greeting by Qin dynasty warriors, I was enthralled by traditional Chinese drummers, acrobatics and a mask changing performance. The mask changing dance involves secret techniques that are only passed down from master to student. I was thrilled to discover that the dancer was a woman, symbolizing an exciting change in the centuries-old tradition.

I grabbed the opportunity to delve into China’s 1,000-year-old hot pot tradition at Sheraton Macao’s Xin restaurant. First introduced by Mongolian warriors who used their helmets to simmer soup over hot embers, hot pots have evolved into a popular social activity all over China. Walking through the packed restaurant, I saw groups of families and friends gathered at tables and dipping ingredients out of the hot pots.

Sometimes called Chinese fondue, hot pot involves selecting the ingredients and condiments and cooking your own dish over a simmering metal pot. It’s a leisurely, communal experience with everybody sharing and sampling dishes. The broth is the foundation of the hot pot and Xin’s menu supplied a range of broths created from pork, beef, seafood, chicken and lamb.

Different broths represent different Chinese regions and I really enjoyed the famous Sichuan hot pot filled with chili peppers and peppercorns. The spicy flavor complimented the vegetables and chicken that I plopped into the soup. It was fun trying the different mixtures and flavors and it felt even more special realizing that I was participating in a long-honored Chinese cultural tradition.