Bad hygiene is another one. Dirty utensils or unclean dining areas can be really off - putting. Sometimes the buffet tables themselves are not clean and there are spills all over. Also, poor service like unresponsive staff or long waits for refills can make the whole buffet experience a horror story.
Food quality issues are common. For example, finding bugs or foreign objects in the food.
False advertising can be a horror element too. When the buffet claims to have a wide variety of fresh and delicious dishes but in reality, it has a limited selection of mediocre food. And if the food is not cooked properly, like undercooked meat or overcooked vegetables, it can also be part of these horror stories.
Once I went to a Chinese buffet and found a hair in the fried rice. It was so disgusting that I lost my appetite immediately.
One buffet horror story could be finding hair in the food. It's really disgusting and ruins the appetite immediately.
One horror story could be constantly dealing with rude customers. Some buffet workers have to face customers who are extremely demanding, like asking for special dishes not on the buffet line immediately. Another could be the huge mess left behind. People often scatter food everywhere, and buffet workers have to clean it all up, which is time - consuming and disgusting. Also, there might be issues with food shortages during peak hours, and the workers get blamed for it even though it's not entirely their fault.
One common element is finding foreign objects in the food like hairs or bugs. It's really off - putting.
Unfamiliar environment is also a big factor. In places like the Amazon rainforest or some desolate islands, the terrain and climate are very different from what they are used to. They might not be well - prepared for the extreme heat, cold, or difficult terrains, which can result in scary situations. For instance, if they are not used to the humidity in a tropical rainforest and get sick easily, it can be a horror - like experience.
Unfamiliar ingredients often play a role. Take sea cucumbers for instance. They have a rather odd shape and a texture that can seem very strange to those not used to them. Also, the strong and unique smells of some Chinese foods like stinky tofu can be part of the 'horror' for some people. Stinky tofu has a very pungent smell that many find hard to bear at first.
Finding hair in the food is a common horror story. I once found a long hair in my soup at a buffet. It completely ruined my appetite.
In Chinese horror stories, there are several common elements. Ancestral curses are one of them. A family might be cursed because of something an ancestor did wrong. Time also plays an important role. For instance, events that occur at midnight are often more terrifying. Midnight is considered a time when the boundary between the living and the dead is blurred. Moreover, the use of traditional Chinese elements such as red (which can represent both good luck and danger in different contexts) and ancient Chinese symbols or artifacts can add to the horror. For example, a cursed ancient jade pendant can bring a series of unlucky and spooky events.
Superstition is another theme. Things like ghosts being bound to certain objects or places are common. For instance, a haunted house might be cursed because of something that happened there in the past, like an ancient burial site being disturbed. Also, the idea of the afterlife and the yin - yang balance is often involved. If the balance is disrupted, it can lead to horror - like situations. Chinese horror stories often use these cultural beliefs to create a spooky atmosphere.
No. The vast majority of Chinese adoptions are positive experiences. Horror stories are the exception rather than the rule. There are many successful adoptions where children are given loving homes and grow up happily.