Here to help!
“What the heck is a Chinese auction”
Its when “bidders” buy raffles for a chance to win the prizes, thus they arent actually bidding n anything.
“and how exactly are they Chinese?”
They arent
” Do the Chinese traditionally practice this form of auction”
No
“(which might mean it’s a practice of the goyim therefore some might think that we should abstain”
It wouldnt, but anyway it isnt