What does the rural saying mean: "If you don't put three dishes, you won't have five chopsticks, and you won't have six tables." What does it mean?

As the saying goes: "Don't serve three dishes"

This means inviting people to eat, don't serve three dishes. Why? First, the sacrificial culture. In ancient sacrificial ceremonies, three dishes were usually served, also known as the three common cultures. Generally speaking, the three major animals include cows, sheep and pigs, while the three small animals include pigs, fish and chickens. If you only serve three dishes, you will feel like you are being sacrificed, which is as unacceptable as having three sticks of incense in front of you. The second is the homophonic meaning. The ancients liked to use homophonic pronunciation to beg for oral favors, but the homophonic pronunciation of "三" and "三" indicates that the banquet ended in disharmony and dispersed in a hurry, and the theme of reunion with relatives and friends was also inconsistent. Third, traditional folk customs. As the saying goes, "Three plates for the tortoise, eight plates for the tortoise." There were only three plates on the table, which made people feel too shabby and neglected.

As the saying goes: "Chopsticks cannot be made into five pairs"

This does not mean that five pairs of chopsticks cannot be prepared for the banquet, but the length of the chopsticks should be the same. Why? First, treat guests equally. In the opinion of the ancients, although the guests have different qualifications, the same table should have the same dining standards, and the tableware and food must be the same. Otherwise, guests will feel treated differently and feel dissatisfied. The second one is ominous. If the size and length of chopsticks are different, people will feel that they are not respected, and it is easy to associate them with "three long and two short". This in itself is taboo and a sign of impending disaster. The third is to leave regrets. Chopsticks are used in pairs. If there is an odd number, it is excessive waste or insufficient preparation, indicating that things were done unsatisfactorily and defectively. Furthermore, chopsticks cannot be used to knock the bowl, let alone stick it into the rice.

As the saying goes: "A banquet cannot make six people"

This means that a banquet cannot allow six people to sit at one table. Why? First of all, the meaning is not auspicious. In ancient times, banquets usually had square or round tables. If only six people sat at this table, the entire layout would look like a turtle with four claws on its head and tail. This is extremely ironic. Therefore, there is a popular saying that "six people should not sit on the turtle table". Second, it is a waste of resources. In ancient times, banquets usually had eight square tables as the standard, and guests were usually voluntary. There used to be many Turtle seats and the vacancy rate for the seats was high. If there are more than six people, they should also sit on three sides, not turtle seats. This is also a form of respect for the owner.