How is the seating arrangement of the banquet?

The arrangement of seats at a banquet has strict rules and etiquette in traditional Chinese culture. Generally speaking, if it is a round table, it is facing the main door of the host guest, the host guest left and right hand side of the position, the distance from the host guest, the closer to the host guest position the more honored, the same distance from the left side of the honored than the right side. If the Baxian table, if there is a seat facing the door, the right side of the door is the main guest. If not facing the door, the right seat of the side facing east is the chief.

In family gatherings, seats are usually ordered according to seniority and age. Regardless of who invited the guests, the person with the highest seniority or the oldest age usually sits in the inner seat facing the door, followed by the next in order of seniority or age.

At a friends' or classmates' gathering, the person who pays the bill usually sits in the seat facing the door, which is the main seat. Others are arranged according to age, but since friends are more casual, this is rarely taken into account.

At formal parties, the seating arrangements are more detailed. The chief is usually seated opposite the main door, while the chief chaperone is on the side of the main door, the two corresponding to each other. On either side of the chief chaperone are arranged the principal and secondary guests, while the secondary chaperones are located opposite the chief chaperone. If there are more than one table, they are arranged according to the above principle starting from the main table, and the other tables are arranged in the same way as the main table.

In general, the arrangement of the banquet seating should respect the traditional etiquette, but also according to the actual situation and the identity of the participants to make flexible adjustments.