How much do you know about the ancient food etiquette in China?

Dietary etiquette has a long history and is one of the concrete manifestations of social civilization.

Every nation will form its own set of standardized food etiquette in the long-term practice of food life. China has established thousands of years' dietary etiquette from top to bottom, which has always been a cultural phenomenon in China. According to the literature, by the Zhou Dynasty, the catering etiquette had formed a fairly perfect system, especially Confucius, who was praised and respected as a wine sacrifice in Lu, became an important aspect of the dynasties' performance of a great country, a state of etiquette and a place of civilization. As a traditional banquet etiquette of the ancient Han nationality, the catering etiquette in the contemporary world is very standardized, especially at formal banquets, which is very orderly and plays an important role. Catering is a common social activity. China is rich in food culture, and China people are hospitable and pay attention to food etiquette.

Directory:

First, China ancient dining etiquette second, modern Chinese food etiquette

(A) China catering (banquet) category.

(B) China banquet etiquette

1 Choice of dining place 2 Ordering etiquette 3 China wine knowledge 4 Table setting etiquette

(3) Tableware etiquette

(4) Dining etiquette 1. Seat arrangement? 2. Serving procedure? Pay special attention to picking vegetables, toasting and drinking soup? 4. Host-guest etiquette? 5. How to talk at the dinner table? 6. Table manners

Chinese food etiquette text: First, China ancient catering etiquette.

The traditional ancient banquet etiquette of the Han nationality has such a set of procedures: inviting the host to meet the guests outside the door temporarily. When the guests arrive, they greet each other, introduce them to the living room and provide refreshments. After the guests are seated, guide them to their seats, with the left side facing up, which is regarded as the chief. There are two seats relative to the first seat, three seats under the first seat and four seats under the second seat. When the guests are seated, the host toasts and dishes, and the guests thank each other with gifts. There is also a certain emphasis on serving wine at the dinner: respect the elders and guests first, and then the host. After the banquet, guide the guests to sit in the living room and serve tea until they say goodbye. This traditional banquet etiquette is still intact in most parts of China, such as Shandong, Hongkong and Taiwan Province Province, and it is reflected in many film and television works.

At the same time, in ancient China, there were strict regulations on the consumption of rice and vegetables, and the difference of grades was reflected through the dietary etiquette. For example, princes and nobles pay attention to the grade of cattle, sheep should be millet, elephants should be straight, dogs should be beam, geese should be straight, fish should rise, and gentlemen should eat and let them go. The poor people's daily diet is mainly bean rice and Tang Huo, while people eat mainly bean rice and Tang Huo. There are more than twenty kinds of dishes. Every king's gift, eat 600, eat 6 animals, drink 6 clear, shame 100 has 20 products, treasure 8 things, sauce 100 has 20 altars. This tells us that the diet provided to the king should conform to certain moral norms. The Book of Rites says: Rites are the most valuable. The beans of the son of heaven are six out of twenty, the princes are six out of ten, the princes are two out of ten, the doctors are eight, and the doctors are six.

The common people's ceremony of eating and drinking is the ceremony of drinking in rural areas. Sixty people have three beans, seventy people have four beans, eighty people have five beans, and ninety people have six beans, so it is also wise to support the elderly. Drinking in the countryside is a ceremony for villagers to get together and drink at the right time. In this celebration, elders are the most respected. Gifts come from diet, and at the same time, dietary activities are strictly restricted. Not only pay attention to food specifications, but also have rules for dish placement. "Book of Rites Quli" says: "Where food is a gift, the food is left to the right, the eater is left, and the soup is right. Outside the cooking place, in the sauce-dredging place, onion slices are right, and wine paste is right. Those who set customs will be left and right. " [I] This set of rules is also recorded in detail in the Book of Rites.

In the process of eating, there is also a set of red tape. "Book of Rites Quli" contains: * * not enough to eat, * * * not to eat, not to fight for food, not to eat, not to sing, not to eat, not to bite bones. No fishing, no throwing dog bones. No real harvest, no rice, no rice, no soup, no teeth. Guest flocculant soup, the owner can't cook. The guest apologized and the host resigned from the basket. It's better to submit to humiliation than to submit to humiliation inside. Don't worry. If the guest kneels before eating and comes down to take a picture after eating, the host will say goodbye to the guest and then the guest will sit down. [2]

Second, modern Chinese food etiquette

(A) China catering (banquet) category.

Catering is a common social activity. Chinese banquet refers to a banquet with the traditional national style of China, which abides by the eating habits and etiquette norms of China people.

Banquet activities can be divided into three types according to their purpose and nature: one is ceremonial, such as welcoming important guests or dignitaries for official visits; Banquets held to celebrate major festivals or hold important ceremonies are all etiquette requirements, and such banquets should have certain etiquette norms and procedures. The other is friendship, mainly for communicating feelings, expressing friendship and developing friendship, such as welcoming guests, seeing them off, saying goodbye and getting together. The other is the nature of work, in which the host or participants hold a banquet to solve a certain work so as to discuss the work at the dinner table.

These three situations often complement each other and have both. The purpose, form and nature of the banquet are different, but the basic etiquette followed by the host and guest is the same.

For social gatherings in the form of meals, banquets can be divided into formal banquets and informal banquets. A formal banquet is a grand and formal banquet. It is often a large-scale dinner event with elaborate banquet, held in high-end hotels or other specific places, and paying attention to ostentation and extravagance and atmosphere. For attendance, dress, seating arrangement, number of dishes, music performance, guest and guest speeches, etc. , often have very strict requirements and attention. Informal banquet, also known as informal banquet, is also suitable for formal interpersonal communication, but it is more common in daily communication. Its form is simple, focusing on interpersonal communication, not on scale and grade. Generally, only relevant personnel are arranged to attend, and spouses are not invited. Often, there are no excessive demands on dress, seating arrangement and the number of dishes, and music performances and speeches by guests and hosts will not be arranged.

(B) China banquet etiquette

1. Choice of dining place

Eating is the best way to shorten the distance between people, so the restaurant is no longer a simple dining space, and the choice of dining place directly affects the effect of the banquet. Thousands of years of Chinese culture, vast territory and romantic figures in past dynasties have become inexhaustible materials for various restaurants. The common ones are as follows:

(1) takes a specific historical dynasty as the theme.

It has a strong historical charm, showing its historical features from the aspects of dishes, decoration and service, such as Datang Restaurant and Qing Palace Imperial Restaurant.

(2) Taking specific local dishes as the theme.

Many restaurants choose one of many cuisines as the basis for making menus, decorating and providing services, thus forming a restaurant with the theme of local cuisines. Such as Ge Xiang in Guizhou and Zhehui in Jiangsu.

(3) Restaurant layout with the theme of scenic spots.

Highlight the theme of the restaurant through murals, statues and decorations with regional characteristics. This is an excellent choice for people who want to enjoy both food and scenery. Such as the Great Wall Hall, Dunhuang Palace, Xihu Xuan and Meilong Town.

(4) Taking flowers and plants as the theme

Create an immersive atmosphere for guests with potted plants, woodcuts and murals. Such as Taoyuan, Meiyuan and Furong Building.

(5) Taking history and literature as the theme.

According to the familiar historical materials, it is the best way to shorten the distance between people, such as Strange Romance in Shu.

When choosing a dining place for a business banquet, the main consideration is whether it can reduce the vigilance of the other party and create a stress-free dining atmosphere. Dim the lights and play dim music. The customer's line of sight should be blocked by screens or huge green plants, so that the guests can concentrate and get favorable decisions easily.

Ordering etiquette

According to our eating habits, it is better to say "please eat" than "please eat". Therefore, the arrangement of the menu should not be sloppy. Many people invite guests to dinner and are unfamiliar with all kinds of cuisines, so "out of place" often occurs. At present, the eight most representative cuisines in China are Shandong Cuisine, Sichuan Cuisine, Guangdong Cuisine, Fujian Cuisine, Jiangsu Cuisine, Zhejiang Cuisine, Hunan Cuisine and Huizhou Cuisine. Some people use anthropomorphic methods to describe their characteristics incisively and vividly: Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine, such as Jiangnan beauty; Shandong and Anhui cuisine is like a simple northern strong man in Gu Zhuo; Cantonese cuisine and Fujian cuisine are like romantic and elegant sons; Sichuan cuisine and Hunan cuisine are like celebrities with rich connotations and talents.

Different dishes have different cooking methods. For example, stewing means adding soy sauce, sugar and other sauces to the fried, fried or boiled raw materials, boiling them with high fire, and then heating them with low fire for a long time. The appearance of the product is complete, and there is no breakage or crack. Stewed dish is a kind of dish made by processing a variety of raw materials into pieces, shreds, strips and dices, and simmering with strong fire. In addition, there are roasting, boiling, frying, roasting, rolling, frying, steaming, stewing, simmering and other methods. Knowing the basic cooking skills also helps to point out the menu that satisfies both the host and the guests.

Generally speaking, the menu structure of standard Chinese food includes:

Appetizer (appetizer)

Soup (soup)

Main course (big dish)

Noodles or rice?

Dim sum (dessert)

An appetizer is usually a big platter consisting of four cold dishes. Sometimes as many as ten kinds. The most representative are cold jellyfish skin and preserved eggs. Sometimes cold dishes are followed by four hot dishes. Common ones are fried shrimp and fried chicken. But the hot plate is mostly omitted. The main course is immediately after the appetizer, also called the big dish, which is more than the proper table. If the menu is marked with "Eight Items", it means that * * * has eight main courses. The number of main courses is usually an even number of four, six and eight, because people in China think even numbers are auspicious numbers. A luxurious dinner sometimes has as many as sixteen or thirty-two main courses, but it is usually six to twelve courses. These dishes are made of different materials, with four flavors of sour, sweet, bitter, spicy and salty, and there are many cooking methods such as frying, steaming, boiling, frying, roasting and frying. The order of dishes is mostly light and rich, or dry-cooked soup. It usually ends with soup. Dim sum refers to the dessert served after the main course, such as pie, cake, steamed stuffed bun, almond tofu and so on. Finally, the fruit.

When entertaining guests, you can ask the guests to order, or you can ask the ladies to order first.

When arranging the menu, we must consider the dietary taboos of the guests, especially the dietary taboos of the guests. For example, religious dietary taboos, taboos of patients with "three highs" for health reasons, and geographical preferences such as eating spicy food.

Order the main course first and then mix it with others. The main course represents the taste and the host's "position", that is, the "budget price". So the host should have his own opinion on what to order for the main course.

The special dishes of the day can be attached to the menu, can also be placed on the table vertically, and sometimes displayed at the door of the restaurant in the form of advertisements. Special dishes may be varieties with excess raw materials, or seasonal dishes or chefs' special dishes. If it's leftovers or seasonal dishes, it's usually cheaper and you can choose it appropriately.

3. China wine knowledge

"What is life for drinking wine?" China is also an ancient wine-making country with heroic mind and unspeakable emotion. For the first time, our ancestors accidentally discovered that sugary wild fruits would naturally ferment into wine. Since ancient times, there has been a legend of "ape brewing wine". It is said that apes who live in the mountains make wine, and the leftover fruits are piled together. Due to the action of microorganisms such as yeast attached to the peel, mature fruits naturally ferment to produce original wine, which is called "ape wine".

Wine is a common drink, as the saying goes, no table can be served without wine. Common can be divided into liquor, yellow wine, beer and health wine:

Wine is an emotional catalyst for dinner occasions. The eight famous traditional wines in China include Kweichow Moutai, Shaanxi Fenjiu, Sichuan Wuliangye, Sichuan Jiannanchun, Anhui Gu Jing Winery, Jiangsu Yanghe Daqu, Guizhou Dongjiu and Luzhou Laojiao Tequ.

Yellow rice wine: Shaoxing yellow rice wine, Longyan heavy wine, etc.

Beer: draft beer, dry beer and dark beer.

Health medicinal liquor: Shanxi Zhuyeqing, etc.

When pouring beer, you should pour it slowly first, then pour it quickly, and finally lift the bottle mouth gently. Bubbles surge naturally, and bubbles keep beer fresh and delicious. Once the foam disappears, the aroma decreases and the bitterness increases, which will hinder the taste.

Chinese food is usually marked by opening a glass of wine at the beginning of a banquet. At the beginning of the banquet, the host raised a glass to all the guests. At this time, whether you can drink or not, you should raise your glass and drink lightly. It represents the gratitude and blessing of the host.

When the host stands up to propose a toast, all the guests should also stand up to reciprocate, which is the basic etiquette.

When toasting your elders or superiors, you should hold a cup in both hands and stand up to propose a toast.

Many wine country heroes hold their necks when drinking and pour the whole glass of wine down their throats. Although they are full of heroism, they are very ugly.

4. Table manners

Chopsticks, spoons, food trays, seasoning trays, soup bowls, tea cups and wine glasses are placed in front of everyone's seat. Sometimes there are utensils or napkins for placing bones. Chopsticks, mostly long cylindrical chopsticks. In the past, chopsticks made of ivory and coral were used as status symbols, but today, plastic chopsticks with imitation teeth are quite common. The reason for using long chopsticks is that it is convenient to clip vegetables. Spoons are mostly made of ceramics. Sometimes, a spoon holder for putting spoons is provided. Take Chinese food as an example, it is a medium-sized dish with a slightly higher edge. Sometimes prepare two. Deep bowl, soup bowl with deep opening.

(2) Tableware etiquette

Compared with western food, Chinese food is characterized by different tableware. We mainly introduce the use of tableware that often goes wrong.

Chopsticks Chopsticks are the most important tableware in Chinese food. Chopsticks are usually used in pairs. When you use chopsticks to pick up food and eat, you should pay attention to the following "small" problems: First, don't lick the chopsticks for food residue. Isn't it appetizing to pick up food with licked chopsticks? Second, when talking with people, you should put down your chopsticks temporarily, and you can't dance like a baton with chopsticks while talking. Third, don't put chopsticks vertically on food. Because this kind of insertion will only be used when paying homage to the dead. Fourth, strictly implement the functions of chopsticks. Chopsticks are only used to hold food. It is impolite to use it to pick teeth, scratch or pick up things other than food.

2. Spoon Its main function is to scoop up plates and food. Sometimes eating with chopsticks can also be assisted by spoons. Try not to take food with a spoon. When taking food with a spoon, don't fill it too full, so as not to spill it and dirty the table or clothes. After scooping up the food, you can "pause" in the same place for a while, and then move back to enjoy it when the soup won't flow down again.

When you don't use the spoon for a while, you should put it on your own plate. Don't put it directly on the table or let it stand at attention in food. After taking food with a spoon, eat it immediately or put it on your own plate, and don't put it back. And if the food you take is too hot, you can't spoon it or blow it with your mouth. You can put it in your own bowl and eat it when it is cold. Don't put the spoon in your mouth, nor suck or lick it repeatedly.

plate

Smaller plates are vegetables, which are mainly used to hold food, and are similar to bowls in use. Plates should generally be placed in the right place on the dining table and should not be piled together.

What needs to be emphasized is a dish with special purpose called dish. The main function of dishes is to temporarily place dishes taken from public dishes for enjoyment. When using vegetables, don't take too many dishes at a time. It looks like a mess, like a hungry ghost reborn. Don't pile all kinds of dishes together, or they will "cross-taste" each other, which is not good-looking or delicious. Don't spit leftovers, bones and thorns on the floor and table, but gently pick them up and put them at the front of the plate. When you put it, you can't spit it directly from your mouth on the dish. You should put it next to the dish with chopsticks. If the plate is full, you can ask the waiter to change it.

The water cup is mainly used to hold soft drinks such as water, soda, fruit juice and cola. Don't use it to hold wine, and don't turn the cup upside down. Besides, what you drink in your mouth can't be spit back into the cup.

5. napkins before eating Chinese food, if you are more particular, you will put a wet towel on each diner. Can only be used to wipe hands. After wiping your hands, put them back on the plate and take them away by the waiter. Sometimes, a wet towel is put on before the formal banquet is over. Different from the former, it can only be used to wipe your mouth, not your face or sweat.

6. Toothpick Try not to pick your teeth in public. Cover your mouth with your other hand when you have to pick it up. Don't watch or re-enter in public, and don't throw it around or spit it out casually. After picking your teeth, don't hold a toothpick for a long time, let alone use it to get food.