Chinese table manners

Chinese table manners in ancient and modern times Dining etiquette issues can be said to have a long history. According to the literature, at least in the Zhou Dynasty, dietary etiquette has formed a set of quite perfect system, especially by Confucius, who had served as a priest of the State of Lu, praised and promoted and became an important aspect of the performance of the successive dynasties of the appearance of a great country, a state of etiquette, civilization. As the Han tradition of ancient banquet etiquette, has its own set of procedures: the host folded invitations, temporary welcome guests at the door. Guests arrived, greetings, introduced into the living room, sat down and toasted with refreshments. Guests Qi guide guests into the seat, to the left as the upper, as the chief, relative to the first seat for the second seat, the first seat under the third seat, the second seat under the fourth seat. Guests are seated, by the host of the toast to let the food, the guests to thank the courtesy. There are certain rules for pouring wine and serving food: the elders and the guest of honor should be honored first, and then the host. The end of the banquet, guiding the guests into the living room to sit, tea, until the farewell. This traditional banquet etiquette in most parts of China to retain the integrity of, such as Shandong, Hong Kong and Taiwan, many film and television productions are reflected. Qing Dynasty by the influence of the introduction of Western food, some Western etiquette has also been introduced. Such as sharing dishes, soup, wine and other ways were also introduced into Chinese food etiquette because of the reasonable and hygienic eating method. The exchange of Chinese and Western food culture makes the dining etiquette more scientific and reasonable. The more popular modern Chinese banquet etiquette is developed on the basis of continuing tradition and reference to foreign etiquette. The seating order borrowed from the Western banquet to the right on the law, the first guest of honor is seated on the right side of the host, the second guest of honor on the left side of the host or the right side of the first guest of honor, alternative treatment, pouring wine and serving food by the guests on the right side of the first guest of honor, after the host, after the first female guest of honor, after the male guest of honor. The wine is poured into eight points, not too full. The order of serving remains traditional, first cold and then hot. Hot dishes should be from the left side of the seat opposite the guest of honor; on a single dish or side dishes and snacks on the first guest after the host, on the whole chicken, duck, fish and other plastic surgery dishes, can not be the head and tail toward the main seat. These procedures not only can make the whole process of banquets and drinks in a harmonious and orderly manner, but also to make the host and guest identity and emotions can be reflected and exchanges. Therefore, the etiquette on the table can make the banquet activities complete and thorough, so that the host and guest of the cultivation of the two sides to be fully demonstrated. Chinese table manners for beginners Table manners occupy a very important place in the complete order of life of the Chinese people, who believe that dining is not only a way to satisfy basic physiological needs - it is also a social experience of the first importance. For this reason, it is especially important to have knowledge of certain Chinese dining rules, whether you are the host or just a guest. ● Round dining tables are quite popular. Because more people can be seated, and because everyone can sit facing each other, the head of the family is not as clearly recognized by his seat as he would be at a long Western table. Guests should wait for the host's invitation before sitting down. The host must be careful not to ask the guest to sit *near* the seat where the food is served. This is a major taboo. One must wait until everyone is present before beginning any kind of meal - even if someone is late. Once everyone is seated, the host family can make the opening remarks. During the meal, the host must assume a proactive role - it is perfectly reasonable to urge guests to eat and drink to their heart's content. ● A typical Chinese dining table looks rather empty, especially to Western eyes. A bowl on a tray is visible in front of each seat; to the right is a set of chopsticks and spoons on their respective seats. At formal occasions, napkins are present, mainly on the lap. At formal banquets, dishes are eaten much like a slide show, one dish at a time. Surprisingly, rice is not served with the dishes, although there is an option to eat with them. Since the dishes are each unique, they should be tasted individually, and only one at a time from the bowl, not a mixture. It may not be eaten from a plate, only from a bowl. Bones and shells are served on individual plates. Unclean plates must always be replaced with clean ones. ● Chopsticks are used for everything on the table except soup. Knives* may be provided, but as a Chinese, it is best to use chopsticks. Chopsticks are a tool for eating, so never play with them - it is very rude to use them as drumsticks, and it is not acceptable to point or gesture at people with them. Of course, one should never suck on the chopsticks or stick them in the rice, which is a big no-no - this is just like joss sticks at a funeral and is considered unlucky. Also, you should not use chopsticks to flick through a dish, but should first use your eyes to see what you want to eat. When you use chopsticks to pick up a piece of food, try to avoid touching other food. If possible, use the chopsticks and spoon next to you. Put your chopsticks back into the chopstick holders when you have finished eating or picking up food. A Chinese meal is not formal without tea. For this reason, it is wise to store as many varieties of tea as possible to ensure that the most astute tastes are catered for. There are a few key things to keep in mind when it comes to tea. The person seated nearest the teapot should be responsible for pouring the tea for the others as well as for themselves - the order of pouring should be according to age, from the oldest to the youngest, and finally for themselves. When someone pours tea for you, it is polite to tap the table with your finger as a sign of gratitude and respect to the person who poured the tea. Dining is a top priority for home life, reflecting personal qualities and tastes The order of pouring tea is very delicate, first the eldest, then the youngest, first the female, then the male Reasons for banquets are both joyful and sad The Chinese have always put food first, and in addition to meeting people's basic needs, it is also a traditional custom to gather around the table and have a feast. The reason for hosting a feast can be either for celebration or for mourning. Whenever there is a Lunar New Year, a wedding, or a Chinese festival such as the Mid-Autumn Festival, Chinese people will gather all the family members together at the dinner table to celebrate the festivities; but on the other hand, if someone passes away, the bereaved family will set up a "relief wine" after the funeral, and invite relatives and friends who have attended the funeral to express their gratitude to them, which shows the importance that Chinese people attach to sharing joys and sorrows at the dinner table. This shows that the Chinese attach great importance to gathering at the dinner table to share their joys and sorrows. The Chinese not only respect the art and etiquette of eating, but also worship Zaojun, the god of fire, who is believed to protect the kitchen from fires and other unfortunate events. Every year on the 24th day of the 12th month of the lunar calendar, each family prepares a delicious meal to honor Zaojun, including a whole chicken, roasted pig, a variety of vegetables, rice, etc., in order to thank Zaojun for his blessings in the past year. They usually place the table in front of Zaojun, put the food on the left side of the table, and offer it for several hours before taking it away. What do eating rituals have to do with superstition? When eating with a traditional Chinese family, guests must respect their culture, etiquette and customs, and take care not to violate various taboos when eating, as the Chinese believe that food and drink are almost closely related to one's destiny, and that violating taboos when eating will bring bad luck. For example, when eating fish, when finished with one side of the fish body, do not use chopsticks to turn the whole fish to the other side, they believe that if the fish turn the fish body broken, it means that the fishing boat will capsize and sink, which is because Hong Kong in the early days of the opening of the port is a fishing port, the fishermen are very concerned about the safety of the boat navigation; In addition, the Chinese never serve seven dishes with the meal, because after the funeral of the "libation wine" must have seven dishes of dishes. In addition, the Chinese never serve seven plates of food with their meal, because after a funeral, the "libation wine" must contain seven plates of food; one should not insert chopsticks vertically into the center of the bowl of rice, because it is a bit like paying homage to the ancestors; one should not say, "I have finished my meal", which implies that he or she has already died and will not have the chance to eat again, and should rather say, "I am full"; and one should avoid saying, "I am full! "Instead, one should say, "I am full"; avoid making noise when touching the rice bowl with the chopsticks during meals, as this is not only impolite, but also implies that one has no food to eat; cultivate the habit of eating all the rice in the bowl, and do not leave a single grain of rice left in the bowl, or else one's future wife or husband will be a "pimple-faced" person who will have no respect for the hard-working farmer. These superstitious dietary practices have been passed down to the present day, and to a greater or lesser extent, they are still part of the dietary etiquette of the Chinese people. In terms of the way of eating, the Chinese are a bit different from the Westerners, who like to taste the food placed in front of them individually, while the Chinese have certain rules for eating, they like to call for several plates of delicacies and place them in the center of the dining table, each with a bowl of rice*** with the matching