Before the Song Dynasty it was a shared food system, why did it become a combined food system after the Ming Dynasty?

? ? This has something to do with the cutlery as well as the tables and chairs.

We first need to know the difference between the split-food system and the joint-food system, literally you can see the split-food system, in fact, is that everyone eats a dish and a meal, they eat their own, do not interfere with each other. And the joint food system is a bit like people nowadays, the meal is a number of people sitting around a table and food, divided into not so fine.

And before the Song Dynasty, as early as the Spring and Autumn Period, there are records, people at that time tables and chairs are not, so they are sitting on the ground, eating on the ground, are one person a share, eat their own. Therefore, until the Song Dynasty have maintained this habit, really change this habit is in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, at this time there have been Hu bed began to enter their region, Hu bed is the chair at that time, so they began to sit on a chair to eat, to the Sui and Tang dynasties are more obvious, at this time their chairs have progressed, many tableware are placed on the table to eat, they have gradually formed the habit of joint food.

In fact, I think the habit of sharing food is actually very good, because it greatly reduces the unhygienic, write the portion of each portion are decided by themselves, or very convenient and safe. And split time also in some cases to create a solemn and high-class eating style, focusing on all kinds of etiquette. But some people also think that the joint food is also good, because this meal lively, but it should be noted that, even if the late people love to eat together, but there are exceptions, still handed down the habit of sharing food. For example, some of the palace party, they will use the time-sharing system.

? It can be said that the change of an era can also be seen in terms of the method of eating habits. Ancient people's hardworking and wise way of making tables and chairs, which changed the habit of sharing food, proved the wisdom of ancient people.

I hope my answer is helpful to you, if you can please like attention, thank you.