The chopsticks are considered a miracle among
creations, and thus the Chinese have been wielding them since the Shang Dynasty
around 1200 BC. They help the eater to savor their meal, and thoroughly enjoy
every bite. If you ever get the opportunity to visit China, or any Asian country for
that matter, it is crucial that you learn how to use this miraculous invention.
As far as table manners go in China,
the first to eat is the host at the furthest seat from the door. It is
important that you do not take too much food because is customary that you have
to eat whatever you take. For the most part they do not believe in left over’s
on guest's plates. Also, do not return food that you have taken to the center
plate; It is viewed as extremely impolite. Another manner to pay attention to
is to never cross chopsticks with another person at the table or play with them
because to them it means that you are begging for more food. Do not stab your
food! That is the Chinese symbol of death, so you can understand why it is
frowned upon, especially at the dinner table. When you are done eating you are
expected to place your chopsticks on the table; do not leave them on your plate
because it tells the host that you are waiting for more food to be placed on
your plate. Another thing to remember while dinning in China is to
never suck on the end of your chopsticks. This is extremely offensive to them.
Going along with that, it is also offensive to point your chopsticks at
someone, so put them down if you have to make a hand gesture at someone. One
final note to add is that it is considered bad luck if you drop your
chopsticks, so keep them securely in your hand.
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When it comes to food and enjoying a meal, the Chinese are very proud of their
culture. As you can tell the Chinese are very strict when it comes to dinning
etiquette, so it is important to abide by the host's rules. It is the host's
duty to serve the guests, so they can make sure that each guest receives enough
to eat and drink. The host might serve the guest with their own chopsticks;
this is an ancient tradition that some still follow today. If your host is one
of people that still practices this, do not refuse the food because you think
it is gross; you will severely offend the host. Simply accept the food
graciously, and enjoy your host's hospitality. If you happen to dislike a
particular food, you should still take it but you can just leave it on your
plate. Do not reject anything that your host offers you. That is their way of demonstrating
their generosity. Also, when you drink tea make sure that the spout of the
teapot does not pace anyone. If that happens simply rotate the teapot to a
position where it is not facing anyone. It is important to never flip over the
fish in the center of the table and de-bone the meat; that is the host’s
responsibility. They prepared the meal; let them have the fun of taking the
meat off the bones.
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Similarly, the order of the dishes is a crucial part of the meal. The Chinese
are creatures of habit, and they always stick to tradition. The first dish to
be brought out to the table is the cold dish consisting of meat and vegetables.
Regardless of the contents of the dish, the cold plates are always presented
before the hot ones. Also, it is customary to serve the dry dishes before any
soups, so the guest can enjoy that while the soup cools down. If the soup was
brought out first, then the guests would just be sitting there waiting for it
to cool down, unable to eat anything. The cold dishes are usually served as the
appetizers before the hot main course. If there is soup involved in the meal,
it is always brought out last. Since the Chinese prefer to stick with
tradition, they always serve the dishes in even numbers (2, 4, 6, etc.). The
largest meal in Chinese history was the Man Han Feast which consisted of 108
dishes. Whenever there is fish present at the table it symbolizes that there
will always be plenty of food to go around. So make sure the meal includes at
least one dish of fish.
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