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Etiquette
and Chopsticks
When you are invited to
a Chinese home for a meal, it is helpful
to be aware of Chinese table manners,
or etiquette. First, several dishes
are placed in the center of the table.
Wait until the host or the head of the
family picks up his chopsticks
 and
motions for all to start. That is the
proper moment for the guests to acknowledge
the invitation, pick up their chopsticks,
and proceed.
Unlike some Western-style
meals, the dishes are not passed around
the table. Rather, all at the table
help themselves. In a family meal, it
is customary for each member to use
his or her own pair of chopsticks to
take pieces from the common dishes and
put them right into the mouth. Even
so, it is considered bad manners to
slurp your food, lick the ends of your
chopsticks, or pick through the dishes
for your favorite piece. Mothers in
the Orient instruct their children not
to bite the ends of their chopsticks,
not only because they are concerned
about hygiene but also because it spoils
the appearance of the chopsticks.
Out of consideration for
guests, sometimes serving spoons or
additional chopsticks are provided.
These are used to take pieces from the
center dishes to another dish or to
your rice bowl. Still, do not be offended
if your host uses his chopsticks to
pick out a choice morsel and place it
right into your bowl. After all, he
wants to make sure that his honored
guest gets the best piece!
It is considered
bad manners to point with chopsticks,
just as it is with knives and forks.
It is equally bad manners to pick up
something else while you still have
your chopsticks in your hand. So when
you need to use the serving spoon or
to pick up a napkin or a teacup, first
put down your chopsticks. Small, attractive
chopstick stands are often provided
for this purpose.
When you finish eating,
put your chopsticks down neatly, sit
back, and wait. It is bad manners to
leave the table before everyone finishes.
Once again, it is the host or the head
of the family who brings the meal to
a close by rising and inviting all to
leave the table.
Now that you know how
to use them, all you need to do is get
some chopsticks and practice with them.
The next time someone invites you to
a Chinese restaurant or to their home
for a Chinese meal, why not try a pair
of chopsticks? It may even make the
food taste better!
A Little Chopstick
History
Some Chinese scholars believe
that the first chopsticks were used,
not for eating, but for cooking. Small
pieces of raw food were wrapped in leaves,
and sticks were used to transfer heated
pebbles into the wrapping. In this way
food could be cooked without the cook
getting burned! Later in history, chopsticks
were used to remove pieces of food from
the cooking pot.
The Japanese, the Koreans,
the Vietnamese, and others in the Orient
also use chopsticks, and this is largely
because of the influence of Chinese
culture.
It`s always worth making the effort
learning other peoples` customs
and etiquette because they might
have codes of etiquette governing the
expectations of social behavior such
as bathing, bowing, eating, drinking,
and giving of gifts.
More on chopsticks
How
to Use Chopsticks
Articles
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