Table Manners in China

•Chinesefoodisfamousaroundtheworld.•IfyouareinChinaandgooutwithyourChinesefriendtoadinner,youmaywanttoknow……TableMannersinChina----ByJoannaLiu•Seating•Beforedinner•Tableware•Food•Eatingetiquette•Drinks&toast•Smoking•Payforbill•Invitedtoafriend’shomeSeating•InChina,it’snecessarytoknowhowtopickupyourseatatthetable.•Ifyouarenotsurewhattodo,justwaitthehosttotell.•Differentfromthewestern,tablesinChinaareusuallyround.•Normally,theseatfacingthedoor(seat1)isforthehostorthehostess.•Atasmalltable,theseatrightacrossofthehostseat,thebackofwhichisfacingthedoor(seat2),istheseatforthemainguest.•Butwhenit’sabiggertable,thehostorhostessandmainguestcanjustsitsidebysidetomakeiteasierforthemtotalk.(seat3or4forthemainguest.)Beforedinner•Theelderlyorguest(s)ofhonourareusuallythefirsttostartthemeal.•Beforethat,youhavetowait.•Beforedinner,you’llbeservedbyacupoftea.Tea•Teaisforrinsingthemouth,whichmeansmakingyourmouthreadyforeating.Tableware•Differentfromthewest,Chinesefoodisusuallycutintopropersizeswhencooking,soyoudon’thavetousefolksorknivestoeatthem.•Asaresult,you’llusedifferenttablewarewhenyouenjoyChinesefood.Tableware•Tablesetting•ChopsticksTablesettingTablesettingTablesettingChopsticks•Chopsticksisthemaintoolforeating.Chopsticks•Chopsticksshouldalwaysbeheldcorrectly,i.e.betweenthethumbandfirsttwofingersoftherighthand.Chopsticks•Chopsticksaretraditionallyheldintherighthandonly,evenfortheleft-handed.•Oneexplanationforthetreatmentofsuchusageasimproperisthatwithintheconfinesofaroundtablethismaybeinconvenient.•Here’ssomeothertipsforusingchopstickscorrectly.Tipsforusingchopsticks•Whennotinuse,chopsticksmustalwaysbeplacedneatlyonthetablewithtwostickslyingtidilynexttoeachotheratbothends.•Crossingthemisrude.Tipsforusingchopsticks•Neverpointthechopsticksatanotherperson.•Thisamountstoinsultingthatperson.Tipsforusingchopsticks•Neversuckthechopsticks.Tipsforusingchopsticks•Neverbangchopstickslikedrumsticks.Thisisakintotellingothersatthetableyouareabeggar.Tipsforusingchopsticks•Decidewhattopickupbeforereachingwithchopsticks,insteadofhoveringthemoverorrummagingthroughdishes.Tipsforusingchopsticks•Whenpickingupapieceoffood,neverusethetipsofyourchopstickstopokethroughthefoodaswithafork;exceptionsincludetearingapartlargeritemssuchasvegetables.Tipsforusingchopsticks•Neverstabchopsticksverticallyintoabowlofrice,asthisresemblesincensesticksusedattemplestopayrespectstothedeceased.•Thisisconsideredtheultimatedinnertablefauxpas.Tipsforusingchopsticks•Don’tusechopstickstomovebowlorplate.Tipsforusingcommunalchopsticks•Whentherearecommunalchopsticks,usethemtotransferfoodfromacommondishtoone'sownplateorbowl.•Whencommunalchopsticksarenotprovided,itisconsideredpolite(andsanitary)tousethebluntendofone'sownchopstickstoserveaguestbytransferringfoodfromthecommondishtoaguest'splateorbowl.Food•ThemaindifferencebetweenChineseandwesteatinghabits,whereeveryonehastheirownplateoffood,isthatinChinathedishesareplacedonthetableandeverybodyshares.Food•IfyouarebeingtreatedbyaChinesehost,bepreparedforatonoffood.●Chineseareveryproudoftheircultureoffoodandwilldotheirbesttogiveyouatasteofmanydifferenttypesofcuisine.Food•Amongfriends,theywilljustorderenoughforthepeoplethere.Usuallytheywillorderonemoredishthanthenumberofguests(e.g.fourpeople,fivedishes).Food•Ifitisabusinessdinneroraveryformaloccasion,thereislikelytobeahugeamountoffoodthatwillbeimpossibletofinish.Food•AtypicalChinesemealconsistsof:•Colddishes•Maincourses•Soup•Thestarchy“staple”food•Snackanddessert•FruitColddishes•Atypicalmealstartswithsomecolddishes,likeboiledpeanuts,smashedcucumber,reddates&beansandChickenLegs.•They’relikeappetizerinthewest.Colddishes•Colddishesareusuallyservedbeforedinner,butdon’teatbeforedinnerstart.Maindishes•Colddishesarefollowedbythemaincourses,hotmeatandvegetabledishes.Pork&beefMaindishesMeatballsMaindishesChicken&duckMaindishesVegetableMaindishesSeafoodSoup•Then,soupisbroughtout.Thestarchy“staple”food•Soupisfollowedbythestarchystaplefood,whichisusuallyriceornoodlesorsometimesdumplings.Thestarchy“staple”food•ManyChineseeatrice(ornoodlesorwhatever)last,butifyouliketohaveyourricetogetherwithotherdishes,youshouldsaysoearlyon.Snacksanddessert•Sometimesthey’llbereplacedbysnacksanddessertlikebaozi,dabingorcakes.Fruit•Sometimes,somefruitwillbeserved.Eatingetiquette•Generally,ChinesetablemannersaremoreinformalthantheWest,althoughtherearemorerulesconcerninginteractionswithotherguests.Eatingetiquette•Chinesetrendtotalkloudlyduringthedinneranddifferentfromthewest,talkingwithafullmouthisusuallyallowedthoughsomepeoplethinkitisimpolite.•Besides,whenyouareeatingordrinking,makesomesoundisallowed.Butplacethechinabowlsandplatesquietly。Eatingetiquette•Eatingwiththeelbowsonthetableisallowed.•Belchisnotgoodbutyoudon’thavetoavoiditintentionally.•Wheneatingfoodthatcontainsbones,itiscustomarythatthebonesbespatoutontothediningplateinaneatpile.Spittingontothefloorisalmostneveracceptable.Drinks&toast•DrinksplaysanimportantroleinChinesefoodculture.DrinksPouringToastDrinks•Usually,bothharddrinkandbeverageareservedth