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FoodCultureGenerallyspeaking,weChinesethinkfoodisveryimportanttoman.Peopleoftenassociatefoodwithimportantholidaysandthechancetomeetdistinguishedguests.TheChinesefoodnotonlyisverydeliciousandtastybutalsoverypleasingtoyoursensesandmanyofdisheshaveverybeautifulandfancynames.TheChinesehavethefoodcultureofourownwhicharequitedifferentfromwesterners.Inthewest,peoplepaymoreattentiontothenutritionoffoodratherthanthelooksofit.Thecuisineandtablemannersarequitedifferentfromoursinagreatextent.GreetingbyAskingYourMealinChinaItisaverycommonpracticeweChinesepeoplesayHaveyouhadyourmeal?whentheymeeteachotheraroundthetimebeforeoraftermeals.Sometimestheyevenaskthisquestioneverywhereevenintoilets.Infact,itisakindofgreetingtocommunicatewitheachother.Butforeignerscannotunderstandthatbecausetheythinkwhyyouaskmethis.TheytendtothinkyouwanttoinvitemetodinnerorIamnotrichenoughtofeedmyselfregularlybutthatismybusinessnotyours.Chinesethinkfoodisveryimportantandessentialtopeoplesoitshowssomecareandconcernaboutyou.EverythingiseatableinChinaItseemsthatweeateverythingandeverythingcanbeeatableinChinesefood,whetheritcomesfromlandorfromtheskyorfromtheseaorwhetheritiswildordomesticorwhetheritisinsideoroutside.Foreignerscannotimagineweeatthefoodlikesnakes,dogsandevenfrogs.Whenwesellthemeatfromtheanimalandpoultry,wenormallysellitasawholeorcutitfromthewholebody.IknowawomanAmericanteacherdidn'twanttobuyandeatporkwhenshefirstcametoChinabecauseshesawthemeatcutfromacertainpartofthepig.InEnglish,weknowtheanimalsandtheirmeatareuseddifferentwordsbecausethewordsofthemeatfromanimalsoriginallycomefromFrenchandtheyareusedbyupperclasswhilethewordsofanimalsareAngloSaxon,whichareusedbythefarmeroflowerclass.Sotherearepigandpork,sheepandmuttonandcattleandbeefinEnglishbutitisnotthecaseinChinese.NameofDishesisImplicitinChineseFoodVeryoftenitpuzzlesforeignersalotthatweaskandtalksomuchwhenweorderourfoodintherestaurant.Onereasonisweaskwhatthefoodorthedishisandtrytoclarifyitbecauseyousometimesneverknowwhatthefoodisjustaccordingthenameofthefooduntilitisputonyourtableintherestaurantjust.Sometimesthefoodisverysimplebutthenameisveryobscure.ForexampleoneofthedishesiscalledAntsClimbingtheTrees.Butthefoodissimplepotatonoodlesandbitsofmeatinit,whilemostofwesternfoodhasasimpleandclearnameandyouknowwhatitiswhenyouhearthename.Forinstance,thereisatraditionalfoodcallfishandchipsintheUK.Youseeitisveryobviousitisfriedfishandpotatochips.ThereasonforthisinChinaisontheonehandtotrytotellyouthewayitcookssuchascook,fry,grillandbroilinthenameandontheotherithasbeautifulgoodnamessothatyouhaveagoodimaginationandassociationtoletyouhaveagoodappetite.TooMuchFoodtoEatatmealsWeChinesethinkitverydisgracefulifwedon'tcookthefoodenoughfortheguestssowenormallycookmorefoodthanguestseat.Ifyoufinishyourfoodatmeal,thehostandhostessusuallyaddmoreandmorefoodinyourdishorbowlwithoutaskingyouwhetheryouwantitornotsoastoshowtheyarepolitetotheguests.Theywillkeepsaying,eatmoreandinEnglishwehavetheexpressionhelpyourself.Westernersneverforceyoutoeatmore.Ifyoustopeating,theytendtothinkyouarefull.Sosometimeforeignersfeelveryhelplesswhenthehostandhostesstoputmorefoodintheirdishesandbowlsandtheycandonothingbuteatmoreandmoreuntiltheyarecompletelyfull.SosomeforeignerslearntoknowtheyalwaysleavesomefoodintheirbowlsordishesinordertoavoidmorefoodtobeaddedwhenareinvitedtodinnerinChinesefamily.ThatisthedifferencesinfoodculturebetweenChinaandtheWest.TablewareIsSimpleinChineseMealsGenerallyspeaking,wedon'tusemuchtablewarewhenwehaveourmealinChina.Mainlywehavebowl,dishes,chopsticksandspoons,whichwedon'tuseveryoften.InservingEnglishmeals,theyusesomuchtablewarewithdifferentkindsandsizes.TheChinesedonotknowhowtousethemproperlywhentheyareinvitedtodinnerinEnglishfamily.ForexampletherearedifferentkindsofnamesforglassesinEnglish,suchaswineglass,cherryglass,brandyglass,beerglass,snifterglass,championfluteandhighbowl.Youcanseetablewarealsoshowthefoodcultureofdifferentcountries.FoodisMostImportantinChinaAsthesayinggoesfoodistheessentialstopeopleandManisironandfoodissteel.YoucanseeChinesethinkfooditveryimportant.OnereasonisChinahasbigpopulationsofoodisthefirstproblemthatfacesus.Mostofpeoplearenotwelloffnow.Thatiswhythegovernmentisverymuchconcernedaboutthefoodproblem,whichwecallitvegetablebasketprojects.Wefirstmakepeoplehaveenoughfoodandthenmakethemfeedwell.Onetheotherfoodshowsakindofhospitalityandsincerity.Themoreandbetterfoodyouoffertoyourfriendsandrelatives.Themoregenerousandhospitableyouare.InChinesemind,wesayfoodisimportantbecausewealsousefoodasawaytosolveproblems.Peopleoftensaynomatterhowpooracompanyis,ithasthemoneytotreatpeopleguestsbecausetheycansolvemanyproblemswhentheyaretalkingandexchangingideaswitheachotheratmeals.Inthewestcountries,theydon'tnormallytalkaboutbusinessatmealsandalsotheythinkitisawasteofmoneyandtimeifmorefoodandveryexpensivefoodareorderedfordinner.ButweChinesethinkitisanhonortotreatquestsinthisway.Chinesefoodiswell-knownintheworldandtheChinesefoodcultureisnotallthesamewiththatinthewestcountries.Wecannotsayitisrightorwron