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FoodCultureGoodafternoon,everyone!TodayIwanttotalksomethingaboutthefoodcultureinchinaandwesterncountries.AndIhopeyouwillenjoyit.Generallyspeaking,weChinesethinkfoodisveryimportanttoman.Peopleoftenassociatefoodwithimportantholidaysandthechancetomeetguests.TheChinesefoodnotonlyisverydeliciousandtastybutalsoverypleasingtoyoursensesandmanyofdisheshaveverybeautifulandinterestingnames.WeChinesehavethefoodcultureofourownwhicharequitedifferentfromthewesterncounties.Inthewesterncountries,peoplepaymoreattentiontothenutritionoffoodratherthanthelooksofit.What’smore,thecuisineandtablemannersarequitedifferentfromoursinagreatextent..•Ok,nowIwillshowyousomedifferencesbetweenChinaandwesterncountries.•First,it’saboutthespecialwaytomakegreetinginchina•ItisaverycommonpracticeweChinesepeoplesayHaveyouhadyourmeal?whentheymeeteachotheraroundthetimebeforeoraftermeals.Sometimestheyevenaskthisquestioneverywhereevenintoilets.Infact,itisakindofgreetingtocommunicatewitheachotherjustlikeEnglishtendtobeginacommunicationwithweather.Butforeignerscannotunderstandthatbecausetheythinkwhyyouaskmethis.Theytendtothinkyouwanttoinvitethemtodinner.However,Chinesethinkfoodisveryimportantandessentialtopeoplesoitshowssomecareandconcernaboutyou.Thatiswhytheyaskothersiftheyhadfoodyet?Ok,second,whatIwanttosayiseverythingiseatableinChina.•ItseemsthatweeateverythingandeverythingcanbeeatableinChinesefood,whetheritcomesfromlandorfromtheskyorfromtheseaorwhetheritiswildordomestic.However,Foreignerscannotimagineweeatthefoodlikesnakes,dogsandevenfrogs.Whenwesellthemeatfromtheanimalandpoultry,wenormallysellitasawholeorcutitfromthewholebody.ThereisanAmericanteacherdidn'twanttobuyandeatporkwhenshefirstcametoChinabecauseshesawthemeatcutfromacertainpartofthepig.•Ok,now,let’stalksomethingaboutthenamesofthedishesinChinawhichveryoftenpuzzlesforeignersalotthatweaskandtalksomuchwhenweorderourfoodintherestaurant.Onereasonisweaskwhatthefoodorthedishisandtrytoclarifyitbecauseyousometimesneverknowwhatthefoodisjustaccordingthenameofthefooduntilitisputonyourtableintherestaurantjust.becausesometimesthefoodisverysimplebutthenameisveryobscure(晦涩).ForexampleoneofthedishesiscalledAntsClimbingtheTrees.Butthefoodissimplepotatonoodlesandbitsofmeatinit,whilemostofwesternfoodhasasimpleandclearnameandyouknowwhatitiswhenyouhearthename.Forinstance,thereisatraditionalfoodcallfishandchipsintheUK.Youseeitisveryobviousitisfriedfishandpotatochips.ThereasonforthisatmosphereinChinaisontheonehandpeoplewanttotellyouthewayitcookssuchascook,andontheotherhandtheygiveitbutifulgoodnamessothatyouhaveagoodimaginationofitandhaveagoodappetite.•Finally,usually,thereistomuchfoodtoeatatmealsinChinaThisisbecauseweChinesethinkitveryimpoliteifwedon'tcookthefoodenoughfortheguestssowenormallycookmorefoodthanguestseat.Ifyoufinishyourfoodatmeal,thehostandhostessusuallyaddmoreandmorefoodinyourdishorbowlwithoutaskingyouwhetheryouwantitornotsoastoshowtheyarepolitetotheguests.Theywillkeepsaying,eatmoreandinEnglishwehavetheexpressionhelpyourself.Americansneverforceyoutoeatmore.Ifyoustopeating,theytendtothinkyouarefull.Sosometimeforeignersfeelveryhelplesswhenthehostandhostesstoputmorefoodintheirdishesandbowlsandtheycandonothingbuteatmoreandmoreuntiltheyarecompletelyfull.SosomeforeignerslearntoknowtheyalwaysleavesomefoodintheirbowlsordishesinordertoavoidmorefoodtobeaddedwhenareinvitedtodinnerinChinesefamily.ThatisthedifferencesinfoodculturebetweenChinaandtheWest.