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AStudyofDifferentofChineseandWesternontablemannersClass:04011303Name:LiXinNo:2013300999AbstractThispapermainlyfocusesonthedifferencesoftablemannersofChinaandWesterncountries.Inourmodernsociety,thecross-culturecommunicationbetweenChinaandWesterncountriesbecomesahotissueandtheinfluencesofChineseandWesternetiquetteareincreasinglyprofound,whichcausesthedifferencesintablemanners.Inthispaper,weattachmoreimportancetothedifferenttablemannersofChinaandWesterncountries,suchas,thedifferentwayspeoplesitforameal,differentdiningconceptsanddifferenttablewaresandsoon.Meanwhile,ithelpsusunderstandthesituation.Inthisway,wecanknowwellthewesterncountries’culturalbackground,andcansetupaharmoniousrelationshipwiththewesterns.Keywords:tablemanners;culturalbackground;tableculture1.IntroductionWiththedevelopmentofglobaleconomy,cross-culturecommunicationhasbecomemoreandmorefrequent,andthedifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternculturehavebecomemoreobvious,especiallythedifferencesoftablemanners.Havingdinnerismorethanthebasicnecessityoflife.Instead,havingdinnerisanimportantpartofsocialformulae.“JohnLoke,afamousBritishphilosopheroncesaid,thepurposeofplayingaceremonialroleistochangetheoriginalstubborntogentle,sothatpeople’stempercanbecomemoremoderateandletpeoplelearntorespectforothersandgetalongwitheachothers.”Thereisnodoubtthatsometimessomestrangersbecomeacquaintances,thoseacquaintancesgetabetterunderstandingoftheothereventothegerminationoflove.Becausetablemannerissofantasticthatitdoesusafavoronacquiringmoreinformation,openingupeyesightandexpandingthecircleofcommunication.Itisobviousthattablemannersarequiteimportantinpeople’severydaylife.TherearenumberlessdifferencesbetweenChineseandwesternfoodcultures,andthosedifferencescausethedifferencesoftablemanners.Chinaisoneofthefourearliestcivilizationsintheworld.Chinesenationistheonlyinheritancemillenniumcivilization.WesternsocietywentthroughthedarknessofMiddleAgesandthencametoRenaissance,gavebirthtocapitalismandmoderncivilization.Today,withtheeconomicglobalization,internationalcommercialactivitieshavebecomemoreandmorefrequentlyandcross-culturecommunicationhascomeintoeverynation’sdailylife.Ininternationalcommercialnegotiations,Chineserepresentativesmighthavedinnerswithforeignrepresentatives,whileindailylifewemightbeinvitedtodinnersbyforeignfriends.Thispapermainlytalksaboutthedifferencesoftablemannersbetweentwocultures,toanalyzethecauses,aimtoachievecross-culturecommunicationmoresuccessfully.2.Differencesoftablemanners2.1Arrangementofseat2.1.1ArrangementofseatinChinesewayChinesepeoplealwayschooseroundtableswhenentertainingfriends.TherearelotsofrulesinChinaaboutwheretoputtheroundtableandwhichseattakesprecedenceonthesametable.InChina,peopleusedtousethenumberofthetablestodefinethesizeofbanquet.Insmallbanquetswhichhavetwotables,thetableontheleftorfarthertotheportalisthetoptable.Atbiggerbanquetsthathavethreeormoretables,therulesaremuchmorecomplicated.Thetoptableisalwaysontherighthandandfarthesttotheportal.Besides,thedistancetothetoptableisalsotakenintoconsideration.Generally,seatsthatclosertothetoptabletakeprecedence.Forexample,ontheweddingparty,familymembersofthebrideortheleadershipsarearrangedtothetablethatclosesttothetoptable.Hostsshowtheirreverencestotheguestsbyarrangingseatsbythisway.Seatsatonetablealsohavedifferentmeanings.InChinesetablemanner,theseatoppositetothedooristhehonorseat,whichisforchiefguestsorelders;theseatsbesidearethesecondhonorseatwhichareforotherguests;theseatsthatoppositetothehonorseataretheinferiorseat.Inferiorseatsareforthehostandhostess.Sobeforethebanquet,hostsshouldfirstinvitethechiefguestorelderstothehonorseat,andtheninviteothergueststothesecondhonorseat.Hostssitdownontheinferiorseatsafteralltheguestssitdown.2.1.2ArrangementofseatinwesternwayWesternpeopleperferlongtabletoroundtablewhenentertainingfriends.Thehostandthehostessseatatbothendofthetable,whileguestsseatatotherseats.Menandwomenarearrangedtoseatalternately.Thechiefguestsitsattheupperrightsideofthehostess,andthewifeofthechiefguestseatsattheupperrightsideofthehost.Westerngentlemenareveryparticularabout“Ladyfirst”,theyarealwayshospitabletoladies.InChina,leftishonorandrightissecondary;middleishonorandslantissecondary.Whileinwestern,rightishonorandleftissecondary.Theproperwaytotaketheseatinwesternistositbythelefthand.Elbowscanneverputontothetableandhandsareforbiddentotouchfeet.Itisbetternottowalkoutbeforethebanquetisfinished(unlessyoureallyneedto).Duringthedinner,itisbettertositstraightly.2.2Tablewares2.2.1HowtouseandwheretoputChinesetablewaresChinesetablewaresinvolvechopsticks,smalldish,bowlandglass.Atformalbanquets,waterpumpisputontheupperleftoftheplate,whilewineglassontheupperright.Chopsticksandspoonarealwaysputtogetherontherighthandoftheplate.Toothpickandashtrayarealsonecessary.2.2.1.1ChopsticksChopsticksarethemaintablewaresinChinesefoodculture,theyalwaysappearincouple.It’sbetternottolickchopsticks(whethertherearedregsoffoodornot)beforeyoupickfoodfromtheplates.Usingchopsticksthatlickedtopickupfoodisveryimpoliteandwillmak