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DifferencesofTableMannersbetweenChinaandWest1Chapter1IntroductionAstheeconomyandculturedevelopingrapidly,havingdinnerisnotonlyforpeoplebasicphysicalneed,butalsotheimportantskillinsocialcommunication.Goodmannersandcourtesyhavebecomeincreasinglycommonunderstandingofthepublic.WiththedeepeningofreformandopeninguppolicyinChinaandthestrengtheningofcommunicationbetweenChinaandWest,peoplehaveagreatnumberofopportunitiestohavedinnerwithforeigners.Alotoftablemanners,suchasarrivingtime,seatarrangement,andorderofservingdishes,tableware,behaviourandcommunication,reflectdifferentcultureandlife-styleinnationsorcountries.TherearemanydifferencesoftablemannersbetweenChinaandwesterncountries.Itisextremelyimportantforpeopletounderstandthesedifferencestoavoidmakingmistakesandpromotethedevelopmentofhumanitycultureandachieveinterpersonalharmonyinbothcountries.DifferencesofTableMannersbetweenChinaandWest2Chapter2LiteratureReviewItisacommonsensethatdifferentcountrieshavedifferentcultures.Tablemanners,asakindofsocialcustoms,aredeeplyinfluencedbycultureandvaryinmanydifferentkindsofareas.Chinahascharacteristictablemannerswithalonghistory,andwesterncountriesalsohavetheirowntablemanners.Tosomedegree,havinggoodtablemannersisasymbolofanation'scivilizationandanexpressionofaperson'smoralcultivation.DifferencesofTableMannersbetweenChinaandWest3Chapter3CulturalDifferencesofTableManners3.1ArrivingTimeAsweallknowthatChinesepeopleoftenarrivehalfanhourlaterthanthepredictedtimeandthehostalsoseemstohavepreparesforthat.Whentheyarewaitingforotherguests,thehostalwaysarrangessomegamessothattheguestswhocomeearlierwouldnotfeelboring.Whileinwesterncountries,peopledothingsstrictlyandalltheactivitiesbeginontime.Peopleshouldarriveatthepartyontimeespeciallytheformalbanquets.Itisconsideredasimpoliteandcontemptforthehostandotherguestsifonearrives10minuteslater.3.2SeatArrangementInChinesetablemanners,seatingarrangementisthemostimportantpart.Theseatofhonor,reservedforthebanquet’smasterorthehigheststatus’sguest,isinthecenterfacingeastorfacingthedoor.Andtheotherhigherpositionguestssitclosertothemasterofthebanquet.Thelowestpositionguestssitfurthestfromtheseatofhonor.Ifitisaroundtable,theonefacingthedooristheguestofhonor.Theseatsonthelefthandaresecond,andtheninturnfourthandsixthandsoon.Theguestsontherighthandarethesame.Whileinwesterncountries,itisdifferent.Whenthehostessannounceddinnerisready,malehostwillleadgueststothetableinturn,andthehostesswalksbehindthem.Somehostwillalsoplacenamecardonthetabletoshowtheseat.3.3OrderofServingDishesChinesemealsusuallybeginwithappetizers.Thereareoftenfourorfivekindsofappetizers,suchas,coldmeats,preservedeggs,smokedfishandvegetablerelishes.Allthesefoodarearrangedbeautifullyonseparatedishesorononelargeplatter.Thenthehotfoodshouldbeserved.Thereisanimportantruletoservethewholeduck,chickenandfish,whichisdon’tputtheheadandtailtothemajorseat.Afterthehotdishes,thencomesthemaincourse,rice.Atlast,dessertsandfruitsareprovidedtohelpdigestion.Inwesterncountries,thefirstdishisappetizeraswell.Theseconddishissoup.Thethirddishisfishdish.Meatandpoultrydishesisthefourthdish,whichalsoknownasthemaincourse.Andthemostrepresentativeisbeefandsteak.Saladcanbeakindofsidedish,whichcanbearrangedeitherafterorwiththemeatdish.Thesixthdishisdessert,suchaspudding,icecream,cheese,fruitandsoon.Thefinaldrinkiscoffeewithcreamorteawithsugar.DifferencesofTableMannersbetweenChinaandWest43.4TablewareChinesepeoplemainlyusebowl,chopsticksandspoons.ChopsticksarethemostimportanttablewareinChina.WhileinservingEnglishmeals,theyusesomuchtablewareswithdifferentkindsandsizes.Therearedifferentkindsofglasses,spoons,plates,bowlsandknives.Themaintablewaresinwesternareknives,forks,spoons,glassandnapkin.3.5BehaviourandCommunicationWhenonthedinnertable,Chinesepeopletalkedalotandenjoythedeliciousfoodatthesametime,whichmeansthehospitalityandsincereofhostess.Becausetheybelievethatthelivelyatmosphereonthedinnertablereflectsthecheerfulofguestsandthewarmthoffamily.Whileinwestern,duringthedinner,peopletalkedlittleandcuttheirownfoodintheplatequietly.DifferencesofTableMannersbetweenChinaandWest5Chapter4MainFactorsCausingtheDifferences4.1GeographyThegeographicallocationandtheenvironmentleadtothedifferencesbetweenChineseandwesterncultures.Peopleindifferentplaceswillhavedifferentbehavioursandcultures.4.2TraditionWiththousandsofyearsofChinesetraditionalculture,webelievethatweshouldtakecareofothersandcooperatewithothers.ChinesepeopleusecheapchopsticksastablewarewhichcanreflectChinesecollectiveconsciousness.InthebookCultureonDinnerTable,Mr.YiZhongtiansaidthatthecorethoughtofChinesecultureisgroupconsciousnesswhilethewesterncorethoughtisindividualconsciousness.Thewesternculture,tobeself-centered,theboundarybetweenpeopleisveryclearandtheyusuallydonotallowmutualinterference.Thatmakeswesterntablemannerswithoutsharingaplateoffood.Knifeandforkalsocanreflectindividualconsciousness,andnoblewestoflife.4.3CustomPeoplefromdifferentcountrieshavedifferentculturesandcustoms,especiallyintheaspectssuchasgreeting,thanks,ap