Table Manners Between China and America

Table Manners between China and America Manners reflect one’s personality. Table manners are art that reveals one’s culture. There are many table manners around the world. It is also necessary to learn more table manners because of the rapid process of globalization. Using utensils, eating gestures, and serving food are different between China and merica. !rist, using the utensils is different between China and merica. In the United "tates, people would li#e to put their plate on the table when they are eating. $n the contract, contract, people in China would hold the bowl close to their mouth when they are eating, which is a polite action. %hen setting the bowl for the guest, it is impolite in setting them parallel, which represents the bad luc#. &eople in merica only use the spoon to eat dessert or drin# soup, and they usually use the for# and #nife to eat entrees, but in China people prefer to eat with chopstic#s and spoons. In addition. It is rude if chopstic#s are stuc# straight up in the bowl' because it ma#es the bowl similar to the tomb and Chinese people do not li#e it. "econd, the gesture when eating is different from China to merica. &eople in merica will thin# that it is rude to ma#e the sound made from chewing. chewing. (ut In China, if you are eating with a loud sound, it will not be criticized, at the same time, the host will thin# that you must love the food, and which will satisfied the host. In merica, when having a party, it is liberal to leave before others leave, but in China, people should not leave before all the people have already finished their meal. (ecause leaving the table early might be considered you do not respect other people. Third, the table manner of serving food is different from merica to China. &eople always serve food for themselves in merica although their relationship is really close. Chinese people li#e to serve guests food many times, and each time they might ma#e the guest’s bowl full of food in order to let the guests eat more and show their respect to the guests. $n the other hand, if the host serves a drin#, you can re)ect it in merica, but in China, you have to drin# when the host gives you some beverages, although you might not really want to drin#. (ecause you have to respect the host in table. In addition, if you want to cooperative with the host, the host might want to cooperative with you because of your genuineness. $verall, the table manner are different between China and merica. nd it is also an essential #nowledge to help you to understand other country’s culture. !urthermore, as long as you master  this #nowledge, some aw#ward situations can be prevented.

Chinese and merican Table Manners !or people around the world today, eating is life. (ut you cannot eat in whatever ways you li#e, for you might bother someone else on the eating table. That’s why there are table manners* a type of eti+uette used when eating. ifferent cultures have different standards for table manners.  nd ne-t, we are going to compare the Chinese table manner and the merican one. !irst, let us begin with their similarities. Chinese people put communal chopstic#s on the shared plates of  food, while the merican uses for#s and spoons as communal utensils on the dishes li#e the salad bowl. nother thing in common is that they both forbid the playing with utensils. ou cannot wave them or bang them li#e drumstic#s, or use them to move the plates. our two hands are as#ed to be in use. /old your bowls in the Chinese cult ure or grab the for# and #nife with your hands in the merican customs. o not let any of your hands does nothing but lay it on the table. If you want to place your hand on the table, put it aside your plate. (ut these rules would be a demand too harsh in casual situations li#e eating at home. There are too many differences between Chinese and  merican table manners. (efore presenting the differences, we would li#e to introduce some of  Chinese special manners. %e should decide what to pic# up before reaching for the food with chopstic#s. o not hover around or po#e loo#ing for special ingredients. fter you have pic#ed up an item, do not put it bac# on the dish. In addition, it is traditionally polite for the youngest members of the table to address each and everyone of the elder members of the table before a meal starts and literally tell them to 0eat rice1, which means 0go ahead and start the meal1. This is a sign of respect to the elderly as they play important roles in Chinese traditional society. The differences e-isted between Chinese and merican table manners are much more than similarities. !irst of all, merican consider spea#ing loudly with mouth opened, seeing the food that you are chewing in the mouth as improper and rude. (ut in Chinese culture, we often see people spea#ing loudly with each other when eating' it is totally acceptable. !urthermore, it even loo#s aw#ward for the Chinese when family and friends sit together at a dinning table without any conversation' this silent situation may be reagarded as speechless and will ma#e the party feels embarrassed. "econdly, the dinning utensils used by the merican, usually for#s, can be held by both right and left hands. /owever, Chinese people consider holding chopstic#s with left hand as impolite. Therefore, even if you are a left2handed person, you still have to use your right hand. $ne possible e-planation for this restriction is that if there are someone using right hand and the other using left hand, their  chopstic#s may collide with one another' this is a sign of conflict and should be prevented. Thirdly, there is a very strict cultural taboo in Chinese table manner* never stab chopstic#s into a bowl of rice and let them stand upwards.  stic# standing upwards symbolizes the incense stic#s

offered to dead people. Thus, it is very offensive for Chinese people to conduct such an act. In contrast, merican culture has no idea of incense stic#s and so it is acceptable to stab dinning utensils on food.   fourth difference between Chinese and merican table manner is regarding whether one should finish his or her food or not. !or the mericans, it is acceptable in most cases to not finish all of the food. et Chinese people have a saying that if you leave your food unfinished, you will marry a person with a poc#mar#ed face in the future. lthough a lot of people often neglect this warning, it is a virtue that is encouraged widely and educated to young children. !inally,  mericans serve their food by passing dishes around and each person ta#es his or her own portion. s for the Chinese, dishes are put on the centre of the table and are pic#ed up by the people surrounding them. Table manner is an art that reveals one’s culture. There is an old Chinese saying* eating is the priority of people. This reflects how important it is to eat properly in the right manner. 3n)oy the e-otic food and also try out the foreign table manner at the same time' you will find eating more than a routine act for survival4 Comparative 5esearch on Chinese and %estern Table Manners  bstract  s Chinese reform and opening accelerates dramatically, transnational communication also increases +uic#ly. %e must be willing to change in order to become an effective intercultural communicator. %e must be willing to communicate' have empathy toward foreign and alien cultures' develop a universalistic, realistic approach to the universe' and be tolerant of views that differ from our own. Intercultural communication offers the arena for this interpersonal contact. $ur abilities are improved according to international communication. Today transnational communication is so fre+uent that table manners become more and more important. They ma#e not only the whole dining process more harmonious but also status of hostess and customers more obvious and their communication more conve nient. Chinese and %estern table manners have many differences in such aspects as tableware, table setting, seating arrangement, behaving at the table and so on. ccording to comparative research of these differences in this paper, it can help us analyze cultural differences between Chinese and western from value concept, moral criterion, social relation, history and custom. In this paper, the author is aiming at researching comparatively on Chinese and western table manners and finding out the reasons. The purpose is to prove the importance of improving our  intercultural communication ability by means of doing the research on the different table manners and culture between China and the west.

Diferent Table Manners in China and the West Diferent Table Manners in China and the West Food is so undamental to our lie so that all the other aspects o our living are inuenced by and built on it. Healthy daily meals ensures physical tness or us to !or" and play. The diet has become part o the culture. #s culture various rom country to country$ so do table manners. %t is helpul or us to learn table manners in diferent countries$ because there are more and more international e&changes in the globali'ed !orld and ban(uet is an important part in such communication. Diet plays an important role in both China and Western countries$ but table manners vary rom country to country. %n China$ ban(uet ceremony has become an indispensible part o people)s lives. When a child is born$ parents !ill invite riends and relatives to host a cerebration$ *ater on$ !hen the child is one month old and one hundred days old$ similar celebrations !ill be held. During the process o gro!ing up$ parents !ill hold a birthday party or their children every year. +ven !hen one passes a!ay$ uneral dinners !ill be ofered by descendants to the deceased. ,n occasions such as settlement o an issue and promotion$ Chinese people !ill invite riends to dinner or celebration and e&change. %n short$ ban(uet perorms many social unctions or Chinese people. -nli"e Chinese$ people in !estern countries do not attach much importance to social unctions o diet. They thin" that diet ensures normal unction o human body. They care more about the benets o ood than its sociali'ation roles.  Table manners are closely associated !ith the characteristics o Chinese and !estern ban(uets.  There are some similarities in table manners o China and the West. These rules sho! the consensus bet!een Chinese and Westerners on the proper !ay o eating. For e&le$ it is impolite or diners to smo"e at table. mo"ing is harmul to people)s health and considered rude at ban(uet$ unless permitted. %t is advisable or people to sit straight up at the table to ma"e a good impression on others. Dinners should not tal" !ith each other !hen their mouth is ull. %t is polite #lthough there are some similarities in table manners$ more obvious diferences e&ist bet!een Chinese and Western table manners. Chinese people pay much attention to the content and arrangement o dinner. They usually provide ten or more main courses at a ormal ban(uet. The more pompous the dishes are prepared$ the more the host)s hospitality and the higher the host)s status. %n !estern countries$ a ban(uet consists o no more than si& dishes$ and it is similar to common dinner. %n the -..$ riends may contribute to a dinner. They ta"e their dishes to share !ith each other amidst /oyul e&change o ideas. What really counts is the rela&ed and cheerul atmosphere at dinner. Clearly$ !estern ban(uet symboli'es reedom and rela&ation. %n china $ any ban(uet $no matter or !hat purpose $ is held in the same !ay .That is $ people sit around a round table eating$ drin"ing and chatting. This creates an atmosphere o unity$ happiness and politeness. Delicious dishes are put in the center o the people and naturally become the media by !hich people e&change their eelings and emotions. They toast to each other and drin" to their heart)s content. %t is a symbol o great union among Chinese people. %n the !est$ people have their dinner in a completely diferent !ay. They never eat ood !hich is put in the same plate or bo!l .+ach o them has his0her o!n share o the ood placed in his0her o!n plate .This displays individualism in Western culture. Westerners encourage individual reedom and independence.  Though they also sit around a table$ each o them has his0her o!n set o table!are and o!n share

o dish. %n this !ay they do not interere each other. %t seems some!hat cheerless and cold$ though it is healthy and clean. The individual has more say on the dish they choose. For e&le$ !hen you go to a !estern restaurant and as" or a share o stea"$ the coo" may probably as" you (uestions li"e1 !ould you li"e roasted stea" or ried stea".$ ho! long do you !ant your stea" coo"ed etc.The coo" !ill prepare the stea" strictly according to your re(uest. 2esides$ seasons are usually put on the table or guests to choose. 2eore dinner$ seat should be arranged by some rules. The seating order is diferent bet!een China and the West. %n China$ senior people or people o higher social status are oten assigned the seat o honor$ or it is customary to arrange seat according to social ran" and seniority. %n eudal society$ Chinese !omen had not a single right and !ere not respected at all. They !ere$ o course$ not allo!ed to attend a ban(uet. 2ut this situation has changed a lot$ as !omen have been paid due respect no!. Today$ Chinese !omen do go to a ban(uet$ they$ ho!ever$ oten$ play a minor role at table$ especially !hen going along !ith their husbands. -nli"e Chinese$ Westerners ollo! diferent rules. They adopt the code o o 3ladies rst4 in both seat arrangement and during the dinner. When the ban(uet starts and dishes served$ the chie emale guest is the rst one to be served$ and then other emale guests. The hostess !ill be the last. #ter that$ it is the turn or male guests. When the dinner comes to an end$ others cannot leave until the hostess stands up and leaves her seat !hile gentlemen should move chairs or ladies to leave. %n addition to seating order$ the order o dish served is also diferen in China and the West. %n China$ ordered dishes are usually served all at once. The order$ ho!ever$ still e&ists. Cold dishes !ill come rst !ith drin" and !ine$ ollo!ed by hot dishes. The staple ood comes then and the desserts and ruits are served in the end. % there are many tables o guests in a ban(uet$ the same dish should be served or each table at once. %n a ormal Western cuisine$ the rst dish is usually an appeti'ing one$ such as salad. The rst plays as a "ind o prelude. The second dish is soup. When Chinese people have dinner in a oreign ban(uet$ they should never thin" that the soup means the end o the ban(uet. During dinner$ Chinese people li"e to persuade others to drin" and use their o!n chopstic"s to put ood in the plate or bo!l o guests to sho! politeness and hospitality. %n China$ it has long been held that people should not eat alone$ !ithout considering others !hen many people dine together. # person should not possess one "ind o dish totally and he should not /olt his hot dishes in order to ma"e it cool (uic"ly either$ or it is not decent and polite. %n the West$ people do not act as enthusiastically and courteously as the Chinese !hen they have a ban(uet. Westerners pay more attention to personal independence. % it is a ormal dinner by government o5cials$ huge amount o ood !ill be ordered that is impossible to nish. # typical meal begins !ith a set o at least our cold dishes$ li"e boiled peanuts and sliced coo"ed bee$ to be ollo!ed by the main courses o hot meat and vegetable dishes. Finally soup is served$ ollo!ed by staple ood$ rice$ noodles or dumplings. Chinese people tend to over6order ood$ or they !ill nd it embarrassing i all the ood is consumed. 7enerally spea"ing$ there are many taboos in Chinese table manners. ,ver time$ some have been abandoned !hile others still remain. To name a e! as ollo!s1 First$ do not stic" your chopstic"s upright in the rice bo!l. %nstead$ place them on your dish. The reason behind it is that !hen someone dies$ the shrine set up or the deceased includes a bo!l o rice !ith t!o stic"s o incense stuc" upright in it. % you put your chopstic"s upright in the rice bo!l$ it loo"s li"e something in the

shrine and thereore inauspicious. econd$ ma"e sure that the teapot spout is not acing anyone. %t is impolite to place the teapot !here its spout is acing somebody. The spout should be directed to the place not occupied by anyone. Thirdly$ do not tap on your bo!l !ith your chopstic"s. %t is inappropriate because beggars oten tap on their begging bo!ls. %t is impolite also because people may tap on their bo!ls and saucers !hen the ood comes slo!ly. % you are in someone)s home$ the tapping is insulting to the host. %n China$ i you invite people to dinner$ the person !ho invites others !ould pay or the meal. 2ut people in !estern countries usually thin" that it is not your responsibility to ma"e payment though you invite them. They may preer to go Dutch. They !ill not be happy i you pay or them. Chinese hosts and hostesses !ould li"e to put dishes into guests) plate to sho! their hospitality. %n ormal dinners$ there are al!ays 8public) chopstic"s and spoons or this purpose$ but some hosts may use their o!n chopstic"s. This is a sign o riendship and politeness. 2ut !esterners may thin" it unhealthy to do so because their chopstic"s have been used by themselves. %t is !estern practice to give tips to !aiters or !aitresses ater they have nished meals in a restaurant. % you reuse to give tips$ they !ill be unhappy because tips are a ma/or source o their income. ,n dinner tables$ the most obvious diference is the choice o their table !ares. Chinese people use chopstic"s to pic" rice and dishes$ !hereas !estern people cut ood !ith or"s. The thin and long chopstic"s cannot be used to cut ood$ so !e usually use our teeth to cut ood. We hold the ood$ meat or vegetable$ !ith chopstic"s$ deliver them to mouths$ bite of part o it and "eep the rest on the chopstic"s. That is the usual and acceptable !ay !e Chinese eat. 2ut these habits may be deemed rude in !estern countries. #mong the table!are$ "nives and or"s are t!o "inds o table !ares !ith very long history in the !est. With "nie in one hand and the or" in the other$ Westerners cut and put ood into the mouth !ith the or". This has become a daily habit o people !hen they are eating. What Chinese people care about is the delicacy o ood .They emphasi'e the idea o using some coo"ing s"ills to unite and harmoni'e the tastes o oods !hich have diferent natural properties$ Chinese people value the similarity o diferent things. #ccording to their traditional idea$ they tend to see" the relationship bet!een t!o diferent ob/ects$ and ma"e them adapt to each other. o they value the unity o diferent tastes and they al!ays try to put ood o diferent natural properties into one. #nd ood o diferent nature !ill achieve unication. ince the !esterners believe in separation o the universe and human in their cultural spirit$ they emphasi'e the orm and structure and value hygiene and nutrition. They believe in separation o the universe and human !orld. Diet o balanced nutrient is the most important concern or them. 2ut Chinese people consider it important to ma"e the proper match o ood out o a variety o ra! materials. Coo"ing o diferent ra! materials achieves a unied good taste and nice avor. Chinese !ay o coo"ing is not only to meet the physical needs but also to satisy the psychological and aesthetic needs. For e&le$ the taste o crab lobster and sea sh is completely diferent. Westerners !ill not mi& the tastes o them to prepare a dish. Thereore$ understanding o Chinese dishes rom a cultural perspective can help Westerners appreciate Chinese meals and accept Chinese table manners. Having good table manners sho! respect and decency to others !ith !hom you eat together. Chinese and !estern table manners have their o!n characteristics deeply rooted in their respective culture. Chinese table manners is the product o an agricultural society$ reecting collectivism and unity. %n contrast$ !estern table manners is the outcome o industriali'ed civili'ation$ valuing individualism and independence.

 Though table manners change over time$ much remains and calls or our attention and compliance. #s the saying goes$ !hen in 9ome$ do as the 9omans do.

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Below is a passage submitted by my friend Jane. Jane's works are in black. My corrections are in blue. I try to keep Jane's ideas and style as much as possible.  Jane has to certain extent mistaken the title as being the custom rather the etiquette between the two cultures. Etiquette means manner  礼仪 ! at a dinner table. which includes the way one eats" talks or sits at a table or time to arri#e  at a dinner or time to lea#e. $nyway" it is not an easy sub%ect. Jane has handled it quite well. In the &rst two paragraphs she is writing about the customs between the cultures" but she returns to the sub%ect at the last two paragraphs" but apparently she could not write in English. $nyway" Jane" a %ob well done.

% thin" there are big diferent eti(uette at table bet!een east and !est. First$ they use diferent utensils$ !est people use a lot o utensil li"e or" 、spoon and "nie$ but east people /ust use simple utensil$ such as chopstic"s even as %ndia$ straight use their right hand. There are diferences and similarities bet!een the eti(uette at table bet!een the eastern and !estern cultures. First o all$ let:s tal" about the diferences. The !esterners use silver!are such as or"s$ "nives and soup spoons$ !hich are made o stainless steel$ !hile easterners use chopstic"s and soup spoons ;made o porcelain