Chinese food is different from western food, and there is great emphasis on seating. If you only know part of it, you may make mistakes. You need to know it in detail.

When banquets are held, the specific seating position on each table is also different. There are four basic methods of ranking, and they often work at the same time.

the first method is that most hosts should sit facing the main entrance and sit at the main table.

the second method is that when holding a multi-table banquet, each table must have a representative of the host of the main table present. The position is generally in the same direction as the main table owner, and sometimes it can face the main table owner.

the third method is the ranking of each table, which should be based on the distance from the owner of the table, with the nearest as the top and the far as the bottom.

the fourth method is that each table is at the same rank as the owner of the table, and the right is respected, that is, the owner of the table faces the right, the right is respected, and the left is humble.

in addition, the number of people arranged at each table should be limited to 11, preferably even. For example, six people, eight people and ten people. If there are too many people, it is not easy to take care of them, but it may also be impossible to sit down.

according to the above four ranking methods, the specific ranking of round tables can be divided into two specific situations. They are all related to theme.

the first case: the arrangement method of one theme per table. It is characterized in that there is only one host at each table, the host and guest sit at the right head, and each table has only one conversation center.

the second case: the arrangement of two themes at each table. It is characterized in that the host and wife sit at the same table, with the male host as the first host and the female host as the second host, and the guest of honor and the lady of the guest of honor sit on the right side of the male and female hosts respectively. Each table thus objectively forms two conversation centers, as shown in Figure 9-5 and Figure 9-6.

If the status of the guest of honor is higher than that of the host, to show respect, you can also arrange to sit in the host's seat and ask the host to sit in the host's seat.

1. Chopsticks

Chopsticks are the most important tableware in Chinese food. Chopsticks are usually used in pairs. When using chopsticks to pick up food and have a meal, we should pay attention to the following "small" problems:

First, don't lick whether there is food left on the chopsticks. Isn't it a bit appetizing to pick up vegetables with licked chopsticks?

Second, when talking to people, you should put down your chopsticks temporarily, and you can't dance chopsticks like a baton while talking.

thirdly, don't put chopsticks vertically on food. Because this kind of insertion is only used when paying homage to the dead.

the fourth is to strictly enforce the functions of chopsticks. Chopsticks are only used to hold food. It is impolite to use it to pick teeth, scratch or pick up things other than food.

2. Spoon

Its main function is to scoop dishes and food. Sometimes, when eating with chopsticks, you can also use a spoon to assist. Try not to use a spoon to get food. When taking food with a spoon, don't overfill it, so as not to spill it and dirty the dining table or your clothes. After scooping up food, you can "pause" for a moment in the same place, and then move back to enjoy the soup when it won't flow down again.

When you don't use the spoon temporarily, you should put it on your own plate. Don't put it directly on the dining table or let it stand at attention in food. After taking food with a spoon, eat it immediately or put it on your own plate, and don't put it back. And if the food you take is too hot, you can't scoop it with a spoon or blow it with your mouth. You can put it in your own bowl and wait for it to cool before eating. Don't put a spoon in your mouth, or suck or lick it repeatedly.

3. Plate

A slightly smaller plate is a plate, which is mainly used to hold food, and is similar to a bowl in use. Plates should generally be kept in place on the dining table and should not be piled up together.

What needs to be emphasized is a kind of dish with special use, which is called a dishware. The main function of the dish is to temporarily put the dishes taken from the public dish plate for enjoyment. When using a dish, don't take too many dishes at a time. It looks messy and like a hungry ghost reborn. Don't stack a variety of dishes together, or they will "taste" each other, which is not good-looking or delicious. Don't spit the residue, bones and thorns you don't eat on the floor and table, but gently take them and put them at the front end of the food plate. When you put them, you can't spit them directly from your mouth on the food plate, but put them next to the plate with chopsticks. If the plates are full, you can ask the waiter to change them.

4. water cup, mainly used to hold water, soda, fruit juice, cola and other soft drinks. Don't use it to hold wine, and don't invert the glass. In addition, what you drink in your mouth can't be spit back into the glass.

5. before the Chinese meal, if you are more particular, you will put a wet towel on each diner. It can only be used to wipe hands. After wiping your hands, you should put them back on the plate and take them away by the waiter. Sometimes, a wet towel will be put on before the formal banquet is over. Different from the former, it can only be used to wipe your mouth, but not your face or sweat.

6. toothpicks. Try not to pick your teeth in public. Cover your mouth with your other hand when you have to pick it up. Don't watch it in public or enter again, and don't throw it around or spit it out casually. After picking your teeth, don't hold a toothpick for a long time, let alone use it to get food.

people always think that home is only about decoration, furniture and other elements of home. In fact, our home is our life, which includes all aspects of life. The change of home is due to the change of life attitude and concept, which reflects the quality of Chinese people. Similarly, table manners can also reflect personal qualities and tastes. Moreover, China people must know a thing or two about the complicated table manners of China people, so that they can be worthy of our thousands of years of history and civilization and not be ridiculous. Table manners play a very important role in the complete life order of China people. They believe that dining is not only a way to meet basic physiological needs-but also a first-class social experience. Therefore, it is particularly important to master some Chinese catering rules. Whether you are a host or just a guest, you must master some rules. ● Round dining tables are very popular. Because more people can sit, and everyone can sit face to face, the identity of the head of the family is not clearly identified by his seat at the western long dining table. Guests should wait for the host's invitation before sitting down. The host must be careful not to ask the guests to sit near the serving table. This is a big taboo. You must wait until everyone is here before you can start any kind of dining activities-even if someone is late. Once everyone is in place, the host family can make the opening remarks. During the meal, the host must take an active role-it is completely reasonable to urge the guests to eat and drink to their fullest. A typical Chinese dining table looks quite empty, especially in the eyes of westerners. A bowl on the plate can be seen in front of each seat; On the right is a set of chopsticks and spoons, which are placed on their respective seats. On formal occasions, napkins will appear, mainly on the knees.

China ancient and modern table manners

The problem of dining etiquette has a long history. According to literature records, at least in the Zhou Dynasty, the catering etiquette had formed a fairly perfect system, especially praised and respected by Confucius, who was once a wine-offering ceremony in Lu, and became an important aspect of showing the appearance of a great country, a state of etiquette and a place of civilization in successive dynasties.

As a traditional ancient banquet etiquette of the Han nationality, it has its own set of procedures: the host invites guests outside the door temporarily. When the guests arrive, they exchange greetings, introduce them into the living room and offer refreshments. After the guests are seated, the guests are guided to the table, with the left as the top, which is regarded as the chief. There are two seats relative to the first seat, three seats below the first seat and four seats below the second seat. The guests sit down, the host toasts the dishes, and the guests thank each other with gifts. There is also a certain emphasis on serving wine during the dinner: the elders and guests should be respected first, and the host should be the last. After the banquet, guide the guests to sit in the living room and serve tea until they say goodbye. This traditional banquet etiquette remains intact in most parts of China, such as Shandong, Hongkong and Taiwan Province, and it is reflected in many film and television works.

influenced by the introduction of western food in Qing dynasty, some western etiquette was introduced. Such as serving dishes, soup and wine, are also introduced into Chinese etiquette because of reasonable and hygienic eating methods. The exchange of Chinese and western food culture makes the catering etiquette more scientific and reasonable.

The modern Chinese banquet etiquette is developed on the basis of continuing the tradition and referring to foreign etiquette. Its seating is based on the principle that the right is the highest in western banquets. The first guest of honor is seated on the right side of the host, and the second guest of honor is on the left side of the host or the right side of the first guest of honor. The wine is served on the right side of the guest, first the guest of honor, then the host, first the female guest and then the male guest. Pour eight points of wine, not too full. The order of serving is still traditional, cold first and then hot. Hot dishes should be on the left side of the seat opposite the guest of honor; Serve single dishes or side dishes, snacks before guests, whole chicken, whole duck, whole fish and other plastic dishes, not head and tail facing the main position. These procedures can not only make the whole banquet process harmonious and orderly, but also reflect and communicate the identity and feelings of the host and guest. Therefore, the etiquette above the dining table can make the banquet activities complete and comprehensive, so that the cultivation of both the host and the guest can be fully displayed.

introduction to table manners in China

table manners play a very important role in the complete life order of China people. They believe that dining is not only a way to meet basic physiological needs-it is also a first-class social experience. Therefore, it is particularly important to master some Chinese catering rules. Whether you are a host or just a guest, you must master some rules.

● Round dining tables are very popular. Because more people can sit, and everyone can sit face to face, the identity of the head of the family is not clearly identified by his seat at the western long dining table. Guests should wait for the host's invitation before sitting down. The host must be careful not to ask the guests to sit near the serving table. This is a big taboo.

you can't start any kind of dining activities until everyone is here-even if someone is late. Once everyone is in place, the host family can make the opening remarks. During the meal, the host must take an active role-it is completely reasonable to urge the guests to eat and drink to their fullest.

● A typical Chinese dining table looks quite empty, especially in the eyes of westerners. A bowl on the plate can be seen in front of each seat; On the right is a set of chopsticks and spoons, which are placed on their respective seats. On formal occasions, napkins will appear, mainly on the knees.

at a formal banquet, the way to eat dishes is much like a slide show, one dish at a time. Surprisingly, rice is not the same as the dish, but you can choose to eat it together. Because the dishes have their own characteristics, they should be tasted individually, and only one kind should be eaten from the bowl at a time, not mixed. Don't eat with plates, only with bowls. Bones and crustaceans are placed in separate plates. Dirty dishes must always be replaced with clean ones.

● Chopsticks are used for all food except soup. Knives may be provided, but as people from China, it is best to use chopsticks. Chopsticks are tools for eating, so don't play with them-it's very rude to use them as drumsticks, and you can't point or gesture with chopsticks. Of course, you must never suck chopsticks or stick them in rice. This is a big taboo-it is just like a candle at a funeral and is considered unlucky. Moreover, you should not keep turning around in a dish with chopsticks. You should first look at the food you want to take with your eyes. When you use chopsticks to get a piece of food, try to avoid touching other foods. If possible, use the chopsticks and spoons beside you. After eating or taking food, put the chopsticks back in the chopsticks seat.

● A Chinese restaurant is not formal without tea. Therefore, it is wise to store different kinds of tea as much as possible to ensure that the most astute tastes are taken care of. There are several key things that should be paid attention to about tea. The person who sits next to the teapot should be responsible for pouring tea for others and himself-the order of pouring tea is according to the age, from the oldest to the youngest, and finally for himself. When someone pours tea for you, it is polite to tap the table with your fingers, which is to express gratitude and respect to the tea pourer.

Dining is a top priority for home life, which reflects personal quality and taste.

Keep your eyes on the food before you can move your chopsticks.

The order of pouring tea is very particular, with long before young, and women before men.

There are reasons for holding a banquet.

China people have always put food first. Apart from meeting people's basic needs, diet is also adhering to traditional customs and feasting before gathering at the dinner table. The reason for holding a banquet can be celebration or sorrow. Every Lunar New Year, wedding, China festivals such as Mid-Autumn Festival, etc., people in China will gather at the dinner table to celebrate the festival. On the other hand, if someone dies, the bereaved family will hold a "consolation wine" after the funeral to entertain relatives and friends who attended the funeral and thank them. It can be seen that China people attach great importance to sharing joy and sorrow before gathering at the dinner table.

Kitchen God

China people not only respect the art and etiquette of eating very much, but even worship the kitchen god, which is derived from Vulcan. They think that the kitchen god can protect the kitchen from fires and all kinds of unfortunate events. Every year on December 24th of the lunar calendar, every family prepares a delicious meal to worship the kitchen god, including a complete chicken, roast pigs, various vegetables and so on. They usually put the dining table in front of the "kitchen", put the delicacies on the left side of the table, and offer sacrifices for several hours before taking away the food.

What is the relationship between eating etiquette and superstition?

When guests dine at the same table with traditional China families, they must respect their culture, manners and customs, and be careful not to violate various taboos when eating, because China people think that diet is almost closely related to their personal destiny, and if they violate taboos when eating, it will bring bad luck. For example, when eating fish, don't turn the whole fish over to the other side with chopsticks. They think that if the fish is broken when turning over, it will mean that the fishing boat will sink. This is because Hong Kong was a fishing port in the early days, and fishermen were very concerned about the safe navigation of ships. In addition, China people never serve seven dishes for dinner, because the "comfort wine" after the funeral must have seven dishes; Chopsticks should not be inserted vertically into the center of the bowl of rice, because it is a bit like worshipping ancestors; Don't say "I'm finished eating" after eating, which means that I'm dead and won't have another chance to eat, but should say "I'm full"; Avoid making noise when chopsticks touch the rice bowl when eating, which is not only impolite, but also means "no food to eat"; To cultivate the habit of eating all the rice in the bowl, not a grain of rice can be left in the rice bowl, otherwise the future wife or husband will be "scarred" and will not respect the hard-working farmers. These superstitious dietary customs have been passed down to this day, and they are still more or less the dietary etiquette of China people.

dining customs

In terms of the way of eating, China people are a little different from westerners. Westerners like to taste the food placed in front of them, while China people have certain dining rules. They like to order several dishes of delicious food and put them in the center of the dining table, and each person has a bowl of rice? These dishes can be added after the meal; Picked-up dishes are usually put in your own rice bowl first, so it is impolite to put them directly in your mouth. According to the usual practice, guests will not eat all the dishes on the table when attending formal or traditional dinners, so as not to make the host family mistakenly think that the dishes are not well prepared and feel embarrassed.

Dining table decoration

The decoration of daily meals is to put a rice bowl, a pair of chopsticks, a spoon and a dish of sauce on each seat. After eating, guests are usually given a hot towel to wipe their hands and mouths instead of paper towels. All dishes are served in the center of the table at the same time, and each person uses his own chopsticks to directly pick up food from the dishes enjoyed by each dish; On the end of a big pot of soup, everyone drinks a pot of soup. Guests can definitely take a trick to "fly an elephant across the river" when eating, and put it away.