In terms of food and drink, there are many taboos against the use of chopsticks by the Putian people. It is forbidden to use chopsticks to knock the head and face of babies and children to prevent accidental injury. If the chopsticks are placed flat in the mouth of the bowl, it is called "bowl mouth chopsticks", which is the same as making an expulsion order when inviting guests. Putian coastal fishermen also avoid putting chopsticks in the bowl after dinner, but put the hands of the chopsticks in the bowl around a few times, and then put down the chopsticks, saying that this is afraid of the ship running aground, the chopsticks around a few times, said the fishing boat around the reef and the shoal, and then the mooring will be stable and reliable. Before the meal, a pair of chopsticks is inserted straight into the rice, commonly known as "dead man's chopsticks", which is only done when making offerings to the dead. The chopsticks used are long and short, known as "short-lived chopsticks", and it is a popular belief that if a pregnant woman uses long and short chopsticks, the child she gives birth to will be crippled. In general, it is not recommended to use chopsticks to knock on a bowl or box. These are called "begging chopsticks" because beggars often knock on bowls and pots when begging for food, accompanied by the sound of pleading. When you hold a dish, avoid the soup drip drip table, the shape of this situation, such as tears, so it is called "tears chopsticks"; hold the dish and put it down, so-called "halfway chopsticks"; picking and choosing the fat and turn the dish is commonly known as "chaotic chopsticks". Funeral meal, the use of chopsticks must be white, such as the use of red chopsticks is a great disrespect to the deceased, but there are exceptions, such as the deceased has five generations of grandchildren, with red chopsticks to eat the funeral table, it is said that the old man has the blessing of commonly known as "eating blessings". To the family guests dining, or into the restaurant dining, eating chopsticks should not be resting on the bowl mouth, and do not have to wash dishes and chopsticks, generally by the host or the owner of the wash.
The chopsticks should be placed on the right side of the bowl, with the head of the chopsticks facing the seat, while the chopsticks should be placed with the head of the chopsticks facing the god during the rituals, avoiding putting them upside down. There is another taboo in Putian folklore, which is when to move the chopsticks. After sitting down at a banquet, you must see when the person sitting at the chief seat moves the chopsticks before the others can move them, which is also a way to honor the old and respect the wise. Dropping chopsticks during a banquet is considered unlucky, so it is better to change the chopsticks and not to bend down to pick them up. Especially at wedding feasts or during the first month of the lunar calendar, if you accidentally drop chopsticks, it is appropriate to say "happy" (the same sound as chopsticks) or "happy happy happy" in order to retrieve the good omen.
Chinese Han food taboos are popular throughout the country.
Chinese people are accustomed to eating with chopsticks, chopsticks are usually held in the right hand, it is thought that the position of the chopsticks should be moderate, and it is taboo to hold them too high or too low. Because the location of the chopsticks from the hand can be divined in the future to find a child object is far from home or near, chopsticks held too high, the object must be far from home, held too low, the object must be close to home. Some parents are afraid that their children are too far away from them, while some parents hope that their children can go far away, do not have no talent to die in their own side, so they will be on the child to take the chopsticks of the position of the various taboos.
Folk also taboo before eating with chopsticks knock empty bowl. Common thought that this is "poor gas", because the old beggars want to eat when so local knock. Chopsticks inserted in a good rice is also not allowed. It is said that this is the way to honor the ghosts and gods during the funeral, easy to make people think of the dead, is not auspicious. It is also taboo to put chopsticks across the bowl in Shandong, which is said to be a way to honor the dead. Legend has it that before the Ming Dynasty, there was a custom to put chopsticks on the bowl, and then Emperor Ming Taizu rebuked that it was an evil pattern, so it gradually became a taboo.
Henan Dancheng folk to eat with chopsticks have eight taboos: one taboo lick chopsticks; two taboos confused chopsticks, can not get the idea, holding the chopsticks at the table wandering search; three taboos move chopsticks, just ate a dish and then ate another dish, in the middle of the non-stop, do not match the rice, the four taboos sticking chopsticks, sticking to the rice of the chopsticks to clip the food; five taboos inserted chopsticks, chopsticks inserted in the rice on the Lei; six taboos across the dishes, when other people clip the dishes, cross over to clip the other dish; Seven taboos hollowing out the Lai, with chopsticks in the middle of the dish picking and eating; eight taboos picking chopsticks, picking teeth with chopsticks. These taboos are mostly related to health, modesty and politeness.