Etiquette requirements and taboos for Chinese banquets
Etiquette requirements and taboos for Chinese banquets. Table manners occupy a very important position in many etiquette orders in China. Meals are not just for eating. , is also used for socializing. Let me share with you the etiquette requirements and taboos of Chinese banquets. I hope it can be helpful to everyone~
Chinese banquet etiquette requirements and taboos 1
1. Master the seating etiquette
First invite the guests to sit next to the guests, then ask the elders to sit next to the guests, take their seats in turn, and finally sit on the seat closest to the door. If you are bringing a child, place the child next to you after you sit down. When seated, enter from the left side of the chair. After sitting down, sit up straight and do not lower your head. Keep the distance between the dining table and your body at 10-20 centimeters. Don't move your chopsticks immediately after sitting down, let alone make any noise, and don't get up and move around. If something happens, say hello to the host. Before using chopsticks, you should express your appreciation to the host or person holding the spoon for their superb skills, thoughtful arrangements, warm invitation, etc.
2. Be consistent with dining etiquette
When dining, ask guests and elders to use chopsticks first. When adding dishes, eat less at a time. Eat less dishes that are far away from you. Don't make any noise when drinking soup, and don't make any noise when drinking soup. It's best to use a spoon to drink in small sips. It's not advisable to bring the bowl to your mouth to drink. When the soup is too hot, drink it after it has cooled down. Don't blow and drink at the same time. Some people like to chew food hard when eating, especially chewing crispy food hard, making a very clear sound. This behavior is not in line with etiquette requirements. Especially when eating with others, you should try to prevent this phenomenon. When some people drink soup, they blow hard with their mouths and make a whooshing sound, which is also not in line with etiquette requirements.
3. Pay attention to table taboos
Do not burp or make other sounds while eating. If you make involuntary sounds such as sneezing or bowel sounds, say "Really!" Say something like "I'm sorry", "I'm sorry", "Please forgive me" to express your apology.
If you want to serve dishes to guests or elders, it is best to use public chopsticks. You can also bring dishes far away from the guests or elders to them. According to the custom of our Chinese nation, dishes are served one by one. If there are leaders, elderly people, and guests at the same table, whenever a new dish is served, ask them to use their chopsticks first, or ask them to use their chopsticks first in turn, and then Show respect and attention to them.
When eating fish heads, fish bones, bones, etc., do not spit them out or throw them on the ground. You should slowly take them to your own plate or put them on your dining table. side, or place on prepared paper.
4. Make your eating appearance elegant.
Take time to chat with the people around you in a timely manner to lighten the atmosphere. Don't just eat with your head down, not caring about others, don't gorge yourself on a big meal, and don't be greedy for drinks. It is best not to pick your teeth at the dinner table. If you want to pick your teeth, cover your mouth with a napkin.
It is necessary to clarify the main task of this meal. Nowadays, the business world is booming, and many business deals are concluded at the dinner table. Therefore, it is necessary to make it clear whether business is the main focus, emotional connection is the main focus, or eating is the main focus. If it's the former, you should pay attention when arranging seats, so that the main negotiators' seats are close to each other to facilitate conversation or emotional communication; if it's the latter, just pay attention to common sense etiquette. Focus on appreciating the dishes.
When you leave the table at the end, you must express your gratitude to the host, or invite the host to your home later to express your gratitude.
In short, when dining with guests, elders and other people, you should make them feel relaxed, happy and harmonious. In ancient my country, there was a so-called standing phase, a sitting phase, an eating phase, and a sleeping phase. The dining etiquette mentioned here refers to the appearance of eating. To make the eating appearance elegant, it not only meets the requirements of etiquette, but also is conducive to the inheritance and development of our country's food culture.
5. Pay attention to seat allocation
In Chinese food etiquette, where you sit is very important. The main seat must be the person who pays the bill. The main seat refers to the person farthest from the door. In the very center of the room, opposite the main seat sits the inviter's assistant. The guest of honor and the deputy guest of honor sit on the right and left of the inviter respectively, ranking third, and the fourth guest sits on the assistant. the right and left sides. It is considered rude to let the inviter and the guest sit facing each other, or to let the guest sit at the main table. Chinese culture does not make guests feel nervous. The inviter can designate the guest's seat, and his subordinates or juniors can also be placed in a more important position than himself. By assigning seats, the Chinese imply who is most important to them.
6. Pay attention to the reasons for holding banquets, which may be happy or sad
Chinese people have always put food first. In addition to meeting people’s basic needs, food is also a way to uphold traditional customs and gather together. Eat happily at the dinner table. The reason for hosting a banquet can be celebration or mourning. During the Lunar New Year, weddings, Chinese festivals such as the Mid-Autumn Festival, etc., the Chinese family will gather at the dinner table to celebrate the festival; but on the other hand, if someone dies, the bereaved family will have a "symbol wine" after the funeral. Treating relatives and friends who attended the funeral to a banquet to express gratitude to them shows that Chinese people attach great importance to gathering together at the dinner table to share joy and sorrow. Chinese banquet etiquette requirements and taboos 2
Six taboos in Chinese banquet etiquette 1. Seating
Generally speaking, the seating arrangement is "to the left and to the east" and "to face the door is to respect the east". ". If it is a round table, the one facing the door is the host and guest, and the positions to the left and right of the host and guest are based on the distance from the host and guest. The closer the host and guest are, the more respectable they are. At the same distance, the left side is more respected than the right side. If it is the Eight Immortals table, if there are seats facing the door, the right seat on the side facing the door will be the host and guest. If it is not facing the gate, the right seat on the side facing east is the chief.
If it is a big banquet, the arrangement between the tables should be such that the chief guest is in the front and center, with seats 2, 4, and 6 on the left, and seats 3, 5, and 7 on the right. The seats are divided according to the identity and status of the host and guest. sit.
If you are the host, you should arrive early, wait near the door, and lead the guests to their seats. If you are an invitee, you should follow the host's seating arrangements.
Generally speaking, if your boss is present, you should lead the boss to the main seat and ask the highest-ranking customer to sit on the left side of the main seat. Unless the person being entertained this time has a very high leadership level.
Six taboos in Chinese food etiquette 2. Ordering
If time permits, you should wait until most of the guests have arrived, then circulate the menu to the guests and ask them to order. . Of course, as a business banquet, you will worry about the budget. Therefore, to control the budget, the most important thing for you is to do more homework before the meal. It is more important to choose a suitable banquet venue, so that the guests can also fully understand your intention. Budget. Moreover, generally speaking, if you pay the bill and the guests are too embarrassed to order, they will let you make the decision. If your boss is also at the banquet, don't let him/her order food because you respect him or think that he has rich social experience and eats a lot at the banquet, unless he/she takes the initiative. Otherwise, he will feel unworthy.
If you are a dinner party, you should know that you should not take the initiative when ordering, but let the host take the order. If the other party asks kindly, you can order a dish that is not too expensive and not everyone's taboo. Remember to ask the opinions of people at the table, especially asking "Is there anything you don't eat?" or "What do you prefer to eat?" to make everyone feel taken care of. After ordering, you can ask for instructions, "I've ordered something, but I don't know if it suits everyone's taste," "Would you like anything else," etc.
When ordering, be sure to know what to expect. When ordering, you can follow the following three rules:
Take a look at the composition of the staff. Generally speaking, one dish per person is a more general rule. If it is a dinner party with more men, the amount can be increased appropriately.
Second, look at the combination of dishes. Generally speaking, it is best to have meat and vegetables, cold and hot dishes on a table, and try to be as comprehensive as possible.
If there are many men at the table, you can order more meat dishes; if there are more women, you can order more light vegetable dishes.
Third, look at the importance of banquets. For an ordinary business banquet, the average price of a dish is about 50 yuan to 80 yuan, which is acceptable. If the banquet is for a relatively important person, then order a few dishes of sufficient portions, such as lobster, saury, anchovies, and a larger size, such as abalone, fin powder, etc.
Another thing to note is that when ordering, you should not ask the waiter for the price of the dishes or bargain. This will make your company look a bit petty in front of customers, and customers will also feel uncomfortable.
Six major taboos in Chinese food etiquette 3. Eating vegetables
Chinese people are generally very particular about eating, and they are also very particular about the way they eat. As workplace etiquette becomes more and more important, eating and eating habits at business dinners are becoming more particular. The following takes Chinese food as an example to teach you how to be polite and skillful at the dinner table.
At the beginning of a Chinese banquet, the first wet towel given by the waiter is for wiping your hands. Do not use it to wipe your face. When lobster, chicken, and fruit are served, a small watermelon will be served, with lemon slices or rose petals floating in it. It is not a drink, but a hand wash. When washing your hands, you can take turns to wet your fingers with both hands, rinse them gently, and then dry them with a small towel.
Be civilized and polite when dining. When dealing with foreign guests, do not repeatedly persuade them to eat. Instead, introduce the characteristics of Chinese food to them, and it is up to them whether they want to eat it or not. Some people like to ask others for food, or even pick up food for them. Foreign guests don’t have this habit. If you keep being polite, they might get offended and say, “I said I won’t eat, so why do you have to force me to do it?” By analogy, when attending a banquet hosted by foreign guests, don’t expect the host to give you food repeatedly. If you wait for others to provide you with food, you will have no choice but to be hungry.
Pay attention to the following points when eating:
1. When eating, ask the elderly among the guests to use chopsticks first. Eat less food each time, and eat less food that is far away from you. Don't make any noise when eating, and don't make any noise when drinking soup. Drink the soup in small sips with a spoon. It is not appropriate to bring the bowl to your mouth. Drink, when the soup is too hot, drink it after cooling it down, don't drink it while blowing. Some people like to chew crispy food hard and make very clear sounds when eating. This behavior is not in line with etiquette requirements. Especially when eating with others, you should try to prevent this phenomenon.
2. Do not burp or make other sounds while eating. If you make involuntary sounds such as sneezing or bowel sounds, say "I'm sorry", "I'm sorry", "Please forgive me". "Such words as an apology.
3. If you want to serve dishes to guests or elders, it is best to use serving chopsticks. You can also bring dishes far away from the guests or elders to them. According to the custom of our Chinese nation, dishes are served one by one. If there are leaders, elderly people, and guests at the same table, whenever a new dish is served, ask them to use their chopsticks first, or ask them to use their chopsticks in turns to express their gratitude. Attention to them.
4. When you eat fish heads, fish bones, bones, etc., do not spit them out or throw them on the ground. You should slowly take them into your own plate or put them close to you. Serve at the table or on prepared paper.
5. Take time to chat with the people around you in a timely manner to adjust the atmosphere. Don’t eat bare-headed, ignore others, and don’t wolf down a meal, let alone Greedy for drinking.
6. When bringing food to the entrance, the elbows should be leaned inward and should not be spread out to the sides and touch the neighbors.
7. If you encounter an accident and accidentally spill wine, water, or soup on other people's clothes, just apologize. Don't panic and apologize, which will embarrass the other person.
8. Do not persuade others to drink, do not take off your clothes in public, and do not discuss disgusting things. You should avoid talking to others or toasting others while they are chewing food. If the host cooks the food himself, don't forget to praise him.
9. It is best not to pick your teeth at the dining table. If you want to floss your teeth, cover your mouth with a napkin or your hand.
10. Clarify the main tasks of this meal.
It is necessary to make it clear whether it is mainly about talking about business, whether it is mainly about keeping in touch with each other, or whether it is mainly about eating. If it is the former, you should pay attention when arranging the seats. Place the seats of the main negotiators close to each other to facilitate conversation or emotional communication. If it's the latter, just practice common sense etiquette and focus on appreciating the dish.
11. After the meal, you can wipe your mouth with a napkin, napkin or a small towel given by the waiter, but you should not wipe your head, neck or chest; do not burp or belch uncontrollably after the meal. Guests cannot leave the table without signaling the end.
Six Taboos in Chinese Dinner Etiquette 4. Drinking
As the saying goes, wine becomes thicker the more you drink it, but there are also many cultural considerations on the wine table. The following summarizes some wine tables The little details you have to pay attention to.
Detail 1: After the leaders finish drinking each other, it is their turn to toast. When toasting, you must stand up and raise the glass with both hands.
Detail 2: Many people can respect one person, but one person must not respect many people, unless you are a leader.
Detail 3: Respect others by yourself. If you don’t clink glasses, how much you drink depends on the situation, such as the other person’s drinking capacity and attitude towards drinking. You must not drink less than the other person. You must know that you are honoring others. .
Detail 4: When you are toasting others, if you clink glasses and say, "I'll finish the drink, you can do whatever you want" to show your generosity.
Detail 5: Remember to add more wine to the leader or customer. Don’t blindly substitute wine for the leader. Even if you want to replace the leader, you must also pretend that you are doing it because the leader or customer really wants to find someone to replace you. Drink instead of drinking to drink for the leader. For example, if leader A is too drunk, he can stop the people who are about to pay respect to leader A by making insinuations.
Detail 6: Pick up the wine glass (beer glass), hold the glass with your right hand, and place the bottom of the glass with your left hand. Remember that your own glass is always lower than others. If you are a leader, be wise and don't put yourself too low, otherwise how can you be called a person below?
Detail 7: If no special person is present, it is best to drink in clockwise order, and do not favor one over another.
Detail 8: Clink glasses and toast with words, otherwise, why would I want to drink your wine?
Detail 9: Don’t talk business on the table, just drink. The business is almost done, and everyone understands it in their hearts, otherwise they wouldn't be open to drinking with you.
Detail 6: If, purely if, you encounter a situation where there is not enough wine, put the wine bottle in the middle of the table and let people refill it. Don’t be stupid and rubbish and pour the wine one by one, otherwise the people behind you will What to do if there is no wine?
About toasting
1. The host toasts the guest of honor.
2. Accompany the guests and respect the guest of honor.
3. The guest of honor returns the favor.
4. Respect each other when accompanying guests.
Remember: When you are a guest, you must not make a toast indiscriminately. That is very impolite and disrespectful to the host.
Six Taboos in Chinese Food Etiquette 5. Pour Tea
The tea-pouring knowledge mentioned here applies not only to customers visiting the company, but also to business tables.
First of all, the tea set should be clean. After the guests enter the room, first let them sit and prepare tea. Before making tea, be sure to wash the tea sets, especially tea sets that have not been used for a long time. They will inevitably be stained with dust and dirt, so they should be washed carefully with clean water. It is best to scald the teapot and teacup with boiling water before making or pouring tea. In this way, you pay attention to hygiene and appear polite. It is impolite to pour tea for guests regardless of whether the tea set is clean or not. People feel nauseated when they see stains on teapots and teacups, so why are they still willing to drink your tea? Nowadays, most companies use disposable cups. Before pouring tea, be sure to put a coaster on the disposable cup to avoid The water was so hot that the guests were unable to hold a cup of tea for a while.
Secondly, the amount of tea should be appropriate. Let’s talk about tea first, generally it should be appropriate. Tea should not be too much or too little. If there are too many tea leaves, the tea flavor will be too strong; if there are too few tea leaves, the brewed tea will have no flavor. If the guest takes the initiative to introduce his habit of drinking strong or light tea, then make the tea according to the guest's taste.
Besides, when pouring tea, whether it is a large or small cup, it is not advisable to pour it too full. If it is too full, it will easily overflow and wet the table, stools, and floor. If you are not careful, you may burn yourself or your guests' hands and feet, making both the host and guest feel embarrassed. Of course, it is not advisable to pour too little. If the tea is served to guests only covering the bottom of the cup, it will make people feel that it is pretentious and not sincere.
Once again, serving tea must be done correctly. According to the traditional habits of our people, as long as the hands are not disabled, tea is served to guests with both hands. However, some young people now do not understand this rule and make trouble by handing the tea to the guests with one hand. You should also be careful when serving tea with both hands. For tea cups with cup lugs, you usually hold the cup lugs with one hand and hold the bottom of the cup with the other hand to serve the tea to the guests. After filling a teacup with no ears, the whole body will be hot and it is difficult to get close to it with hands. Some comrades just hold the edge of the cup with their fingers and serve it to the guests. Although this method of serving tea can prevent burn accidents, it is unsightly and not hygienic enough. Please imagine, how comfortable it would be to have the guest's mouth lick the host's finger marks?
Add some tea. If your boss or client needs more tea in their cup, you have to do it. You can signal the waiter to refill the tea, or ask the waiter to leave the teapot on the table. Even better, you can refill it yourself. This is the best way to hide when you don't know what to say. Of course, when adding tea, you should add tea to your boss and customers first, and then to yourself last.
Six taboos in Chinese dining etiquette 6. Leaving the table
Generally, cocktail parties and tea parties last for a long time, about two hours or more. Maybe after walking around a few times and recognizing some people, you soon want to leave. At this time, you must not understand some techniques for leaving the meeting midway.
It is common that when a banquet is in full swing, everyone will break up because someone wants to leave, making the host really anxious. To avoid this unpleasant consequence, when you are about to leave midway, never say goodbye to everyone in the conversation circle. Just say hello quietly to the two or three people around you, and then leave.
When leaving the reception in the middle, you must explain and apologize to the host who invited you, and do not disappear in a flash.
After greeting the host, you should leave immediately. Do not drag the host to chat endlessly at the gate. Because the other party has a lot to do that day, and there are many guests waiting for him or her to greet you. If you take up too much of the host's time, it will cause him or her to be rude in front of other guests.
Some people attend a cocktail party or tea party. When they are about to leave in the middle, they will ask everyone they know if they want to go together. As a result, the originally lively scene ended early due to her instigation. This kind of trouble is the hardest thing to be forgiven by the host of the banquet. A person with good manners must never make this mistake.