Introduction: Learning and using correct table manners is not only the need of self-image, but also the need of improving double benefits and competitiveness, so the author thinks it is necessary to learn its deep-seated reasons. Here is a brief analysis of the differences between Chinese and western table manners, hoping to help you.
First of all, China's table manners
China since ancient times? State of etiquette? 、? A place to eat gifts? . Understanding ceremony, practice ceremony, observation ceremony and attention ceremony have a long history. The Book of Rites records that "the beginning of husband's ceremony begins with diet." The earliest food ceremony was directly related to the ancient ritual of offering sacrifices to the gods. In this regard, there is a general description in the Book of Rites, to the effect that the ancestors of primitive society baked millet and pork pieces on burning stones to worship food, dug holes in the ground as wine bottles to worship drinks with their hands, and beat the earthen drums with long mallets tied with thatch to show their respect and sacrifice to ghosts and gods. Later, the food ceremony expanded from the communication between people and ghosts to the communication between people, so as to adjust the increasingly complex social relations and gradually form auspicious, fierce, military, guest and good gifts? Five pre-Qin rites? , laid the cornerstone of ancient food etiquette.
According to documents, at least in the Zhou Dynasty, a set of quite perfect food etiquette system had been formed. As a traditional banquet etiquette of the Han nationality, it has its own set of procedures: the host will invite the guests outside the door at that time. When the guests arrive, they greet each other, introduce them to the living room and provide refreshments. After the guests are seated, guide them to their seats, with the left side facing up, which is regarded as the chief. There are two seats relative to the first seat, three seats under the first seat and four seats under the second seat. When the guests are seated, the host toasts and dishes, and the guests thank each other with gifts. There is also a certain emphasis on serving wine at the dinner: respect the elders and guests first, and then the host. After the banquet, guide the guests to sit in the living room and serve tea until they say goodbye. This traditional banquet etiquette has been preserved in most parts of China, such as Shandong, Hongkong and Taiwan Province Province, and has been reflected in many film and television works. Influenced by the introduction of western food in Qing dynasty, some western food etiquette was introduced, and the exchange of Chinese and western food culture made the food etiquette more scientific and reasonable.
Table manners have special significance in China cultural tradition. In China, the dining table is not only a place to meet basic physiological needs, but also an important place for social interaction and even a place to remind people of their experiences. Table manners reflect a person's education and quality. Therefore, it is very important to observe good table manners in China.
Second, western table manners.
Western table manners originated from the Metamja dynasty in France, and at that time, inspired by Byzantine culture, a series of elaborate manners were formulated. In Charlemagne of the Roman Empire, etiquette became more complicated and even autocratic. The emperor must sit in the highest chair. Whenever the music starts, princes and nobles will hand the dishes to the emperor. /kloc-before the 0/7th century, the traditional custom was to eat with a hat on. In the imperial era, table manners were complicated and strict, and different nationalities had different dining habits. Gauls sit and eat; The Romans ate while lying down; The French have learned to put their hands on the table since childhood; British people should put their hands on their thighs when they don't eat. European table manners evolved from chivalry. /kloc-in the 0/2nd century, Italian culture flowed into France, table manners and menu language became more elegant and refined, and books teaching manners came out one after another.
Today, table manners continue to be inherited in European countries. Western families have the habit of using the dining table as a classroom.
Vulgar. Parents cultivate their children's table manners from the first day their children go to the table. In the west, children usually learn all the eating habits at the age of four. Five-year-old children are willing to do what they can, such as setting all the tableware before meals and clearing the tableware after meals. In addition, they also attach great importance to environmental education to let children know what is renewable. Environmentally friendly tableware? Which ones are non-renewable? Permanent garbage? . Educate children to use canned food as little as possible, and pay attention to saving water and electricity. Because they know? Abuse of resources means infringement of environmental protection? .
Third, the differences between Chinese and western table manners.
Table manners between China and the United States are very different, each with its own characteristics, reflecting different table manners.
(A) differences in food culture
China has always been a country of etiquette and has its own unique views on diet. Confucius said in the Book of Rites? Eat drink man woman, a person's great wish exists. ? Confucius' outlook on life: everyone's life is inseparable from two major events: diet and men and women. Therefore, China people attach great importance to diet. When entertaining guests, China hosts usually attach great importance to them. The dishes on the table are generally exquisite and precious, paying attention to the collocation and color of meat and vegetables. In families with high status or cultural level, even the names of dishes have special meanings. Western countries value time more and work on the principle of efficiency, so fast food restaurants are very popular. Even when entertaining guests, the host's preparation is very different from that in China. The main course is probably a few rare but precious vegetables.
(B) table language differences
Inviting guests to dinner is also very different. In China, even if the food on the table is dazzling, the host will say? Please forgive me for the lack of food and poor hospitality? ; And the hosts in western countries will say casually? Please help yourself to some vegetables. It looks natural and casual. At the same time, the host of China will add new dishes to the guest's bowl from time to time. Often, the guest's bowl is filled with dishes from the host, but this is very impolite in the west. The host's cloth dishes will make the guests feel that their wishes have not been respected. The atmosphere on the dining table between China and the West is completely different. People in China pay attention to liveliness, so they often talk loudly at the dinner table. Although the atmosphere is very harmonious, it seems very uncultured to westerners. Western table manners pay attention to etiquette and cultivation, and the whole dining process should be very quiet and elegant.
(3) Different seating positions
Both China and the West attach great importance to seating arrangement in banquet activities, and China people love the square table in traditional thought. At the banquet, the older elders or masters and respected people sit in the main seat, and other guests will sit in order; In western countries, it is customary to use a long table when entertaining guests. The host will sit at both ends of the table, while the guests will sit in order. This difference reflects the differences between Chinese and western concepts. People in China like the feeling of happiness, so they choose the round table. In the use of table modeling, we can see that westerners advocate self-esteem, individuality and publicity, which is in line with the characteristics of the West.
(D) The display and use of tableware are different.
Chopsticks are the most important tableware in Chinese food. When using, chopsticks must be neatly placed on the right side of the rice bowl before eating and neatly placed in the middle of the rice bowl after eating. Don't go whether there is food on the chopsticks or not.
Lick; When talking with people, put down chopsticks temporarily; Don't put chopsticks vertically on the food.
Face; Can't pick your teeth with chopsticks? Grab something other than food. Spoons are mainly used to drink soup, and sometimes they can also be used to hold smaller dishes. When taking food with a spoon, don't fill it too full, so as not to spill it and dirty the table or clothes. After taking food with a spoon, eat it immediately or put it on your plate. if
The food you take is too hot. You can put it in your own bowl and eat it when it is cold. Never blow with your mouth, put a spoon in your mouth or suck it repeatedly.
When western tableware is placed, the tray is centered, the fork is left and the knife is right, the knife tip is up and the knife edge is inward, the spoon is placed in front of the plate, the staple food is placed on the left, the tableware is placed on the right, and the other utensils are placed as appropriate. The number of wine glasses is equal to the type of wine, arranged from left to right, followed by strong wine glasses, grape wine glasses, champagne wine glasses and beer glasses. In western food, napkins are put on a plate. If you need to put something on the plate before the guests sit down, the napkin is next to the plate. Tableware should be taken from the outside to the inside, and it can be used when cutting, that is, holding a fork in your left hand and a knife in your right hand, while cutting; You can also use the Anglo-American style, that is, hold the knife in your right hand, hold the fork in your left hand, and then use the right fork after cutting &; Generally, the spoon and cup are held in the right hand, and the food is sent to the mouth with tableware instead of lifting the plate. When eating with a knife and fork, the knife is used to cut food, and the fork is used to send food into the mouth. When using a knife, the blade should not be outward, and one end of the knife and fork should not be placed on the plate and the other end on the table; When you need to put down your knife and fork temporarily when eating, you should put them on the edge of the plate in a figure of eight, with the blade facing you, indicating that you want to continue eating; After a meal, put the fork with the back facing up, the blade facing inward, and put the fork together on the plate to indicate the end of the meal. When talking with body language or passing food, you should put down your knife and fork and don't wave it in the air with your hands. After using the knife and fork, it should be placed horizontally in the center of the plate, not on the edge of the plate or on the dining table.
Third, the reasons for the differences in table manners between China and the West
(A) China and the West have different ways of thinking
Influenced by different cultural connotations, Chinese and western ways of thinking are different, which in turn further affects the development of culture. China people's thinking is comprehensive, and they pay attention to collective interests in the process of thinking, while westerners prefer analytical thinking, paying attention to the individual, individualism and ego, and paying attention to the publicity of individuality. For example, in China's class, the interpretation of the text is standardized as the understanding of paragraphs, the author's writing ideas, writing purposes and so on. And the conclusions of the same article are similar, while westerners will look for the philosophy of being a man in the article, and different people will have different views on the same article. For example, when students in China interpret Cinderella, they always agree that her stepmother and sister are bad people and Cinderella is a kind girl, while students in the West come to various conclusions: the stepmother is very kind to her children and a good mother, and it is dishonest for Cinderella to go dancing secretly when her family is away.
(B) the differences between Chinese and Western values
Values are the core of communication, and values are the patterns formed by individuals or groups mainly through cultural communication. They are the deepest culture, so our values reflect our different behaviors and thinking. China people's values are collectivism, while individualism is dominant in western thought. China people advocate the golden mean and strive to reconcile various contradictions in order to achieve a win-win result. The west, on the other hand, focuses on personal interests and pays attention to the publicity of self and personality. The difference in values has a far-reaching impact, not only in ideology, but also in the system of the whole country.
Influenced by the way of thinking and values, Chinese and western table manners are different in all aspects, which has an important impact on cross-cultural communication. Therefore, it is necessary to know each other's table manners before communicating with westerners.
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