Dinner parties are a powerful tool for bonding emotions. This is a universal truth.
Formal dinner is an important part of the social life of Oxford University. Teachers and students exchange academic knowledge, talk about life, ideals, and share gossip at the dinner table. In the evening, groups of "black-clad knights" appeared at the entrance of each college, separated by Yushu Linfeng's young man and the slim and sexy girl. Everyone was rushing to attend the college dinner.
The young man is wearing a neat suit. If there is a gust of wind, the two wings of his gown will fly up in the wind, which makes him look like a fairy. The girl was dressed in a gorgeous dress, with flowers blooming inside and a solemn black robe on the outside. Everyone lined up to enter the dining room with simple and complicated decorations. The candlelight flickered on the long wooden table, and the faces of the people in the paintings on the wall were uncertain in the hesitant light. The tableware on the table is printed with the college's emblem, and even the glass bottles for water are customized by the college. Most colleges also have custom-made red wine. I have seen a friend collect dozens of college wine bottles.
There is a high table across the front of the dining room, where the professors and leaders of the college enjoy the food in a condescending manner. The perks of the High Table include finer food and wine, as well as priority for students to leave after the High Table members leave. Occasionally, lucky students are invited by their instructors to sit at the high table, where they can enjoy more delicious food and a commanding view. Before the meal, a member of the High Table recited a Latin prayer. The students lowered their heads in confusion, waiting to say "Amen". There are choirs for special occasions.
One time I was invited by a friend to a special dinner at Keble College. Before the meal, the choir sang melodiously accompanied by the organ. Dinners usually have three courses, with soup, salad or cold cuts as an appetizer, steak or fish as the main course, and various cakes and pastries as dessert. The most delicious appetizer I have ever had was a salad of asparagus and Parma ham, and the most amazing main course was a tender and delicious combination of pork, lamb and chicken.
A friend with a doctorate invited me to a Senior Formal Dinner in Lady Margaret Hall. The special thing was that there were two desserts. After finishing a dessert similar to steamed peaches with rock sugar, everyone was taken to an elegant small room to start eating the second dessert. The table was piled with chocolate, cheese and fruit, and the waiter served everyone liqueur. After the second dessert, everyone was invited to the public activity room for tea and coffee. There was a small cart parked in the center of the room, with more than twenty bottles of wine on it. All the guests were seen changing glasses, their faces were rosy, and their eyes were shining with sugar and alcohol. Dinner parties in Oxford are the most talked about topic among Oxford people. Bright clothes, good food and wine, ancient customs, gorgeous dining rooms and interesting guests make the dining experience in Oxford outstanding.