Table manners culture looks at the cultural differences in cross-cultural communication from four aspects: the differences in tableware use, seating arrangement, dining atmosphere and table discourse between Chinese and western table manners, aiming at explaining that we should treat foreign cultures with an objective, tolerant and respectful attitude while adhering to our excellent cultural traditions so that we can communicate appropriately and appropriately in cross-cultural communication. Mr. Yi Zhongtian once elaborated Chinese and Western cultures in Culture at the Table. The ideological core of China culture is "group consciousness", while the ideological core of western culture is "individual consciousness". Therefore, even if westerners invite guests to dinner, they will order their own dishes and drink their own wine, so as not to impose their will on others. China culture believes that individual will must obey the collective will. Since its purpose is to be human and blood-related, its manners and etiquette naturally value harmony. Therefore, people in China love to have dinner, enjoy food and make peace. The author thinks that in cross-cultural communication, facing a strange culture, cultural conflicts will inevitably occur in the process of communication because of different ways of thinking, living habits and behavior. First, from the perspective of tableware use, cultural differences between China and the West Chopsticks, knives and forks are the most basic differences in table manners between China and the West. Professor You Xiuling of Zhejiang University believes that the difference between eating tools, chopsticks and knives and forks between the East and the West is related to the environment. Chopsticks should originate where there is bamboo. There are many trees in the north and many bamboos in the south of China. Our ancestors used local materials, and bamboo and wood have become the most primitive raw materials for chopsticks in China. Knife and fork appeared much later than chopsticks. According to Professor You Xiuling's research, the original origin of knives and forks was related to the living habits of ancient European nomads. They immediately lived with knives and often cooked the meat and cut it to eat. Around15th century, in order to improve the posture of eating, Europeans used double-pointed forks. It was not until the18th century that there were four-pointed forks. Knife, fork and chopsticks not only bring about differences in eating habits, but also affect the life concept of eastern and western people. Professor You Xiuling believes that knives and forks will inevitably lead to the sharing system, and chopsticks will definitely match the family members sitting around the table and eating together. From the very beginning, the west divided itself into two parts, which led to the idea and habit that westerners pay attention to independence and their children will enter the world independently when they grow up. The dining system brought by chopsticks highlights the family unit where the old and the young sit together, thus giving orientals a relatively solid family concept. The author reminds that there are different norms in the use of tableware in China and the West. For example, don't play with chopsticks when eating Chinese food, and don't use chopsticks to point or gesture at people. Of course, you must never suck chopsticks or put them in rice. This is a big taboo. There are also some taboos when using knives and forks. Don't tell me what to do when you have a knife and fork in your hand. When speaking or talking, it is polite to put the knife and fork on the plate. Do not use your own tableware to pick up food for others. Don't bend down to pick up the tableware when it falls. Don't cut the food at once, especially the food with soup, eat it in small pieces and so on. Second, look at the cultural differences between China and the West from the seating arrangement. Both China and the West pay attention to the seating arrangement of formal banquet activities. Traditionally, China people treat guests with the square table. Opposite the door, the seats are on both sides. When entertaining guests, the elderly, guests or people with high status sit in the seats, the male and female hosts or accompanying guests sit down, and the rest of the guests sit in the wrong seats in order. Westerners treat guests with a long table, and the male and female hosts sit at both ends, and then arrange seats according to the order of male and female guests and ordinary guests, that is, men and women alternate, subject to the hostess's seat, the guest of honor sits at the upper right of the hostess, and the lady of the guest of honor sits at the upper right of the host. Western gentlemen who pay attention to "ladies first" will show their hospitality to ladies. In China, the left is the respect, and the right is the second; The first is respect, and the second is time; China is the most important thing, and it is second. In the west, right is the most important thing, and left is the second. Third, from the dining atmosphere, the cultural differences between China and the West are the most fundamental differences in table manners between China and the West. Differences in table atmosphere, China table moving, western table quiet. People in China take food as their greatest pleasure in life, and the ostentation and extravagance and lively atmosphere are often breathtaking. As soon as China people sit on the dining table, they will talk endlessly, offer food to each other, persuade them to drink, and enjoy delicacies and delicacies to their heart's content. This kind of banquet can reflect the enthusiasm and sincerity of the host, and the excitement at the table reflects the heartfelt joy of the diners. This kind of "noise" can to some extent reflect the "harmony" of China's warm family, harmonious neighborhood and unity of Chinese people. As soon as westerners sit on the dining table, they concentrate on quietly cutting their own dishes. Don't make noise when drinking soup. If the soup is overheated, wait until it is a little cold before eating. Don't blow it with your mouth. Shut up and chew when eating. Don't lick your lips or smack your lips. You can talk to your guests at dinner, but don't just talk to a few acquaintances. If you don't know the left and right guests, you can introduce yourself first. Don't butt in when others are talking. Keep the volume at a level that the other party can hear. Chew food without talking. Even if someone talks to you, wait until you swallow the food before you answer. IV. Cultural Differences between China and the West in Table Discourse When China people treat people to dinner, there are many dishes on the table, including at least seven or eight dishes. If it is a feast, there will be more main courses, and the more expensive and exotic dishes will show the director's hospitality and the identity of the guests. However, the host often says things like "There is no good food for everyone", "The food is not well cooked, please eat more", "Forgive me" and "I have neglected you". Western feasts are usually four to five courses, and the best amount is to finish eating or have a little surplus. If you are at home, it is best to finish all the dishes, so that the hostess will be very happy and think that everyone likes her cooking. In the face of a sumptuous banquet, the host will say "I have given everything to entertain everyone". It is easy to draw a conclusion that China people have followed the principle of "belittling themselves and respecting others" by reasoning about Chinese and Western hosts' dining table discourse. Westerners, on the other hand, emphasize the values of efficiency and pragmatism, and pay great attention to their own face needs in communication. If westerners don't talk about disgusting things at banquets, they will try their best to use subtle and elegant words instead of toilet, such as "where is it?", "where is it?" Wait. In addition, in western countries, don't ask "Have you eaten?" Such as our country's customary greetings. "Have you eaten?" It is easy to make people puzzling and even misunderstanding. For example, in Britain, if you ask someone if they have eaten, it means that you are interested in inviting them to eat; For unmarried men and women, it shows that you are interested in dating each other. All cultures in the world are equal. There is no distinction between good and bad cultures. We should avoid using our own culture, morality and values as standards to measure and judge, but adopt an objective and tolerant attitude towards foreign cultures; At the same time, we should avoid blindly following and imitating foreign cultures, but stick to our own excellent cultural traditions.