For the sake of food safety, Chinese New Year dinner may wish to be divided into meals. In ancient China, there was also a "divided meal system". In fact, the meal-sharing system and the meal-sharing system have always existed in parallel in China. As early as the Zhou Dynasty, the meal-sharing system was widespread among nobles. However, compared with the western dining table culture, the reasons for the birth of Chinese-style dining and western-style dining are completely different. Western-style dining system only became popular at the end of the Renaissance, on the one hand, because of the need of food hygiene, on the other hand, to emphasize individual independence. The Chinese-style dining system is a product of the Zhou Li era. Zhou Li has clear regulations on the walking, sitting and eating of Wang, Hou and scholar-officials, which require strict distinction. For example, it is recorded in the Book of Rites that the purpose of China ancients' separate meals system was not for hygiene, but to emphasize the status.

However, compared with noble civilians, ordinary people have little chance to eat separately. Because of the difference in individual food intake, the separate dining system needs more tableware, so in ancient times when the material was poor, separate dining was a very luxurious way of eating. Three bowls were enough for eating at home, but now nine bowls are needed.

Advantages of separate meals system

1 Separate meals can reduce the spread of infectious diseases.

The system of separate meals can control everyone's food intake, and there will be no problem that some people eat too much and some people don't eat.

There will be no problem of two people grabbing the same piece of meat in the dining system.

Disadvantages of separate meals system

1 The separate dining system always makes me feel a little dull and joyless.

Some people eat a full meal, while others eat the same part, but they don't feel full.

Some people may be in trouble if they can't eat the same thing as others due to physical reasons (weight loss, fat reduction).