Chinese Chopstick Etiquette
Coming to China, even if you know what kung fu is, you still need to
know what chopsticks are and how to use them. Chopsticks
were invented long before kung fu.
In this section instead of writing to you in the normal format,
which is the summary and then the explanation.
I will write in a list format because it is pretty straight forward. Ok, let get started shall we.
- Chinese chopsticks consider being the longest in Asia.
- The host will have the longest chopsticks because they reach for foods and place them on guest's plate. The children will have the small and short chopsticks, because it fit their social status at the time.
- Chopsticks should never stand upright or vertical in your bowl. This gesture is for honor the dead or deceased family members. If you are not using it, you can place it on the chopsticks holder.
- Do not stab the food with the chopsticks like a spear. For example, when you are watching all the kung fu movies with the actors fighting with the chopsticks. If you look closely, the chopsticks never go through the food but only around it.
- Never use chopsticks to dig for the food you want. You should always pick something closest to you, because whatever you touch it yours.
- Do not lick or touch your lip with the chopsticks while eating, because mostly of the time you are eating with "family" style's meal. Meaning eating out from the same bowl.
- Do not make noise with the chopsticks. Playing with chopsticks is considering bad manner, and it also decreases your status during the party or banquet. Again, it only works when Jackie Chan does it in a movie. (hehe)
- When you see that your chopsticks are not even, please, do not eat with it. You should ask the waiter/waitress to exchange it for you.
- There are some said that if you drop you chopsticks while eating, then it will bring you bad luck. And there are some other said that if you do so, you will be poor. So either way, there is nothing good come out of it. This is very old tradition and not a whole lot of people care about this. You do not have to worry if you drop your chopsticks. In the modern day, all you need to do is ask for another one. Myself, I drop it all the times. (Wait, is that why I'm still poor???)
- When you are finish with your meal, you can put the chopsticks across your bowl. This will signal that you are done.
If you never use a pair of chopstick or never see one, then you should grab a pair of Chopsticks
for yourself. Thank you for visit. From where I am and wherever you are, keep practice and keep practice.
>>> Leave Chopstick Etiquette and go to Banquet (part 1)
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