Did you know the taboos and unacceptable table manners in China?
China is one of the ancient civilizations of the world, and Chinese people have developed perhaps the most sophisticated food culture over the past five thousand years. Confucius once commented that, he “did not mind to have his rice finely prepared, nor to have his meat finely minced”. An old saying also explains the importance of food in the Chinese culture, “hunger breeds discontent”.
Aside from the pleasure of the taste buds, Chinese people also pay great attention to the proper table manner during the formal banquets. Here are a few very common rules that you should keep in mind when you dine out with your Chinese friends next time:
Seating: First of all, you get to know who is the important guests on this table, and they might be older in age, senior in rank, and if you are the host of the dinner, you must seat them to the most honorable position on the table. If the important guest has not arrived, no meal should be ordered or served.
Tea: Once seated, the host will have the responsibility to pour a cup of tea for every guest. And when guests receive the tea, they can use their index finger and middle finger to knock on the table surface for two or three times, meaning “thanks”. When the tea cup is empty, you can lift the lid, and put it tilted on top of the teapot, and the waiter or waitress will understand immediately to fill it will boiling water.
Liquor: In a typical Chinese banquet, you can’t help not to drink liquor, and the host will be very upset if you leave the restaurant without feeling drunk at all. Most of the Chinese liquor is over 40% of alcohol, but if you don’t drink, you should inform your Chinese host beforehand to avoid embarrassment.
Chopsticks: First of all, you can’t play with the chopsticks, especially, you can’t use them as drum sticks to hit the bowl or the plate. It will be considered very disrespectful to the hosts. And when the rice is served, you can’t set the chopsticks in an upright position, as this is only done when the Chinese people make offerings to the deceased in front of their tomb.
Soup: A good Chinese banquet can’t live without including a good soup, but to enjoy the soup, you can’t sip the soup by making a lot of noise. It is encouraged to use serving spoons.
Fish: In many part of China, you will find fish is a very popular course on any banquet. But for those areas near the coast, a river or a lake, people still keep a tradition of not turning the fish over, when the upside is finished, as it might be interpreted as a boat being “capsized”.
Rice: Different from the west, Chinese people serve rice last, as they believe in offering the guests the best courses first, and then serve rice to make sure the guests will enjoy every course. When the rice is served, it is almost required to hold the bowl up, instead of leaving it on the table, as it may suggest that you don’t really like the meal.
Toothpicks: After the meal, if you would like to use the toothpicks, it is strongly recommended that you use your other hand or a piece of tissue paper to cover your mouth.
If you understand the Chinese table manners, you will find it much easier to make friends with your Chinese counterparts.
