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On the differences between Chinese and western table manners This paper compares Chinese and western table manners, aiming at deepening the understanding of table manners and conducting cross-cultural communication smoothly.
Table manners; Differences between China and the West
In modern society, etiquette is everywhere. Dining is not only to meet basic physiological needs, but also an important social experience. However, there are many differences in table manners between China and the West, so I understand these differences to prevent rudeness. According to the order of eating, the different dining manners between China and the West are pointed out.
main body
Today, with such a developed spiritual civilization, foreign exchanges are getting closer and closer. No matter in business negotiation or friends gathering, we all realize that it is very important for us to understand the differences between Chinese and western cultures. Among them, Chinese and western table manners are a threshold, which is the premise and touchstone of our communication and cooperation.
First of all, look at the difference between the advance of the invitation and the punctuality of the dinner.
Generally speaking, whether in China or in the West, people should be invited to dinner or a dinner party in advance.
If the Chinese treat guests at a large wedding banquet, it should be more than a few days in advance, which is a sign of respect for the guests.
Western banquets should also be notified in advance. For example, after agreeing to the other party's invitation, if you have to be late or even cancel the appointment temporarily, you must inform the other party in advance. Besides, if the banquet time is 7 o'clock, you'd better arrive at 6: 55. It's acceptable to have a meeting a little late, but if it exceeds 15 minutes, it will leave the other party with a bad impression that they don't attach importance to the appointment. Therefore, we must keep time, which is the first step of our success.
Second, look at the differences in etiquette from the seating arrangement between China and the West.
China was called "the state of etiquette" in ancient times. The tradition of China people for thousands of years is to stress etiquette, follow etiquette rules, respect etiquette and respect the banquet seating etiquette of China people. If you don't learn manners, you can't stand it. The core of etiquette is people's social behavior norms, which are the social behavior norms, moral standards and various etiquette that China people have become accustomed to.
China's traditional practice is to arrange seats side by side, while China's traditional practice is to "put the left first", which means that the position on the left is higher than that on the right. Ask the guests to sit down first, then sit next to the elderly guests in turn, and enter from the left side of the chair when seated. Don't move chopsticks after sitting, let alone make any noise, let alone get up and walk. If anything happens, you should say hello to the host.
However, the international practice is to arrange seats side by side, and the international practice is "right priority", that is, the position on the right is higher than that on the left. They will notice that the host and hostess are the center, the position of the left hand is the top, and the position close to the host and hostess is the top; Couples should not be adjacent, men and women should be adjacent in turn, and male and female hosts should be adjacent to guests in turn; The translator can sit on the right of the guest of honor. On some large occasions, you can also arrange meals behind the host and guest.
Although the basic seating methods at home and abroad are different when arranging seats. When arranging seats on foreign-related occasions, international practice should generally be observed.
Third, look at the difference from the placement of tableware.
As we know, in China, there are only cups, chopsticks, bowls, plates and so on. Its location is relatively simple. The arrangement of tableware is like this: the big plate is closest to the body, facing the tie; One corner of the tablecloth is pressed under the big plate, and one corner hangs down the edge of the table; Small plates are stacked on the big plate; Put a towel on the left side of the market; Put a small bowl on the left front side and a small porcelain spoon in the bowl; Put a wine glass on the right front side; Put the chopsticks on the right.
Tableware in western food, its dining order is outward-inward, so its placement is also outward-inward. It is carefully arranged according to the order of serving different dishes. Put a food plate (or soup plate) in front of the seat, a fork in your left hand and a knife in your right hand. The spoon is also placed on the right side of the food plate. There are spoons, forks and coffee spoons for eating sweets above the food plate, and then the cup is placed slightly to the right. From right: wine glass, champagne glass, beer glass (water glass). And napkins are stacked in beer cups (water cups) or food plates. Put the bread plate on your left hand, and the butter knife on it is placed horizontally in the plate with the blade facing yourself. The number of knives and forks should be equal to the number of dishes when eating. They should be placed from the outside to the inside in the order of serving, with the edges inward. When eating, it should be arranged from outside to middle, followed by appetizers, fish and meat. At more formal dinners, napkins are made of cloth. In addition, it should be noted that napkins in high-end restaurants are often beautifully folded, and some are tied with small ribbons. Be careful not to wipe your nose or face with a napkin.
In this way, the arrangement of tableware in western food is very particular, and you must not be rude when eating. Dine strictly according to the arrangement of tableware.
Fourth, look at the differences from the etiquette when eating.
Generally, people in China are also very particular about eating.
First of all, when eating, please invite guests first. If you stand and move chopsticks, eat less every time, and eat less if you are far away from you. Don't make any noise when eating, and don't make any noise when drinking soup. Take a sip of soup with a spoon.
Secondly, it is not advisable to put the bowl to your mouth. Drink the soup when it is too hot or too cold. Don't drink while blowing. Some people like to chew food, especially crunchy food, and make a crisp sound when eating. This practice is not in line with the etiquette requirements, especially when dining with others, we should try our best to prevent this phenomenon. In addition, if you are chewing something in your mouth, remember not to talk, so as not to spit out rice grains and cause embarrassment.
On the contrary, westerners usually have a plate for each person, so there is no problem of grasping vegetables, but they generally don't like to talk while eating, so they try not to talk when eating, and only when eating dessert can they talk about some relaxed topics.
But in general, the tableware in western food is very complicated, and it is a shame if the tableware is wrong. The general use of tableware is as follows: if there are several pairs of knives and forks on both sides of the dish, you should use the outermost pair first. After the first course is served, the waiter will remove the dish together with the knife and fork, and then use a second set of knives and forks. If there are several knives, forks and spoons of different sizes, they have different uses.
Keep in mind the three principles of "neatness, cleanliness and quietness" and you will be invincible.
To sum up some experience here, if you don't know much about the etiquette of western food, the most practical way is for others to do one step, and you will follow and watch others do it, so at least you won't make mistakes.
Basically, you have learned all this, and eating is generally not too rude.
Conclusion Although there are differences in etiquette, there is no difference between high and low. Only by learning these etiquette rules well can we be more comfortable in interpersonal communication.
On the Differences of Table Etiquette between China and the West; The key to the success of a dinner depends not only on the quality of food, but also on the atmosphere of the dinner. During the dinner, guests can talk to each other and understand each other, so we should arrange suitable seats. Whether it is a formal banquet or a family dinner, it is very important to arrange suitable seats. Reasonable seating arrangement should consider gender, age, occupation, guest status and the relationship between guest and host. Due to the differences in culture and customs, there are also differences in table manners between China and the West.
First, the reasons for the differences in table seating between China and the West
The seats at the dining table reflect the cultures and customs of different countries and people's social status and background. Different countries and nations have different cultures, which are influenced by natural environment, religious belief, scientific and economic development, political system and regional customs. These factors are also the main reasons for the seat difference between China and the West.
China has attached great importance to etiquette since ancient times. All kinds of etiquette also reflect the status of social members. In the feudal society of China, women's status was low, and in some big family dinners, women were not allowed to sit at the table. However, in western laws, the stability of the country and society is maintained, and everyone is equal before the law, and men and women have equal social status, so is the ranking. China's society is family-oriented, advocating filial piety and gratitude to parents, so parents have an absolute core position in China's family, so the elderly or people with high family status are the first to survive. Different from families in China, the West advocates the concept of independent families. Under the influence of this family concept, children and parents can discuss problems and exchange views on an equal footing. In western dining table seats, the guest of honor is not the old man but the guest of honor, even if sometimes the guest of honor is the young man. Seats on western dining tables can be traced back to medieval court etiquette. At that time, seats reflected people's class and status as well as their position in court.
Second, the international habit of table seats
Although there are differences in table seating in different countries and cultures, there are also established table seating etiquette in the world. Men can't sit in front of women, nor can they sit in front of women and old people. When seated, men should take care of women and old people. The closer a guest sits to his host, the higher his social status. His seating rank is higher than that of relatives and friends, the older is higher than that of the younger, and international friends are higher than domestic guests.
Third, the differences in table seating between China and the West on different occasions.
Older people or important guests don't always sit in the main seat. On a specific occasion, whoever is the core is the main seat. So different occasions have different seating arrangements. Due to the differences in cultural background and customs, there are also differences in table seating between China and the West on different occasions.
(A) large family gatherings or formal banquets in the Western table seating differences
At a formal banquet, it is best to indicate the name and seat number on the invitation or seat. When attending the banquet, one of the inviters will lead the guests to find their seats smoothly, avoid embarrassment and leave a good impression on the banquet.
The seating requirements of western classical dining tables are extremely strict. Male and female guests should sit with one man and one woman crossed. Couples, including master and wife, can't sit together, brothers and sisters, mother and children, father and daughter can't sit together. Guests you already know cannot be arranged together. Foreign guests should be arranged next to guests who can communicate in their own language. The purpose of this arrangement is to let the guests communicate better and make more new friends. Artists have higher privileges in western table seating, and many inviters will arrange seats higher than the traditional ones. In short, when arranging seats, we should consider the better integration between guests, and arrange those guests who are interested in each other and have common topics together to make the atmosphere of the banquet more pleasant. The specific western traditional dining table seating is: the highest-ranking male guest usually sits on the left of the hostess, the highest-ranking lady sits on the right of the hostess, the second-ranking man sits on the right of the hostess, and the second-ranking lady sits on the left of the hostess. In this way, seats are arranged according to the identity of the guests. Men and women sit separately, and the position of women is usually higher than that of men.
At present, the table seats of formal banquets in China have also experienced some development and evolution. On the one hand, it inherits some traditional etiquette, on the other hand, it also draws lessons from international etiquette culture. China table seating mainly follows four principles: center first, right first, opposite first, and table in the same direction. "Center is the top" means that when many tables are put together, the middle table occupies the main position, and the main guests should sit at the main table. "Right direction" means that the position on the right side of the table is higher than that on the left side. "Face to face" means that the seat facing the door is the main seat, and the first guest should sit in this seat. "All tables are in the same direction" means that the theme of each table is in the same direction. The specific seating of the dining table is: the guest faces the door, the hostess sits on the left side of the door, and the man sits on the right side of the door. When the status of the inviter is higher than that of the guest of honor, the person with high status sits first, the host sits on his left and the guest of honor sits on his right.
(B) small family gatherings or informal dinners, the differences between Chinese and Western table seats
Small family gatherings or informal dinners in the west are not very strict about seats. The main principle is to facilitate better communication between guests and meet new friends. Men and women usually sit among flowers. The owner and wife of a rectangular table usually sit at one end of the table facing the door, and the young people are at the other end. If a couple don't want to sit separately, they can ask the host. Children had better arrange another table under the supervision of the old man.
At small family gatherings or informal dinners in China, the elderly sit at the first place facing the door, while others sit on both sides of the elderly in the family unit. The higher the status, the closer to the first place, while young people usually sit at the end of the table with their backs to the door. There are also some family dinners where men drink, so men sit on one side and women sit on the other side, which are located on both sides of the first place.
Fourth, the comparison of Chinese and western dining table seating.
By analyzing the differences between Chinese and western dining tables on different occasions, we can draw the following three points:
(1) Women have a higher status in the western dining table, and men will wait for women to sit down before they can sit down.
The seat should face left, and the first guest should sit on the left of the hostess and take care of her. In China, the seating position of men is higher than that of women.
(b) The first guest at the western table, even if there are other guests older than the first guest.
However, in China, respect for the elderly is usually given to the oldest person or the person with the highest status, and the principle of "equality between the rich and the poor, order between the old and the young, and calling the rich and the poor alike" is followed.
(3) In China's dining table, the husband and wife sit next to each other.
At formal banquets in the west, couples can't sit next to each other. Men and women sit cross, and men with high status are on the left of women.
With the development of the times, modern people advocate simplicity and nature. Some complicated dining table seats also slowly disappear over time, and new seats will be created in some occasions. With the advance of globalization, in cross-cultural communication, in order to avoid embarrassment and misunderstanding, people usually follow the international table seating practice. It is necessary to understand the differences between Chinese and western table seating, master the internationally accepted table seating, so as to arrange guests reasonably in the banquet, make the banquet atmosphere more pleasant, and enable guests to communicate better, and finally achieve the purpose of communication.
On the differences between Chinese and western table manners. 1. From the use of tableware, chopsticks are used for Chinese food and knives and forks for western food, which is the most basic difference between Chinese and western table manners. There are different norms in the use of tableware in China and the West. When eating Chinese food, don't play with chopsticks, and don't point or gesture at people with chopsticks. Never suck chopsticks or stick them in rice. This is a big no-no. When eating western food, don't tell me what to do if you have a knife and fork. It is polite to put a knife and fork on a plate when talking or talking. Don't help others with your own tableware. Don't bend down to pick up the tableware when it is dropped. Don't cut the food at once, especially the food with soup, and eat it in small pieces.
Secondly, from the seating arrangement, both China and the West pay attention to the seating arrangement of formal banquet activities. When people in China treat guests, the elderly, guests or people with high status sit in their seats, while the host and hostess or accompanying guests sit down, and the rest of the guests sit in partial seats in sequence. When westerners treat guests, the host and hostess sit at both ends respectively, and then arrange seats according to the order of male and female guests and ordinary guests, that is, western gentlemen who pay attention to "ladies first" will show hospitality to ladies.
3. From the dining atmosphere, the most fundamental difference between Chinese and western table manners is the noise on the table in China and the quietness on the table in the west. As soon as people in China sit at the dining table, they will talk endlessly, help each other with food, persuade them to drink, and enjoy the delicious food. 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. To some extent, this "noise" can reflect the "harmony" of China's warm big family, harmonious neighborhood and China people's unity. Westerners quietly cut their own dishes as soon as they sit at the dinner table. Don't make any noise when you drink soup. If the soup is overheated, wait until it is a little cooler. Don't blow with your mouth. Shut up and chew while eating. Don't lick your lips or smack your lips. You can talk to guests while eating, but don't just talk to a few acquaintances. If you don't know the guests around, you can introduce yourself first. Don't interrupt 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, don't answer until you swallow your food.
Fourthly, judging from the table discourse, when China people treat people to dinner, there are many dishes on the table, at least seven or eight, but the host often says "There is nothing delicious for everyone today" and "Forgive me". Western banquets are usually four to five courses, and it is best to finish them or have some left over. If you are at home, you'd better finish all the dishes, so that the hostess will be very happy and feel that everyone likes her cooking. In the face of a sumptuous banquet, the host will say, "I gave everything to entertain everyone."
All cultures in the world are equal, and there is no difference between good and bad cultures. Avoid using one's own culture, morality and values as the criteria for measuring and judging, 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.
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