Table manners culture examines the cultural differences in cross-cultural communication from four aspects: the differences between Chinese and western table manners in tableware use, seating arrangement, dining atmosphere and table discourse, aiming at explaining that we should treat foreign cultures with objectivity, tolerance and respect while adhering to excellent cultural traditions, so as to communicate 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 food and drink their own wine without imposing their will on others. China culture holds that individual will must obey collective will. Since its purpose is to be human and related by blood, its manners and etiquette naturally value harmony. Therefore, people in China like to have dinner, enjoy delicious food and make peace. The author believes that in cross-cultural communication, faced with a strange culture, due to the different ways of thinking, living habits and behavior, cultural conflicts will inevitably occur in the communication process. 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 of Zhejiang University believes that the differences between eastern and western eating tools, chopsticks and knives and forks are related to the environment. Chopsticks should originate where there is bamboo. There are many trees in the north of China and many bamboos in the south. Our ancestors used local materials, and bamboo has become the most primitive raw material for chopsticks in China. Knife and fork appeared much later than chopsticks. According to Professor You's research, the original origin of knives and forks is related to the living habits of nomadic people in ancient Europe. They immediately live with knives and often cook and cut the meat to eat. Around the15th century, in order to improve the posture of eating, Europeans used double sharp forks. It wasn't until18th century that there were four forks. Knife, fork and chopsticks not only bring about differences in eating habits, but also affect the concept of life of eastern and western people. Professor You believes that knives and forks will inevitably lead to the sharing system, and chopsticks will certainly cooperate with family members to sit around the table and eat together. The west divided itself into two from the beginning, which led to the idea and habit that westerners pay attention to independence and 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 strong 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 point or gesture at people with chopsticks. Of course, you must never suck chopsticks or put them in rice. This is a big no-no. 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. 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, 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, people in China entertain guests with square tables. Opposite the door, the seats are on both sides. When entertaining guests, the elderly, guests or people with high status are seated, the male and female hosts or accompanying guests are seated, and the rest of the guests are seated in the wrong order. Westerners treat guests with a long table, where 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 on the upper right of the hostess, and the wife of the guest of honor sits on the upper right of the host. Western gentlemen who pay attention to "ladies first" will be attentive to ladies. In China, the left is the respect, and the right is the second; The first is respect, the second is time; China is the most important, followed by. In the west, right is the most important, and left is the second. Thirdly, in terms of dining atmosphere, the cultural differences between China and the West are the most fundamental differences in table manners between China and the West. The difference of dining table atmosphere, China dining table moves, while the western dining table is quiet. China people 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 at the dining table, they will talk endlessly, help each other with food, persuade them to drink, and enjoy delicacies. 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 kind of "noise" can reflect the "harmony" of China's warm family, harmonious neighborhood and Chinese unity. As soon as westerners sit at the dinner table, they concentrate on cutting their own dishes quietly. 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. Four. Cultural Differences between China and the West in Table Discourse When people in China treat people to dinner, there are many dishes on the table, at least seven or eight dishes. If it is a feast, there will be more main courses, more expensive and more exotic dishes, which can better reflect the director's hospitality and the identity of the guests. But the host often says things like "There is no good dish for everyone", "Please eat more if the dish is not ready", "Forgive me" and "I neglected you". Western-style meals are usually four to five courses, and the best amount is to finish eating or have a little surplus. 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." It is easy to draw a conclusion that China people follow the principle of "belittling themselves and respecting others" through the reasoning of Chinese and Western hosts' dining table discourse. Westerners, on the other hand, emphasize the values of efficiency and pragmatism and attach great importance to their face needs in communication. If westerners don't talk about disgusting things at parties, they will try to use subtle and elegant words instead of toilets, such as "where?" "Where is it?" Wait a minute. 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 puzzled and even misunderstood. For example, in Britain, if you ask someone if they have eaten, it means that you are interested in inviting them to dinner; For unmarried men and women, it means that you are interested in dating each other. All cultures in the world are equal. There is no good or bad culture. We should avoid using our 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.