Thewholemealwillbemoreenjoyableifyouknowsalittleoftheancienttraditionsandbeliefsthatplacethemealina5,000-year-oldculinaryheritage.

　　AsavisitororguestineitheraChinesehomeorrestaurantyouwillfindthattablemannersareessentialandthedistinctivecourtesiesdisplayedwillinvariablyaddtotheenjoymentofyourmealsandkeepyouinhighspirits!

　　1.Thoughcustomsandthekindsoffoodeatenvaryaccordingtoregion,itismostcommonforChinesefamiliestogatherforthreemealsaday.

　　2.AnindividualplacesettingforaneverydaymealincludesabowlofFan(rice),apairofchopsticks,aflat-bottomedsoup-spoon,andasaucer.Insteadofanapkin,ahottowelisoftenprovidedatthestartaswellastheendofthemealforthedinertowipehishandsandmouth.

　　3.TherealdifferenceisthatintheWest,youhaveyourownplateoffood,whileinChinaallthedisheswillputonthetableforeveryone’sshare.Themeatandvegetabledishesarelaidoutallatonceinthecenterofthetable,andthedinerseatdirectlyfromthecommunalplatesusingtheirchopsticks.Soupisalsoeatenfromthecommonbowl.Ratherthanforservingoneselfaseparateportion,thesaucerisusedforbonesandshellsorasaplacetorestabitetakenfromacommunalplatewhenitistoolargetoeatallatonce.

　　4.Itisperfectlyacceptabletoreachacrossthetabletotakeamorselfromafar-awaydish.Tofacilitateaccesstoallthedishes,Chinesediningtablesaremorelikelytobesquareorround,ratherthanelongatedliketheirwesterncounterparts.

　　5.MaybeoneofthethingsthatwillsurpriseaWesternvisitormostisthatsomeoftheChinesehostswouldliketoputfoodintotheplatesoftheirguests.Usuallyinformaldinners,therearealways“public”chopsticksandspoonsforthispurpose,butsomehostsmaystillusetheirownchopsticks.Thisisatokenofgenuinefriendshipandpoliteness.Itispolitetoeatthefood.Ifyoudon’tliketoeatit,pleasejustleavethefoodintheplate.

　　6.Eatingusuallybeginsinorderofseniority,witheachdinertakingthecuetostartfromhisorherimmediatesuperior.

　　7.Inordertocoolthesoupabitandtobetterdiffusetheflavorinthemouth,soupiseatenbysippingfromthespoonwhilebreathingin.Thismethod,ofcourse,producestheslurpingnoisethatistaboointheWest.

　　8.Rice,orFaninChinese,isthestaplefood.ToeatFan,adinerraisesthebowltoherlipsandpushesthegrainsintohermouthwithchopsticks.Thisistheeasiestwaytoeatitandshowsproperenjoyment.Thedinermustfinishtheentirebowlofrice,otherwiseitisconsideredbadmanners--alackofrespectforthelaborrequiredtoproduceit.

　　9.PeopleinChinatendtoover-orderfood,especiallyatbanquetsorget-togethers,fortheywillfinditembarrassingifallthefoodisconsumedornotenough.