Today, I will introduce the differences of table manners between China and West. My presentation is divided into five parts: background and objectives, arrangement of seat, tablewares, atmospheres at table and conclusion.
With the development of global economy, cross-culture communication has become more and more frequent, and the differences between Chinese and western culture have become more obvious, especially the differences of table manners.
Having dinner is more than the basic necessity of life. Instead, having dinner is an important part in people’s daily life. By learning the differences between Chinese and western table manners, we can open up eyesight, acquire more information and expand the circle of communication.
Chinese arrangement of seat is differ from western’s. Chinese people always choose round tables when entering friends and seats at one table also have different meanings. The seat opposite to the door is the door seat, which is for chief guests or elders; the seats beside are the second honor seat which are for other guests; the seats that opposite to the honor seat are the inferior seat. Inferior seat are for the host and hostess. Hosts sit down on the inferior seats after all the guests sit down. Differently, western people prefer long table to round table when entering friends. The host and the hostess seat at both end of the table. The chief guest sits at the upper right side of the hostess, and the wife of the chief guest seats at the upper right side of the host.
The differences are associated with many reasons. Chinese people believe that individual consciousness should obey group consciousness, while western people prefer individual consciousness. Chinese people lay emphasis on revering elders and caring the young, while Western’s is self-expression and equals.
Chinese and western tablewares are also different.Chopsticks are the main tablewares in Chinese food culture. It’s impolite to insert chopsticks straightly into the food, because only when sacrificing the death do Chinese people doing so. What’s more, using chopsticks that licked to pick up food is very impolite and will make other guests feel sick. In West, people usually use knife, fork and spoon. The right order to use tablewares is to pick from outside to inside.
As we all known, Chinese table atmosphere always noisy and always the noisier the better. But western’s is always quiet. Because Chinese people consider eating as the happiest thing in their lives and begin to talk at the time they sit down and even help guests with food to show respect and warmth. On the contrast, western people avoid urging others drinking and picking up food to others. They emphasizing individual rights and privacy and begin to eat food from their own plates.
In conclusion, Chinese table culture pays particular attention to the order among people. Western table culture pays attention more on harmoniously use of tools. And in cross culture communication, the misunderstandings caused by culture barrier appear frequently. Sometimes well-meaning talking might make people embarrassed. So, studying the differences is necessary.
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