Why do they eat with chopsticks? Chinese chopsticks

Why eastern peoples eat with chopsticks?

:- Why do the Chinese eat with chopsticks?
- They gnawed the spoons like that.

But seriously:
In China, since ancient times it was believed that the one who makes chopsticks, by definition, cannot be bad. Confucius taught this. His motto: murder tools have no place at the dinner table. Therefore, before starting the meal, food had to be cut into small pieces, and knives were not allowed at the table. At the emperor's court, preference was given to silver chopsticks. It was believed that they would turn black if they came into contact with poisoned food. Ordinary mortals, as a rule, ate with bamboo chopsticks. Wealthier people used appliances made from expensive types of wood - for example, mahogany. High-ranking officials were distinguished by ivory sticks.

At the same time, from time immemorial it was believed that every self-respecting Chinese should have his own personal chopsticks, which should always be with him, preferably throughout his life. Loss of sticks, like breakage, meant bad omen. If during a feast a person drops disposable chopsticks, then he continues the meal only after the waiter replaces them new couple. It is not customary to tap the edge of the bowl with chopsticks, as this is associated with begging. Sticking chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice is also prohibited, as this resembles smoking sticks in a temple and symbolizes death. It is not recommended to move the sticks to the side. The expression "move aside the chopsticks" also signifies death. After eating, the chopsticks must be placed on a special stand, which sometimes represents no less valuable work of art than custom-made personal chopsticks. In addition, you need to eat with your right hand, turning it palm up. If the palm is turned down, it means that this person does not value his wealth. The farther from the ends a girl holds her chopsticks, the farther from home she will find a husband. In general, it is customary to give newlyweds exactly these cutlery, since this gift is perceived as a wish to quickly produce a son.

All these traditions have not changed for almost 35 centuries, and maybe more. Who exactly and when invented the first Chinese chopsticks - "kuai tzu" (these two hieroglyphs sound like the hieroglyph "quickly", but there is another translation - "bamboo") - history is silent. There are several beautiful legends, explaining how the mechanism of the sticks was invented. Two are considered the most plausible. The first tells about the stern Emperor Zhou Wang and his concubine Daji, who in reality lived about three thousand years ago. Knowing that the emperor was difficult to please at the table and was also afraid of poisoning, Daji was always the first to try the food. One day she did not have time to cool the hot dish - Zhou-wan was already preparing to eat it. At that moment, the quick-witted girl pulled out the jade hairpins from her hair, picked up a piece with them and began to blow strongly. When the dish cooled down a little, Daji treated it to the emperor. Zhou-wan liked the reception so much that he obliged Daji to always feed him only hairpins. Later, the concubine asked to make her a pair of longer jade hairpins - they are believed to have become the prototype for chopsticks.

A different version is common in northeast China. According to it, Emperor Shun, whom the Chinese reverence as one of the main cultural heroes nation, ordered his dignitary Dayu (his name translated as Great Yu, and he is credited with creating the first irrigation systems on the Yellow River) to pacify the flood. For days on end, Yu fought against the natural disaster. Finally he decided to have a snack, boiling meat and rice. But I couldn’t taste the food right away because it was very hot. Not wanting to wait, Yu broke off a couple of thin branches. With their help, he removed a piece of meat from the vat, then blew on it and ate it.

Chopsticks are a traditional cutlery of Southeast Asia. These unique tweezers have been used by residents of Japan, China, Korea and Vietnam for several centuries. But their homeland, according to researchers, is China. Sticks appeared in the Celestial Empire 3000 years ago. According to legend, they were invented by Great Yu, the founder of the first imperial dynasty. He wanted to get pieces of meat from a cauldron of hot broth. He managed to do this only with the help of two bamboo sticks. Since then, cooks have used “tweezers” to deftly turn pieces in pans. After some time, chopsticks became the main cutlery. In the 12th century, they came from the Middle Kingdom to Japan, Korea and Vietnam.

The first Chinese chopsticks, or kuaizi, were made of bamboo. To obtain this cutlery, it was necessary to split the trunk in two. That is why they resembled tweezers. The Kuaizu separated only a few years later. Today, Chinese chopsticks are made from wood, metal, plastic and bone, usually with a square base. Their length is approximately 25 cm.

In Japan, chopsticks are called o-hashi. Initially, they were also made of wood and were quite simple in appearance, but over time they began to be varnished and designs were applied to them - pine as a symbol of longevity, bamboo, meaning vitality, etc. Japanese chopsticks are shorter than Chinese ones and have more pointed ends to make it easier to remove the bones from the fish. In the 16th century famous master tea ceremony, Sen no Rikyu invented o-hashi with pointed ends on both sides in order to taste several dishes at once without mixing flavors. By the way, the Japanese also came up with miniature stands for chopsticks - hasioki.

Koreans have thin devices 15-20 cm long. They are made mainly of metal. Previously, brass was used, but now, as a rule, stainless steel.

Interesting

Some Asian companies conduct a basic motor coordination test when hiring personnel. They offer the applicant to quickly transfer small beads with chopsticks. Most often, workers at enterprises that assemble chips and liquid crystal displays are subjected to this test.

Rules of etiquette

1. Do not shake chopsticks to cool food.

2. It is better to choose a piece in advance, because, according to the rules oriental etiquette, if you touch it, take it and eat it.

3. Under no circumstances should you poke around the plate in search of the best piece.

4. Stirring the broth with chopsticks is the height of indecency.

5. According to Japanese etiquette, if you have finished lunch or decided to take a break, place your chopsticks on a special small stand - hasioki - with the pointed ends to the left. If you don't have hasioki, leave them on the edge of the plate. And according to Chinese traditions, chopsticks can be placed across the bowl with their ends to the left.

6. Never stick chopsticks into food, especially rice. This is how they remember the dead in Japan.

7. You cannot lick chopsticks, use them to move dishes towards you, or spear food on them.

8. Before asking for some more rice, chopsticks must be placed on the table.

9. If you clutch an exotic cutlery in your fist, a Japanese person will think that you are threatening him. However, Europeans won’t like it either if you do this with a fork or knife.

10. According to Japanese traditions, you cannot pass food to another person using chopsticks. This is how relatives usually transfer the bones of the deceased after cremation to an urn. The Chinese, on the contrary, do not prohibit feeding your neighbor with chopsticks. Moreover, it is a sign of respect.

History and cultural aspects

China

There are many variations in shapes and sizes of reusable sticks (nuribashi), which sometimes represent a real work of art: they are painted, varnished, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and decorated with various patterns. Modern hashi are made of bone, wood (bamboo, pine, cypress, plum, maple, black or purple sandalwood), round or square in cross-section with a conical or pyramidal point.

It is believed that sticks train fine motor skills, which develops mental abilities, which is why in Japan they are taught to handle hashi from an early age. Japanese scientists consider instilling in children a desire to master chopsticks an important and relevant task for their country. Confirmation of the effectiveness of “exercises” with chopsticks is the statement of researchers that children who began to eat with the help of hasi immediately after they turned one year are ahead in development of their peers who were unable to part with spoons.

For the Japanese, chopsticks are not only an everyday personal item (it is not customary to share them with others), but also a sacred symbol (the Japanese respectfully call them o-hashi, Japanese 御箸). According to legend, they bring good luck to the owner and long life, and therefore Khasi are considered good holiday gift. For example, hashi is presented to newlyweds, implying the desire to be as inseparable as a pair of sticks. They are given to a baby on the 100th day of his birth, when, during the First Chopsticks ceremony, adults give him the first taste of rice using chopsticks. They also make gift sets of chopsticks for the whole family.

In addition, there are hashi for the New Year, the tea ceremony, and for sweets. There is a type of chopsticks invented by the famous Japanese tea master Sen no Rikyu. It is said that one morning he went into the forest to collect pieces of trees and cleared them in order to enjoy the smell of fresh wood.

There are special stands for chopsticks in Japan: hasioki. This name is formed by adding the verbal noun oki from the verb oku - to put. The chopsticks should be placed on the hasioki with their thin ends, so that they point to the left. If there is no hashioka on the table, the hashi can be placed nearby on the edge of the plate or on the table.

Disposable chopsticks are served in a special paper case, which often turns out to be a real decoration and collectible. It can be painted with fancy designs, or it can contain a restaurant logo.

With the help of chopsticks, you can not only hold food and put it in your mouth, but also perform a lot of other more complex operations: mix sauce, separate pieces, chop and even cut.

Korea

In Korea they eat with thin metal chopsticks. This is a unique custom of its kind - no other country Far East where chopsticks are used, they are not made of metal (although chopsticks for cooking can be made of metal), moreover, for example, in Japan, one of the advantages of chopsticks over European cutlery is that “you don’t have to scratch your teeth with pieces of iron” . Previously, Korean chopsticks were made of brass, now they are mainly made of stainless steel.

Modern tendencies

Nowadays, most restaurants serve disposable chopsticks (割箸, Waribashi), made of plastic or wood. They are usually produced unsplit (the upper ends of the sticks are not sawn, as evidence that they have not been used).

Technique of use

Principle of holding chopsticks:

1. The ring finger and little finger must be pressed together, the index and middle fingers must be slightly extended forward.
2. The lower stick is placed in the hollow between the hand and thumb, while its lower, thin end rests on the third (nail) phalanx of the ring finger, and the thick end protrudes about ¼ beyond the palm.
3. Then the upper stick is placed on the third (nail) phalanx of the middle finger, the first phalanx of the index finger, and is held with the tip of the thumb; The stick should be held roughly like a pencil.

The lower stick remains motionless when eating, all manipulations are performed with the help of the upper one: when the middle and index fingers straighten, the sticks move apart. Accordingly, bending the middle and index fingers, bring the chopsticks together, grabbing pieces of food. The main condition that guarantees successful use of chopsticks is not to strain your hand. The hand should be relaxed, and the movements should be light and calm. To develop skills in handling chopsticks, it is recommended to practice on small objects - peas, grains of corn.

Etiquette

Sticks are part of culture and history; their use is surrounded by a lot of conventions and ceremonies. There are many rules and good manners related to chopsticks, and etiquette in different countries has its own character traits. The general part of the rules generally looks like this:

• Chopsticks are only used to pick up food and put it in your mouth or on your plate. Any other manipulation with chopsticks may be considered inconsistent with etiquette. In particular, you should not:
  • knock with chopsticks on the table, plate or other objects to call the waiter;
  • “draw” with chopsticks on the table;
  • “wander” around food with chopsticks;
  • dig around in the bowl with chopsticks in search of the best piece- you need to take food from above.
• You should choose a piece in advance. Having touched a piece with chopsticks, you need to take it and eat it.
• You can't put food on sticks.
• Do not shake the chopsticks to cool the piece.
• It is ugly to lick chopsticks, and, in general, to hold chopsticks in your mouth just like that.
• You should not point with chopsticks, you should not wave them in the air.
• Do not move dishes using chopsticks. The dishes should only be handled by hand.
• Before asking for more rice, chopsticks must be placed on the table.
• You can't stick chopsticks into food. This is considered bad manners, as it resembles the sticks of incense that are given to deceased relatives.

Chinese etiquette

The Chinese often use European utensils for food, in particular forks and spoons. Eat with chopsticks traditional dishes, the most convenient for taking with chopsticks.

• When picking up food with chopsticks, your palms should always face down. Turning your hand over with your wrist and palm facing up is considered uncivil.
• The Chinese traditionally eat rice from a bowl. The bowl of rice is brought to the mouth and the rice is then eaten with chopsticks. If the rice is served on a plate, as is customary in Western culture, it is acceptable and even considered more practical to use a fork or spoon.
• Unlike Japanese tradition, it is quite acceptable to pass food with chopsticks to loved ones (children, parents, relatives) if it is difficult or inconvenient for them to take food themselves. In relation to elders, it is considered a sign of respect to pass food to them first, even before the meal begins (which corresponds to the Confucian tradition of respecting elders).
• After finishing the meal, the chopsticks should be placed across the bowl, with the ends to the left - this is a sign that the meal is completed and no supplements are required.

Japanese etiquette

Sticks on a stand

Environmental impact

In China alone, about 45 billion pairs of disposables are used and thrown away every year. wooden sticks, which is approximately 1.7 million cubic meters of wood or 25 million trees destroyed per year. For protection purposes environment Since April 2006, China introduced a 5% sales tax on disposable chopsticks, and many hotels in Beijing (China) have abandoned them.

• Many Asian manufacturers of microcircuits and LCD monitors, when hiring personnel to the factory, conduct a motor coordination test: you need to quickly assemble small beads with chopsticks.

see also

Notes

Links

I think of the three points, the question can only arise about how to hold chopsticks for sushi and rolls.

But first

A little history...

Food sticks(hashi/hashi)- a pair of small chopsticks, a traditional cutlery in East Asia. The four countries where chopsticks are predominantly used are China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam.

In Thailand, with the introduction of European cutlery into circulation in the 19th century by King Rama V, only noodles or soups are eaten with chopsticks

Hashi came to Japan from China in the 12th century and was made from bamboo.
The current separate form of chopsticks appeared in Japan during the Asuka period (593 - 710). By this time, their use had not yet become widespread. It was believed that immortal gods and emperors eat with chopsticks. According to Chinese chronicles, at that time only the imperial court and the Japanese aristocracy enjoyed Khasi, and the common people still ate with their hands. It was only by the Nara period that ordinary people also began to eat with chopsticks.

Since then, chopsticks for the Japanese are not only an everyday personal item (it is not customary to share them with others), but also a sacred symbol (the Japanese respectfully call them o-hashi). According to legend, they bring good luck and long life to the owner, so it is not surprising that Khasi are considered a good holiday gift.
For example, hashi is presented to newlyweds, implying the desire to be as inseparable as a pair of sticks.
They are given to a baby on the 100th day of his birth, when, during the “First Chopsticks” ceremony, adults give him the first taste of rice using chopsticks.
They also make gift sets of chopsticks for the whole family.

There are many types of hashi sticks: for regular food, for culinary purposes, for cakes and desserts. In addition, there are hashi for the New Year, the tea ceremony, and for sweets.

Modern khasis are made of bone, wood (bamboo, pine, cypress, plum, maple, black or purple sandalwood), and the material for them can also be silver, iron and aluminum. IN Lately Plastic is often used. Occasionally there are sticks made of such exotic materials as ivory or deer antler, but this is rather an exception.
Metal chopsticks are used primarily for cooking and not as cutlery.

In Japan, one of the advantages of chopsticks over European cutlery is that “you don’t have to scratch your teeth with the pieces of iron.” Therefore, even catering establishments do not serve practical and durable metal chopsticks. Disposable chopsticks are used instead Waribashi, which are made from a single, relatively roughly processed piece of wood, sawn along a little not completely - a sign that no one has used the chopsticks, so they need to be broken before use.
By the way, now most restaurants serve waribashi sticks made of plastic. They are designed for one-time use and are served along with the dish in a sterile sealed paper envelope ( hashi bukuro), which often turns out to be a real decoration and collectible. It can be painted with fancy designs, or it can contain a restaurant logo. This is much more hygienic than using reusable European cutlery.

There are many variations in shapes and sizes of reusable chopsticks ( nuribashi), which sometimes represent a real work of art: they are painted, varnished, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and decorated with various patterns. , round or square in cross-section with a conical or pyramidal point. Appearance The sticks are quite diverse: their cross-section can be round, oval, square, or with rounded corners. They come in pyramidal shapes, with thick or thin ends, flat...

Usually hashi is placed across in front of the device, horizontally. But, as a rule, there are special stands for chopsticks in Japan - Hasioki. This name is formed by adding the verbal noun oki from the verb oku - put, leave.

The chopsticks should be placed on the hasioki with their thin ends, so that they point to the left.
If there is no hasioka on the table - Khasi can be placed next to the edge of the plate or on the table.
Hasioki appeared in ancient times, when during ritual sacrifices, sticks intended for the gods were laid out on special stands so as not to desecrate them.
Hasioki are made from ceramic, wood and bamboo and often feature artistic value. Japanese chopstick stands are a collector's item in the West.

Choosing sticks

Use the sticks that suit you best. Just like every person needs their own clothing size, size and shape Khasi It’s also better to choose individually.

Previously, chopstick length was calculated based on the average height and palm size of men and women during the Edo period (1603 - 1867). Now people have become somewhat larger than then, and, accordingly, standard sizes have changed Khasi.
How to choose sticks of your size? Their usual length is one and a half times longer than the chitoate - the length of the imaginary hypotenuse formed when you fold your thumb and index finger at a right angle. The same value is used when determining where to take the sticks with your hand: for this, the distance of the chitoat is counted from the thin ends.

Instructions for use

Currently, about a third of the population uses chopsticks globe: People from China, Japan, Southeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula, where glutinous rice is traditionally the staple food. Chopsticks are quite difficult to master, but for those who have learned to master them perfectly, they are a convenient and versatile cutlery.
The peculiarities of working with chopsticks determined the way of cooking Japanese cuisine, served mainly in the form of small individual pieces, which you just need to pick up and put in your mouth.

Think of the chopsticks as a pair of tongs, consisting of two various parts. One stick is held motionless, and the second one moves.

Use chopsticks like this:

So..

And the main rule is not to strain your hand and fingers. Try to use the chopsticks freely - one stick should be motionless, and the other should move freely.

In practice it looks something like this :o)

Chinese/Japanese chopsticks for beginners and children

And for clarity, you can watch these videos

Of course, until you once try to hold the chopsticks in your hands, no instruction will teach you this. So practice eating with hashi chopsticks at home first. And if you don’t have chopsticks, pick up pencils and go ahead and explore Eastern culture.

Etiquette

Chopsticks have become an integral part of Japanese culture and history; their use is surrounded by a lot of conventions and ceremonies. Countless rules and good table manners in Japan cluster around chopsticks.

Chopsticks are only used to pick up food and put it in your mouth or on your plate. Any other manipulation with chopsticks may be considered inconsistent with etiquette. Etiquette related to chopsticks has its own characteristics in different countries. The general part of the rules generally looks like this:

Do not knock on the table, plate or other objects with chopsticks to call the waiter

Don't draw on the table with chopsticks, don't wander aimlessly around the food with chopsticks. Before reaching for food with chopsticks, select a piece (this taboo behavior is called "mayoibashi")

Always take food from the top, do not poke around in the bowl with chopsticks in search of the best piece. If you touch food, eat. ("saguribashi")

When picking up food with chopsticks, your palms should always face down. Turning your hand over with your wrist and palm facing up is considered uncivil.

Do not stick food on chopsticks ("sashibashi")

Do not shake the chopsticks to cool the piece.

Don't put your face in the bowl or bring it too close to your mouth and then use chopsticks to push food into your mouth.

Do not compact food brought to your mouth using chopsticks.

- Try not to drip sauce from your chopsticks or food.

Don't lick the chopsticks. Don't just put chopsticks in your mouth

When not using chopsticks, place them with the sharp ends to the left

Never pass food with chopsticks to another person. ("futaribashi") into a plate or into someone else's chopsticks. This gesture is used for close relatives to transfer the bones of the deceased into an urn after cremation, and is taboo in all other cases.
And in Chinese etiquette, unlike the Japanese tradition, it is quite acceptable to pass food to loved ones (children, parents, relatives) with chopsticks if it is difficult or inconvenient for them to take the food themselves. In relation to elders, it is considered a sign of respect to pass food to them first, even before the meal begins (which corresponds to the Confucian tradition of respecting elders).

Never point or wave chopsticks in the air

Do not pull the plate towards you using chopsticks. Always pick it up. ("yosebashi")

Place your chopsticks on the table before asking for more rice

Do not clasp two chopsticks in your fist: the Japanese perceive this gesture as threatening

Never stick your chopsticks upside down into the rice. This is how they place it on the altar (including at home) during a memorial service. If you stick chopsticks in like this while eating, the Japanese become gloomy - according to legend, this means that someone will die soon... ("tatebashi")

Do not place chopsticks across the cup. After you have finished eating, place your chopsticks on the stand.
Well, in a Chinese restaurant, on the contrary, after finishing the meal, the chopsticks should be placed across the bowl, with the ends to the left - this is a sign that the meal is completed and no additional food is required.

- Use Khasi It’s not easy when you’re not used to it, so to avoid inconvenience, don’t hesitate to ask the waiter to show you how to use chopsticks correctly, and if it’s really hard, bring more familiar utensils - a fork or spoon.

But remember that, that you cannot eat sushi with a knife, this shows the owner that the prepared dish is tough, and it is impossible to do without a knife.

Or at a restaurant you can simply ask for training sticks. Such sticks are connected, and between them there is something like a spring. So these are more tongs than sticks. But they are very convenient to operate.

Knife and fork are used only for Western food. Spoons are sometimes used for Japanese dishes that are difficult to eat with chopsticks, such as Japanese curry rice. For soups, a Chinese-style ceramic spoon is used.

Interesting Facts:

It is believed that chopsticks train small muscles that develop mental abilities, which is why in Japan people are taught to handle hashi from an early age. Japanese scientists consider instilling in children a desire to master chopsticks an important and relevant task for their country. Confirmation of the effectiveness of “exercises” with chopsticks is the statement of researchers that children who began to eat with the help of hasi immediately after they turned one year are ahead in development of their peers who were unable to part with spoons.

Many Asian chip manufacturers, when hiring personnel to the factory, conduct a motor coordination test: you need to quickly assemble small beads with chopsticks.

By the way, in Japan, dishes (bowls for rice, soup, plates for other food) and serving items are divided into “male” and “female”. Sticks are no exception.

In China, chopsticks are called kuaizi. Kuaizi are square at the base so that they do not roll on the table. Their length is approximately 25 cm, and kitchen ones, usually bamboo, are one and a half times longer.

In Korea they eat with thin metal chopsticks. This is a unique custom of its kind - in none of the countries of the Far East where chopsticks are used, they are not made of metal (although chopsticks for cooking can be made of metal). Previously, Korean chopsticks were made of brass, now they are mainly made of stainless steel.

I hope that now you can easily use hashi chopsticks :o)

Based on materials from ru.wikipedia.org, izum.darievna.ru

8 facts about magic Chinese wands

For some, Chinese chopsticks are two pieces of wood, but for me they are the quintessence of Chinese culture, and perhaps the whole Eastern civilization. Kuaizi is as eternal a symbol of the People's Republic of China as the Chinese Wall, Mao, pandas and Bruce Lee. Their appearance is associated great amount secrets, legends and traditions. Today I will tell you the most interesting of them.

From the history of the name

Before the advent of chopsticks, the Chinese ate with their hands. You may ask - what about soup and porridge? Honestly, I don't know. But the fact that chopsticks came into use 3 thousand years ago during the reign of the Shan dynasty - historical fact. Then they were called “jia” and “zhu”. IN During the reign of the Mings (1368-1644), superstitious fishermen from Zhejiang decided that “jia” and “zhu” were consonant with the words “stop” and “ship worms.” The symbols are so-so, you will agree. In their opinion, the word “kuaizi” - 筷子 - “quickly” turned out to be more successful. It consists of two parts: “kuai” and “zi”. Kuai means bamboo and Zi means fast.

Stick pioneers: who came first?

According to legend, chopsticks appeared thanks to Emperor Yu the Great - the mythical sovereign ancient China. Presumably, he lived in the XXIII-XXII century BC. e. Yu was a real hard worker: China in those days suffered from floods, and the guy tirelessly strengthened the river banks. Eating in “field conditions” was a common thing for him. One fine day, not wanting to wait for the meat to cool in the cauldron, Yu, with the help of two sticks torn from a tree, took out a piece of pork from the boiling broth. This is how, according to legend, kuaizi appeared.

Sticks are given to old people, wishing them a long life. For children to grow tall. To friends - as a sign strong friendship. Newlyweds - as a symbol strong relationships. The sticks are even “buried” with the owner so that he can eat in the afterlife.

There are several more versions of the appearance of Chinese chopsticks. According to one of them, kuaizi was invented by the military strategist Jiang Ziya. He was inspired by the flight of a mythical bird. According to another, they were invented by the wife of King Zhou to please and surprise her beloved. In general, today it is difficult to say who was the first in the history of kuaizi. The main thing is that they exist!

Tin, glass, wood?

Chinese chopsticks made from the most different materials: bamboo, wood, plastic, silver, porcelain, bronze, ivory, jade and even stone. IN Everyday life the Chinese use ordinary bamboo sticks. But in the past, Chinese rulers used only silver kuaizi for security reasons. Such sticks turned black if arsenic or potassium cyanide was added to food. There are many things associated with Chinese chopsticks unpleasant stories and even environmental scandals.

The PRC is actively increasing the production of these kitchen items, so about 20 million trees and bamboo are cut down in the country every year. Greenpeace is indignant! This state of affairs can lead to serious environmental problem, desertification of lands and bamboo forests, and therefore a decrease in the population of pandas, which feed on this very bamboo. In this regard, the Chinese government has introduced a 5% sales tax on disposable Chinese chopsticks.

How to use chopsticks correctly?

Using chopsticks is not that difficult. Many foreigners wield them better than the Chinese themselves. The main thing is to keep one of the chopsticks motionless and the other to pick up food. Relax your hand - it’s easier, believe me! And now step-by-step instructions:

1. We take one of the sticks. The little finger and ring finger are motionless. We press them against each other.
2. We place the stick between the thumb and hand. We fix it so that its thin edge rests on the ring finger.
3. Now we take the second stick in our hands, similar to how we hold a pencil.
4. Try to take some food. Perform the main movements with the top stick. The lower one is motionless.

Stick etiquette

In traditional Chinese families It is customary to cook and eat together. During lunch, all dishes with snacks are served in the middle of the table or on a rotating circle. It’s so convenient to enjoy the taste, smell, and variety of a meal.

The Chinese wish for “bon appetit” is “eat slowly.” This is what the Chinese do if they are not in a hurry. According to Eastern table etiquette: The slower you eat, the better you will appreciate the taste of food and the more you will enjoy it.

Elderly people are the first to pick up Chinese chopsticks at the table. If you first serve food to the elderly and children and only then to yourself, you will become everyone’s favorite and respected guest in the Chinese home. Never leave your chopsticks on the edge of your plate - this is how hungry beggars behave in China. During a conversation, it is considered bad form to point chopsticks towards the interlocutor. You should not lick them, bite them, “wash” them in soup or hold them “upside down”.

Don't knock your chopsticks on the table to invite the waiter. Do not prick food with chopsticks, use them to pick up food lying on top, do not rummage through plates with them in search of the best piece - this is impermissible. Do not shake the kuaizi in the air to cool the food faster. Don't stick them into anything - it will remind you of the incense sticks given to deceased relatives. After finishing your meal, place the chopsticks across the bowl with the ends to the left - this is a sign that you are full and are not waiting for more.

For the Chinese, eating is the same as enjoying life. Even in the time of Confucius, forks and knives were considered aggressive utensils. The philosopher said: people with knives in their hands behave rudely with food, while chopsticks are careful and grateful to food.

Kuaizi in other countries

IN Asian countries We loved the sticks for their ease of use. They came to the Korean Peninsula during the Han Dynasty, and by 600 AD. became popular throughout the peninsula. They were brought to Japan by Buddhist monks (618 - 907 AD). As historians write, one of the monks then said: “He who uses chopsticks will be saved after death.” The Japanese took their word for it and have not let go of them ever since. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, chopsticks became common cutlery in Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.

Stick Museum

There is even a Kuaizi Museum in Shanghai. Everything there is dedicated to their history and you can even pay for the entrance with chopsticks. To date, the museum has collected more than 2,000 pairs of chopsticks from Korea, China, Thailand and Japan. The oldest date back to the Tang Dynasty.

84-year-old Lan Xiang, owner of the first and the only museum sticks in China, tells that during the Chinese “cultural revolution” (1966–1976) many valuable kuaizi were destroyed by the Red Guards. Like temples, monasteries, books, paintings... The Red Guards broke into houses, destroyed family heirlooms and everything that had historical value.

"So I decided to keep our national heritage and after those sad events opened free museum chopsticks At that time there were only 200 pairs in my collection. I started traveling around the country in search of new exhibits and today I have collected about 2,000 kuaizi,” said 84-year-old Lan Xiang.

Address of the Chinese Chopsticks Museum: Shanghai, st. Duolun 191/Duolun Road 191/多轮路191号, near Sichuanbei road/近四川北路.

Telephone (you need to call before your visit):+ 86 21 56717528 (Xiang) 翔先生.

How to get there: Subway Line 3, Dongbaoxing Road Station/东宝兴路站, Exit 1.