Nathan

Nathan Engel Chinese Table Taboos

In Chinese culture there are many things that westerners do while dining that are considered taboo in China. First, you should not stick your chopsticks straight up in a bowl of rice. It signifies incense at a temple for ancestors, so it brings bad luck on the restaurant owners and wishing death on them. You also shouldn’t finish all of your food on a plate, because then the people will think that you are still hungry, and will be offered more food. Also keep in mind to point knives and teapots away from others. It is seen as hostility, and will cause commotion. Eating chicken feet for children is discouraged, because they believe it will affect their ability to learn to read. They also believe that they will get into fights in school like roosters if they eat chicken feet. Another thing to keep in mind is to not tap your bowl with chopsticks. Only beggars make noise with their bowls, so you shouldn’t do that. It also means that you are waiting for the food to be made faster, so if you do that at a restaurant or at someone’s home, it is considered rude. When the Chinese store their pots and cooking supplies, they typically don’t hang them. Hanging cooking ware signifies the opposite of abundance of food. Many westerners do this, and the Chinese don’t do that for that reason. Many of those taboos seem strange, but Westerners too, have their share of table manners and taboos. [] http://goasia.about.com/od/Customs-and-Traditions/a/Chinese-Table-Manners.htm