Chinesetablemanners
Thesearemostlyconcernedwiththeuseofchopsticks.OtherwisegenerallyChinesetablemannersarerathermoreinformal,whatwouldbeconsideredrudeinotherculturessuchastalkingwiththemouthfullmaybeacceptablebutbetternottodoso.
*Chopsticksmustalwaysbeheldinthecorrectmanner.Itshouldbeheldbetweenthethumbandfingersoftherighthand,
*Chopsticksaretraditionallyheldintherighthandonly,evenbytheleft-handed.Althoughchopsticksmaynowbefoundineitherhand,afewstillconsiderleft-handedchopstickuseimproperetiquette.Oneexplanationforthetreatmentofsuchusageasimproperisthatthiscansymboliseargument,asthechopsticksmaycollidebetweentheleft-handedandright-handeduser.
*Whencommunalchopsticksaresuppliedwithsharedplatesoffood,itisconsideredimpolitetouseyourownchopstickstopickupthefoodfromthesharedplateoreatusingthecommunalchopsticks.Anexceptiontothisruleismadeinintimatefamilydinnerswherefamilymembersmaynotmindtheuseofone‘sownchopstickstotransferfood.
*Itisconsideredimpolitetousethebluntendofthechopstickstotransferfoodfromacommondishtoyourownplateorbowl.Usethecommunalchopsticksinstead.
*Neverwaveyourchopsticksaroundasiftheywereanextensionofyourhandgestures,bangthemlikedrumsticks,orusethemtomovebowlsorplates.
*Decidewhattopickupbeforereachingwithchopsticks.Donothoveraroundorpokelookingforspecialingredients.Afteryouhavepickedupanitem,donotputitbackinthedish.
*Whenpickingupapieceoffood,neverusethetipsofyourchopstickstopokethroughthefood
