Differences between Chinese and Western Table Manners中西方餐桌礼仪的差异.docx

第 V 页Differences between Chinese and Western Table Manners AbstractChina is a nation of etiquette, whose table manners have a long history. In fact, western countries have their own peculiar dining custom .With the development of Chinas opening-up, more and more Western culture gets into our sight.  As we face with unfamiliar cultures and countries, some inevitable cultural conflicts might happen in the communication, which will seriously affect the contacts being carried out smoothly. Table manners have a decisive position in the communication between China and Western countries. During communication we will show our best image and avoid cultural conflicts. Learning and using the right etiquette will not only step up our own impression, but also promote the benefit and strife of the company. This paper mainly discusses the differences of table manners between the West and China from several aspects. Knowing these differences, we can communicate well with each other.Key Words: China, western countries, table manners, differences.中西方餐桌礼仪的差异摘要中国是礼仪之邦，其餐桌礼仪源远流长。西方餐桌礼仪也是很有讲究。随着中国对外开放程度的逐渐深入，西方社会的文化越来越多地映入了我们的眼帘。由于我们所面对的是来自陌生的文化和国家，思维方式、生活习惯和行为方式与我们迥然不同的人，在与之交往的过程中不可避免的会出现文化冲突的现象，严重影响了交往的顺利进行。餐桌礼仪在交际当中已经占据了重要的地位，学习和运用正确的餐桌礼仪，已不仅仅是自身形象的需要，更是提高双效益、提升竞争力的需要。本文主要从几个不同的方面论述了中西方餐桌礼仪的差异，了解了它们的不同，我们彼此之间才能更好的交流。关键词: 中国，西方国家，餐桌礼仪，差异CONTENTSAbstract in English.IAbstract in Chinese . II1 Introduction12 Literature Review13 Main Factors Causing the Differences33.1 Geography33.2 Tradition43.3 Custom64 Different table manners between China and West74.1 Table setting74.2 Dinnerware84.3 The order of serving94.4 Rules when enjoying the meal105 Conclusion116 Bibliographies11 Differences between Chinese and Western Table Manners1. Introduction Due to the Chinese people and foreigners have different life styles, the way of thinking, cultures, the table manners between china and western countries show a big difference. Chinese table manners have a long history, which date from Zhou Dynasty, at that time table manners have a quite complete system. Those table manners gradually go to a level of mature and perfect, moreover, they took an important part in the past and still have a deep influence in the modern society. Western dining customs originate in Merovingian Dynasty, France, and in the 20th century, Italian culture came to France, table manners and menu turned to be more elegant and delicate, from that time, books of etiquette are published gradually. Today, table manners inherit in Europe. Table manners in Western countries have influence on Chinese table manners because of World Integration. In order to protect our table culture, we can make the two table manners integrated, which is good for us communicating with foreigners. So, it is necessary for us to know the differences of the two table manners.2Literature Review As we all know, different countries have different cultures. Culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one category of people from another (Hofstadter, 1991). As a kind of social customs, table manners are influenced by culture and vary in different areas. China, known as civilized ancient country, has characteristic table manners with a long history. Western countries also formed their own table manners during the syncretism of nations and modernization. To a certain degree, having good table manners is a symbol of a nation's civilization and an expression of a person's moral cultivation and accomplishment level as well. With the deepen of open policy in our country and the strengthen of communication between East and West, it is necessary for us to improve the consciousness of cross-cultural communication and know the differences of table manners, such as sense of arriving time, seat arrangement, order of serving dishes, tableware, behaviors, communication and so on. The fully understanding of the differences can prevent the failure in politeness and promote personal status on the dinner table. Only if we realize cultural connotation of table manners and the differences between East and West, can we talk and behave decently in cross-cultural communication and make social communication harmonious. With an acute eye and an irrepressible wit, Margaret Vassar takes a fascinating look at the way we eat our meals in the book The Rituals of Dinner. From the ancient Greeks to modern yuppies, from cannibalism and the taking of the Eucharist to formal dinners and picnics, she thoroughly defines the eating ritual. She takes the different table manners in different areas and races to show the development of the world civilization. In the book Culture on Dinner Table, Mr. Yi Zhongtian (2004) says that the core thought of Chinese culture is group consciousness while the western core thought is individual consciousness. Westerners order respective dishes by themselves rather than ask others for what they want. On the contrary, Chinese agrees that personal will should obey group common thought. In the book Differences and Syncretism of Etiquette Culture between East and West, Mr. Li Xiaojun explores the syncretism of etiquette culture between East and West on the basis of table manners to achieve the harmonious society. Yu Lin and Zhou You compare the cultural differences between East and West from the point of view on tableware, seat arrangement, dinner atmosphere and language. It aims at warning people to treat exotic culture with an objective, tolerant and respectful attitude while insisting on their own culture, in order to communicate properly and appropriately in cross-cultural communication. 3. Main Factors Causing the Differences3.1 GeographyAs we all know, different areas have different culture and custom. Because of the different location, natural conditions and geographical environment, different areas formed different regional culture which shows in that different nationalities using different language expression forms for the same kind of phenomenon or things. The geographical location and the environment lead to the differences between Chinese and western cultures. China is a big country with a vast territory abounding in natural resources, and the peoples way of life, customs, economic and cultural development, as well as general local conditions, all vary. For example, Chopsticks and, knife and fork are the most basic differences between Chinese and western table manners. You Xiuling, the professor of Zhejiang University, said that east and west appear different tablewares are related to the environment. Chopsticks should be originated in the place of lots of bamboo. There are much wood in north China and much bamboo in south China. So ancestors use local materials to make chopsticks and they became China's most primitive raw materials of chopsticks. The emergence of knife and fork is much later than that of chopsticks. According to the research of professor You Xiuling, the origin of knife and fork is related to the life habit of ancient European nomads, who always took knife along them and live on horseback. They cut down and eat meat as soon as it cooked. From then on, westerners use knife and fork as their tablewares. 3.2 Tradition The different ethnic and national historical development process may result in different history and tradition. Thousands of years of Chinese traditional culture reflected in the Chinese Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. As the core of Chinese traditional culture, Confucianism produces a profound and long influence on Chinese society. Confucianism has the traditional thought mainly emphasized “benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, faith”. Taoists advocated “customizations nature”, “pure” and he Buddhist is advocated “merciful Purdue beings” and “harmony”, “continued”. In the book Culture on Dinner Table, Mr. Yi Zhongtian said that the core thought of Chinese culture is group consciousness while the western core thought is individual consciousness. In sharp contrast, the western culture is a kind of “guilt” culture. They believe in god created man. The western culture, to be self-centered, the boundary between people is clear and they do not allow mutual interference. This individual culture contributed to western table manners without sharing a plate of food. But Chinese love peace and quiet life in the forest, and in the dining room use cheap chopsticks as tableware. The chopsticks can also reflect Chinese collective consciousness. Westerners prefer to colonize in restaurants, use a knife and fork in the class. Knife and fork also can reflect individual consciousness, and noble west of life. From the use of chopsticks we can see the whole course of using chopsticks is collaborative work. If one of them is absent, the whole work cannot be completed. It shows that collectivism is the core thought of Chinese nation. And knife and fork is born in modern industrial society, which is the production of socialization. Its main material is metal which shows social function of modern society, and failed to get rid of its offensive during socialization process. 3.3 Custom Custom culture refers to the culture that formed in the daily social life and human communication activity by ethnic and habits. The differences of custom between east and west are various. Different nationalities show different ethnic culture and custom on many aspects such as greeting, thanks, flattery, apology, or making telephone calls. For example, when Chinese meet acquaintance, they always greet each other by asking “have you eaten” or “where are you going”. While in western culture, it does not belong to the greeting but a real problem. They may think “why does he ask me whether I have eaten” “does he want to invite me to have dinner”. When Chinese invited guests to have dinner, there are so many dishes on the table, but host says repeatedly “there is nothing for you” “have a potluck” and similar words. The host also helps pick food for guests and try his best to make guests eat and drink more. Westerner often doubted about this phenomenon. It is not realistic behaviour that host said there is nothing when there are so many dishes on the table. And their meal is very simple which often with a small number of delicious vegetables when they treat others. Host just says “help yourself” and they never carry food to guest's bowl.4. Different table manners between China and West4.1Table settingIn China: We prefer to the round table in the Chinese banquets. If there is just a round table in the family dinner, so it has no table order. But if the banquets are held in a restaurant or a hall and there are two or over two round table, then it must have the table setting order. The rule of table setting is that the top table is the round table which is back to the restaurant or the hall and the right of which is senior and the left is inferior. If there are three round tables, then the table in the middle is senior, the right is next and the left is second. Anyway, the right is honor and the left is low, whatever how many the tables are. There are four basic ways of setting arrangement: First host should sit facing the main door, then guest of honor sit on the right of the host and deputy chief guest on the left. Second, when the banquets arrive to the scale of more than one table, every table should have a representative of host and the setting is on the same way of the host, sometimes he or she can face to the host on the main table. Third, taking the table of the host sitting as the sign, the guest on its right is honor and the left is low. Fourth, if the position of the host is inferior to the guest of honor, the host can ask guest to sit where the host should have seated and the host sit on his right. As for the dinning of less than five people, its table setting can follow those four rules: right is honor and the left is low; the middle seat is senior; the seat of facing the door is the top; flexibility arrangement.In west: In the west, the long tables are the choice in the banquet. They also think that the right is honor and the left is low. In the banquet, the host and hostess sit from each other, gentleman of honor sit near the host, his Madame sit near the hostess and the others follow them. In the informal party, it follows that women is first. If a man and a woman have a diner, the man should let the woman sit on his right and dont let she sit near to the passageway; anyway the man ought to let the woman sit inside. When there are two couples, ladies should sit against the wall and the opposite are their husbands. When two men with a woman, men should let woman sit in the middle place. When two people have a dinner, the senior sit inside. Besides, men should remove the chairs and let women sit first.4.2 DinnerwareIn China: The dinnerware we use are those: the chopsticks, small dishes, spoons, bowl and so on. In the banquet, water glass is on the left of the dishes and wineglass is on the right. Chopstick and soup spoon can be put on the special seat or in the paper sleeve. And the toothpick and ashtray is necessary.In west: They prefer to use the knife and fork, spoon, dish, glass and so on. In the way of setting, Chinese dinner is easy but western dinner is complex. The setting ways of the western dinner in the world is basically unified. The common principle is: under plate is placed in the middle; fork is on the left and knife is right, knifepoint keeps upward and knife edge inward; spoon is putted on the front of plate; main dish is left and dinnerware is right, the others are putted by circumstances. Besides, the number of wine glasses equal to the variety of wine. And the putting ways are in the order of that strong wine glass, wine glass, champagne glass, beer glass. The napkin is placed on the plate. If the guest wants to put something in the plate before the dinner, the napkin can be putted beside the plate. There is one sentence concluding their using rule: right hand with knife and left hand with fork, the whole dinnerware using is ecto-entad.4.3 The order of serving In China: The first dishes are cold dishes, beverage and wine; then the hot dishes; next staple food; at last the sweets and fruit. When the banquet has many tables, each table should be on every dish at the same time. Besides, hot dishes should be served from the left side opposite the seat of the guest of honor, single copies of vegetables or side dishes and snacks should be given to the guest first then the host. Plastic dishes like whole chicken, whole duck, and whole fish cant put their heads and tails toward the host seat. In general, there are several ways of serving: First, the big dish is putted side, self-served by the people