论文总字数：30147字

摘 要

随着当今社会的不断发展，我们有更多的机会同外国友人交谈，邀请他们或者被他们邀请用餐是极有可能的。其实用餐不单是满足基本的生理需要，更是社交需要。餐桌礼仪非常重要，它在每个人的生活中都占有一个举足轻重的地位。中西方餐桌礼仪也存在着许多差别，因此了解中西方餐桌礼仪的不同不仅可以防止失礼于人，同时也让自己的举止在席间显得优雅大方。本论文主要探讨了中西方的餐桌礼仪的差异，分别介绍了餐桌礼仪的内涵和特点，中西方餐桌礼仪差异的表现，并且对产生差异的原因进行了分析，从而帮助人们详细地了解中西方文化的差异，这样更有利于跨文化交际的顺利进行。

关键词：餐桌礼仪；差异；中西方文化

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 2

3. Introduction to Chinese and Western Table Etiquette 3

4. Differences between Chinese and Western Table Etiquette 4

4.1 Differences in Etiquette of Dressing 4

4.2 Differences in Arrangement of Seats 4

4.3 Differences in Tableware 6

4.4 Differences in Dietary Principles 8

4.5 Differences in Etiquette of Leaving Table 9

5. Reasons for the Table Etiquette Differences 9

5.1 Different Core Values 10

5.2 Different Environments 11

6. Conclusion 11

Works Cited 13

1. Introduction

China has joined the WTO; the Chinese government will unswervingly implement the opening-up policy. With the development of our society, we have more chances to communicate with foreigners. It stands a good chance of inviting them for dinner or being invited for dinner. In fact, dining is not only a satisfaction of basic physiological needs, but also for our social needs. As we may know, there are many rules or manners when we do something, the same is with dinning, which is called table manners. It means the preparations and etiquette when we are eating. Table manners are very important, and it plays a vital role in our daily life.

There are many differences between Chinese and Western cultures, in both language and non-verbal cultures. During the non-verbal culture, table etiquette culture is an important aspect. Also, there are many differences between Chinese and western table etiquette. In daily life, every culture has its ways of doing things, such as eating, drinking, dressing, finding shelter, making friends, marrying, and dealing with death, what people have to learn about to satisfy their basic human needs. Humans learn some of culture by being taught by parents or teachers as well as by growing up in it. People see how others do, in the same way as they do. They even learn how to think and feel in this way. Since humans learn the ways of taking care of basic needs in the cultural group in which they grow up, their own culture seems very natural to them, so is the table culture. They feel in their hearts that the way they do things is the only right way. While other people’s cultures often make them feel disgusted or shocked. So, things mentioned above cause that different countries have different table cultures. However, people have to remember that, mostly, different ways what are the customs of different cultures are neither right nor wrong. Take eating as an example. All individuals must eat in order to survive, but what people eat, when they eat, and the manners in which they eat are all patterned by culture. So in the following part, you will find the different manners between Chinese and western countries. It’s necessary to learn these differences, which enables people to avoid making mistakes. What’s more, it makes people elegant among the crowd.

In cross-culture communication, the misunderstandings caused by culture barrier appear frequently. Sometimes well-meaning talking might make people embarrassed. So, studying the differences between different cultures and studying the right actions of cross-culture communication are necessary. The purpose of knowing the differences of table manners is to understand the present cross-cultural situation and to have a better idea of people’s relationships by avoiding unnecessary misunderstanding and mistakes. Comparing the table manners of China and western countries and keeping pace with the changing world can be more meaningful to all people.

This thesis mainly focuses on the differences of table manners. It introduces the connotations and features of Chinese and western table manners, and it shows us the manifestations of these differences. Beside these, it makes an analysis of the reasons, which helps people have a deeper understanding of Chinese and western cultures.

2. Literature Review

In the past few years, many studies have been done and published on the reasons of table manner differences between China and western countries. Early researches on tableware also do a lot of contributions to today’s table customs. There is no doubt that Chinese people commonly use chopsticks, the main cutlery in the Chinese meal. People use spoon for drinking soup or assisting chopsticks to ladle food; while cup is used for containing tea, water, beverage, juice and so on, but not wine. Wet towel is used for wiping hands before meal, so you can not use it for wiping mouth and face, but after a meal, it can be used to wipe mouth. Knife and fork of western meals are like chopsticks of Chinese meals. They play a leading role in western tableware. There are some basic principles, for example, the knife is held in the right hand and the fork in the left hand. And in a formal western meal there must be at least two spoons. The big spoon is the soup spoon placed on the upper right of the plate alongside of knife and fork. The small one is the dessert spoon. In addition, hot towels are replaced by napkins. The shape of napkin has rectangular and square. When dining, the large napkin can be folded diagonally and placed on the lap with the point facing your knees.

As the saying goes “bread is the staff of life.” Food is very important to human beings. At present, a numbers of research workers embark on the explorations of table etiquette. According to what Chen Hua and Wang Yipei said, (2011) there are many differences in tableware, seating protocol and table culture between China and the west. Studying these differences is good for promoting cultural exchanges between China and the west. Duan Jie and Chen Qian (2008) kick table etiquette around, too. In the book, they expound some general knowledge of table etiquette. And it gives an account of many manners following the process of a banquet. What’s more, it tells about the etiquette in different occasions. Zhu Shimei (2013) has made a thorough inquiry of table etiquette from the aspect of dining. Wang Juan analyzed the table etiquette from the aspect of taboos. Yu Feng (2011) talked about table etiquette from the dinnerware, mainly from the chopsticks and forks. Although, they have made many explorations, there is not a specific exploration on the differences between Chinese and western etiquette following the process of a banquet. From the previous literature reviews, we can see that the study in this field has become more and more significant.

3. Introduction to Chinese and Western Table Etiquette

Diet is actually the contents of our daily lives. It has special status in Chinese culture, and it also has a great distinction between China and the west.

As one of the world’s ancient nations，China has a history of diet almost as long as that of Chinese civilization. It is documented that Chinese table etiquette formed a relatively complete system, which can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty. It has formed a set of programs, the host sends out the invitations before the date of the dinner in order that the guests have enough time to attend the dinner party. The host must welcome the gusts at the door, where they meet with each other and greet each other. If the dinner party has not started, the host would take the guests to the living room. Then the guests would be treated with fruits and tea. When the dinner starts, the host will take them to the dining room.

Table manners in western countries originated in Roman Tam Dynasty, France. It formulated a series of etiquette because of the inspiration of the Byzantine Culture. At the time of the Rome Empire of Charlemagne, the table etiquette became more complex and even autocratic. European table manners evolved from chivalry. Today, the table manners continue handing down to generations in European countries. In western countries, if you go to a friend’s home for a visit, you should wear decent clothes and send appropriate gifts.

4. Differences between Chinese and Western Table Etiquette

“Social customs differ greatly from one country to another. It is therefore impossible to give guidelines that are universally applicable. Generally speaking, you should act naturally, always remaining friendly, courteous, and dignified.” (Qian Qing, 2006:23 ) As we all know, there are many manners when we are doing things. For example, when we are attending a meeting, we should turn off the mobile phones or turn them to silent. There are also many manners when we are dining. Manner is a code of conduct and guidelines for social activities. It is related to everyone’s image-building and personality-displaying. Table manner, as its name implies, is the preparations and etiquette that people must do while they are having dinners. Eating is not only a way to meet the basic physiological need, but also the first important function to show one’s social experience to others. Different cultures observe different rules for table manners.

4.1 Differences in Etiquette of Dressing

Dressing is an important aspect of table etiquette, which should be suitable for different occasions such as wedding, dining organized by companies and so on. It is one of the requirements of table manners to choose the suitable dressing. And there are many differences between Chinese and western countries in the etiquette of dressing. In China, people can wear whatever he likes if not in formal occasions. However, people pay attention to their dressing when dining in western countries. If people go to high level hotels, women wear dress and shoes with heels while men wear suits. If required to wear formal clothes, men must wear ties, and they should not wear leisure suits to the restaurant.

4.2 Differences in Arrangement of Seats

Chinese people always select round tables when playing host to friends. There are a numbers of rules in China on where to put the round table and which seat has priority on the same table.

In China, people are accustomed to using the number of the tables to define the scale of a banquet. In a small banquet which has two tables, the table on the left or farther to the entrance of the banquet is the top table. In a bigger one which has three or more tables, the rules are much more complex. The top table is always on the right hand and it is always farthest to the portal. Furthermore, the distance to the top table is also taken into account. In general, seats which are close to the top table takes precedence. For instance, on a wedding party, family members of the groom or the leaders are arranged to the table closest to the top table. Hosts demonstrate their respect to the visitors by arranging seats in this way.

Seats at the same table have different meanings as well. In Chinese table manners, the seat opposite to the door is the seat of honor, which is for the chief guests or the elder; the seats beside the seat of honor are the second honor seat, which are for other guests; the inferior seats are the seats that opposite to the honor seat and they are for the host and hostess. So before a banquet, the hosts invite the chief guest or the elder to the honor seat first, and then ask other guests to the second honor seat. Hosts take a seat on the inferior seats after all the guests sit down.

Comparing the long table with the round one, western people like long table better when entertaining friends. The host and the hostess both sit at the end of the table, while guests sit at other seats. Men and women are arranged to sit alternately. The guest of honor sits at the upper right side of the hostess, and his wife sits at the upper right side of the host. Just like the picture below shows.

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Western gentlemen devote particular care to the principle of “lady first”, so they are always friendly to ladies. In China, people who sit on the left are the distinguished guests and on the right are the less important guests; middle is honor and slant is secondary. While in western countries, right is the honorable guest and left is the secondary guest.

The appropriate way to take a seat in western countries is to sit by the left hand. Elbows can never put onto the table and hands are prohibited to touch feet. It would be best not to step out before the banquet is finished (unless you really have to). During the dinner, it is preferable to sit straightly.

4.3 Differences in Tableware

Chinese dinnerware includes chopsticks, small dish, bowl and glass. In a formal banquet, glass is put on the upper left of the plate and wineglass on the upper right. Chopsticks and spoons are always put together on the right side of the plate. What’s more, toothpicks and ashtrays are also necessary. In western culture, some tableware for food is frequently used, such as fork, spoon, plate, knife, and glass. In view of the placement of tableware, there are more complicated rules. At formal western banquets, tableware is usually put in the same way. There are some common principles; for instance, the plate ought to be in the middle, staple food on the left, tableware on the right-fork on the left, knife on the right. The placement of the other tableware depends on the specific occasions. The kind of wine decides the number of the wine glass. The correct sequence of putting glasses from left to right should be as follows: strong drink glass, wine glass, champagne glass and beer glass.

4.3.1 Chopsticks vs. Knife and Fork

Chopsticks are the main tableware in Chinese dietary culture, which always appear in couple. It’s better not to lap up the chopsticks (whether there are residues of food or not) before you take food from the plates. It is very impolite to pick up food with licked chopsticks, which will make other guests feel sick. Talking with chopsticks in hand or even brandishing chopsticks is also a bad manner. It is the third bad manner to insert chopsticks straightly into the food, because only when sacrificing the death do Chinese people do like this. What you must keep in mind is that chopsticks are tableware that are only used to pick food. It is discourteous to clean tooth or pick other things with chopsticks.

Knives are used to cut food and forks are used to carry food into mouth. If you have to lay down the knife and fork during the dinner, you need to put them on both sides of the plate and knives and forks should be put in the way like the Chinese word “八”. When the dinner is finished (or you do not want to eat any more), forks and knives can be put parallelly on the plate with the fork’s reverse side up, which means you have finished the dinner. You can use knives and forks in a French way, which means forks in your left hand and knives in the right hand; you can also use them in English way-knives in your left hand and forks in the right hand. It all depends on your habits.

4.3.2 Spoon vs. Spoon

The main function of spoon is to scoop food. Sometimes spoons are also used for assisting chopsticks in picking a great deal of food. It is better not to pick food only with spoon or scoop too much food at a time, because the food might spill over and smudge the tablecloth or clothes. The proper way to use spoon is scooping the food and waiting for seconds to make sure that the soup will not splash out, and then you can enjoy the food. Put the spoon on your own plate and do not put it on the table directly if the spoon is not needed. Once you scoop the food, you should eat them at once or put the food into your plate, but you can not put them back. Never stir the food or blow the food with mouth if the food is too scalding to eat. You can put them into the bowl and wait for a moment. It is unmannered to put the spoon into mouth or lick the spoon over and over again. In western countries, there are two kinds of spoons: the big one is the soup spoon and the small one is the dessert spoon. Soup spoon is always put on the outermost right side together with the knife. The same is with the dessert spoon.

4.3.3 Towel vs. Napkin

In a middle-size or a big-size restaurant in China, waiters will first offer a wet warm towel to every guest, which is used to clean hands. After cleaning, you need to put it back to the plate and the waiters will take it away. Sometimes waiters would give another towel to the guests at a big banquet, which is different from the first one. The second one can only be used to clean mouth; it can not clean face or perspiration.

In western countries, the napkin is supposed to be put on the plate; it will be put behind the plate if something needs to be put in the plate before the guests sit down. When the dinner is finished, you pick up the napkin first and then put the napkin on the left of the table. You don’t have to fold the napkin neatly, but you can not rub it into a ball neither.

4.4 Differences in Dietary Principles

China is a country with an ancient civilization, which also has the glorious dietary culture. In China, vast territory and abundant resources, climate resources, customs differences lead to the different customs in diet. Another feature of Chinese dietary is that we uenjoy different food in different seasons. Paying attention to the color, smell and taste of the food is one of the most obvious features. Last but not least, there is a close link between Chinese cooking and health care. However, the main characteristics of Western dietary are raw, cold and sweet. Western people are used to eating steak with blood and drinking with ice. They are crazy about sweet food and prefer convenience and popularity to luxury.

The Western diet is a rational concept. Nutrition must be assured no matter how bad the flavor is. They care about the calories, vitamin and protein they take in. Even if the taste follows the same pattern they also eat them, because they are nutritious. The weakness of western dietary is that it has no novelty. For example, the foods in MacDonald are the same taste. Another example, in celebration, it stresses tableware, stresses the staple, stresses the servings, and stresses the color and shape mixture of raw materials. But no matter how luxurious the grade is, from Los Angeles to New York, there is only one taste of steak without art to speak of. It’s different from that in China. We Chinese pay more attention to the food we eat. According to the saying “hunger breeds discontentment,” we can see that Chinese people regard food as the most important thing. As is known to all, most people were ground down by hunger and poverty in the old days. This is why we pay so much attention to food.

“The most attractive part of Chinese dietary culture is its taste.” (Xu Yiming, 1992:40) We would like to emphasize on the taste rather than its nutrition. Sometimes we feel full, but we want to go on eating because we can not resist the delicious food. We all know that when we have something new to eat, we often say that it’s good to eat or it’s bad to eat. We evaluate the food by its taste, which is different from what western people do. “Chinese cooking method is to flavor, and the ultimate goal is to create a beautiful taste.” (Tang Deyang, 1993:34) In China, the pursuit of the beauty of diet crushes the rationality. This kind of diet view matches the Chinese tradition’s philosophic thinking well. As eastern philosophy representative-Chinese philosophy, whose outstanding feature is macroscopic, direct-viewing, fuzzy and evasive. The cooking method of Chinese dishes is to distribute varied materials and finally make a delicious taste. Treating the taste of the food as the first thing, we always ignore its nutrition. This is the weakness of Chinese dietary culture.

4.5 Differences in Etiquette of Leaving Table

At the end of a dinner, we will leave table. However, sometimes we perhaps need to leave table during the dinner for some reasons. No matter in what case, we all have to take manners into consideration. In China, only the host can announce the end of the dinner. Only when the host and the guest of honor leave the table can the other guests leave table, which is different from that in western countries. In western countries, when the host leave table, the guests can leave table. In China, we leave table by ourselves, but in western countries the male guests will help the elder and women guests leave the seats.

So, if you are a male guest you should take notice of this, it’s your duty to help the elder and women guests leave the seats. Perhaps it’s strange for us to see this; however, it’s very necessary for the male guests to do so in western countries. From my point of view, it’s a good behavior, which will make others feel that you are a gentleman. Personally, this manner should be popularized in China.

5. Reasons for the Table Etiquette Differences

As we all know, there are many reasons causing the table etiquette differences. We can make an analysis from different modes of thinking and different values and the aspect of environment.

5.1 Different Core Values

The reason of the table etiquette differences is the different core values. Value is the deepest stage of culture, which social members use to evaluate behavior and things, to choose the most proper standard for themselves from every possible goal. Values are the nucleus of culture and human’s reaction to social existence. People in the same nature and social environment hold the same value, for every society and country has their own values. People’s actions in table manners are epitomes of their values.

As we all know, Confucius’ impact on the Chinese culture is pervasive and far reaching. The Chinese central government leaders strongly advocate the establishment of a harmonious society, following Confucius’ saying “harmony is something to be cherished”. So we can see that our country’s culture connotation is to pursue harmony. It is why one would like to do or think as what other people do or think around him. The main ideology in Chinese culture is group consciousness, and Chinese people believe that group consciousness is the most important thing, and individual consciousness must obey the group consciousness. So Chinese people prefer to choose round tables for banquets rather than long table. When people are sitting around round tables, they can talk to each other freely and the atmosphere can be very harmonious. China is a state of ceremonies and Chinese value loyalty and piety. Collectivism is the value of such a country. So Chinese people respect the old and love the young. The arrangement for dinner can obviously prove it.

In western countries, individualism occupies the leading position of values. Everyone has their own value and these values reflect their personal abilities. This is because western philosophic thinking cherishes individualism, personal development and self expression. They believe that everybody is equal. Western people believe that if someone can not achieve his goal, it is idleness that causes his failure, not fatality. They also believe that losing fight means losing success. So western people prefer to be served individually. They have their own food in their own plates and everyone chooses their favorite food. They would not eat the food they dislike, just as what Chinese people always do. They only eat what they like.

5.2 Different Environments

Another reason of the differences in tableware involves natural environment and social environment. Chopsticks were invented thousands of years ago, at the place where bamboo grew luxuriantly. The north areas of China yield wood while the south areas of China yield bamboo. The Chinese ancestors used local materials to produce chopsticks and from then on wood and bamboo have become the original material of chopsticks.

Knives and forks were contrived much later than chopsticks. According to the study of You Xiuling, the use of knives and forks can be related to ancient European nomads’ habits and customs. As a nation of equestrian, the nomads carried knives wherever they went. They always used knives to slice the cooked meat into pieces, and then sent the meat into mouth. Europeans began to use forks after about the 15th century in order to improve eating gesture. During that time, the forks had only two tips. Forks with four tips used today in modern style were invented in the 18th century.

Chopsticks and forks not only cause the differences of food culture, but also cause the differences of life perceptions between Chinese and western cultures. Knives and forks cause the shared-food system. On the contrary, chopsticks always coordinate with all members of a family. Western people eat separately since they were young, which develops their ideas of independence. While chopsticks lead to the together-food system, which gave happiness to the old and young eating together. And it also makes Chinese people have a strong sense of family.

6. Conclusion

With the development of our society, we have more and more chances to chat with foreigners. Perhaps we will establish business relations with them, or we are willing to make friends with them. No matter what the reasons are, we should establish a harmonious relationship with them. It is very important to know more about the table etiquette in western countries. As an old saying goes “do in Roman as Roman does”, when we are invited by foreigners, we should obey the table manners of theirs. From my point of view, only if we are familiar with the differences between Chinese and western table etiquette, can we make sure that what we do are appropriate in western countries. We should maintain our own table etiquette. I don’t mean that we should not learn from western countries, what I really mean is that we should have our own characteristics. Every culture in the world is equal, with no one being dominant or recessive to another. We should not judge foreign cultures on the basis of our own culture, morality and value so as to understand western cultures and treat the cultures objectively. At the same time, we should insist on our own culture and avoid following foreign culture blindly. Different table manners make the world colorful. Only if we know more about different table etiquette can we promote our own table etiquette. The more we learn, the better we understand our traditions. In addition, we had better learn more about the table cultures of western countries in order that we can have a further understanding of their culture.

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