Chopsticks are widely used in Asia and come in various materials. They originated in China during the Shang dynasty and have cultural traditions and superstitions surrounding their use. Different countries have their own types of chopsticks and rules for their use, including taboos related to death rituals and good table manners. When dining as a guest in a different country, it’s important to follow the lead of your hosts and apologize for any unintentional offense.
Chopsticks are widely used kitchen utensils in Asia, especially China, Korea, Japan and Thailand. They take the form of two sticks which can be made of bone, metal, wood, jade, or ivory, depending on the owner and intended use. Chopsticks are used by billions of people and probably originated during the Shang dynasty in China, between 1766 and 1212 years before the common era. Proper use of this tool takes some practice, and every culture that uses them has its own traditions and superstitions surrounding eating utensils. These should be followed when in culture to avoid a faux pas.
There are many different types of wands, depending on where they are made and what they are used for. As a general rule, all countries that use them produce various sized chopsticks for different hands, along with communal and extra large serving utensils for cooking. Those used for eating can be quite ornamental and are usually personalized to the owner, while the common and cuisine types are simpler. Blunt chopsticks are common in most Asian countries, although Japanese varieties are suitable for business purposes.
The English name comes from the pidgin word, “chop,” meaning “fast.” It comes from the Chinese word for “the fast ones,” kuai-tzu. The sticks are typically held between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand, and a complex set of rules govern their use. As a general rule, eaters should never play with their chopsticks, use them to move plates or bowls, or eat from communal plates with personal ones. Also, it’s considered rude to bang a plate for attention using chopsticks, and it’s bad luck to cross them, a Chinese symbol for death.
Many of the taboos around wand use are also related to death rituals and funerals. For example, diners should never pass foods directly to one another using them, because that’s how cremated bones are handled after a Buddhist funeral. In Japan, chopsticks should never be stuck in a skyward-facing food bowl, as it resembles an offering of funerary incense. Other taboos, like not using common ones to eat with, pertain to common-sense infection control.
Every nation also has restrictions relating to good table manners. In China, for example, it’s conventional to pick up a bowl of rice and use chopsticks to shovel the rice into your mouth. In Korea, this is considered very poor behavior and will be frowned upon. As a general rule when dining as a guest in a different country, follow the lead set by your hosts and apologize immediately if you cause an unintentional offence.
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