跨文化交際論文中外飲食文化差異(英文)

2024年3月15日發(作者：有夢想誰都了不起)

Differences of Table Manners between China and West

Chapter 1 Introduction

As the economy and culture developing rapidly, having dinner is not only for people

basic physical need, but also the important skill in social communication. Good

manners and courtesy have become increasingly common understanding of the public.

With the deepening of reform and opening up policy in China and the strengthening

of communication between China and West, people have a great number of

opportunities to have dinner with foreigners. A lot of table manners, such as arriving

time, at arrangement, and order of rving dishes, tableware, behaviour and

communication, reflect different culture and life-style in nations or countries. There

are many differences of table manners between China and western countries.

It is extremely important for people to understand the differences to avoid making

mistakes and promote the development of humanity culture and achieve interpersonal

harmony in both countries.

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Differences of Table Manners between China and West

Chapter 2 Literature Review

It is a common n that different countries have different cultures. Table manners,

as a kind of social customs, are deeply influenced by culture and vary in many

different kinds of areas. China has characteristic table manners with a long history,

and western countries also have their own table manners. To some degree, having

good table manners is a symbol of a nation’s civilization and an expression of a

person’s moral cultivation.

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Differences of Table Manners between China and West

Chapter 3 Cultural Differences of Table Manners

3.1 Arriving Time

As we all know that Chine people often arrive half an hour later than the predicted

time and the host also ems to have prepares for that. When they are waiting for

other guests, the host always arranges some games so that the guests who come earlier

would not feel boring. While in western countries, people do things strictly and all the

activities begin on time. People should arrive at the party on time especially the

formal banquets. It is considered as impolite and contempt for the host and other

guests if one arrives 10 minutes later.

3.2 Seat Arrangement

In Chine table manners, ating arrangement is the most important part. The at

of honor, rerved for the banquet’s master or the highest status’s guest, is in the

center facing east or facing the door. And the other higher position guests sit clor to

the master of the banquet. The lowest position guests sit furthest from the at of

honor. If it is a round table, the one facing the door is the guest of honor. The ats on

the left hand are cond, and then in turn fourth and sixth and so on. The guests on the

right hand are the same.

While in western countries, it is different. When the hostess announced dinner is

ready, male host will lead guests to the table in turn, and the hostess walks behind

them. Some host will also place name card on the table to show the at.

3.3 Order of Serving Dishes

Chine meals usually begin with appetizers. There are often four or five kinds of

appetizers, such as, cold meats, prerved eggs, smoked fish and vegetable relishes.

All the food are arranged beautifully on parate dishes or on one large platter. Then

the hot food should be rved. There is an important rule to rve the whole duck,

chicken and fish, which is don’t put the head and tail to the major at. After the hot

dishes, then comes the main cour, rice. At last, desrts and fruits are provided to

help digestion.

In western countries, the first dish is appetizer as well. The cond dish is soup. The

third dish is fish dish. Meat and poultry dishes is the fourth dish, which also known as

the main cour. And the most reprentative is beef and steak. Salad can be a kind of

side dish, which can be arranged either after or with the meat dish. The sixth dish is

desrt, such as pudding, ice cream, chee, fruit and so on. The final drink is coffee

with cream or tea with sugar.

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Differences of Table Manners between China and West

3.4 Tableware

Chine people mainly u bowl, chopsticks and spoons. Chopsticks are the most

important tableware in China. While in rving English meals, they u so much

tablewares with different kinds and sizes. There are different kinds of glass, spoons,

plates, bowls and knives. The main tablewares in western are knives, forks, spoons,

glass and napkin.

3.5 Behaviour and Communication

When on the dinner table, Chine people talked a lot and enjoy the delicious food

at the same time, which means the hospitality and sincere of hostess. Becau they

believe that the lively atmosphere on the dinner table reflects the cheerful of guests

and the warmth of family. While in western, during the dinner, people talked little and

cut their own food in the plate quietly.

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Differences of Table Manners between China and West

Chapter 4 Main Factors Causing the Differences

4.1 Geography

The geographical location and the environment lead to the differences between

Chine and western cultures. People in different places will have different

behaviours and cultures.

4.2 Tradition

With thousands of years of Chine traditional culture, we believe that we should

take care of others and cooperate with others. Chine people u cheap chopsticks as

tableware which can reflect Chine collective consciousness. In the book Culture

on Dinner Table, Mr. Yi Zhongtian said that the core thought of Chine culture is

group consciousness while the western core thought is individual consciousness. The

western culture, to be lf-centered, the boundary between people is very clear and

they usually do not allow mutual interference. That makes western table manners

without sharing a plate of food. Knife and fork also can reflect individual

consciousness, and noble west of life.

4.3 Custom

People from different countries have different cultures and customs, especially in

the aspects such as greeting, thanks, apology, flattery, and making telephone calls.

When Chine invited guests to have dinner, the host always picks food for guests and

tries his best to make guests eat and drink more. While in western countries, the host

would just let their guests help themlves and they would never carry food to their

guest’s bowl.

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Differences of Table Manners between China and West

Chapter 5 Trend of Syncretism

Nowadays, an increasing number of western restaurants appear in many cities in

China and an increasing number of people like to have meals in it. People have

gradually learned western table manners in their daily life. It is obvious that the

Chine diet conception is nsible, and the western diet idea is rational. Now, the

difference ems to become blurred with the strengthening of communication between

China and West and the development of science. Instead of paying attention to the

color, flavor and taste of the food, Chine people, like the westerners, pay more

attention to its health and nutrition. This dismination and development of western

style food has unavoidably made great influence on Chine food and beverage

industry, which made Chine style food trade change in the aspects of managing

concept, management mode, productive means, personnel cultivation and so on.

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Differences of Table Manners between China and West

Chapter 6 Conclusion

Social background, historical and cultural differences lead to the differences

between Chine and Western table manners. To some extent, table manner is a

reflection of the kind of lifestyle, and the formation of habits which can not be

obtained in a short period of time. It is actually a kind of historical and cultural

dimentation and extension. Knowing the differences, people can easily understand

the culture of each other. In face of the differences, we should comprehend and

respect their habits and culture and remember that every culture is equal to the other.

Only recognizing cultural differences between China and West and making a

reasonable and effective integration, can we establish a social cultural etiquette

system of contemporary China and reach the ideal harmonious society.

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Differences of Table Manners between China and West

References

[1] 易中天. 餐桌上的文化[J]. 當代學生, 2004(10).

[2] 楊柳,田丹丹,苑富山. 中美餐桌禮儀芻議[J]. 從餐桌禮儀看中西文化差

異[J]. 硅谷, 2008(18).

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