中西方餐桌礼仪与文化的对比与分析.doc

天津工业大学毕业论文

中西方国家的餐桌礼仪与文化的对比分析

(申请文学学士学位)

院别：外国语学院
专业：英语
学生：王静楠
指导教师：王彤
职称：讲师

天津工业大学外国语学院
2014年6月

A contrastive Analysis of Table Manners and Culture between China and Western Countries

A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for
the Degree of Bachelor of Arts

Wang Jingnan

Under the Supervision of
Wang Tong

Foreign Languages College
Tianjin Polytechnic University
June 2014

Contents

Acknowledgements ii
Abstract iii
Introduction 1
Chapter 1 Comparison of the Different Performance of Table Manners between Chinese and Western countries 2
1.1 The Different Seating Arrangement 2
1.2 The Different Dinner Atmosphere 3
1.3 The Different Dinner Etiquette 4
Chapter 2 General View of Brand and Brand Names 5
2.1 The Different Drinking Etiquette 5
2.2 The Different Drinking Purpose 6
Chapter 3 Comparison of Different Dietary Culture between China and Western Counties 7
Conclusion 9
Works Cited 10

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my gratitude to all those who helped me with this thesis. I really appreciate and thank for the help of my supervisor, Ms Wang, without her help and valuable instructions I can hardly complete this thesis. She patiently read every sentence of my humble article and gave inspiring advice to me. Not only should I thank for her kind assistance, also and more importantly I should learn her diligent and hardworking attitude. I also want to give my special thanks to all the professors in Foreign Language College, who have taught me precious academic knowledge and useful skills, so I can successfully complete this paper. All in all, I would love to say that sky is the limit to all the gratitude I want to show to all the generous and kind peoples who have been helping and supporting me without any complaints.

Abstract

With the constant development of global economy, the relation between China and Western countries is getting more and more closely connected regarding to politics, economy and culture. There is no doubt that etiquette plays an important role. And the dining table is one of the most important places where good manners are displayed. But great difference still exists between China and Western table manners, because of the differences in culture, history, customs and national character. People tend to show their best sides to others and avoid cultural conflicts. More attention should be paid on the difference between China Western table manners. But also they can communicate with other efficiently. Not only can people show that they are well-educated with the knowledge of the customs and decent and elegant behavior in a banquet, but also can they efficiently and smoothly communicate with others. When dining with foreigners, people will avoid conflicts with rich knowledge of the difference between Chinese and Western table manners. Great difference exists between China and Western countries in table manners. The research of the difference between Chinese and Western table manners will help people to learn language culture and improve the ability of communication in cross-culture practice.

Key words: Table manners; table culture; China and the West

摘 要

随着经济全球化的不断发展，中国和西方国家在政治，经济和文化方面的关系变得越来越密切。毫无疑问的是礼仪起着非常重要的作用。而餐桌又是展示礼仪最重要的地方之一。但由于文化，历史，风俗习惯和民族性格的不同，中西方餐桌礼仪有很多的差异。在沟通的过程中，为了避免冲突，人们将展示他们最好的一面。每一个人都应该更加重视中西方餐桌礼仪的差异。人们应该了解一些必要的风俗习惯，注意行为举止要得体而优雅，在展示人们高素质的同时也能够促进人们之间的有效沟通。了解中西方餐桌礼仪的差异可以使我们在于外宾用餐时避免出现文化冲突。研究中西方餐桌礼仪差异可以帮助人们在学习语言文化的同时改善跨文化的沟通能力。

关键词：餐桌礼仪；餐桌文化；中西方

Introduction

With the constant development of global economy, the relation between China and Western countries is getting more and more closely connected regarding to politics, economy and culture. But great difference still exists between China and Western table manners, because of the differences in culture, history, customs and national character. Table manners reflect the differences between China and western countries whether on seating, dining atmosphere, drinking etiquette, drinking purpose or diet culture. As culture differs among different countries, the thinking model is clearly different between China and Western countries. The Western would be inclined to logic and analyze, but the East is emphasize one’s intuition. The different table manner between China and Western is an important part of the differences between China and Western in culture. Animal husbandry culture and sea culture is the western traditional culture, but Chinese traditional culture is farming culture. Two different cultures reflect different life-styles. Knowing the differences people can easily understand the culture of each other. Confronting the differences, people shall fully understand and respect their habits and culture, and should remember that every culture is equal and there is no one prior to the other. Thus we can decently communicate with each other. Only recognizing cultural differences between China and western countries and making a reasonable and effective integration, can we establish a social cultural etiquette system of contemporary China and reach the ideal harmonious society.

Chapter 1 Comparison of the Different Performance of Table Manners between Chinese and Western countries
Human diet is closely related to the living environment. “What to eat?” is connected to the living environment, but the matter of “How to eat?” such as cooking, tableware and a series of table manners can reflect the different social life styles. In modern society, etiquette is everywhere. In addition to the professional etiquette in daily life, most people often ignore the dinner etiquette. Actually having dinner satisfies people’s physiological needs, as well as enriches their social experience. Table manners are very important for us which occupy a very important position in Chinese life style. Understanding the different requirements in etiquette can not only help them avoid being rude to others, but also make them behave elegantly at the table.
1.1 The Different Seating Arrangement
According to Chinese table manners, the arrangement of seats embodies honor. The seats are arranged according to his/her age or social standing. There is a ancient Chinese custom of “Taking the right for upper”, which means that the right seat is just for the most respectful people for the distinguished guest or for the eldest member of a family. Nowadays, people are influenced by this tradition when they choose seats in a meeting or other social activities—take the right for uppers. In the Chinese banquets, people prefer to choose round table. The aged, who are considered to be distinguished guests, sits in the upper seat while the host will sit next to them. The aged guests will sit in sequence. But if there are two or more than two tables in a restaurant or in a hall, the main table will be taken both by the host and hostess. The social status of these people decides how far they sit from the main tables. More important people sit nearer to the main table, which is standardized. The status of those people who seat at the right table is higher than those who seat at the left. Sometimes the main table is in the center of the hall.
For example, if there is one table in a restaurant or in a hall, people usually sit according to this picture. And the number means the status of the seat.
1
2 3

7 8

9 10

6 5

4

Door
According to the western table manners, the hostess will make a speech of welcome when the table is set and food is prepared, the host will guide the gusts to their seats in turn. On some occasions, the cards with the last names of the guests will be put on the table except when there are more than on guests with the same surname. Under the situation “Mr. David White” and “Mr. Jimmy White” will be print on the card to make the distinction. If there are no seating cards, the hostess will show the guests the correct seats. “In the western countries, people will choose a long table in a banquet. Meanwhile right is supposed to be honor and left to be low status. The host and hostess sit together in the middle of the guests with the gentlemen sit near the host and the ladies near the hostess, others will follow the sequence. In casual parties, ladies always go first. Men should always sit on the left with women on the right away from the passageway when dining together. And the man shall let the woman sit inside. Two couples eating together, ladies shall sit against the wall in front of their husbands. Two men and a woman eat together, the men shall ask the woman to sit in the middle. Two people dine together, the older sits inside of the table well as men should help the ladies move the chairs and sit after the ladies.”
1.2 The Different Dinner Atmosphere
The biggest difference of dining atmosphere between Chinese and western countries is that Chinese sound more noisy but westerners tend to be quieter. When sitting at a table, most Chinese are voluble, caring and attentive, they like picking food mutually, advising dishes for each other, toasting and enjoying delicious food. Only lively atmosphere can reflect master’s enthusiasm and sincerity. In china, sitting at a table together means reunion, they will talk together, and if you don’t talk with your neighbors will be considered impolite. Although it is not a good way from the perspective of health, it conforms to Chinese people’s general state of mind-happy. It is a better way for communication. But be careful to speak or behave with propriety and etiquette and avoid mentioning things about other’s privacy or something shallow, vulgar or some topics that other guests are not interested in.
Of course, westerners also talk with others at the table, and they should control the voice so as not to affect other people. But they don’t talk to much personal problems, because they think that it is impolite. Westerners always concentrate on cutting the food on the plate at table quietly. Everyone’s food is in front of them, they can help themselves. Everyone having his own food is regarded as indifferent by Chinese but westerners think it is healthful and civilized
1.3 The Different Dinner Etiquette
Both Chinese and westerners pay more attention to table manners. In China, the guests begin their meal after the hosts toast. When you are talking with others, put down chopsticks otherwise it will be regarded as impolite. And don’t put the chopsticks upright in the rice, because it is only used in shrine of the dead time. At Chinese dinner table, the chopsticks should put orderly at the right side of the bowl, and leave after the host signals to leave. Hosts should signal after all the guests put down their chopsticks.
In the Western countries, the guests would put all the plates up together so that others know they have finished the dinner. Here are some tips for you: don’t put used plates or bowls; don’t take any leftover unless you are in public restaurants, even the host shall not keep asking the guests to take home; don’t put your napkin casually on the table near your plates unless you finished your meal, otherwise, put the napkin on your chair instead; rise from the table after the host and hostess to show respect to them; don’t stay too long after you finished the desert or other after-dinner food. The party who first wished to end the event should rise and say something like, “This has been such a nice evening. We hope we can see you again soon.”
Chapter 2 General View of Brand and Brand Names

Wine is regarded as the precious gift God gives human beings and it plays an important role in people’s daily life. With different lifestyle, drinking history, wine traditions and some specific social criteria, and the wine culture hold different meaning in different countries. There are many similarities and difference in wine culture between the Eastern and the Western, understanding them not only can help people succeed in intercultural communication but also can improve the understanding of the history and culture.

2.1 The Different Drinking Etiquette
The drinking etiquette is absolutely different between China and Western countries. Perhaps the greatest difference lays to strongly demanding others to drink in a banquet. The Chinese are so good at urging others to drink that it would be much more alive for a group of Chinese to get together. Though trying their best to ask others to drink not seems good, it actually stands for Chinese people’s hospitality. China has this tradition of urging others to drink long time ago. A Chinese would say he/she can’t drink before dinner while the host would insist on asking them to drink to show their hospitality. Moreover, Chinese would pay special attention to propose a toast which has a special tradition too and can’t be broken. The host starts the first toast to welcome the guests, then the guests return the toast in exchange to thank the host, at last the gusts can propose toast to each other. The order to propose a toast also depends on their age and social status. Generally speaking, the toasts have to be proposed among almost everyone in the banquet and following strict custom rules. Because the influence of Chinese traditional culture, everyone would make their cups to be lower than others to show their humility. And in some regions of China, people also make their cups knocking table gentle to show their respect to others at the table.
In the Western countries, people are very particular about being democratic and feeling free, so they will not urge or persuade others to do things at a banquet. They will serve themselves to drink when they want to and they always eat freely and independently. They wouldn’t make themselves uncomfortable. At a banquet, the host will not push the guest to drink unless he/she wants to. When Westerners take a party to drink together, the host would propose a toast to welcome the guests and hope they will enjoy the party. Special attention is paid on wine tasting for the Westerners. They usually pour not much wine to the cup so they can enjoy the fragrance and great color of the wine.
2.2 The Different Drinking Purpose
Both Chinese and westerners love drinking wine, but the different cultures cause different drinking purpose. In general, Chinese drink wine with strong utilitarian, often drinking for a special purpose. As the contrast, westerners tend to enjoy the tasty when they are drinking.
In china, drinking is often used as a tool of developing personal relationship. When people wan