中西方饮食文化对比论文

2021-04-08 来源：个人技术集锦

The Differences Between Chinese

and Western Food Culture

系（部）：外语系

专业班：

姓名：

学号：

指导教师：

2011年 5 月

The Differences Between Chinese

and Western Food Culture

中西方饮食文化对比

Abstract

With the development of the economic globalization, China and the western countries are connected with each other more tightly and frequently. As an important entry point for people to exchange, it becomes very important to explore the differences between Chinese and western food. It can not only help us have a better understanding of the different culture of China and the west, come across cultural barriers, but also can train people’s adaptability of the communication in cross-cultural, effectively avoided the cultural misunderstanding when we have a communication. So analyzing and researching in the Western diet and cultural differences has a very important significance in Chinese food culture. It is very important to understand the differences. Moreover, it is useful to guide our practice when communicating with foreign friends. But actually the differences between Chinese and western food have a lot to do with the social and culture development. Culture is a kind of lifestyle that gathered together in a long time in the social life. And the life style including the ways of thinking and behavior. Although it has the universal features, it is also has the fundamental characteristics of the blood and geographic relationship, based on the formation of the nation as a whole unit. Food culture, the same to the nation as a unit, when a nation formed a fixed diet habit, diet tips and diet ideas, then become a culture. It is connected with the different geographical and historical conditions of China and the west.After all different cultures reflect different lifestyles.

This paper tries to have inquiries into the difference from five aspects. It specifically expresses at the difference between Chinese and Western food objects,the difference in diet concept, differences in dietary patterns, the different utensils and etiquette, and differences in diet attribution. And this paper discusses the main characteristics the differences between Chinese and western food culture and the reasons for the differences. After that the paper has given the table manners of American as a example, such as bread plates are to the left of the main plate, beverage glasses are to the right; salad fork, knife and soup spoon are further from the main plate than the main course knife, fork and spoon; dessert utensils are either placed above the main plate or served with dessert. General Behavior: Chew with your mouth closed. Do not talk at an excessively loud volume. Refrain from coughing, sneezing or blowing nose at the table and so on. In short, analyzing and researching in the Western diet and cultural differences has a very important significance in Chinese food culture. It is not only in understanding the purpose of this fact in itself, but also it is more importantly and useful to guide our practice, based on the awareness-raising, improve food structure, get rid of food abuse, improve the food quality and guarantee people’s needs, in this kind of way to promote Chinese dining culture.

Key words: China and the west culture; difference; concept; comunication

摘要

随着经济全球化进一步发展，中西方联系越来越频繁。作为打开中西方人民交流的重要切

入点，探讨中西方饮食差异变的十分重要。其意义在于既能有助于深刻理解中西方文化中的不同之处，跨越文化交流障碍，又能培养人们在跨文化交际时的适应能力，有效地避免交际双方由于文化差异而产生的误会。因此，分析和研究中西方饮食文化的差异对中国的饮食文化而言具有很重要的意义。此外，它有助于指导我们的实践。但是不言而喻中西美食的差异与社会文化的发展密切相关。文化是人们在长期的社会生活中生活方式凝聚起来的总称，其中生活方式又包括思维方式和行为方式，虽然文化具有普遍性特征，但它最根本的特点是以血缘和地缘关系为基础，以名族为单位形成的整体。饮食文化，同样以名族为单位，当一个民族形成了固定的饮食习惯，饮食技巧和饮食观念后，便构成了一种文化。这也与中国和西方的不同地理和历史条件息息相关，毕竟不同的文化反映不同的生活方式。

本文将从以下五个方面来说明中西文化的差异，它具体体现在饮食观念的差异、饮食内容的差异、饮食方式的差异以及不同的餐桌礼仪等。而本文不仅探讨了中西方饮食文化上的差异，更简要分析了造成这一差异的原因。除此之外，本文还以美国的餐桌文化给出了一些例子，例如，面包盘是在主盘的左边，饮料在主盘的右边；沙拉叉、刀和汤匙要比主菜刀、叉、勺放的要远；甜点餐具上方放置或随主板送达。一般吃东西的时候嘴巴紧闭；不要在餐桌上咳嗽、打喷嚏或在餐桌上吹鼻子等或者过分大声说话。总之，分析和研究中西方饮食文化的差异对中国的饮食文化具有很重要的意义。它不仅在于了解这一事实本身，更重要的是用它来知道我们的实践活动，在提高认识的基础上，改善食品结构，革除餐饮弊端，提高餐饮质量，保证人们的生活需要，弘扬中华文化的餐饮文化。

关键词：中西方饮食文化；差异；观念；交流

Contents

1. Introduction-------------------------------------------------------------------------III

---------1

2. The

differences

between

Chinese

and

Western

food

culture--------------------------3

2.1

The

difference

between

Chinese

and

Western

food

objects-------------------------- 4

2.2

The

difference

diet

concept

----------------------------------------------------------- 6

2.3.

Differences

dietary

patterns------------------------------------------------------------9

2.4

The

different

utensils

and

etiquette-----------------------------------------------------11

2.5

Differences

diet

attribution------------------------------------------------------------13

Nature

the

differences

between

Chinese

and

Western

food----------------------- 16

Conclusion

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------17

Acknowledgements----------------------------------------------------------------------------19

References--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------20

1． Introduction

The differences between Chinese and western food have a lot to do with the social and culture development. Culture is a kind of lifestyle that gathered together in a long time in the social life. And the life style including the ways of thinking and behavior. Although it has the universal features, it is also has the fundamental characteristics of the blood and geographic relationship, based on the formation of the nation as a whole unit. Food culture, the same to the nation as a unit, when a nation formed a fixed diet habit, diet tips and diet ideas, then become a culture. It is connected with the different geographical and historical conditions of China and the west. After all different cultures reflect different lifestyles.

In fact, food culture refers to the diet and lifestyle formed under certain historical or social conditions as well as the ideology formed on the basis of the aforesaid. During the history development of different countries and ethnic groups, different behavior patterns and lifestyles formed because the natural conditions and social environments were different. That is what people often refer to as customs. From the point of view of social observation and cultural study, the food culture of an ethnic group can fully embody its mentality, interest, belief and historical development. So, food culture can be seen as the most typical cultural feature of this ethnic group. The

development and changes of food culture often reflect the evolution and progress of the society.

The differences between Chinese culture and Western culture brought about the difference between their respective food cultures. Under two under different cultural backgrounds, obvious differences exist between Chinese food culture and western food culture, including perception, feature and the methods and materials.

Therefore, it becomes very important to explore the differences between Chinese and western food. It can not only help us have a better understanding of the different culture between China and the west and come across cultural barriers, but also can train people’s adaptability of the communication in cross-cultural, effectively avoided the cultural misunderstanding when we have a communication. So analyzing and researching in the Western diet and cultural differences has a very important significance in Chinese food culture. It is very important to understand the differences. Moreover, it is useful to guide our practice when communicating with foreign friends.

beverage glasses are to the right; salad fork, knife and soup spoon are further from the main plate than the main course knife, fork and spoon; dessert utensils are either placed above the main plate or served with dessert. General Behavior: Chew with your mouth closed. Do not talk at an excessively loud volume. Refrain from coughing, sneezing or blowing nose at the table and so on. In short, analyzing and researching in the Western diet and cultural differences has a very important significance in Chinese food culture. It is not only in understanding the purpose of this fact in itself, but also it is more importantly and useful to guide our practice, based on the awareness-raising, improve food structure, get rid of food abuse, improve the food quality and guarantee people’s needs, in this kind of way to promote Chinese dining culture.

2. The differences between Chinese and Western food culture

Once there is a saying that “Food is eating well-deserved for human life”, so food is an indispensable condition for the survival and development of human beings. There are two desires in life: one is feasting them to survive; and the other is the lust of men and women, which can help the mankind to carry on the family line. Facing the two desires, China pays more attention to the former, while the west tends to the latter. Such phenomenon affects the cultural trend. Diet is actually the contents of our daily lives, but why we call it culture? That is because the diet has special status in Chinese culture, and it also has a great distinction between China and the west.

As one of the world ancient nations, China’s diet has a history almost as long as

that of Chinese civilization. But in western countries, ancient thinkers devoted less attention to the food problem than the Chinese philosophers did, and there is even not aware of it to the “heaven” degree. With the opposite, they recognized and interpreted the world in the perspective of the lust or love of men and women more. Whether the awareness of original sin of Christianity, Adam and Eve legend, or ancient Greek philosophy (such as Plato’s dialogue) who considered the personal relationships “love” as the love of ontology of beauty, and regarded it as a reality thinking of philosophy, all these ideas become the basis of western philosophers’ cultural thoughts. All these had potential effects on the development of western culture and westerners’ characters.

Receiving the influence of respective cultural tradition, the Chinese and western dietary culture has had different characteristics. The differences in concepts, targets, patterns, attribution and nature had reflected the different dietary culture in the different state characteristic; such characteristic has enriched the research value of dietary culture. Studying these cultural differences, we can find out a joint enhancing the communication between China and the west through a comprehensive study of the subject. It may be a great help to the communication of the Chinese and western cultures.

The dining product as a result of factor and so on region characteristic, climatic environment, manners and customs influences, will appear in raw material, the taste, the cooking method, the food habit varying degree difference. Was precisely because of these differences, the dining product had the intense localization. Between China

and the West culture’s difference has accomplished China and the West diet culture difference, but this kind of difference and gets along with people the philosophy from the West different thinking mode. The Chinese pays great attention “the beauty to unite”, the westerner pays great attention “humanist”.

2.1The difference between Chinese and Western food objects

All diet cannot be done without vegetables. The word “dish” is for the sound in China, and it always has something to do with the plants. According to a survey of western plants scholar, there are 600 varieties of vegetables, six times more than in the west. In fact, the Chinese dishes, vegetable dish is usual food. Meat dish entered the normal diet only on holidays or higher living standards, so since ancient times, and there was a saying of “fresh vegetables”. “Common people eat fresh vegetables, fish only offered in the worship.” It is said that fresh vegetables are mainly to the civilian in general, only being able to eat meat only in worship. Vegetarian diet takes the dominant position in the normal structure.

Chinese people consider the vegetables as the main dish; it has inextricably linked with the advocacy of Buddhists. They deem animals as “people” and plants have “no soul.” So, they advocate vegetarianism.

Westerners do not seem to have such a good habit. They uphold a cultural origin of nomadic, seafaring nation. Living mainly by fishing and hunting, collection and planting are just the complement. There are more meat dishes in their lives. Feeding,

clothing, and using are taken from the animals, and even Western medicine is derived from animals. When the westerners introduce the diet characteristics of their countries, they always feel that their diet is more reasonable on the mix of nutrition than China. The food industry is more developed, such as cans, fast food, although the taste is monotonous, but it saves time, and it also has good nutrition. Therefore, in their countries: people are generally healthier and taller than Chinese, and the people have strong shoulders and developed muscles; but Chinese people look short, their shoulders narrow and legs thin, their skin yellow and their body weak. The differences between Chinese and western food for Westerners to judge the merits of the two diet is not justified. Mr. Sun Yat-sen had profound study of the culture of food and incisive exposition. In his composing The Scheme for National Reconstruction, detailing the differences between Chinese and Western diet phenomenon, he concludes: “Chinese ordinary people drink green tea, and eat simple food such as vegetables and tofu for meal. Such kinds of food are the most healthy and beneficial according to the research of hygienist. Therefore, the remote people in china, whose diet are far from meat and wine, always live a long life. Also China has a big population, and Chinese people have enormous power to resist disease, but they never try the non-diet. “He added:” The Chinese vegetarians all eat tofu. Tofu is expected as the real meat in plants, as it has the nutrition that meat has. It is the meat without toxic materials. So the Chinese are vegetarian used to be a custom without the promotion of scholars. It is also a custom that the European and American drink thick Wine, eat meat and fish. So there was science promotion before and a severe law later, such as the United States Prohibition. And the transfer will not carry out in a short time. “Mr. Sun’s words tell out the scientific benefits of Chinese diet and disadvantages of Western

diet.

According to the characteristics of the significant differences between Chinese and Western diet targets, the Chinese character is called the plant character, while the Westerners’ is animal character. In response to the cultural behaviors, Westerners love adventure, exploration, conflict; but the Chinese people only like to live banally. According to American expert on folklore Ruth’s opinions on the “cultural pattern” theory, Chinese culture is quite similar to the classical world Apollo-type character and Westerners’ is similar to the modern world Faust-type. Indeed, the Westerners such as Americans in the development of the west, they put the whole family on the truck, and go out of the city in amid rumbling with the supplies. The Chinese people are always thinking about “home” and “roots”, despite the promotion that young people should take the world as home. But after a few decades, the overseas Chinese will come back to the mainland with crutch to seek their roots. This concept of return and such human spirit that can only be said to cooperate with the accumulation in the diet. Then it brings cohesiveness to the Chinese nation and then makes the human folk full of energy.

Westerners think the food can make them feel full. therefore, eats large piece of meat; and Chinese cuisine is the “Taste” of it. Therefore, China is also showing great cooking in the random selected materials: many Westerners as something thrown away, are excellent raw materials in China, foreign chefs can not handle things the hands of a chef in China to can be miraculous. Demonstration of Chinese food in the materials used for the extensive arbitrary.

West China is more than reasonable with emphasis on nutrition, there are more developed in the food industry, such as canned food, fast food, etc., although the taste is monotonous, but to save time, and good nutrition. Therefore, the body of their country than the Chinese people generally robust: tall, long legs, broad shoulders, muscular.

The westerner thought that the cooked food is appeases hunger, therefore eats the bulk meat, the entire block chicken specially and so on “the hard vegetable”. But China’s cooked food is “eats the taste”, therefore China cooks on the needed materials also appears the enormous capriciousness: Many westerners regard as abandons the things, in China is the extremely good raw material, the foreign chef is unable the thing which processes, as soon as arrives in the Chinese chef hand, may melt mysteriously decayed. Indicates the Chinese diet in needed materials aspectvastness capriciousness.

Today people in the UK eat a more varied diet than ever before. As well as the regional diets of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland the many immigrant communities have introduced their cuisines to the previously unadventurous Britons: Chinese, Greek, Indian, Italian, Thai, American fast foods such as pizza, hamburgers and fried chicken have to some extent displaced the traditional fast food of fish and chips. Because of the climate and the Germanic origins of many of its early people, the UK has been a traditionally beer drinking rather than a wine drinking country. Nevertheless, in recent years, vineyards in the south of England have proved successful. In the west of England the traditional drink is cider, rather than beer. Over

Britain as a whole, however, the traditional drink is tea.

2.2 The difference in diet concept

The differences between Chinese and western diet cannot be ignored. Nobody will deny that the Western diet is a rational concept, regardless of the color of food, incense, flavor and shape, but nutrition must be assured. It cares about the intake of calories, vitamins, protein and so on during a day. Comparing with the Chinese diet, western diet tastes stereotyped, as simple as chewing the candle, but the sense tells them: We must eat them all because of the nutrition. And then they put it bluntly, just like refueling machine. The concept of western diet is compatible with the whole western philosophy. Metaphysics is the main feature of western philosophy. Such kind of philosophy brings vitality to western culture, so the natural sciences, psychology and methodology achieve a rapid development. In some other aspects, such philosophy proposition is a significantly obstacle, such as the dietary culture, which is the inevitable thing to drop behind, and just the metaphysics of methodology marks everywhere. In celebration, it stresses tableware, stresses the staple, stresses the servings, and stresses the color and shape mix of raw materials. But no matter how luxurious the grade is; from Los Angeles to New York, only one taste of steak, it is no art to speak of. And as dishes, the chicken is chicken; steak is steak, even in groups, which are also conducted in a shallow dish. In a dish of “French Muttonchops”, one side is potato mud, and muttonchops sits next to it, another side is allocation of cooking beans, and plus a few tablets of tomato. Color is on clear, but the tastes of the various materials are separated, not to reconcile, and the entire flavor is also simple

and clear.

Chinese diet is a sense of beauty diet. When people sample dishes, they often say this dish is “delicious”, and that dish is “not delicious”. But if you ask what is meant by “delicious”, why “tasty” and what are the aspects of “delicious”, I am afraid that it will be difficult to answer. This shows that which Chinese people hanker on a diet is just the “mood” that is difficult for one to say anything. Even using the “color, flavor, shape and implement “which people often said to make the” realm “reification, I am afraid it is still difficult to crown all.

The beauty pursuit of Chinese cuisine is clearly overriding the rational pursuit. This concept of diet is also coinciding with the traditional Chinese philosophy. Chinese philosophy as a representative of oriental philosophy, its distinguishing features is the macro, visual, vague and evasive. Chinese cooking method is to reconcile, and the ultimate goal is to reconcile out of a beautiful taste. The main stress is measure and the overall co-ordination. It contains a wealth of dialectics of Chinese philosophy, and all these depend on the degree of the wonderful flavor and harmony of dish. The ever-changing within degrees decides the changeable of Chinese food, and it also decides the characteristics of Chinese food as well as the characteristics on each of the chefs.

Chinese pay great attention to “the taste” of the food, while the Westerns has a kind of rational diet idea. No matter food color, smell and tastes, shape how, but the nutrition needs certainly to obtain the guarantee, is fastidious about one day to

absorb how many quantity of heat, Vitamin, protein and so on. Even if the taste is stereotyped, must certainly eat, because has the nutrition. This diet idea is adapts with the Western entire philosophy system. Metaphysics is the Western philosophy main feature. The western philosophy studies the object principle of for the thing, principle of the thing often is the metaphysics principle, the metaphysics principle links up mutually, in constipation forming philosophy. This philosophy the culture brings the vitality for the West, caused it in the natural sciences, the psychology, the methodology to realize the development which progressed by leaps and bounds. But in another some aspects, this philosophy advocated that the big earth played the hindrance role, like diet culture. At the banquet, may be fastidious about the tableware, is fastidious about the needed materials, is fastidious about the service, is fastidious about raw material of the vegetable shape, color aspect matching; But no matter how luxurious upscale, from Los Angeles to New York, the beefsteak only then one kind of flavor, does not have art to be possible to say. As the cooked food, the chicken is the chicken, the beefsteak is a beefsteak, even if has matching, that is also carries on the plate, “the Buddhist ritual procedures mutton chop”, puts the mashed potatoes at the same time, side relies on the mutton chop, in addition matches at the same time boils the green beans, adds several piece of tomato then to become. In the color contrasts distinctively, but each raw material is mutually irrelevant in the taste, is well distributed, each is each taste, simple perspicuity.

The Chinese is takes seriously “to eat” very much, “the food is what matters to the people” this proverb showed that we eat look equally and the day are important. Because our nationality for several thousand years are in the low productive forces

level, the people always cannot eat to the full, therefore only will then have one kind uniquely to eat can regard in all diet culture, I thought that this will be probably stems from one kind of survival to need. If one culture eats regards as the most important matter, will then present two kind of phenomena: On the one hand will eat this kind the function will display the acme, not only maintenance survival, also will use its health maintenance, this will also be” uses medicines to build up one’s health was inferior the food will make up”cultural base; On the other hand, to eats excessive takes seriously, will cause the human to esteem to the delicacy the pursue.

In China’s cookery, achieves the acme nearly to the delicacy pursue, down to makes a living the Chinese to the overseas, take the restaurant as industry, has become us the basis which settles down and gets on with life in the world! It is a pity, when we take the pursue delicacy the first request, we have actually neglected food most basic nutritional value, our many traditional food must pass through overheated fries in oil boils with the long time soft fire dumpling, causes the cooked food the nutrient content to receive the destruction, many nutrient contents lost in the processing process. Therefore as soon as speaks of the nutrition question, in fact touched the Chinese diet culture biggest weakness. The folk has a slang: “the food is what matters to the people, the food take the taste as first”. Is this kind to the delicacy the pursue, poured causes us to neglect the real sense which ate meal.

The Chinese when tastes the cooked food, often will say that this TV dinner “delicious”, that vegetable “is not delicious”; However if further asked that anything calls “delicious”, why “delicious”, “delicious” in where, was not

perhaps easy to talk clearly. This indicated that what Chinese to diet pursue is one kind explains “the ideal condition” with difficulty, even if is usually called “the color, smell and tastes with the people, the shape,” to come this kind “the boundary” the concrete application, perhaps was still very difficult to cover. the reason that the China diet has its unique charm, the key lies in its taste. But the delicacy production, lies in well distributed, must make food this taste, heats up the later ripe taste, in addition the ingredient and the supplementary material taste as well as the seasoning compromise the taste, interweaves the fusion coordinated in the same place, causes it to supplement mutually, the cooperation seepage, is in perfect harmony, in you have me, in me has you.

The Chinese cooking is fastidious compromises the beauty, is the Chinese cooking art concise place. A vegetable shape and the color are the external things, but the taste is actually the intrinsic thing, heavy intrinsic, but decorates the semblance not desirably, but the heavy cooked food’s taste exposes the cooked food not excessively the shape and the color, this is precisely the Chinese US diet view most important performance.

In China, the diet beautiful pursue has crushed the rationality obviously, this kind of diet view and the Chinese tradition’s philosophic thinking also tallies. As Eastern philosophy representative’s Chinese philosophy, its outstanding feature is macroscopic, direct-viewing, is fuzzy and is evasive. The Chinese dish manufacture method is the well distributed large ding, is finally must compromise one happy taste. This is fastidious is a discretion, is the overall coordination. It has contained the

Chinese philosophy rich diagnostic method thought that all take the vegetable taste happy, harmonized ever changing as, within had decided Chinese dish enriching and was rich in the change, has decided the Chinese dish vegetable department’s characteristic and even each chef’s characteristic.

2.3 Differences in dietary patterns

The Chinese and Western dietary patterns can be very different, and these differences affect the national character. In China, a celebration, no matter what, there will be only one form, as sitting together, sharing one feast. Banquet uses round table, which has created a unity of form, which is courtesy, comity atmosphere. Cate are in the center of the table. It is the objects for people to appreciate and taste, and it is also an intermediate of communication. People toast each other and share the vegetables, which reflect the mutual respect between people in the face of the good things, also show the virtues of comity. Although from the health point of view, this approach has obvious deficiencies, but it is in our national “happy” mentality, it reflects the classical Chinese philosophy area of “and” impact for future generations. It is helpful to facilitate the collective emotional exchanges and consequently difficult to reform.

The western-style banquets, although the food and wine are very important, but in fact they are just foil. The core of Banquet is friendship, by the conversation with the guests who sitting next to achieve the purpose of recreation. If making an analogous compare between the recreation of the banquets and dancing, it may be said that the

Chinese banquet is like group dance, and the western banquet is like men and women dancing. This shows that communication purpose of Chinese banquet and western banquet are very obvious. Only the Chinese banquet is more popular in the communion, but western banquet shows guests reflected in the friendship between neighbors.

The more obvious differences between Chinese and western dietary patterns is buffet dinner which is popular in the West. This method is to display all food, and everybody is picking not fixed in his or her places to eat. They walk freely. This approach would provide the emotional interaction between individuals; they never need to put every word on the table. This also shows a western personality and self-respect. However, all the eating without jamming lacks the real affective tone like the Chinese people. Some people want to put the buffet in the Chinese food, but I think it is not feasible. Zhang Qijun in the Principles of Cooking tells us the main reason: “First, buffet is not like drinking tea. Drinking tea is just the thing to you before you choose, and displayed in the cafeteria there is a large number of food to eat, so when you want to have it, it is cold yet. Chinese cuisine will serve hot, if cold, nothing to eat. Secondly, buffet dishes only can do hard dishes and beneficial dishes. Then you can access for large plots. And those most representative of the Chinese culinary arts, such as the tender and lighter dishes, are not in this show. Third, the buffet can do stewing pot; it means a big pot in terms of food. Any sophisticated cooking of a dish can only be cooked in a pot at two most, and it is not able to cook the dish for dozens of people. So it will not be delicious, never talking of the taste. Under such circumstances, it is clear that the use of buffet dinner will deny Chinese

culinary arts. “The Chinese people are drinking around the table to show harmony and unity, but the buffet has broken such pattern. It raises the personal independence and self-mentioned at the first place. This is the opposite of the scale of the great unity of all Chinese traditional culture.

2.4 The different utensils and etiquette

2.4.1 Cutlery to use

Chopsticks and knife and fork is the basic difference between Chinese and Western table manners. Zhejiang University, Professor Yu Xiu ling: East and West appear chopsticks and knife and fork eating the different tools and environment relationship. Bamboo chopsticks to have originated in the place. Northern China wood, bamboo from southern China, ancestors from local materials, bamboo and wood have become the most primitive materials chopsticks chopsticks. The emergence of a knife and fork than chopsticks much later. According to research by Professor Yu Xiu Ling, the original knife and fork and European origin living in ancient nomadic habits, they immediately carry knives of life, often cooked the meat, cut off to eat. About 15 centuries before and after the meal in order to improve posture, Europeans used the double-pointed cross. To the 18th century only the tip of a fork with four forks. Knife and fork and chopsticks, not only brought different eating habits, also affected the Eastern and Western concepts in life. Professor Yu Xiu Ling, eating into the system will inevitably bring a knife and fork, and chopsticks sitting around the table with family members must dine match. Beginning point of Western food, which

derived from the West pay attention to independent, children grow up into the world after the independence of ideas and habits. The chopsticks brought together meals daily, highlighting the young and old sat together in the family unit, so that Asians have a relatively strong family values. When I reminded in the use of Chinese and Western dishes have different specifications. If not play with chopsticks when eating Chinese food (to them when the drumstick is a very rude way), but can not use chopsticks pointing to the person or make gestures. Of course, absolutely can not suck or the chopsticks chopsticks inserted in the rice, which is taboo (which seems to funeral incense is considered unlucky.) When using the knife and fork there are some taboos. Such as holding a knife and fork when not meddling. To speak or talk, knife and fork on the plate should only decency. Avoid using their own utensils for others bowl. Do not bend over picking up utensils fall. Do not cut off a good meal products, especially products with a soup meal, to eat a piece-by-all and more.

2.4.2 Seating arrangements

Western formal banquets are particular about the seating arrangements. Traditional Chinese dinner with square table. Door is on both sides of the partial blocks. Treat, the elderly, people with high status of the guest of honor sit or seat, men and women who sat down the owner or Peiqia Block, and the remaining customers in order to sit side seat. Westerners treat with a long table, men and women sit in the owner at both ends, then the guest of honor men and women and the general order of the guests seating arrangements, that men and women interspersed arrangement, subject to seat the hostess, the guest of honor sitting in the top right of the hostess,

Main Binfu the top right of man of the house to sit, pay attention to “ladies first” Western gentleman, will show the attentions of the ladies. In China, respect for the left and right for the times; on respect, under second; in respect, partial for the times. In the West, respect for the right, left for the times.

I particularly Western seat etiquette tips: The most graceful way is seated from the left seat. Do not put your elbows on the desktop, not Rocker foot. Can not withdraw in the middle of the meal (if things do need to leave should be whispered about greeting guests.) Dinner, sit up straight, back straight, neck elongation. Depend on the upper arm and back to back, abdomen, and a table for about a fist distance. Remember to head high with food, in the face of the food into the mouth, it is necessary to the food to the mouth to mouth opinions on the food rather than bent.

2.4.3 Dining atmosphere

Trouble on the table of Chinese and Western food on the table is static and the most fundamental difference between Chinese and Western table manners. Table climate differences, the Chinese table action, the Western table static. Chinese food for life to matter to music, show and great, the atmosphere of excitement is often breathtaking. Chinese people get a table, then in full flight, with each other for food, drinks upon, enjoy, delicacies, delicious cuisine. Banquet this way in order to reflect the enthusiasm and sincerity the owner, the table reflects the excitement of patrons from the heart’s delight. This “trouble” to some extent reflects the Chinese family from the warm, neighborhood harmony, unity and people’s “Harmony.”

Westerners have a table to sit quietly dedicated to cutting their own dinner. Soup can not make noise, such as hot soup can be cooled before eating, do not blow through your mouth. Shut up when eating chewing. Do not lick their lips or smack sound. Guests can dine and talk about, but not only with a few acquaintances talk. If guests do not know about, they may first introduce myself. Others can not take the mouth interrupted his speech. Keep the volume level of the other party can hear. Chewing of food do not speak, even if someone speak to you, have to wait to answer after swallowing.

2.5 Differences in diet attribution

There are differences between Chinese and western diet attribution. Western diet tends to be scientific and rational, but the Chinese diet tends to be art and sentimental. During the underdevelopment era of diet, these two trends have only one aim – to live and never be hungry. And when the dietary culture is full developed, the tendency is shown in this different purpose: the former is in the development of nutrition, the latter is expressed as the stress on the flavor.

Cooking is from diet; the origin of food is a life-sustaining nutrition. Therefore, the focus of western diet is only the extension of the original diet practicality. The emphasis on the flavor of Chinese cuisine caters the diet to the arts field. Mencius said: “Flavor in the mouth has the same interests”. “Interests” points out the key from nutrition to arts. Such interests are from the meaning of flavor. In China, eating is not meant to have enough. It is about nutrition. Sometimes we eat though we are full. We

are overloaded with food. Why? Saying bluntly, it is to appreciate the art of cooking; and not saying it nicely, it is the temptation of “delicious” for the enjoyment of taste. Watching the rational diet in the west, it is not only waste, but also harmful to the men body. In fact, the herbalist doctors are also opposed to overeat, claiming “dietary restraint”. But the dialectics tell us Chinese people, occasionally the “overload” and once we are comfortable, we can absorb and store. Qigong masters at the situation of non-eat and non-drink at home is still in good spirits, although their weight loses, but it is intact on the human body; and it is the consumption of such storage. Herbalist doctor also advocates winter nutrition. It is also in order to store for keeping energy in the coming year. Chinese people’s views are more dialectical than the western diet propositions opposing overloaded stubbornly. It is closer to the science truth, and has been checked up for thousands of Chinese medicine practice. Psychologists Spinoza said: “The desire is human nature than other.” The human desire for delicious is the nature of human beings which is fully reflected. In process of the taste enjoyment, it is imbued with the shares of élan vital. Life should not be a yoke, but also not be a repressed desire. We can not use the absolute reason to regulate the behavior of all people. On the diet, it is not the purpose of “science” and “nutrition” and some delicious are excluded from the table outside. Only delicious things can satisfy people’s appetite and then give the arrival of physical and mental pleasure. Chinese diet shows the transformation about sentimental form to rational form from the old days till now, and cause the Chinese dietary culture brimming with imagination and creativity. The sensibility of Chinese culinary culture is a sublime sensibility, infiltrating rational sense, also the realization of the nature of life. In addition, gustatory enjoyment is one of the main objectives pursued of the human struggle. The art of

Chinese cuisine is compatible with the development of human history in the process, more scientific than the progress of the western diet. As Zhang Qijun in his work Cooking Principles said: “The United States is unprecedented least affluent society, but till today, in essence it is still ‘food to eat’ stage. There are still some distances from entering the realm of art.” In China, The role of diet goes beyond the subsistence of existence, which is designed not only to have the physical presence, but also to meet people’s spiritual needs for pleasure. It is positive to enrich people’s life performance, and fine arts, music, literature, etc. which have the same level of significance to the improvement of life.

Chinese diet tends to artistry, the so-called art realm. In fact, that is a complete leap from the necessity to freedom. It is characterized by randomness. For example, similar dishes, because of the differences in area, season, target, function and grade, it has different treatments on operation. Set braised fish for example, in winter deep colors are advised and tastes are advised strongly, but in summer it should be light color and flavor. And for the people in Zhejiang province, their dishes can be put up more sugar in the braised fish, and if facing Chuanxiang customers it should allocate spicy. It easy to see that if out of the arbitrary, there would be no cooking variety; we will lose the unique charm of Chinese cuisine. Whereas in the west, dishes in different areas and different seasons and facing different customers, is the same flavor, no changes. Although it is the most valuable banquet, which is just tableware known, conducted layout, and the vegetables remain the same as before.

Moreover, as for materials, westerners think the food is to eat, eating special

“hard vegetables” such as large piece of meat, chicken block. China’s cuisine is “taste”. The Chinese cooking in materials has shown tremendous arbitrariness: The things which many, many westerners consider as disposable things in China are excellent raw materials. Foreign cooks are not able to deal with things, but in the hands of a Chinese chef, it can get a magic result. Chinese cuisine is evident in the wide use of materials.

Besides skills, an excellent cook, of course, can do more complicated dishes. But facing the real simple materials and condiments, the cooks are often able to produce delicious flavors. It is the arbitrariness of skills. In the surface, the menu seems to be scientific. Westerners always use menu to buy ingredients to produce dishes, but in comparison, it is the machinery, and often powerless facing the complex specific situation. Of course, this mechanical science is still can be said as science, but it is primitive science, and it is not the complete science. Chinese cooking talks about artistry, but it still fit the requirements among the ever-changing, it can be said such science is a real science. The characters of western food which lacks nutrition and artistic atmosphere have great distinction from the artistic realm of Chinese cuisine.

3. Nature of the differences between Chinese and Western food

Differences in the nature of the Chinese and western diet are inosculated with the respective lifestyle and the pace of life. In the west, people do the duplication of pipeline operations, and implement piece-wage system, so the paces of their lives are so fast. People fall under the mechanical method either intentionally or

unintentionally, and believe that “Work is work, and game is game.” Mechanical lives led to oneness of diet or a single blind about diet, and eat beefsteak and potatoes every day. Monotonous diet is the same as work, for which the purposes is to fulfill the “incident”, naturally with no interests, and all these have no word in terms of taste. But China is not, “The game is work, and the work is of a game”. Such life manner is also emerged in diet. A baker sells bread in the street, he likes using the rolling pole to beat the chopping board rhythmically when they knead flour. When the cooks fry a dish, even beating scoop, they also care the sense of rhythm during cooking. These would not work for any conveniences, but it increases the interests of workers. Only in such an atmosphere work will be meaningful, and it will have more creativity and artistry of Chinese cuisine.

There still exist various differences between Chinese and western dietary cultures. But with the development of cultural communication between China and the west, along with the strengthening of communication between China and the west, China has imported various kinds of western food, known as the “KFC” “DICOS”, “McDonald”. This marks a new western dietary culture exchanges and infiltration. We believe that with the development of society, the cultural differences between Chinese and western dietary will no longer be the difference.

4. Conclusion

Diet is absolutely necessary in the life of mankind, and even in the existence or development. Because of the differences between Chinese and western cultural

traditions, the Chinese and western dietary cultures are different in concept, target, pattern, attribution and nature. We study these differences and then find out the points that can be digested, in order to facilitate the communication about cultures between China and the west. Western culture (in particular, modern American culture) can be said to be male and female culture. But the Chinese culture can be said to be a dietary culture. “As the reason of the cultural traditions, the western lives tend to men and women , Chinese people are dumping guidance on life in the restaurants. Thus the diet is rich in culture. Food culture in the west is not developed enough, but this underdevelopment itself is the result of the development of a culture, so it is still significant to study the dietary cultures of Chinese and Western diet. By the analysis of the differences between Chinese and western dietary cultures, we can comprehend the respective cultural traditions of China and the west. And we can also improve and create the culture of China. In short, analyzing and researching in the Western diet and cultural differences has a very important significance in Chinese food culture. It is not only in understanding the purpose of this fact in itself, but also it is more importantly and useful to guide our practice, based on the awareness-raising, improve food structure, get rid of food abuse, improve the food quality and guarantee people’s needs, in this kind of way to promote Chinese dining culture.

By the text from this thesis, we can easily find that there still exist various differences between Chinese and western dietary cultures. But with the development of cultural communication between China and the west, along with the strengthening of communication between China and the west, China has imported various kinds of western food, known as the “KFC” “DICOS”, “McDonald”. These mark a new

western food culture exchanges and infiltration.

The impact brought about by economic globalization is stronger and deeper than the internationalization. Economic globalization is a double-edged sword, on one hand, it brings the vitality of economic growth, and on the other hand, the dominant culture is put into other countries through strong economic and infiltrated every corner of the globe. Therefore, the cultural communication focus on how to assimilate advantages of the other countries’ culture, abandon its shortcoming, and learn how to transform and make it localized, all countries need to study the issue. So in the face of the dietary cultural exchange problems between China and the West, we should find each other’s advantages and draw the mutual advantages, as China can learn from the point that western diet stresses nutrition match, and make the Chinese cuisine more outstanding.

China is a country with an ancient culture and is rich in cultural traditions. She feeds the 1.3 billion Chinese people, and Chinese culture is very inclusive; in the course of development it absorbs a lot of different cultures. Moreover, now China does more efforts to draw all the outstanding achievements in the World. China’s reform and opening up policy create the conditions on international relations and cultural exchanges. We need to use such an opportunity to absorb the excellent cultures from other countries, to develop and create China’s new culture.

Acknowledgements

My deepest gratitude goes first and foremost to Miss Tu Huiqin, my supervisors, for her constant encouragement and guidance. I would not have survived all work without the constant support that she gave me. She has walked with me through the first stage of writing this paper. Without her consistent and illuminating instruction, this paper would not have reached its present form.

I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to all my teachers at the English Department. Thanks to their instructive guidance and comprehensive education during the four year’s college life, I can acquire the opportunity to further study my English.

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