I love Japanese dishes, but I don’t spoil myself often, so as not to get tired of the charm of the small culinary masterpieces of Asian cuisine.
What do you need to visit a Japanese restaurant? Money, mood and ability to hold sticks.
I think of the three points, the question can only arise about how to hold chopsticks for sushi and rolls.
But first
A little history...
Chopsticks(hashi/hashi)- a pair of small sticks, traditional cutlery in East Asia. The four countries where chopsticks are predominantly used are China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam.
In Thailand, with the introduction of European cutlery into circulation in the 19th century by King Rama V, only noodles or soups are eaten with chopsticks
Hashi came to Japan from China in the 12th century and was made from bamboo.
The current separate form of chopsticks appeared in Japan during the Asuka period (593 - 710). By this time, their use had not yet become widespread. It was believed that immortal gods and emperors eat with chopsticks. According to Chinese chronicles, at that time only the imperial court and the Japanese aristocracy enjoyed Khasi, and the common people still ate with their hands. It was only by the Nara period that ordinary people also began to eat with chopsticks.
Since then, chopsticks for the Japanese are not only an everyday personal item (it is not customary to share them with others), but also a sacred symbol (the Japanese respectfully call them o-hashi). According to legend, they bring good luck to the owner and long life, and therefore it is not surprising that Khasi is considered a good holiday gift.
For example, hashi is presented to newlyweds, implying the desire to be as inseparable as a pair of sticks.
They are given to a baby on the 100th day of his birth, when, during the “First Chopsticks” ceremony, adults give him the first taste of rice using chopsticks.
They also make gift sets of chopsticks for the whole family.
There are many types of hashi sticks: for regular food, for culinary purposes, for cakes and desserts. In addition, there are hashi for the New Year, the tea ceremony, and for sweets.
Modern khasis are made of bone, wood (bamboo, pine, cypress, plum, maple, black or purple sandalwood), and the material for them can also be silver, iron and aluminum. IN lately Plastic is often used. Occasionally there are sticks made of such exotic materials as ivory or deer antler, but this is rather an exception.
Metal chopsticks are used primarily for cooking and not as cutlery.
In Japan, one of the advantages of chopsticks over European cutlery is that “you don’t have to scratch your teeth with the pieces of iron.” Therefore, even in points catering Practical and durable metal chopsticks are not served. Disposable chopsticks are used instead Waribashi, which are made from a single, relatively roughly processed piece of wood, sawn along a little not completely - a sign that no one has used the chopsticks, so they need to be broken before use.
By the way, now most restaurants serve waribashi sticks made of plastic. They are designed for one-time use and are served along with the dish in a sterile sealed paper envelope ( hashi bukuro), which often turns out to be a real decoration and collectible. It can be painted with fancy designs, or it can contain a restaurant logo. This is much more hygienic than using reusable European cutlery.
There are many variations in shapes and sizes of reusable chopsticks ( nuribashi), which sometimes represent a real work of art: they are painted, varnished, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and decorated with various patterns. , round or square section with a conical or pyramidal point. The appearance of the sticks is quite varied: their cross-section can be round, oval, square, or with rounded corners. They come in pyramidal shapes, with thick or thin ends, flat...
Usually hashi is placed across in front of the device, horizontally. But, as a rule, there are special stands for chopsticks in Japan - Hasioki. This name is formed by adding the verbal noun oki from the verb oku - put, leave.
The chopsticks should be placed on the hasioki with their thin ends, so that they point to the left.
If there is no hasioka on the table - Khasi can be placed next to the edge of the plate or on the table.
Hasioki appeared in ancient times, when during ritual sacrifices, sticks intended for the gods were laid out on special stands so as not to desecrate them.
Hasioki are made from ceramic, wood and bamboo and often feature artistic value. Japanese chopstick stands are a collector's item in the West.
Choosing sticks
Use the sticks that suit you best. Just like every person needs their own clothing size, size and shape Khasi It’s also better to choose individually. 
Previously, chopstick length was calculated based on the average height and palm size of men and women during the Edo period (1603 - 1867). Now people have become somewhat larger than then, and, accordingly, have changed standard sizes Khasi.
How to choose sticks of your size? Their usual length is one and a half times longer than the chitoate - the length of the imaginary hypotenuse formed when you fold the large and index fingers at right angles. The same value is used when determining where to take the sticks with your hand: for this, the distance of the chitoat is counted from the thin ends.
Instructions for use
Currently, about a third of the world's population uses chopsticks: residents of China, Japan, Southeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula, where sticky rice is traditionally the main food. Chopsticks are quite difficult to master, but for those who have learned to master them perfectly, they are a convenient and versatile cutlery.
The peculiarities of working with chopsticks determined the method of preparing Japanese dishes, served mainly in the form of small individual pieces, which you just need to pick up and put in your mouth.
Think of the chopsticks as a pair of tongs, consisting of two various parts. One stick is held motionless, and the second one moves.
Use chopsticks like this:
So..
| 1. First, take one stick (one third of the way from the top end) between your thumb and forefinger right hand. Hold the stick with your thumb and ring finger so that your index, middle and thumb thus forming a ring. If the stick has one end thick and the other thin, hold it so that the thick part is at the top. | ||
| 2. Take the second stick, placing it parallel to the first, at a distance of 15 mm. Hold it the way you usually hold a pencil: o) When the middle finger straightens, the sticks move apart. | ||
|
3. Bring the chopsticks together by bending your index finger and pinch the food with the tips. In addition, if the piece is too large, you can use chopsticks to separate it, but only very carefully. |
And the main rule is not to strain your hand and fingers. Try to use the chopsticks freely - one stick should be motionless, and the other should move freely.
In practice it looks something like this :o)
Chinese/Japanese chopsticks for beginners and children
And for clarity, you can watch these videos
Of course, until you once try to hold the chopsticks in your hands, no instruction will teach you this. So practice eating with hashi chopsticks at home first. And if you don’t have chopsticks, pick up pencils and go ahead and explore Eastern culture.
Etiquette
Sticks have become an integral part Japanese culture and history, their use is surrounded by a lot of conventions and ceremonies. Countless rules and good table manners in Japan cluster around chopsticks.
Chopsticks are only used to pick up food and put it in your mouth or on your plate. Any other manipulation with chopsticks may be considered inconsistent with etiquette. Etiquette related to chopsticks, in different countries has its own characteristic features. The general part of the rules generally looks like this:
Do not knock on the table, plate or other objects with chopsticks to call the waiter
Don't draw on the table with chopsticks, don't wander aimlessly around the food with chopsticks. Before reaching for food with your chopsticks, select a piece (this taboo behavior is called "mayoibashi")
Always take food from the top, do not poke around in the bowl with chopsticks in search of the best piece. If you touch food, eat. ("saguribashi")
When picking up food with chopsticks, your palms should always face down. Turning your hand over with your wrist and palm facing up is considered uncivil.
Do not stick food on chopsticks ("sashibashi")
Do not shake the chopsticks to cool the piece.
Don't put your face in the bowl or bring it too close to your mouth and then use chopsticks to push food into your mouth.
Do not compact food brought to your mouth using chopsticks.
- Try not to drip sauce from your chopsticks or food.
Don't lick the chopsticks. Don't just put chopsticks in your mouth
When not using chopsticks, place them with the sharp ends to the left
Never pass food with chopsticks to another person. ("futaribashi") into a plate or into someone else's chopsticks. This gesture is used for close relatives to transfer the bones of the deceased into an urn after cremation, and is taboo in all other cases.
And in Chinese etiquette, unlike Japanese tradition, it is quite acceptable to pass food with chopsticks to loved ones (children, parents, relatives) if it is difficult or inconvenient for them to take food themselves. In relation to elders, it is considered a sign of respect to pass food to them first, even before the meal begins (which corresponds to the Confucian tradition of respecting elders).
Never point or wave chopsticks in the air
Do not pull the plate towards you using chopsticks. Always pick it up. ("yosebashi")
Place your chopsticks on the table before asking for more rice
Do not clasp two chopsticks in your fist: the Japanese perceive this gesture as threatening
Never stick your chopsticks upside down into the rice. This is how they place it on the altar (including at home) during a memorial service. If you stick chopsticks in like this while eating, the Japanese become gloomy - according to legend, this means that someone will die soon... ("tatebashi")
Do not place chopsticks across the cup. After you have finished eating, place your chopsticks on the stand.
Well, in a Chinese restaurant, on the contrary, after finishing the meal, the chopsticks should be placed across the bowl, with the ends to the left - this is a sign that the meal is completed and no additional food is required.
- Use Khasi It’s not easy when you’re not used to it, so to avoid inconvenience, don’t hesitate to ask the waiter to show you how to use chopsticks correctly, and if it’s really hard, bring more familiar utensils - a fork or spoon.
But remember that, that you cannot eat sushi with a knife, this shows the owner that the prepared dish is tough, and it is impossible to do without a knife.
Or at a restaurant you can simply ask for training sticks. Such sticks are connected, and between them there is something like a spring. So these are more tongs than sticks. But they are very convenient to operate.
Knife and fork are used only for Western food. Spoons are sometimes used for Japanese dishes that are difficult to eat with chopsticks, such as Japanese curry rice. For soups, a Chinese-style ceramic spoon is used.
It is believed that chopsticks train small muscles that develop mental abilities, which is why in Japan people are taught to handle hashi from an early age. Japanese scientists consider instilling in children a desire to master chopsticks an important and relevant task for their country. Confirmation of the effectiveness of “exercises” with chopsticks is the statement of researchers that children who began to eat with the help of hasi immediately after they turned one year are ahead in development of their peers who were unable to part with spoons.
Many Asian chip manufacturers, when hiring staff to the factory, conduct a motor coordination test: you need to quickly assemble small beads with chopsticks.
By the way, in Japan, dishes (bowls for rice, soup, plates for other food) and serving items are divided into “male” and “female”. Sticks are no exception.
In China, chopsticks are called kuaizi. Kuaizi are square at the base so that they do not roll on the table. Their length is approximately 25 cm, and kitchen ones, usually bamboo, are one and a half times longer.
In Korea they eat with thin metal chopsticks. This is a unique custom of its kind - no other country Far East Where chopsticks are used, they are not made of metal (although chopsticks for cooking may be made of metal). Previously, Korean chopsticks were made of brass, now they are mainly made of stainless steel.
I hope that now you can easily use hashi chopsticks :o)
Based on materials from ru.wikipedia.org, izum.darievna.ru
It so happens that chopsticks are traditionally used in four countries: China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. But the Chinese were the first to use them. Now in this country they quite often use European cutlery, but they are still in no hurry to abandon the usual cutlery, because this concerns not only history, but also the mentality of this people. In addition, those who have tried to eat the same dish with a spoon or kuaizi claim that its taste changes. Perhaps this is why Europeans are actively learning how to eat with Chinese chopsticks and learning to use them with such enthusiasm, because Asian cuisine is becoming increasingly popular in the West.
Chinese chopsticks: history of appearance
There are several versions of how Chinese chopsticks came to be. One says that in the 11th century BC, ivory kuaizi began to be used by the ruler of the Zhou kingdom. There is a record of this in the works of the famous philosopher Han Feizi.
Other versions are more like legends or myths. So, when the Xia dynasty (2070–1765 BC) ruled the country, the great Yu, the flood tamer, did not have a single free minute while working to come home and eat properly. He and his subjects ate on the river bank to save time and wondered how to remove hot pieces of food from the cauldron without burning their hands. Great Yu broke two twigs from a nearby tree, sharpened them and began to eat.
Some Chinese historians believe that initially chopsticks were used only for cooking. With their help, cooks carried hot stones and could turn over pieces of meat, fish or vegetables. Another legend says that the ruler of Zhou had a concubine named Daji. He gave her the honor of being the first to taste the emperor's food. One day, being late for dinner, the girl, fearing the ruler’s anger, pulled out the jade pins from her hair and picked up a hot piece of meat with them so as not to burn her fingers. The emperor liked the concubine's idea, and he issued an order to everyone in the palace to take food only with such hairpins. Over time, chopsticks spread widely and began to be used everywhere - the Chinese were clearly impressed by the combination of simplicity, convenience, practicality and grace in these gizmos.
Variety of Chinese chopsticks
The first sticks were made of bamboo, and it was not completely split and they were more like tweezers. Of course, we ate with bamboo sticks ordinary people, but the rich wanted something more complex and expensive, so these cutlery was made for them from expensive wood - ebony, mahogany, sandalwood, Chinese holly.
The history of China has preserved a beautiful legend about the appearance of a peculiar variety of bamboo, which is now called “bamboo of tears” or “bamboo sticks of concubines from the Xiang River.” The emperor, while touring his lands, died suddenly in the south and was buried in the wilderness. His two concubines, having learned about the death of the ruler, rushed to the Xiang River and began to sob. Their tears dripped onto the bamboo growing nearby and were imprinted on the bamboo trunks.
With the development of production in China, metal sticks began to be produced. Again, in ancient times, eating with these devices was affordable only for the rich. Copper chopsticks quickly fell out of use among the Chinese, but those made of silver were popular for a long time. Moreover, this was largely facilitated by the bactericidal properties of silver. But kuaizi made of gold, ivory and jade were most valued.
There is a legend about golden sticks. According to the annals of the Tang Dynasty, at a festive banquet the emperor gave such a pair to Prime Minister Song Jing as a reward for his faithful service. At that time, gold products could only be used at court, and anyone who dared to work with gold himself was severely punished. Song Jing was speechless with joy, and the emperor, noticing his embarrassment, said that he was giving him a gift in gratitude for his loyalty, and that he should not pay attention to the gold.
Over time, Chinese chopsticks have become more diverse. For example, in the Spring and Autumn era they were made in a cylindrical shape, in the Han era they were round, and in the Ming era they were square on top and round at the bottom. Currently, they are pyramidal, with thick and thin ends, as well as flat. The cross-section can also be very different: round, oval, square and with rounded corners.
Currently, approximately 45 billion pairs of disposable wooden chopsticks are used and thrown away each year in China. This is approximately 1.7 million cubic meters of wood or 25 million trees destroyed per year. Terrible number! Since April 2006, for protection purposes environment China introduced a 5% sales tax on disposable chopsticks, and in Beijing many hotels decided to abandon them.
It is well known that Chinese craftsmen can create masterpieces out of anything. Therefore, they even learned to create real works of art from such laconic objects as kuaizi. For example, calligraphers wrote poems and ancient texts, including entire poems, on square sticks.
Chinese craftsmen often carved entire paintings on sticks. A beautiful pair has been preserved, where mountains covered with lush crowns of trees are carved on the upper end. Lan Xian, the famous Chinese connoisseur of sticks, keeps in his collection an ivory copy of the Ming era, on which a talented artist painted a manor, bushes, a lonely boat on the river bank and an old man and a young man sitting in it, thoughtfully looking into the distance.
Green ceramic kuaizi symbolizes the prosperity and wealth of the family, which directly depends on agricultural work. Porcelain sticks were much more expensive than ceramic ones. They were often made in the shape of fish - a symbol of happiness and well-being of the family. Bamboo was usually made in southern China, where the plant grows in large quantities.
The creators of modern China, thanks modern technologies have true scope for realizing their imagination and rich imagination. Illustrations for famous Chinese novels, for example, “Dream in the Red Chamber” or “River Pools,” are extremely popular in the country; poems by Li Bo and Du Fu are also written on sticks, and depictions of a pine tree and a crane are symbols of longevity. The most commonly used chopsticks in China are disposable bamboo and acid- and heat-resistant plastic chopsticks.
Chinese chopsticks - a living tradition
How to eat with Chinese chopsticks is taught from childhood, because the Chinese are very committed to traditions and customs, thus trying to honor distant ancestors. By now, the Chinese have developed special rules and prohibitions on the use of kuaizi. The guest cannot start eating before the host, reach for a dish that is far from him and stick chopsticks vertically into the food, as this is reminiscent of smoking sticks - an attribute of a funeral ceremony. Having finished the meal, the guests must put the kuaizi on the plate, and only when the host has finished eating do they transfer them from the plate to the table and leave from behind it.
Chopsticks outside China
Chinese chopsticks, having spread widely throughout all provinces of the country, moved to Southeast Asia around the 11th century, and later to Europe. At first the Japanese fell in love with them. Externally, their sticks are somewhat different - they are shorter, sharper and thinner. Koreans generally mostly use long and very thin metal sticks.
Interestingly, forks appeared in China in the 17th century, along with European missionaries. But, despite the seemingly greater convenience of this tool, it never gained popularity among the Chinese. Many scientists still do not understand the reason for this phenomenon, and they build a variety of hypotheses on this matter. The Chinese themselves say that the choice of cutlery depends on the way of thinking and mentality of people, and the use of chopsticks is not only a tribute to tradition, but also a symbol of directing energy inside oneself, because it is known that training the muscles of the fingers improves brain activity. Europeans, who have always loved to simplify and speed up everything, prefer convenience and comfort. It turns out that Europeans direct their energy as if outward, being more interested in the aesthetic side of the process.
European scientists believe that their compatriots always eat from their plates, as if trying to isolate themselves from the world and isolate themselves. This is one of the reasons why children leave the family early and prefer to lead independent life. In China, everything is different: a family sits at a common table, eats “from a common pot,” so they are stronger connected and more dependent on each other. To improve their kung fu skills, Shaolin students are offered to learn how to catch a flying fly with chopsticks.
Modern researchers have proven that Chinese chopsticks promote the development of fine motor skills in children, which in turn has a positive effect on development mental abilities. Therefore, from an early age, little Chinese are taught the skills of using these cutlery. Here they believe that the sooner a child learns to use kuaizi, the more capable student he will be.
How to eat with chopsticks? For those who picked them up for the first time and don’t know how to hold them correctly, it seems challenging task. But after using them several times for food, people quickly realize that it is simple and natural. The main condition that practically guarantees success in this matter is not to strain your hand. Let your movements be light, calm and smooth.
Experienced eaters of Japanese delicacies will only laugh: “What else did they think of, surprise with chopsticks! Yes, we used these chopsticks... except that we didn’t eat the dog.” Meanwhile, design minds are known for their ability to transform the familiar and familiar into the new and surprising. We have already written about these Asian cutlery, but the topic is apparently inexhaustible, take our first one. So if you think that you already know everything about these same sticks, then this additional review will probably bring a couple of surprises.
1. Bushido in action
And we will start the review with chopsticks that truly reflect the warlike Japanese spirit: they are made in the shape of long samurai daito swords. Anyone who has mastered the Japanese science of fencing (ken-jutsu) will be able to outstrip any clumsy European armed with a spoon with these chopsticks. The only chance for us is to learn how to operate.
2. Simplicity beats skill.
But what about those who have not found themselves in Japanese fencing? Even if your chopsticks are falling out of your hands, even clumsy Europeans will like this modification: made of a flexible metal strip with “shape memory,” the cutlery is very easy to use. No more difficult than ordinary tweezers. There is only one minus: it doesn’t look much like sticks. Inventor Marcello B. from Munster, apparently, preferred outright innovation to tradition.
And here are these stick-pins called Tukaani can help against the evil eye. You can also slurp molasses with them - it will turn out no worse than with an awl. I can’t think of any other reasonable uses - well, at least it’s original. To avoid accidentally gouging out your eyes, you can wear one.
4. Pencil sticks.
But these sticks are useful, and very great. With their help, you can successfully pretend to be a fool or crazy in the eyes of amazed visitors to a Japanese restaurant. They don’t know that the sticks are only colored to look like pencils!
Now we will talk about a really useful invention, all jokes aside. Chopsticks designed Aïssa Logerot, can turn into a spoon if you attach them to ceramic scoops. And if you simply remove the caps from the ends, you will find sharp toothpicks underneath them.
6. Tourist breakfast.
If domestic hikers can eat with knives, axes and folding spoons, then why not Japanese tourists have folding chopsticks? Folding sushi would also come in handy when camping.
7. Spoon sticks.
Chopsticks can be crossed with a spoon in this way. This 11-inch flexible plastic gadget was awarded a design award in 2006 in Chicago. But if it weren’t for the intricately curved sticks, the award might not have found the hero: there are no trifles in design.
Chopsticks -a pair of small chopsticks, a traditional cutlery in East Asia.
The four countries where chopsticks are predominantly used are China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam.
In Thailand, with the introduction of European cutlery into circulation in the 19th century by King Rama V, only noodles or soups are eaten with chopsticks.
Sticks are usually made of wood, metal, bone, ivory, and nowadays also plastic.
It was believed that silver sticks were used in the Chinese imperial palace to detect poisons in food.
Chinese chopsticks
Archaeological research in China suggests that chopsticks, which in China are called kuaizi (Chinese: 筷子) appeared in the Shang era (about 3 thousand years ago). They say they were invented by the legendary ancestor Yu when he wanted to get hot meat from a cauldron.
Word kuaizi consists of two parts: kuai(筷) - “soon, fast, dexterous”, and zi(子) - a sign of an object. 30% of people use them - the same number as use a fork. Others eat with their hands.
Kuaizi- square at the base so that they don’t roll on the table. Their length is approximately 25 cm, and kitchen ones, usually bamboo, are one and a half times longer.
They are made from wood, metal, plastic, bone. Common in China weisheng kuaizi- disposable wooden ones, not very well processed, so before use they need to be rubbed against each other to avoid splinters. In the 6th-7th centuries, silver sticks were sometimes used to test food for the presence of poison; at that time one of
The most common poison was arsenic, upon contact with which the silver sticks darkened.
Japanese chopsticks
Chopsticks (Japanese 箸, hashi) came to Japan from China in the 12th century and were made from bamboo. It was believed that immortal gods and emperors eat with chopsticks.
There are many variations in shapes and sizes of reusable chopsticks (nuribashi), which sometimes represent a real work of art: they are painted, varnished, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and decorated with various patterns.
Modern hashi are made of bone, wood (bamboo, pine, cypress, plum, maple, black or purple
sandalwood), round or square in cross-section with a conical or pyramidal point.
It is believed that sticks train fine motor skills, which develops mental abilities, so in Japan they teach how to handle
Khasi from an early age. Japanese scientists consider instilling in children a desire to master chopsticks an important and relevant task for their country.
Confirmation of the effectiveness of “exercises” with chopsticks is the statement of researchers that children who began to eat with the help of hasi immediately after they turned one year are ahead in development of their peers who were unable to part with spoons.
By the way, in Japan, dishes (bowls for rice, soup, plates for other food) and serving items are divided into “male” and “female”. Sticks are no exception.
For the Japanese, chopsticks are not only an everyday personal item (it is not customary to share them with others), but also a sacred symbol (the Japanese respectfully call them 御箸).
According to legend, they bring good luck and long life to the owner, and therefore Khasi are considered a good holiday gift.
For example, hashi is presented to newlyweds, implying the wish to be as inseparable as a pair of sticks.
They are given to the baby on the 100th day from the moment of his birth.
birth, when, during the First Sticks ceremony, adults
Let him taste the rice using chopsticks.
They also make gift sets of chopsticks for the whole family.
In addition, there are hashi for the New Year, the tea ceremony, and for sweets. There are chopsticks invented by Rikyo, the founder of the tea ceremony. It is said that one morning he went into the forest to collect pieces of trees and cleared them in order to enjoy the smell of fresh wood.
There are special stands for chopsticks in Japan: Hasioki
.
This name is formed by adding the verbal noun oki from the verb oku - to put. The chopsticks should be placed on the hasioki with their thin ends, so that they point to the left. If there is no hashioka on the table, hashi can be placed nearby on the edge of the plate or on the table.
Chopsticks are served in a special paper case (hashi bukuro),
which often turns out to be a real decoration and object
collecting. It can be painted with fancy designs, and
may contain a restaurant logo.
With the help of chopsticks, you can not only hold food and put it in your mouth, but also perform a lot of other more complex operations: mix sauce, separate pieces, chop and even cut. These steps usually do not have to be performed during a traditional meal, since Japanese culinary rules dictate that food be served in small pieces so that they are easy to put into the mouth.
Eating with chopsticks nowadays
Nowadays, most restaurants serve disposable chopsticks (割箸, Waribashi), made of plastic or wood. Disposable chopsticks are a relatively recent invention that appeared at the end of the last century. Often, before use, they need to be broken lengthwise, if this has not already been done.
In China alone, about 45 billion pairs of disposables are used and thrown away every year. wooden sticks, which is approximately 1.7 million cubic meters of wood or 25 million trees destroyed per year. To protect the environment, China introduced a 5% sales tax on disposable chopsticks in April 2006.
More than 300 hotels in Beijing have joined the campaign called "Save the forest - say NO to disposable chopsticks!" launched in conjunction with Greenpeace and several private sites to stop the use of disposable chopsticks.
Ma Lichao, director of Greenpeace's forestry program, speaking to local media, said they hope their advertising campaign will make people aware environmental crisis and thereby entail a reduction in the number of disposable chopsticks used in restaurants. According to Ma Lichao, more than 300 restaurants and hotels in Beijing have formed an alliance and vowed to stop using these eating utensils, which are harmful to the environment.
Campaign organizers say their goal is to get 2,000 hotels to join the alliance and change their restaurants' policies on disposable chopsticks. However, some citizens and restaurateurs believe it will be difficult to change people's habits due to the convenience of disposable chopsticks
and their sanitary and hygienic functions.
It's interesting that: Many Asian manufacturers of microcircuits and LCD monitors, when hiring personnel to the factory, conduct a motor coordination test: you need to quickly assemble small beads with chopsticks.
Eating etiquette with chopsticks
Sticks are part of culture and history; their use is surrounded by a lot of conventions and ceremonies.
There are many rules and good manners related to chopsticks, and the etiquette in different countries has its own characteristics.
The general part of the rules generally looks like this:
knock with chopsticks on the table, plate or other objects to call the waiter;
“draw” with chopsticks on the table;
“wander” around food with chopsticks;
digging with chopsticks in the bowl in search of the best piece - you need to take food from above.
Chopsticks are only used to pick up food and put it in your mouth or on your plate. Any other manipulation with chopsticks may be considered inconsistent with etiquette. In particular, you should not:
You should choose a piece in advance. Having touched a piece with chopsticks, you need to take it and eat it.
You can't put food on sticks.
Do not shake the chopsticks to cool the piece.
It’s not nice to lick chopsticks, and, in general, to hold chopsticks in your mouth just like that.
You should not point with chopsticks, you should not wave them in the air.
Do not move dishes using chopsticks. The dishes should only be handled by hand.
Before asking for more rice, chopsticks must be placed on the table.
You can't stick chopsticks into food. This is considered bad manners, as it resembles the sticks of incense that are given to deceased relatives.
How to eat with Chinese chopsticks
The Chinese often use European utensils for food, in particular forks and spoons. Traditional dishes are eaten with chopsticks; they are most convenient for eating with chopsticks.
When picking up food with chopsticks, your palms should always face down. Turning your hand over with your wrist and palm facing up is considered uncivil.
The Chinese traditionally eat rice from a bowl. The bowl of rice is brought to the mouth and the rice is then eaten with chopsticks. If the rice is served on a plate, as is customary in Western culture, is allowed and even
It is considered more practical to use a fork or spoon.
Unlike the Japanese tradition, it is quite acceptable to pass food with chopsticks to loved ones (children, parents, relatives) if it is difficult or inconvenient for them to take the food themselves. In relation to elders, it is considered a sign of respect to pass food to them first, even before the meal begins (which corresponds to the Confucian tradition of respecting elders).
After finishing the meal, the chopsticks should be placed across the bowl, with the ends to the left - this is a sign that the meal is completed and no supplements are required.
How to eat with Japanese chopsticks
You should not clench chopsticks in your fist: the Japanese perceive this gesture as threatening.
You should not pass food with chopsticks to another person’s plate or to someone else’s chopsticks. This gesture is used to
the transfer by close relatives of the bones of the deceased after cremation into an urn, and is taboo in all other cases.
Do not place chopsticks across the cup. When you finish eating, you need to place your chopsticks on a stand, on the table or on the edge of the plate, parallel to the edge of the table.
Technique for eating with chopsticks. How to take chopsticks in your hand, hold them correctly and eat successfully.
Relax your hand and extend your index and middle fingers forward, and bend your ring and little fingers slightly.
Place the thick end of one of the sticks about a third of its length into the hollow between
with the thumb and index finger of the right hand, so that the second point of the stick (approximately the middle) rests on the ring finger. Secure the “tool” by pressing on it with the base of your thumb.Place the second stick on the first phalanx at the base of the index finger, and with the tips
medium and large, hold it closer to the middleSqueeze and unclench the ends of the sticks, manipulating them like tongs.
The lower stick remains motionless when eating, all manipulations are performed with the help of the upper one: when the middle and index fingers straighten, the sticks move apart. Accordingly, bending the middle and index fingers,
bring the sticks together, grabbing pieces of food.
The main condition that guarantees successful use of chopsticks is not to strain your hand. The hand should be relaxed, and the movements should be light and calm.
To develop skills in handling chopsticks, it is recommended to practice on small objects - peas, grains of corn.
The first association that most people have when they see chopsticks is, of course, Japan. Although in fact the first of them were made in China back in the 12th century from bamboo. According to one legend, this discovery belongs to the Japanese sage Sen no Rikyu, known throughout the world as the founder of the tea ceremony. One day, while walking through the morning forest, he collected several pieces of wood and cleaned them in order to enjoy the unsurpassed aroma of fresh wood. The shape of these pieces was very similar to modern chopsticks.
Hashi (that’s how chopsticks are correctly called) used today in everyday life by ordinary Japanese people were considered an integral attribute of emperors and gods in those distant times. As for appearance sticks, today they are usually divided into:
According to the material:
- Wooden;
- Bone.
According to the sectional shape:
- Round;
- Square.
According to the shape of the tip:
- Conical;
- Pyramidal.
By use:
- Disposable;
- Reusable.
Waribashi, disposable chopsticks made from plastic, are becoming increasingly popular among Japanese restaurateurs whose main specialty is preparing and delivering sushi.
Khasi: cutlery or something more?
If for most people chopsticks are an ordinary device for eating, then for the Japanese they are a kind of sacred symbol, promising good luck and longevity. For the same reason, transferring them to someone else's use is a bad omen. Among other things, there is an opinion that the ability to handle hashi perfectly trains small muscles and contributes to the development of mental abilities. This is why children in Japan are instilled with the desire to master chopsticks from an early age. Not so long ago, this statement received scientific proof: scientists have proven that children who began to use hashi at the age of one are significantly ahead in their development of their peers who did not want to part with a spoon.
By the way, mastering the art of using chopsticks will also be useful for adherents of Japanese culture who want to learn how to properly stir sauce, hold food, chop and cut it into small pieces that are convenient to put in the mouth.
Note to connoisseurs
Like all other table setting items, chopsticks in Japan are usually divided into “male” and “female”. They are served in a special paper case called hashi bukuro. Such cases can be either simple, decorated only with the restaurant logo, or a real work of art, perfect for collecting.
In conclusion about traditions
Traditionally, the Khasis are considered one of the best gifts for any holiday. Presented as a gift to newlyweds, they symbolize the desire to always remain inseparable. In addition, they make special sticks for the New Year and the tea ceremony, as well as gift sets for large families. The smallest inhabitants of the Country rising sun receive their first hashi already on the hundredth day after their birth during the “First Chopsticks” ceremony, when, with the help of adults, they taste rice for the first time.