中西方饮食文化对比论文

第一篇：中西方饮食文化对比论文

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

I 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

III

Contents

1.Introduction--------------------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 in diet concept----------------------------6 2.3.Differences in dietary patterns-----------------------------9 2.4 The different utensils and etiquette----------------------11 2.5 Differences in diet attribution-----------------------------13 3.Nature of the differences between Chinese and Western food-----------------------16 4.Conclusion--------------------17 Acknowledgements--------------19 References------------------------20

IV 1． Introduction

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, food culture plays a very important role.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.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.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.References

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[13] 刘玫君.陈加真.出国点菜不求人---别人不会告诉你的旅行智慧[M].北京:中国旅游出版社.2005.[14] 马文.哈里斯.好吃:食物与文化之迷[M].山东:山东画报出版社.2001.[15] 苏珊.罗德里格.亨特.巴黎:一席浮动的豪宴[M].北京:生活.读书.新知三联书店,2004.[16] 唐鲁孙.天下味[M].桂林:广西师范大学出版社.2004.[17] 张志伟.欧阳谦.西方哲学智慧[M].北京：中国人民大学出版社.2000.[18] 萧家成.升华的魅力---中华民族酒文化[M].北京:华龄出版社.2007.[19] 向世陵.中国哲学智慧[M].北京：中国人民大学出版社.2000.[20] 张茗阳.食物改变你的一生[M].上海:学林出版社.2003.

第二篇：中西方饮食文化对比论文

上海海洋大学

题

目：学院：专业：班级：学号：姓名：指导教师：完成日期：

学期论文

浅谈中西方饮食文化差异外国语学院英语 13英语 1361322 马梦雅 Alan

2015年12月15日

CONTENTS

1.General differences between Chinese and Western diet habits………………………………………………………… 1

2.Differences in cooking methods.…………………………

3.Differences in table manners……………………………

4.Differences in tableware…………………………………

5.Differences in tea drinking………………………………

Differences between Chinese and Western diet habits

I.General differences between Chinese and Western diet habits.Chinese diet focuses on“flavor” while Western diet cares more about “rational concept”,which means that Western food not only emphasizes the color,smell,taste,shape of food,but also pays attention to taking in proper nutrition ,even stresses on the calories, vitamins, protein, etc.in each meal.Although the taste is similar, they often force themselves to eat——because food is rich in nutrition.This idea of diet is relevant to western philosophy,meta-physic,the main characteristic of western philosophy,which promoted the western culture’s development in some degree.However,philosophy also had side effect on diet culture.Though westerners focus on the choice of tableware,the use of spices,the quality of service,and no matter how high-grade and luxury the food is,generally speaking,beef is almost the same from London to New York.In the other word,Chinese diet seems more complex.The vast land,abundant resources,different climates in north and south are all resulted in completely different flavors of Chinese food.Chinese people in different places like sweet,salt,sour,spicy food,so it gradually formed four main cuisines：Sichuan,Qilu,Huaiyang,and Guangdong.Besides,eating different food in different seasons also is a characteristic of Chinese diet.Chinese pay attention to intake in proper time,for insurance,drink mung bean soup in summer to clear away heat rather than drink it in winter.Western meals generally includes appetizer,soup,salad,seafood,meat,dessert,despite also a little differences in French,Russian,Italian,British diet habits.Meat, poultry dishes are the fourth western dishes, also known as the main dish.Meat dishes come from cattle, sheep, pigs, and other small parts of veal, the most representative is beef or steak.Beef can be divided according to their location:Sirloin steak(also known as sirloin steak), Philip steak, “T” type bone steaks,etc.Cooking methods commonly are roasted, fried, grilled, etc.Sauces of meat dishes are mainly using red wine sauce, black pepper sauce, mushroom juice.Salad,which are vegetable dishes in western food, described as a garnish.Salads usually with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, asparagus and other production.The main salad vinegar sauces are:French sauce, dry island juice, cheese salad juice and so on.After the main dishes,that is dessert.Strictly speaking,it can be counted as the sixth dish.From the real sense, it includes all the main course after the food, such as pudding, pancakes, ice cream, cheese, fruit, etc.If we metaphor banquets to dance,Chinese banquet is group dance and western banquet is social dance.It directly indicated that Chinese banquet put strength on whole table oriented while western banquet pot strength on the respect to individual.As we all know buffet,this kind of popular french dining form,it is convenient for one to one communication and it shows the western’s people oriented tradition.II.Differences in cooking methods.Chinese cooking is an art,same to music, dance, poetry, painting.There are many cooking methods in Chinese cuisine: slip, stew, roast, boil, steamed, fried， braised, grilled, stewed, casserole, etc.Chinese cooking methods are very complex, some dishes need a very long time to cook.For example,stewing chicken soup,which is a soup seems easy but if you want to cook it well,it is difficult.First,the choice of chicken is necessary;then,how to wash the chicken and put what kind of spices also important;Finally,control the cooking fire properly.Paying attention to these three steps still does not means you can cook nice chicken soup,you should focus on every process of dealing with the chicken.In contrast,western cooking methods seems easier than us,they usually roasted,boiled and fried,nothing else special.Westerners love sugar, especially desserts.The amount of sugar use are often the same amount with flour , it is fearful,no wonder incidence of obesity in western countries much more higher than us.What’s more,the amount of sugar,flour and butter are clearly stated how many grams，even has the limitation of an egg’s size.The water put in food should be measured strictly by measuring cup.In western cuisine,the usage of salt is less than us.Instead,there is no general consolidation of flavor in China:southern people like sweet food,northern people like salt food,eastern people like spicy food and western people lie sour food.III.Differences in table manners.Though Chinese and westerners all eat food beside table,actually it has rather obvious differences.In China,people often gather around a table to have a meal no matter family daily diet or formal banquet.Proposing a toast and using chopsticks to pass food to guests are common behaviors to show respect in China,especially in some important traditional festivals,people more prefer in these way to celebrate, like Spring Festival,Mid-autumn Festival.Sitting around a table,sharing dishes are main characteristics of Chinese table manner.It makes some foreigners surprised even unacceptable to this tradition when they first came to China.In China,the position you seat indicates how important you are.Guest often seated on the seat opposite to the door,which is a respectable seat.And do not touch chopsticks before all people seated for it is impolite to eat in advance.If there are ladies together to eat,men should wait and sit until ladies sit down.Chinese and western banquets all emphasize seating arrangement.Nevertheless,in western countries,people used to assigning food firstly,each one has the same dish.In Western banquet, while everyone also sitting around a table, but everyone's food dish is in a single dish.No fixed seat, you can move around freely, not only can fully meet the individuals’ food preferences, but also to facilitate the social relations, emotional and information communication.This habit fully reflects Westerners self-respect and emphasizes the individual's independence and autonomy.IV.Differences in tableware.Comparing to Western tableware,Chinese tableware seems monotonous,main includes cups, plates, bowls, plates, chopsticks, spoons, etc.Western tableware are various：knife, fork, spoon, plate, cup,besides, knife divided into food knife,fish knife, meat knife,butter knife, fruit knife;fork divided into the food fork, harpoon, lobster fork.The most basic differences between Chinese and western tableware are Chopsticks and knives,forks.Knives,forks and chopsticks, not only resulted in the differences in eating habits, but also affect the East and West people's life idea.Knife and fork influenced the group diet habit from the beginning,so westerners pay attention to independence, and their children often live alone when they grow up.Furthermore,Chinese used to eating with bowl to contain main food while westerners prefer plates.In contrast,we use plates to push different dishes,they like used bowls to contain appetizers.The usage of plates is really wide in west,including main dish,dessert.In short, the westerner care more about food itself, while Chinese emphasize the form and the feeling of the dish.In recent years, with the improvement of life quality, Chinese catering equipment is becoming increasingly professional, diversified, combine.V.Differences in tea drinking.Tea originated from China,the earliest written records of tea can be traced back to second Century BC, then introduced to the west.Since 17th Century, tea had become popular among British aristocracy.After that, the British people took unique afternoon tea culture into china.However, tea drinking still has different customs in different culture background.As everyone knows,tea is not the dominion of Chinese,westerners like tea too.However,there are very big differences:British people like putting sugar and milk into tea while Chinese people love drinking pure tea,no others contained.In general,British people like to drink black tea and Chinese people like to drink green tea.Chinese and Western diet culture difference is obvious, and each has own advantages.With the acceleration of economic globalization and information exchange, Chinese and Western food culture will be integrated in the collision.There are big differences in tea sets.Chinese tea sets often are ceramic products,such as,Pu'er teapot（red-ware teapot）is breathable,it acquires boiled water to brew Pu'er Tea,so red-ware teapot is the best choice of tea brewing.But western tea prefer silver products to brewing.The tea strainer is a necessity of western tea drinking.

第三篇：中西方饮食文化

中西方饮食文化

摘要：随着经济全球化的发展，世界各国之间的沟通加强，在文化、艺术等其他领域也相互冲击、借鉴、融合。以法国、意大利、美国、英国、俄国等为代表的西餐在我国大范围的推广，虽然其价格并不是人人能消费的起，但是在饮食文化这方面同中餐的差异正逐渐地缩小。

关键词：饮食思想食物结构营养学

饮食思想，即饮食观念。由于所处地理和气候等自然条件、历史传统、社会制度和宗教信仰的不同，经长时期发展，形成了不同的生活特点和风俗习惯，造

就了风格各异的饮食观念。

中国人在饮食上更注重口味上的要求，而西方人更注重营养的搭配。

中华民族注重“天人合一”，形成了中餐以食表意、以物传情、追求由感官而至内心的愉悦为旨要的特点，注重饭菜的意、色、形，基本追求色、香、味。这是中国传统烹饪民族和历史的根本特点。饮食科学是以人们加工制作菜肴的技术实践为主要研究对象，揭示饮食烹饪发展客观规律的知识体系和社会活动。中国饮食科学内容十分丰富，但是它的核心内容主要是独特的饮食思想以及受其影响形成的食物结构。在长期的实践过程中，形成了“五谷为养，五果为助，五畜为益，五菜为充”的食物结构。但是这种食物结构叙述十分模糊，历代养生家和医学家也没有进一步提出明确的量化标准，使人们在搭配食物时数量和比例存在极大的随意性，乃至影响了这个食物结构发挥良好的作用。如由于动物性食物在饮食中搭配数量过少，比例过低，出现优质蛋白质、无机盐、B族维生素缺乏，造成相应的疾病。

西方是一种理性饮食观念，注重“以人为本”。在烹饪时自始至终坚持着饭菜的实用性基本特征。不论食物的色、香、味、形如何，而营养一定要得到保证，讲究一天要摄取多少热量、维生素、蛋白质等等。这一饮食观念同西方整个哲学体系是相适应的。西方哲学所研究的对象为事物之理，事物之理常为形上学理，形上学理互相连贯，便结成形上哲学。这一哲学给西方文化带来生机，使之在自然科学上、心理学上、方法论上实现了突飞猛进的发展。但在另一些方面，这种哲学主张大大地起了阻碍作用，如饮食文化。在宴席上，可以讲究餐具，讲究用料，讲究服务，讲究菜之原料的形、色方面的搭配；但不管怎么豪华高档，牛排都只有一种味道。作为菜肴，鸡就是鸡，牛排就是牛排，纵然有搭配，那也是在盘中进行的。如一盘法式羊排，一边放土豆泥，旁倚羊排，另一边配煮青豆，加几片番茄便成。色彩上对比鲜明，但在滋味上各种原料互不相干、调和，各是各的味，简单明了。

从食物的营养方面来看，中国的饮食显得比较健康合理，我们是高纤维素，低脂肪糖的食品。早在古代就有各种医疗饮食方面书籍：《黄帝内经》成书于战国时期的医学理论著述，但是从饮食营养与人体健康角度阐述了饮食养生的问题，提出“饮食为生人为本”，合理的饮食能促进人体健康，延年益寿。主张“食饮有节”、膳食全面而均衡。《饮膳正要》从营养卫生学角度提出了不少关系人们健康的重要观点，特别是作者主张以预防为主的思想至今仍然值得我们借鉴。但这并不说明我们在营养方面就很先进，我们没有注意到营养搭配的具体比例，没有先进的科学设备，也交不出具体的营养分析。

在保持食物天然营养方面，西方的烹调手法的确胜人一筹。西餐极重视各类营养成分的搭配组合，充分考虑人体对各种营养（糖类、脂肪、蛋白质、维生素）和热量的需求来安排菜或加工烹调。从营养角度出发、落足于食物对人的健康对于烹饪食物，营养性和美味性就是他们的出发点和目的地。他们全力开发和研究食物在不同状态下的营养差异，从时间、空间、温度、湿度等细微入手，烹饪出从物理、化学角度都营养、美味的食物。牛排是西方人所衷爱的食物之一，在我们看来要把牛肉煮得熟透才可吃，而在西方人看来，不完全熟透的牛排，才能尽显其美味和丰富的营养，他们注意的是尽量保持食物的原汁和天然营养。

虽然在这些方面，中西方存在一些差异，但是在食品原料的时限性和季节性、食品的安全与卫生、菜肴的美观给人愉悦、菜肴的艺术化等方面都是有异曲同工之处的，而且随着社会经济的发展，全球文化的交融，使得这些差异在不断地缩小。随着生活水平的提高，我国人民在吃饱的基础上逐渐要求吃好、吃得营养健康、吃得有文化有品位。具有微观具体，定量监测等特点的西方现代营养学进入中国，与传统的食治养生学说并存，为菜点的营养健康提供了充分的保证。

中西饮食思想在中西方餐饮进入对方的“地盘”后，不断地发生碰撞和融合，融合与互补。现在的中餐已开始注重食物的营养性、健康性和烹饪的科学性；西餐也开始向中餐的色、香、味、意、形的境界发展。中西餐饮文化将在交流中

共同发展！

第四篇：中西方文化对比论文

世俗与宗教——中西社会习俗文化比较

摘要：当今中国早已跻身全球化语境的时代。信息网络技术把整个世界变成了“地球村”，中西文化交往的规模和深度都在不断发展。跨文化交际中，由于文化差异而导致的信息误解屡见不鲜。中西文化博大精深，社会习俗文化渗入到生活的各个方面。关键词：跨文化交际中西方社会习俗文化差异

前言：社会习俗文化包括社会生活礼仪与节庆、生活方式等，是各国社会经济、政治生活及历史文化传统的反应，深刻揭示着民族文化的基本精神和价值观念。由于社会习俗范畴广泛，本文仅从觐礼、婚礼、葬礼、节日四个方面来比较中西方文化，以窥全豹。鉴于中国式宗教意识淡薄的国家，社会习俗文化是世俗的，而西方国家基督教影响甚深，故社会习俗文化的宗教色彩深刻。

一、觐礼：下跪与屈膝

在古代中国一向是皇权至上的社会。因此，古代觐见皇帝时都要行下跪的礼仪，以表示对高高在上的皇权的尊重。这与中国自给自足的小农经济为主体的农业文明有着千丝万缕的联系。中国高度集中的权力，使皇帝认为，普天之下，莫非王土，率土之滨，莫非王臣。中国人有中国是世界的中心，华夷有别，万方来朝的虚荣心理。而西欧则相反。在西方，王权有限，对国王来说，“我的附庸的附庸不是我的附庸”，加上基督教的普世性，教皇才是权力的中心。西方国王与贵族大臣的契约关系并非像中国古代的“君为臣纲”的不平等关系，因此出现了双方觐见礼的冲突。

二、婚礼：红色与白色

在人类所有的社会行为中，婚姻是一项非常重要的活动。作为社会习俗的婚礼，是最重要的礼仪。然而由于民族文化的不同，婚礼的具体形式与文化内涵也就不同。具体上说，中国古典式的婚礼是“红色”的婚礼；西方古典式的婚礼是“白色”的婚礼。

（一）中国婚礼的红色寓意

中国古典婚礼给人印象最深的就是男女双方全家族的盛大庆典，以及到处贴的红双“喜”，一对新人着红衣、红裤（红裙），新娘披着红盖头，桌上点着红蜡烛，床上摆着大红枣。在婚姻不能自主的封建时代，红红火火的婚礼主要不是对新婚夫妇个人的祝贺，而是对家族兴旺的集体联欢，对封建义务的重申。婚礼仪式中的“拜天地”的安排，但这里的“天”只是伦理化的“天”，是重申对天经地义的封建礼法的遵守承诺，完全是世俗性的行为。

古代中国的婚俗文化主要有两大特点。一是“父母之命，媒妁之言”。包办婚姻作为一项被古代中国人民长期接受的习俗，虽然在现代人看来是不合理的，但在流动性较小的农耕社会中也有其存在的合理性。结婚也要按照风俗履行必要的程序。定亲和迎亲这两种程序在不同程度上历来为人们所遵守，甚至在当代的中国也仍然会有体现。其次“明媒正娶，大办婚事”是中国又一重要的风俗。中国婚礼大张旗鼓的操办，其社会意义在于“公示”，以此获得“本地认同”，从而产生“本地身份”。这些对于地位卑贱低微的女性来说具有极其重要的意义。“明媒正娶”的本质同样仍然是为家族共同体的集体荣光增加一道红色的光彩。

（二）西方婚礼的白色意蕴

西方婚礼给人们最深刻的印象是庄严的教堂和白色的婚纱。白色的婚纱在西方象征纯洁、忠诚、美丽。在西方人看来，婚姻是神圣的，西方的婚礼多灾教堂举行，由神父主导婚礼进行，庄严的婚礼誓词是婚姻当事人对对方终生的承诺，也是对上帝尊重的保证。婚礼沉浸在一篇宗教的圣洁气氛当中。

西方社会婚姻制度也是某种社会习俗的产物，尤其受到基督教的深刻影响。当我们把视角投向基督教，不得不提到《圣经》。《旧约》里亚当和夏娃的故事可谓人人皆知，亚当和夏娃由于偷吃了伊甸园里的果子而被上帝逐出。尽管上帝将人逐出伊甸园作为一种惩罚，然而他并没有拆散他们，而是令他们今生今世要相互扶持。其目的在于完成这种爱，在于延续生命。上帝将亚当和夏娃带到一起，从而设立了婚姻，那时婚姻是神圣的，基督徒对这种婚姻的看法也赋予了荣耀和尊严。白色的婚礼使得西方婚姻获得了圣洁的认证。

三、葬礼：厚葬与薄葬

（一）中国的厚葬风俗

中国古代素有厚葬的传统。中国各地博物馆现存的历史文物中，从历代墓葬出土的殉葬品占有相当比例。秦始皇陵出土的兵马俑、长沙马王堆汉墓出土的木乃伊、西安汉阳陵出土的佣群......殉葬品之多、之繁、之奢华，令人叹为观止。这些无不显示着中华厚葬之风。不仅皇家贵族如此，中国民间也不逊色。虽然民间不会想皇族那样奢华，但也不敢怠慢。直至今天，尽管社会发达，大办丧事的习俗仍让留存了下来。现在不仅焚烧纸人，还焚烧纸马、纸电视、纸汽车、纸别墅。

中华厚葬之风可以追根溯源到儒家所提倡的“孝”道。所谓的“孝”道，实质上并非真正对“人”的尊重，而是对规范——“礼制”的无条件服从。通过孝道来凝聚族人，以巩固社会秩序。而对死人的孝就体现在丧葬的厚薄和质量上。

中华厚葬风俗文化的世俗性关键在于中国人“视死如生”的看法，即把死人当作生人来供奉。丧礼设酒食、供品以祭，用整头宰杀的牛、羊、鸡等加上各种新鲜的水果做祭品。从常识知道，死人是不会享用这些供品的，只是人们心理上认为原来的人在另一个世界仍然会享受得到，他们按世俗的办法祭奠供奉死人。

（二）西方的薄葬风俗

通过欧洲的电影电视，许多人对西方葬礼最深刻的印象莫过于十字架和黑色的丧服。墓地也十分简单，一个两米左右的长土坑。下葬时人们只是向墓碑献鲜花，不见有其他的殉葬品。参加葬礼的是死者的亲属与生前挚友，但不会是像中国那样的家族大聚会。西方的丧葬礼仪很简单，其形式基本上属宗教式的。葬礼与葬礼弥撒一般由神父议定，包括祈祷词和经文，然后是圣餐，最后为告别仪式。葬礼过程主要是为死者祈祷，祝灵魂早升天堂，解脱生前痛苦。整个葬礼庄严肃穆，简单薄葬。

这种习俗主要还是受到基督教文化的影响。基督教将每一个灵魂直接和上帝发生关系，崇尚灵魂升华，因为肉体是肮脏的、有罪的。因此西方葬礼风俗重精神性的超升，而对肉身简丧薄葬。

四、节日：人节与鬼节

民族民间节日是重要的社会风俗文化。中国社会是宗教意识很淡薄的社会，梁漱溟先生说过：中国人的人生是“无宗教的人生”。所以中国传统节日多是世俗性的，是人节。随着全球化的深入，当代青年人也喜欢上了洋节。西方社会的基督教文化影响较深，宗教氛围浓厚，故西方节日宗教性强，是鬼节。但随着社会的现代化进程，西方的宗教性节日也已日趋世俗化。

（一）中国节日的世俗性——人节

中国的传统节日大都与农业活动的节气有关，而农业活动又离不开家庭成员之间的集体协作，所以传统习俗要么与时令有关，要么与家族祖先祭拜有关。如在以团圆欢庆为核心的春节，仍要在饭前拜祭祖先，烧香烧纸钱。中国的传统节日提供了“天——地——人”合一的运行节律的时令节点，这些都是世俗性人的节日。传统节日经过几千年传承下来，不仅是译为它的一些娱乐活动，更是一种文化现象，是民族情感、民族精神和民族信仰的体现，值得我们珍惜和传承。

（二）西方节日的宗教性——鬼节

基督教自罗马帝国成为国教以来，对西方社会的影响是方方面面的。基督教不止是一种观念体系，也是一种生活方式。以礼拜日为例。礼拜日也叫安息日，按照《圣经》的说法，上帝工作了六天，第七日休息。因此，现代的西方人在基督教的影响下，每个礼拜日都去教堂做礼拜。古代西方的节日也是极具宗教色彩的，以复活节为例。复活节原本是说耶稣被钉死在十字架上三日后复活，向信徒展示他作为复活的救世主，也让基督徒坚定信念不惧怕死亡。然而现代社会中的复活节几乎丧失了宗教意义，越来越为人们所淡忘。“假日”也是一个宗教术语，意为“神圣的日子”，这个术语源于中世纪。而如今在说英语的国家，‘假日’的使用越来越少宗教的含义。因此，当人们在圣诞节和新年期间说‘假日快乐’时，他们往往也只是表达一种问候，一个毫无宗教色彩的问候，一个与耶稣的诞生毫不相干的问候。

中国是农业文明，自给自足的小农经济占主导地位，而西方是海洋与商业文明。由于中西民族先民的自然条件、生存方式不同，在漫长的历史过程中，也形成了不同的物质生活方式和精神生活方式。中国的宗教意识淡薄，而西方受基督教的影响很大。有无宗教信仰在中西方人民的社会习俗文化上留下了深深的印记。总的来说，中国的社会习俗文化是世俗化的，而西方社会习俗文化宗教色彩深刻。但很难说哪种文化就是“先进”，哪种文化就是“落后”，如果把“先进”的现代文化强行移植到“落后”国家，可能会产生水土不服的现象。因此，比较不同民族、不同国度的文化是为了在比较中认识世界，更好地尊重彼此的文化。参考文献：

1.陈坤林、何强主编，《中西文化比较》，国防工业出版社，2012。2.阿尔文.施密特，《基督教对文明的影响》，汪晓丹等译，北京大学出版社，2004。

3.路易斯.亨利.摩尔根，《古代社会》，杨茹东译，商务印书馆，1981。

第五篇：中西方饮食文化对比研究(英语专业毕业论文)

LUOYANG NORMAL UNIVERSITY

2014届本科毕业论文

中西方饮食文化差异

院（系）名称专业名称学学指完

外国语学院英语（双学位）

张杨子

120722066 生姓名号

导成教时

师间

莫艳艳讲师 2014年5月

Luoyang Normal University

Different Food Cultures Between China and the West

A Thesis Submitted to Foreign Languages College of

Luoyang Normal University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts

By Zhang Yangzi Supervisor：Mo Yanyan

May 10, 2014 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts

中文摘要

饮食文化在世界文化中起着十分重要的作用，不同的国家有自己不同的饮食文化特点。中国是一种农耕文化的陆地文化，而传统的西方文化是一种畜牧文化的海洋文化，两种不同的文化反映出人们生活方式的差异，其中饮食文化更是具有代表性的一个方面。在此基础上，本文研究分析了中西饮食文化在各个方面的不同之处。分析表明，在不同的文化背景下，中西方在饮食观念、饮食内容、饮食方式还是餐桌礼仪等各个方面的差异都是显而易见的。正是这种不同饮食文化的沟通与交流，推动了全世界范围内文化的融合。

关键词: 差异；文化；饮食文化

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

Abstract In the complex world culture, the dietary culture plays an extremely important role.The differences between Chinese and Western culture created the differences between Chinese and Western food culture.Different countries have their own dietary cultures.Traditional Chinese culture is agricultural culture and land culture, while traditional western culture is animal husbandry culture and ocean culture.These two kinds of cultures reflect diverse life styles in which food is the most representative aspect.In variously cultural contexts, differences in food lie in concept, object, kitchen ware, table ware, or table manners.And understanding these differences could promote the communication of cultures in the world.Key words: difference;culture;food culture

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

Table of Contents 中文摘要..........................................................................................................................................Ⅰ Abstract............................................................................................................................................Ⅱ Table of Contents.............................................................................................................................Ⅲ 1.Introduction.......….……………………………………………………………............................1 2.Dietary Concept…………………....……………………………….............................................2.1.Chinese Dietary Concept………......……………………………………….........................2

2.2.Western Dietary Concept….………………….…………………..…….….........................3 3.Food …………….…………………………………………………….........................................3.1.Condiment……...……………....…………………………………………….......................5 3.2.Side Dish……......………………………………………………………..............................5 4.Table Manners……………………………………………………...............................................7

4.1.Differences Between Chinese and Western Table Manners…......……....................…….....7

4.2.Characteristics of Table Manners…………...……………………………....................…...7

4.2.1.Characteristics of Table Manners in China ………………….......................................8

4.2.2.Characteristics of Table Manners in the West................................................................8 5.Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................9 Bibliography....................................................................................................................................10

III A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts 1.Introduction Diet is not only the premise of social development, but also the paramount material base for human to survive with good health condition.In the early stage of barbarism, like other animals, looking for food to survive is just the instinct for human beings.But when man began to use fire to cook food and they entered the age of civilization, especially the time of cooking with the pottery, the food became the creation made by the human own wisdom and their technology.Then there is the essential difference in diet between human beings and animals that the diet has its cultural nature.Thus the history of human diet is to be this kind of history that human adapt to nature, conquer and reform nature to survive and develop in the nature, and the human dietary culture gradually comes into being in the course of this progress.As an important part of human culture, the dietary culture has a generalized meaning and a narrowed meaning.This thesis discuss the dietary culture in this narrow sense which is the total of material wealth and spirit wealth created and accumulated in the long-term progress of food consumption, and it is the knowledge about what to eat, how to eat and why to eat, including dietary object, dietary tableware and so on.China has profound cultural heritage of dietary culture and diet play a foremost role in people’s daily life so that dietary culture take a huge proportion in Chinese culture.Facing the dietary culture from other countries, we should accept or reject them based on ourselves condition.We can’t only chase for enjoyment in taste, because it is harmful to our physical health if we eat too much foreign food which is belong to the high calories food.However, it is obvious that we shouldn’t aimlessly reject all the new objects.Under the influence of entering the WTO and globalization, the international connection has become closer and closer so that the collision and fusion in the dietary culture always happen between Chinese and westerners.Granted, it takes a long time for two different cultures to merge and coexist and there must be an aspect that both sides can’t adapt to each other.If this phenomenon occurs, we should try our best to understand, respect and tolerate another culture in right manner.The difference of dietary culture between Chinese and westerners will arouse culture misunderstanding in certain extent.For example, many Chinese think that Hamburger, KFC and McDonald’s are the typical food in American.But it is not the fact.The fact is American food is very complex.A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts Therefore, in this thesis, we discuss the difference of dietary culture between Chinese and westerners from dietary concept, dietary object, cooking utensil, dietary tableware and table manners.Through the study, it is beneficial for both sides to strengthen the communication in culture, and more able to eliminate the obstacles and misunderstanding when two nations are communicating, so that people can have in-depth understanding about the dietary culture from China and western countries.To study both parties’ dietary culture difference from various aspects, it can not only help us to strengthen the awareness and adaption in the culture communication, but also can enhance our understanding, tolerate and accept the foreign culture.Then this makes Chinese and western dietary culture can mutually develop and fuse in communication, which it plays a remarkable role in boosting the development of culture in the whole world.2.Dietary Concept

Diet is absolutely necessary in mankind’s life, and even in the existence or development.Because of the differences between Chinese and English cultural traditions, the Chinese and English dietary cultures are different in concept.2.1.Chinese Dietary Concept In Chinese dietary culture, people play more attention to pursuing the taste than to emphasizing the nutrition.They consider that the nutrition is less important if the food is delicious and good-looking enough.The reason why there is a unique dietary culture that eating is on top of the list in Chinese nation is that productivity has been always under the average level for thousands of years and people have not enough food to eat.People often say the taste is the most important in the whole of color, aroma and taste.In addition, the key of special charm in Chinese diet is nothing but its taste.Chinese think a lot of art and sensibility, so the pursuit of delicious taste is always the highest meaning in dietary.However, a part of the nutrition may lack in pursuing the deliciousness in Chinese diet.The shape of the food is the external thing while the taste is the internal thing.Emphasizing the inner and not decorating painstakingly the external, or emphasizing the taste rather than showing off the form of the dishes, is the paramount expression in Chinese dietary concept.But it does not take any count of the collocation of nutrition.The medicated food appeared in the Tang dynasty and now there is a formulation that “diet therapy is better than medical treatments”, which all reflect that Chinese pay attention to the collocation in A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts dietary nutrition since ancient times.However, the traditional nutrition theory only has a vague concept without specific data analysis as westerners to figure out what kind of food is good for health with nutrition.Chinese people are thinking highly of eat.Bread is the staff of life, this old adage explained that we see eating as important as days.Because our national for thousands of years are in the low level of productivity, people always do not have enough to eat, so they would have a unique food culture that eating is very important.I think this is probably from a survival to needs.Li Xiaohong pointed out: If a culture put ate as primary, so it will appear two phenomena: on one hand will put the food function to acme, not only survive, but also use it to maintain healthy, this is also the culture basis that ―diet cures more than the doctors.On the other hand, the excessive attention to eat, it can make the person praise highly of delicious pursuit.2.2.Western Dietary Concept In western dietary culture, eating like a biological machine add fuel, especially about the food's nutrition composition, protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and all kinds of inorganic element content , people play more attention to pursuing the nutrition than to emphasizing the color, aroma and taste.The western diet is a kind of rational diet so that they devote particular care to the nutrition and collocation.They treat dietary as a science with a realistic attitude to lay stress on dietary nutrition and as a result, the pursuit of nutrition becomes the highest meaning in diet.The core standard in evaluating food in westerners is whether it is reasonable in dietary nutrition and whether it accord with the scientific demand.Westerners often think that food is just a means of survival so that they pay more attention to dietary nutrition and supply condition of energy and they seldom connect dietary with spiritual enjoyment, which reflects a strong practicability and utilitarian.For westerners, the only thing they care is not what the food color, aroma, taste and shape is, is the nutrition must be guaranteed.Then they spend time on paying attention to how many calorie, vitamin, protein, etc.should be absorbed a day with neglect of color, aroma and taste.Even if the taste may be the same, even compared with Chinese food, or as dull as cardboard, but the sense push them to eat because it is nutritive.For another word, it just like refuels the machine.As to westerners, the taste is the secondary.If heating up the food will cause the loss of nutrition, they prefer to eat the half-baked, even raw food.Therefore, the western dietary can be summarized with convenience and practicability.There is a case in point that a nutritive breakfast can be simply made of a combination of some bread, jam, cheese, butter and fresh vegetables.A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts 3.Food

China is known for vast fields and various geographical environments with a long history and an abundant production as well as species of plants and animals, which offer the sufficient resources of products to the formation of Chinese dietary culture.Chinese staple food is based on rice and wheat.On the side, millet, corn, buckwheat, potato and sweet potato are also the main food people usual eat so they take a tiny place in the dietary culture.Except for the rice noodles, there are still kinds of food can be supplied for people to make their life more colorful, including the other kinds of pasta, steamed bun, deep-fired dough sticks, various porridge, cookie and ever-changing snacks.In the Chinese long history, the distribution of “south rice and north wheat” has formed this situation that the main raw materials are rice and wheat in Chinese staple food.Most Chinese people prefer to take vegetarian diet as the principle thing.According to a study of western botanist, there are more than 600 species of vegetables in China.It is six times more than the west.In fact, in the Chinese dishes, vegetarian dishes are considered as the common food, and only in holidays or at the higher living standards, the meat can be a part of the usual diet.The western dietary culture mainly originates from rear livestock culture, which decides the western dietary structure that takes meat and dairy products as the principal things and vegetarian dishes as the auxiliary thing.According to the weather, it is not suitable for western countries to plant the crop so that they give priority to animal husbandry and give second place to agriculture.In addition, another factor to give first place to animal is that the technology is quite high in the animal cultivation.As a result, there are a lot of kinds of animals and a huge production of meat in western countries.The main agriculture products are wheat, corn, and grape and so on.In the western dietary structure, the meat also takes up the excessive place in the dishes.They are mainly beef, chicken, pork, mutton as well as fish.It is obvious that what they usually eat is provided with a “three-high” characteristic that is high protein, high fat and high calorie.Therefore, meat has occupied and will always occupy the remarkable high proportion in western dietary.Although the proportion of planting has increased in recent years, the proportion of meat in dietary structure is always higher in the western than in Chinese.Therefore, when westerners prepare the diet, you can see most dishes are meat and a few are vegetables.What’s more, bread and meat are the principle food;coffee, wine and milk are the main drinking in their life.A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts 3.1.Condiment The condiment is also different between the Chinese and westerners in cooking dishes.In China, the taste plays a part as the soul in the dish so that there are seven main kinds of taste in the Chinese diet, including sour, sweet, bitter, salt, peppery, fresh and obscure.The purpose of condiment is to exert a positive effect on reaching the excellent fusion from some seasoning, which has the ability to add aroma without weird smell as well as the smell from fresh meat or fish.What’s more, it can ameliorate the color of the dishes which can draw their attention to have a try.They usually choose the ginger, scallion, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar and monosodium glutamate to be their condiments in common use.But sometimes, they will use grain wine to season.The western-style food is almost the meat, which is always processed into a piece of massive one.Thus there is a big problem in the condiment that it is difficult to saturate the massive piece with condiment used in China.In order to solve this problem, they make up with two methods that they adopt to cook sauce without anything and they have the entree with sauce.Since then, they have formed a special way in condiment in western-style dish.Based on the five used foundation of sweet, sour, bitter, salt and peppery in the west, they prefer to such effect that can make them feel a deep delicious with appetite.They usually choose the cream, butter, sauce, lemon, onion, celery and bay leaves to be their condiments in common use.In addition, spice and wine are the two important factors in cooking.Because both vanilla and spice have the special smell, they exert an indispensable effect on the aroma of their dishes.For instance, when they cook the vegetable soup、spaghetti and sauce、stuffed、salad, they always used a kind of mixed spice, which are used to mix together with the marjoram and oregano.In addition, thyme is also the main spice for them to add into the soup, venison and barbecue while sage is mainly used in the dishes made with pork in their daily life.3.2.Side Dish The side dish also plays a significant part in the Chinese dietary structure.The side dish indicates that they are the combination for raw material in one dish, including cold dish and hot dish, or the combination for all the dishes showed up on the table.The latter one develops based on the former one and there is no denying that the highest form is belonging to the latter one.Now we take side dish of hot dish as an example to make a compare.The side dish of hot dish is required with the quality of dish in China.It should coordinate appropriately with one or several A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts kinds of raw materials which have been processed to the shape they need.Then a complete dish comes into being.As a chef for side dish, he must not only be proficient in the skill of cutting up, but also be familiar with the shape of the finished product.Besides, it is awfully essential for the chef to be acquainted with the cooking method for the reason that the raw material will have some changes during the cooking.In addition, the fundamental rules of the collocation are very crucial in the dish, such as, the collocation of color, the collocation of shape, the collocation of aroma, the collocation of taste and the collocation of nutrition and so on.And all of these collocations prefer to concentrate on reflecting the collocation of meat and vegetables.In other words, it is the collocation of animal material and vegetarian material.The Chinese make plant as the main dish, and has a lot of contact with the advocacy of Buddhism.Their think the animal is “the life”, but plants the laws of nature “not to work”, therefore, advocates the vegetarianism.For the westerners, the side dish is also the indispensable part in hot dishes.As usual, after finishing the main food that they have already put on a dish, a small amount of vegetables, rice or noodles processed should be put on the edge of the dish or on another dish by side.Thus a complete piece of dish completes.It is said that the food have a collocation with the main food is called side dish.A case in point is that French fries and vegetarian salad are the side dish of fried chicken or other kinds of hamburger in the KFC or McDonald’s.Thus it can be seen that there is a certain difference between Chinese diet and western diet in the form of side dish.However, the effect they exert is the same.They both own the function to complement the nutrition, to balance the dietary, to enhance the beauty and to give the aroma.In addition, the fundamental rules of the collocation are very crucial in the dish.For example, all kinds of side dish are most made with different color vegetables.What is more, the side dish is asked for being processed to the definite shape under meticulous requirement, such as strip、olive shape、globular、chess shape、waist drum shape and so on.Most of the deep-frying meat and roasting meat are deserved with three side dishes which are potato and two different color vegetables.They are considered to be a set of side dish.There are a lot of cases we can illustrate.For example, it is a set of side dish that French fries is arranged with boiling pea and carrot in olive shape as well as roasting potato arranged with cauliflower with butter and tomato in piece.However, the characteristic dishes usually choose one kind of side dish made with potato to keep the special aroma, such as the fish.On the side, the dishes with much soup are used to provide with the rice or noodles.Whereas it is rare in Italian A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts dish, such as curry chicken with butter rice and Italian beef with macaroni.4.Table Manners Good manners mean good behavior in social communication.A person with good manners is always agreeable companion.Speaking of table manners, every country has its own characteristic.In China, table manners in people’s life occupy a very important position.People think that repast is not only for our basic physiological needs, but also for our social needs.And it do the same for the west.4.1.Differences Between Chinese and Western Table Manners The main difference on the Chinese dinner table is chopsticks instead of knife and fork, but that's only superficial.Besides, in decent restaurants, you can always ask for a pair of knife and fork, if you find the chopsticks not helpful enough.The real difference is that in the West, you have your own plate of food, while in China the dishes are placed on the table and everyone shares.If you are being treated to a formal dinner and particularly if the host thinks you're in the country for the first time, he will do the best to give you a taste of many different types of dishes.The meal usually begins with a set of at least four cold dishes, to be followed by the main courses of hot meat and vegetable dishes.Soup then will be served(unless in Guangdong style restaurants)to be followed by staple food ranging from rice, noodles to dumplings.If you wish to have your rice to go with other dishes, you should say so in good time, for most of the Chinese choose to have the staple food at last or have none of them at all.Perhaps one of the things that surprise a Western visitor most is that some of the Chinese hosts like to put food into the plates of their guests.In formal dinners, there are always “public” chopsticks and spoons for this purpose, but some hosts may use their own chopsticks.This is a sign of genuine friendship and politeness.It is always polite to eat the food.If you do not eat it, just leave the food in the plate.People in China tend to over-order food, for they will find it embarrassing if all the food is consumed.When you have had enough, just say so.Or you will always overeat!4.2.Characteristics of Table Manners

The dining table is one of the most important places where good manners are displayed.Rese A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts arching it will help people to learn the language culture and improve the ability of communication in cross-culture practice.4.2.1.Characteristics of Table Manners in China Chinese table manners of families have no intrinsic quality even there are different region and position.No matter three meals a day or guest’s arrival, always bowls with chopsticks, food with soup.There is no rule for how to put the tableware.What people care about more is not the gorgeous tableware but the sumptuous food? People’s dining position reflects the most obvious etiquette of Chinese table manners.In ancient society, men are supreme, and women are not allowed to sit with men on the same table.Although this is modern society, this kind of ancient etiquette still remains.Today in China, the phenomenon that men sit on the table before women can be found everywhere.The master of a family usually sits on the first-class seat.The first-class seat is usually near the interior of a room facing to the door.Once there is a guest, the master will offer the first-class seat to the guest politely.If it is an ordinary meal of family, families should start after the elder.If there is a guest, the master offer the food to the guest is essential from the beginning to the end.And the tradition of urging others to drink is also a special phenomenon.4.2.2.Characteristics of Table Manners in the West The biggest difference in table manners between Chinese and western is the details of table manners can be as clear as the specifications what can exactly give people correct manners to refer to.Here are several typical manners what can illustrate the rigor of Western-style food：

①The western-style food official drinks the soup posture request to enter in advanced the soup with the ladle to oneself far that one side, then to leaves the direction which oneself goes far away to delimit lightly abundantly.②When dines in the process, if you need to put down the knife, the edge faces oneself assumes in the plate as 10 o’clock shape.The tool bit is the hand of a clock, the hilt is the minute hand);the jaw buckles in the edge of a sword, the jaw direction 2 o’clock.The knife and fork assumes but actually V glyph.But V glyph knife and fork places the tray lower part(to depend on your direction).③The knife with forks parallel places in the plate 5 o'clock positions when dines finished.Approximately the knife or forks the total length 1/3 handle department dew in tray edge exterior.The fork downward buckle on the plate, the knife’s edge faces to you.A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts ④When eats the bread, must tear down the bread may by an entrance scrap.The butter should in before you put in the mouth.Do not wipe beforehand the entire bread the full butter.5.Conclusion There are distinct differences in dietary concept, dietary object, dietary kitchen ware and dietary tableware between Chinese and westerners and they have their own advantage.Of course, the differences between Chinese and westerners have relativity in dietary culture.The study of differences in dietary culture needs the mutual understanding and appreciation between different cultures.When facing two kinds of dietary culture, we should learn from others’ strong point to offset our weakness rather than blind pursue the enjoyment of taste.With the increasing fast globalization, the dietary culture between Chinese and westerners will integrate in the collision and complement in the fusion under the background which is collided and fused by economy, culture and information changes.It can not only enhance the mutual understanding and enjoy the different feeling from different food, but also strengthen the communication, complementation and fusion in culture.As the improvement of the living quality and standard, Chinese begin focusing on the food nutrition, health and science of cooking while westerners start to develop from the artistic realm of color, smell, taste, meaning and shape of Chinese food.Only if the dietary culture communicates in common development can people enjoy the more delicious, convenient, nutritional and healthy food.The communication of dietary culture exists in our daily life as the hinge of diverse cultures in the process of integration in economic and cultural globalization.The dietary culture has become a type of cultural impact which is strengthening step by step.Moreover, it exerts a huger effect than any other power on globalization and changing the world softly.It is possible to anticipate that the dietary culture between Chinese and westerners will become more and more charming under the communication and fusion.A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts

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Dominique, Bouchet.Differences in Food Culture.Odense: Odense University Press, 1999.Hansen, Barbara.Taste of Southeast Asia.Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988.Hallock,Constance M.Fun and Festival from New York.New York: Friendship Press, 1968.Hyman, Gwenda L.A Culinary Journey Through China.Beijing: Peking University Press, 1994.党冰花.中西饮食文化差异刍论.重庆：重庆科技学院学报, 2010(5).哈里斯，马文(美).食物与文化之谜.山东：山东画报出版社,2011.胡文仲.中英文华习俗比较.北京：北京外语教学与研究出版社,1999.李晓红.浅谈中西方饮食文化差异.时代文学,2010(6).杨乃济.民以食为天——中西饮食文化漫谈.北京：中国国情国力期刊,1993(3).赵红群.世界饮食文化.北京：时事出版社,2006.

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