The Differences Between Chinese and Western.docx

The Differences Between Chinese and Western.docx

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TheDifferencesBetweenChineseandWestern

TheDifferencesBetweenChineseandWestern

DietCultures

Introduction

WesternandEasternculturesarethetwobigculturalsystemsintheworld,andthedietculturetakesaveryimportantplaceinbothcultures.ThereforeinthisthesistheauthorwilldoadeepstudyabouttheworldculturebythemeansofcomparingthedifferencesbetweenChineseandWesterndietculturesfromthefollowingthreeaspects,namely,thedifferencesindietconcepts,thedifferencesinbanquetetiquetteandthedifferencesinthecontentofdiet.

Mover,theauthorisalsogoingtodiscussaboutthedevelopingtendencyofthedietcultureinWesternandEasterncountriesinthefuture,foreatingisthebasicneedofmankindandreflectsacountry’seconomicandculturalstandard.Besides,thisthesiswillfindoutmoreinformationaboutthedietculturebroadandhomeandtherootedcausesinChineseandWesterndietculturesfromtheperspectiveofoutlook,etiquetteandcontent.

Withthedevelopmentoftheeconomyandculture,thisstudywillbeadvantageoustoimprovecross-culturalcommunicationanddecreasetheculturalbarriersintheinternationalcommunicationintheworld.

1.ThedifferencesbetweenChineseandWesterndietcultures

Itiswellknownthat,Chinaisoneofthemostancientnationsintheworldbecauseithasaglorioushistoryofmorethan5000years.Duringthelongtime,ithasformedabroadandprofoundculture.Withthepassageoftime,China’sfourmajorstylesofcookinghavegraduallyformed,allofwhichhavetheirowncharacteristics,buttheyalsosharesomefeaturesincommon,suchastherawmaterialisparticular,themanufacturemethodiscomplexandthetasteisvaried.

IntheWest,takingEuropeandAmericaasrepresentatives,theirculturesaresimilarlywellestablishedasthatofChina.TracingbacktotheMiddleAges,whentheEuropeanculturewaswellconsummated,theWesterndietculturehadbeenalreadyformed.Themaincharactersofitinclude:

thestaplefoodsareverysimple,primarilywheatflower,buttherawmaterialsarecomparativelyvarious,andthemanufacturemethodcomparedwithChinaseemsrelativelysimple,moreover,theycarelessaboutthetasteofthefood.

1.1Thedifferencesintheconceptsofdiet

Undertheinfluenceofthedifferentsocialculturalsystemandcustomaryculturalsystem,peopleindifferentcountriesholddifferentconceptsofthedietculture.

1.1.1SocialneedsVSbodyneeds

OneofthemostfamousphilosophersintheworldnamedConfuciusbelievedthatpeoplecouldn’tlivewithouttwothings:

foodandlove.Sodietcultureplaysadecisiveroleinpeople’sdailylifeinChina,anditsfunctioncanfindexpressioninallaspectsofpeople’slife.Forexample,thefirstthingtheChinesewilldowhentheymeetanacquaintanceisgreetingtoeachotherlikethis:

“Haveyoueaten?

”andthefirstthingthattheChineseneedtodoisalwayseatingorpreparingforeating.Theyentertainguestsontheoccasionofbirth,ababy’scompletionofitsfirstmonthoflife,fullyearold,marriageandmanyotherthingsandevenofdeath.Itseemsthateatingcanhelpthemcommunicateandexpresswelcomeorreluctancetopart.Eventhesentimentaldisturbanceoftendrawssupporttothefoodandwine,andonekindofpsychologicalandculturalsignificanceaswellastherealizationandunderstandingaboutthingsthatpeopleownedareallcontainedintheformofeating.Thereforeeatinggainsmoreprofoundsocialsignificance,notonlyremainsattheoriginalfunctionoflivingorcommunicating,butalsohasbeenchangedintothefunctionofadjustingthesocialpsychology.

ButintheWesterncountries,eatingisjustusedasameansforlivingandawayforcommunicating.Thusitcanbeseenthatinthemindofthewesterners,eatingonlyplaysaroleforkeepinglife.

1.2Thedifferencesinbanquetetiquette

BanquetsareheldtocelebratetheNewYear,theMoonFestival,weddings,andotherspecialoccasions.Eacheventisassociatedwithparticulartreats,forinstance,filledmooncakesfortheMoonFestivalorNewYear'spudding,andtherearealsomanycommoncharacteristicsandceremoniesinvolved.ButthebanquetetiquetteseemsdifferentbetweenChineseandWesterncountries.

1.2.1ChopstickVSknifeandfork

InChina,peopleuseChopstickstoeat,whileinthewest,peopleuseknifeandforkinstead.Thewesternerseatalmosteverythingwithafork,anditisseeminglyconsideredasabadmannertoholdaknifeinone’srighthandlongerthanafewseconds,butifitisabsolutelynecessarytouseaknife,theywilltaketheforkintheirlefthand,andcutoffapieceofmeatorwhateveritisinthenormalmanner.Thentheyputtheknifedown,transfertheforktotheirrighthand,andonlythendotheytransportthefoodtotheirmouth.Thisisclearlytroublesomeandludicrous,butitisconsideredgoodmanners.

1.2.2SouthandnorthinChinaVSleftandrightinWesterncountries

Seatsarrangementisakindofimportantformusedtoshowthepeople’sstatusandrelationshipamongthem.

AtthebanquetinChina,turninginthedirectionofsouthisaseatofhonor.Thedirectionofsouthhasgraduallychangesintoasymbolofsupremacy,standingfortheauthority,positionandstatus.Comparedwiththeseatofsouth,thedirectionofnorthindicatesalowerpower.

IntheancientWesternsociety,themosthonoredguestwouldsittotheleftofthehost,becausepeopleusedtoholdthedaggerinhisrighthand.Therefore,itisdifficultfortheassassintoassassinatethepersonsittingtotheleftsideofthehost.However,withthedevelopmentofthesociety,thephenomenonofassassinationisnearlydisappeared.Asaresult,whenmodernpeopleinthewesterncountriesarrangetheseatsatpresent,thefirstpriorityisnottofixeyesuponthesafetyprotection,butupontheneedofpsychologicalprotection.

1.2.3GoinginforostentationandextravaganceVSsimpleandatwill

TherearealsosomerooteddifferencesatdietbanquetsbetweenChineseandWesterncountries.InChina,peoplelaystressonthemealitself,andgoinforostentationandextravagance.Thereareusuallymorethansevenoreightcoursesataformalbanquet,notincludingthecolddish,refreshments,sweetandthestaplefoods（noodle,riceandsoon）.Andthemoresumptuousandvaluablethecookedfoodis,themorehospitabilityisshowedbythehosts.Andthequantitiesofthecookedfoodpreparedbeforehandsaremuchmorethantheguestcaneat,whichisaccordingtothetraditionalorientationofvaluelike“持家有道，待客要丰”.Sobytheinfluenceofthistraditionalconcept,Chinesepaymoreattentiontoostentationandextravagance,andparticularaboutthequantityandthequalityofthecookedfood.Themosttypicalexampleisthe“满汉全席”,whichisappearedintheQingDynasty.

ComparedwiththeChinese,agrandWesternbanquetusuallyprovidesonlysixcourses,andjusttwoofthemcanberegardedascookedfood,othersjustserveasacontrastorfoil.Consequently,acommonbanquetissimplerandatwill.InAmerica,everypeoplewillbringakindofdishwiththemwhentheyhaveadinnerparty,theysharetheirdisheswitheachother.Andtherealsohaveanotherkindofparty,inwhichthehostsjustonlypreparethedrinkingandafewsimplefoodlikecheese,chips,sandwichandsoon.However,thehostdoesnotsupplythemealeither,sowecanseenfromthisthatwesternersjustregardeatingastheopportunityforgathering,communicating,thechanceforrevivingtheoldfriendshipandassociatingwithnewfriends.Theydonotcaretheeatingitself,thehostonlytriestocreateahappyandrelaxedatmospherefortheguestsbyeverypossiblemeansandenablethemenjoythemselves.

Nomatterwhatthegoalis,banquetsinChinaallonlycanhaveonekindofformthatiseverybodyhastositinacircle.Theymustusetheroundtableatthebanquet,becausetheythinkonlybythiscancreateakindofunityandpolitenessatmosphere.Thedelicacydelicaciesshouldputonthecenteroftheroundtable,forthefoodisnotonlytheobjectwhichpeopleappreciates,tastes,butalsoamediumforpeopletoexchangetheiremotions.Atthebanquetpeopleexchangetoastsandurgeotherpeopletoeat,fortheyfeelonlybythisactioncantheymanifestedthetraditionalvirtueofrespectandcomitytoeachother.Althoughwecanfindalotofshortageobviouslyfromthehygiene’sangle,thiskindofdieteticmethodisstillinkeepingwiththenationalpsychologyofgreatreunion.

FortheWesterners,althoughthefoodanddrinkingalsoseemveryimportantatthebanquet,infacttheyarejustservedasacontrastorfoil.Makingfriendswitheachotheristherealcoreatthebanquet,bycommunicatingwithanadjacentseat,theyreachedthepurposeofexchangefeelings.

1.2.4“Groupdancing”VS“ballroomdancing”

Ifwecomparethedieteticmethodtothedancing,Ithinkwe’dbetterregardtheChinesebanquetasgroupdancingwhiletheWesternbanquetastheballroomdancing.Fromthispointofview,wecanseethatthepurposeofcommunicationinbothcountriesisveryobvious.OnlywouldtheChinesepeopleliketoenjoytogetherwhiletheWesternersprefertotalkwiththepeopleastheylike.Sothebuffet,whichispopularintheWesterncountry,showedanobviousdifferenceinthedieteticmethodwiththatinChina.Inthebuffetthewesternerssetoutthefoodpreparedbeforehand,sotheguestscantakethefoodontheirownplease,andtheguestsdonotneedtosetinastationaryposition.ThiskindofbanquetisquiteconvenientfortheWesternerstoexchangetheiremotionsinpersonalfortheydon’tneedtoexpresstheirownfeelingstoallthepeople.Ithinkitisno