Customs and etiquette in Chinese dining
Customs and etiquette in Chinese dining are the traditional behaviors observed while eating in Greater China.
Traditional Han customs have spread throughout East Asia to varying degrees, with some regions sharing a few aspects of formal dining, which has ranged from guest seating to paying the bill.
Lazy Susan turntables are a common feature at the center of larger tables, to facilitate passing of serving dishes.
High restaurants often provide cloth napkins similar to Western dining as part of the place settings.
Unlike in some Western restaurants, ground salt, pepper, or sugar are rarely provided at the table.
[2] Wide variations exist throughout China, but the vast majority of full-course dinners are very similar in terms of timing and dishes.
A celebratory event such as a graduation or wedding often features over ten dishes, often an odd number for good luck.
The most prominent regional cuisines in China are Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan, and Zhejiang.
Near the end of the meal, a starchy, filling dish such as noodles, Chinese dumplings, or baozi is sometimes served, to ensure that guests are fully satiated.
In extremely formal settings, only a small amount of this final dish is taken by the diners, to avoid implying that the host was not sufficiently generous in planning the meal.
Other common desserts are tapioca or rice pudding, or a hot or cold soup flavored with sweet red beans.
Fortune cookies are rarely offered by authentic Chinese restaurants, even in North America where they were invented.
], proper etiquette is still very important to traditional Chinese people, who feel good manners invite luck and are indications of good educational status and upbringing, while boorish conduct brings shame; for example, misusing chopsticks at a formal dinner may embarrass one's own parents, who are responsible for teaching their children.
If significant amounts of untouched food are left over in the serving dishes after a meal, it is often considered a compliment to the chef to request that it be packaged for takeout, to be enjoyed later at home.
In addition to providing opportunities for socializing, shared meals allow the diners to sample a wider range of dishes than if they were ordering individually.
[13] If there are no gongkuai set on the table, it is never rude to request that they be provided; others may just think that the person is a stickler for formality and good manners.
With increased concerns about accidental transmission of food-borne diseases, various health authorities have campaigned for the use of serving utensils at the table, even at informal family meals.
It is considered extremely rude to dig for a choice food morsel on the serving plate instead of picking up the piece that is closest to the diner, thus demonstrating fairness and sharing with others.
If the turntable is large, a decorative centerpiece may occupy the center, since any food placed there would be out of reach of a seated diner.
If the dishes come out one at a time or if there is some special delicacy, they are typically served to the guest of honor first and then rotated clockwise around the table.
People try to avoid moving the Lazy Susan even slightly when someone is in the act of transferring food from the dishes to their plate or bowl.
