Taboos in China
1. Introduction
Taboo can be defined as a prohibition that excludes something from use, approach, or mention. This may be on the grounds it is considered sacred, has the ability to inspire fear, or is thought to be disgusting or disagreeable. It is not a word indigenous to English.
Chinese has their fair share of taboos; some of them are related to the language and culture. It is like any other race. The following three tips of Chinese cultural taboos have been existed through many years for Chinese people. Like most deeply rooted ancient Chinese traditions, the younger generation is paying less and less attention to these kinds of habits, but foreigners living in China would still do well to avoid the following Chinese taboos. 2. Chinese table taboo
Everyone loves to go out to a nice restaurant for a fancy meal here there. For the Chinese, fancy is just the beginning because they have strict taboos that you should always remember when going out. Dishes are put together in a table and all the diners sit around it and share the dishes. You should help yourself to the food. The host may pick up food with chopsticks and put the food in your bowl. It is a sort of hospitality. Besides that, chopsticks should always place them horizontally over your bowl. This is because according to the Chinese taboos placing chopsticks like that means you wish death among somebody at that table. This became a taboo because when someone dies, they set a bowl of rice with their shrine, chopsticks upright. Therefore the proper way to place the chopsticks is by lay them down.
Besides that according to Chinese, when they are dining they will pass the food to their elders before they take it to themselves is considered good manners. Not only that, a toast to others is considered important in Chinese dining. Likewise, after all the people are seated and all the cups are filled, if someone proposes a toast, make sure that the rim of your glass is lower than the rim of the person
Taboo can be defined as a prohibition that excludes something from use, approach, or mention. This may be on the grounds it is considered sacred, has the ability to inspire fear, or is thought to be disgusting or disagreeable. It is not a word indigenous to English.
Chinese has their fair share of taboos; some of them are related to the language and culture. It is like any other race. The following three tips of Chinese cultural taboos have been existed through many years for Chinese people. Like most deeply rooted ancient Chinese traditions, the younger generation is paying less and less attention to these kinds of habits, but foreigners living in China would still do well to avoid the following Chinese taboos. 2. Chinese table taboo
Everyone loves to go out to a nice restaurant for a fancy meal here there. For the Chinese, fancy is just the beginning because they have strict taboos that you should always remember when going out. Dishes are put together in a table and all the diners sit around it and share the dishes. You should help yourself to the food. The host may pick up food with chopsticks and put the food in your bowl. It is a sort of hospitality. Besides that, chopsticks should always place them horizontally over your bowl. This is because according to the Chinese taboos placing chopsticks like that means you wish death among somebody at that table. This became a taboo because when someone dies, they set a bowl of rice with their shrine, chopsticks upright. Therefore the proper way to place the chopsticks is by lay them down.
Besides that according to Chinese, when they are dining they will pass the food to their elders before they take it to themselves is considered good manners. Not only that, a toast to others is considered important in Chinese dining. Likewise, after all the people are seated and all the cups are filled, if someone proposes a toast, make sure that the rim of your glass is lower than the rim of the person