How to lay the table for Chinese food? Table setting and etiquette

The chinese table. The chinese table, which is usually round, is covered with a cloth, piala is exposed for each person.

Sticks are Chinese cutlery. Forks and knives can be applied for important foreign guests, but usually in restaurants or Chinese families there are no forks and knives. During the meal a lot of different dishes are placed in the center of the table, and each participant receives a bowl of rice and chopsticks.

Chinese traditions

In the old days before eating people connected their palms near their chest or put one hand over the other, honouring Buddha and the master of the house. But it is no longer. Everyone eats slowly from his cup of rice by placing sticks there from all dishes. Thus, all the participants of the dinner try all the dishes.

Chinese cutlery

Sticks can be made from all the materials: plastic, ivory or bamboo. But preferably the master still prefers to use wooden sticks. The modern restaurant often puts one pair of chopsticks on the table and a spoon with stand.
In Chinese cuisine food mix is not accepted, including, for example, meat and rice.

How does the meal start?

As a rule, the dinner starts with a cup of green tea. In China, liquid dishes such as different soups are usually served by the end of dinner. The Chinese believe that it is more useful for digestion. The temperature of these meal must also be appropriate. For its accurate determination they use modern digital thermometers.

Tea ceremony

For tea ceremony they use a small ceramic teapot and cups, which are of two types:

• narrow and high (in order to disclose all bouquet of flavors of the beverage);
• low and wide (for drinking tea)

In most cases, the tea chosen for the ceremony is brewed several times, and each time it opens new shades of flavor, but requires more endurance.

First, hot water is poured into the pot, at the same time the liquid is poured into the cup, thus it is slightly warmed and rinsed. Then the brew is poured into the cups. It is assumed that you first need to feel the aroma from the high and narrow cups, and then drink the contents of the broad ones.

The meaning of the tea for chinese

The main meaning of this action is setting up on a relaxing way, to achieve harmony of mind and body, and maximum unity with nature, understanding. Tea Party contains the idea of health. According to the Chinese, a good tea should cheer up tired and soothe agitated soul.

The order of meal serving in China

Then various cold starters are served in bowls, as a rule, it is finely chopped pieces of fish, meat, liver. Next in line is rice, the top layer of which is mixed with the sauce. This is followed by drinking mulled wine. The meal ends with warm broth, after which they may eat fruit, ice cream and then drink the black or green tea, which is added in a small amount of butter. In China, this is the order of the meal that is the most favorable for digestion.