How to hold Chinese chopsticks correctly. Oriental traditions: how to properly hold chopsticks for sushi How to eat with Chinese chopsticks
The East is such a delicate matter that it is difficult for a wide Slavic soul to understand and accept some Asian traditions. For example, it is still difficult for our compatriots to learn how to eat with Chinese chopsticks, despite the fact that the fashion for Chinese and Japanese cuisine has spread throughout the world. We love sushi and rolls, sashimi and Chinese noodles, but we have trouble eating it all with chopsticks. Probably, if it was possible to eat sushi with a fork, and rice with a spoon, our people would definitely take advantage of this opportunity!
But no: if you want sushi, learn to eat sushi with chopsticks. Moreover, in our time it is already a question with a share of a challenge to oneself, a certain sporting interest. How fast can you learn to eat with chopsticks? Get ahead of your friends in this skill or learn to eat with chopsticks last at the table? If you really start a similar competition in your circle, you will need our detailed instructions on the use of Chinese chopsticks.
Why do Chinese people eat with chopsticks? Types of chopsticks
The population of East Asia, almost without exception, uses chopsticks not from the inability to use other cutlery, and certainly not from masochism. The Chinese, as well as the Japanese, Vietnamese, Koreans and Thais eat with chopsticks with pleasure, as the ancient ruler Yu the Great, who lived in the 3rd century BC, bequeathed. According to legend, the wise Yu did many glorious deeds, but today he is remembered for his resourcefulness: after cooking meat in a cauldron, the mythical hero broke off two tree twigs and used them to extract food from boiling water. Grateful contemporaries and descendants adopted this technique and made it a tradition.
Since then, sticks have become a familiar device for about a third of the world's population. Moreover, the so-called Chinese chopsticks are just one of several varieties of chopsticks, which are not so difficult to distinguish from each other if you know their features: 
In fact, metal sticks are also useful in their own way, at least they were not invented in vain. For example, silver darkens when it comes into contact with arsenic, so in past centuries, when palace intrigues often claimed the lives of heirs to the throne, silver chopsticks made it possible to detect the presence of poison in food. Nowadays, you can not be afraid of poisoning (unless, of course, you eat in proven sushi bars) and safely eat with wooden or plastic chopsticks.
How to learn to eat with Chinese chopsticks?
For the first time, only a few craftsmen manage to pick up sticks and immediately succeed. If you are not Chinese, then first practice holding the chopsticks correctly, otherwise you will hardly be able to use them. If you really want to eat, and not just sit at the set table, you will have to forget about embarrassment and try to place and hold chopsticks in your fingers for some time. To quickly get used to it, follow the instructions: 
Now that you have the chopsticks in your hand, try not to squeeze them too tightly or strain your hand, otherwise you will not be able to move the chopsticks, which is necessary for picking up and holding food. If possible, relax your hand and try to squeeze and unclench the sharp ends of the sticks with just your index finger. It is important that the lower stick, lying between the bases of the large and index finger, remained motionless, and the top depicted tweezers pressing pieces of food.
Similar guidance can be found on every package of disposable chopsticks that Chinese and Japanese restaurants hand out with orders. Its convenience lies in its clarity: each stage is illustrated with a schematic drawing. However, these pictures are too primitive and more like sketches hinting at how to hold chopsticks. You can look at this "cheat sheet", but the step-by-step text instructions will explain the correct position of the fingers in a more intelligible way.
How to eat with Chinese chopsticks? What can you eat with Chinese chopsticks?
The ability to hold Chinese chopsticks in itself does not mean that you have learned to eat with chopsticks according to all the rules. The skill requires regular practice so that the need to put a piece of food into your mouth does not force you to line up the position of your fingers for half an hour. You can even train using sticks at home, on improvised products and objects: 
- Holding the chopsticks with one hand, try moving and pushing them apart while without food, just working out the motor skills of movements. Notice if your hand gets tired. If the brush is in correct position and relaxed, holding the sticks should not tire.
- Start training with large pieces of non-slip food. Slices of bread, slices of fruits and vegetables are optimal. While no one sees, you can eat with chopsticks at least fried potatoes, if it helps you to work out the necessary movements.
- Gradually complicate the task and try to pick up smaller objects with chopsticks. Order sushi at home and practice on rolls. Over time, as food becomes easier to hold on to, use them to pick up peas, canned corn, and similar small things.
Rules of conduct at the table when using Chinese chopsticks
The use of chopsticks is not only honed mechanical actions, but also the observance of the subtleties that have accumulated over the centuries in Eastern culture food intake. Here are some nuances that will allow you to look decent when visiting a restaurant and not lose face during a joint meal with representatives of Asian countries:
- Treat wands with respect. Never bang them on the table, twist them in your hands, or make any other erratic gestures. Just transferring food from a common plate to your own and / or bringing food to your mouth is all that is allowed to be done with chopsticks.
- Food is pinched with chopsticks, but it is strictly forbidden to prick pieces on sticks. As it is not customary to stick chopsticks in rice or any other products. The last prohibition is related to traditional funeral rites, when special aroma sticks set vertically.
- Sticks are like chess: touch - move. That is, if you touched a piece on a common dish with your chopsticks, you must take this particular piece for yourself. You can ask for more, but before that, you should put the chopsticks on the table near your plate.
The use of chopsticks during meals is typical for the peoples of East Asia. It is known that representatives of China and Japan are the greatest admirers, which led to the use of such a name as Chinese sticks.
Historical information about Chinese chopsticks
The popularity of Japanese and Chinese cuisine in Russia requires mastering the procedure for using Chinese chopsticks while eating. For Europeans, a meal with Chinese chopsticks is something exotic, unusual and attractive.
There is no exact data on the appearance of Chinese sticks, but it was known about them far before our era. It is believed that their appearance could have occurred both during the reign of the Shan-Yin Dynasty and the Han Dynasty. In any case, only noble representatives of the high classes were allowed to use chopsticks.
For the common people, permission to use chopsticks when eating food was legalized around the end of the 1st millennium AD. Among the versions, such an option is voiced that the chopsticks were needed only in order to be controlled during cooking, and only later they began to be used while eating.
Types of sticks and their indescribable variety
Before you learn how to use Chinese chopsticks, you should understand and understand how large the range of chopsticks is, differing in:
- belonging to the country of origin;
- material of manufacture;
- form;
- multiple use.
The sticks that came to China from the eastern neighbors have undergone some changes. At first they were made of bamboo, which is confirmed by their original name kuaizu, and looked like tweezers. And then they began to be made from wood, which made it possible to offer consumers options with triangular, oval, square, round or even flat ends.
Disposable copies are indicative for restaurants, fast food establishments, but reusable ones are actually author's masterpieces that are painted or varnished, as well as encrusted or painted. There are methods of manufacturing from expensive semi-precious and precious metals.
In the country rising sun sticks are called hashi. Reusable products differ from traditional ones in a slightly elongated shape and sharper ends. Conventional models are shorter in length and can be round or square in cross section. A type of hashi waribashi is an incompletely sawn plank that should be broken.
Cedar, willow, maple, plum, cypress, pine, varieties of sandalwood are chosen as the basis for manufacturing. According to etiquette, a hasioki stand is placed with the chopsticks.
If in Vietnam the sticks are wooden, then in Korea it is customary to make them from metal and are quite thin. Now the production of the original food utensils made of plastic, deer antler, ivory has been established.
How many people know that the manufacture of chopsticks from wood was recently banned in China? The ban is explained by too much wood consumption, so it was decided that disposable plastic sticks would be more economical option.
Learning to use Chinese chopsticks
The process of mastering the chopsticks must be taken more than responsibly. Education involves the development of fine motor skills, which at any age has a qualitative impact on the development of mental abilities, flexibility of the mind.
They say that scientists specifically worked on creating a formula that would help calculate the number of meals, after which a person will learn to masterfully master an instrument that is unusual for us. Happened ! You can calculate the number of years yourself, right?
We hone the movements:
- knead or rub your hands to warm up the small muscles. Don't worry if they whine a little after the first try;
- first just hold the sticks in your hands, and then start adding individual movements with small items(peas, raisins, etc.), pressing the ring finger to the little finger and stretching the middle finger with the index finger;
- put one stick with a thickened end in the recess near the thumb, and with a thinner one - on the ring finger. Press it with your thumb. Take the second stick as you would take a pen or pencil;
- note: the bottom stick stays fixed and motionless, so get used to holding it firmly. The top stick will be mobile with natural movements, as when using a pen, pencil;
- make several movements resembling a grip with tongs. Try to relax your muscles when spreading the forceps in different sides, since tension will inevitably be;
- when bringing the sticks together to capture, you should not put excessive pressure on the selected object, as it will certainly jump out of the grip. Get used to holding the food, but not crushing it.
Etiquette
The beginning of the use of Chinese chopsticks means the unconditional recognition of etiquette, in which the rules familiar to many countries of the East.
What not to do:
- Draw with chopsticks on the table, aimlessly twist them around the food.
- Knock on the table, calling the waiter.
- Pricking food is a sashibashi rule.
- Touching and not taking a piece is the saguribashi rule.
- Pick food with chopsticks. You should take care of this in advance - the mayoibashi rule.
- Tamp food with chopsticks.
- Shake them to cool the taken piece.
- Lick or just take it in your mouth.
- Waving in the air or pointing at something with chopsticks.
- Passing food with your chopsticks to someone is a futaribashi rule.
- Pulling the plate closer to you with chopsticks is a yosebashi rule.
- Sticking chopsticks into food is a tatebashi rule. In addition, this Bad sign and means the death of someone close.
- Put across the cup.
- Squeeze in a fist. Such a gesture is perceived as a threat to the companion.
Instructional video that teaches how to use Chinese chopsticks:
Learning how to use, observe etiquette is not difficult at all. It is enough to show due patience, stock up on calmness and positive attitude to the upcoming process.
Good luck with your achievements and mastering the rules of other cultures!
Sticks are difficult to master, but for those who have learned to master them perfectly, they are a convenient and versatile cutlery.
History of Chinese chopsticks
The history of Chinese chopsticks goes back several millennia. Scientists believe that they were first used in China before our era. According to one version, this happened during the reign of the Shang-Yin dynasty (approximately 1764-1027 BC).
But in the historical records of Sima Qian, written during the years of the Han Dynasty, it is said that Emperor Zhou used ivory chopsticks about 4,000 years ago. Hence the conclusion follows that the first Chinese sticks appeared even before the Shang-Yin Danasty.
Chinese chronicles indicate that in those days only the emperor and his entourage used chopsticks, and only in 700-800 AD did they enter the homes of the common people.
There is a version that initially chopsticks were needed only during the preparation of food wrapped in leaves. It was with their help that cooks quickly and deftly carried hot stones and turned over pieces of meat, fish and vegetables. Later, sticks became a replacement for the long-handled scoop, which was called "bi".
If earlier prepared food was removed from the dishes with this spoon (scoop "bi"), then with the advent of chopsticks, the need for it disappeared. Now the fashion for sticks is a success all over the world.
What are chopsticks
From what the first chopsticks were made, you can guess from their name "kuaizu", which contains a root with the meaning "bamboo". The bamboo trunk was split in two, and its halves were folded, as a result, the sticks resembled tweezers. A separate form of kuaizu was acquired much later, and has remained in this form until our times.
Now chopsticks are made from the most various materials: plastics, bone, metal (including gold and silver). But most often, wood of various species is used for their production. Among them are pine, cypress, plum, maple, cedar, willow, black or purple sandalwood.
Chopsticks can be disposable, such as those served in Chinese, Japanese or Vietnamese restaurants, or reusable, which are purchased for permanent use and stored at home along with other cutlery.
Such kuaizu can be a real work of art: they are painted and varnished, decorated with ornaments and inlaid with metal and mother-of-pearl.
The appearance of chopsticks is also diverse: pyramidal, with thick or thin ends, flat. Their cross section can be round, oval, square, with rounded corners.
The tradition of eating with chopsticks from the Chinese was adopted by the Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese and other peoples of the East, but this happened only in the 12th century. In each of these countries, sticks look different.
Japanese hashi are also made of wood, but they are shorter than Chinese kuaizu and have more pointed ends. In Japan, there are special stands for chopsticks: hashioki. This name is formed by adding the verbal noun oki from the verb oku - to put, to leave. Hashioki are made from ceramic, wood, and bamboo and are often of artistic value.
Koreans eat a lot. thin sticks made mostly of metal.
How to use Chinese chopsticks correctly
There are cutlery for typical dishes. You're not going to eat soup with a fork!? In this article, we will learn how to use Chinese chopsticks. It's not difficult at all.
1. Relax your hand. Straighten the index and middle fingers, and slightly bend the ring and little fingers.
2. Then they take one stick (at a distance of one third from the upper end) between the thumb and forefinger right hand. Hold the stick with the thumb and ring fingers so that the index, middle and thumb thus forming a ring.
3. The second stick is taken, placing it parallel to the first, at a distance of 15 millimeters. When the middle finger is straightened, the sticks move apart.
4. Bring the sticks together, bending the index finger, and pinch with the tips what they want to send to the mouth. In addition, if the piece is too large, you can separate it with chopsticks, but only very carefully.
Culture of behavior at the table with Chinese chopsticks
Since Chinese chopsticks are part of the culture, there are certain rules behavior at the table when using them. In general, the set of rules for using hashi is as follows:
- Do not bang your chopsticks on the table, plate or other objects to call the waiter.
- Do not "draw" with chopsticks on the table, do not "wander" aimlessly around food with chopsticks.
- Before reaching for your chopsticks, choose a bite.
- Take food always from above, don't pick your chopsticks in the bowl in search of the best piece. If you touch food, eat.
- Don't prick food on chopsticks.
- Do not shake the chopsticks to cool the piece.
- Do not put your face in a bowl or bring it too close to your mouth, and then use chopsticks to stuff food into your mouth.
- Don't tamp down food brought to your mouth with chopsticks.
- Don't lick your sticks.
- Don't just keep chopsticks in your mouth.
- When not using chopsticks, place them with the sharp ends to the left.
- Never pass food with chopsticks to another person.
- Never point with sticks or wave them in the air.
- Do not pull the plate towards you with chopsticks, always take it in your hands.
- Before you ask for more rice, put your chopsticks on the table.
- Do not hold two sticks in your fist: the Japanese perceive this gesture as threatening.
- Never stick your chopsticks into rice. It is forbidden, so only the dead are served before the funeral.
- Do not place chopsticks across the cup.
- After you have finished eating, place your chopsticks on a stand (hashioka).
Video lesson "How to hold Chinese chopsticks"
Chinese sticks are used not only in China, but in many eastern countries. And more recently, they have begun to be often used when eating food in the West. It's all the fault of the Chinese exotic cuisine, which has become widespread in recent years. And especially such a popular dish as sushi, which is difficult to use, I don’t use chopsticks. Often, people learn to use Chinese chopsticks for the first time when they encounter rolls, or if they have planned a trip to a Chinese restaurant (to feel more comfortable and confident in it).
In learning to use this cutlery there is nothing complicated. You just need to understand how to properly hold Chinese chopsticks and how to take food with them. Everything is really simple. It is no more difficult than learning how to use ordinary cutlery: a spoon and a fork. Even when using these familiar devices for the first time, many may experience little difficulty. This can even be seen in the child when he scoops food with a spoon a little ridiculously. It will also be with Chinese chopsticks. But gradually you will get used to it. And if you often eat them Chinese food, then after 1000 times of using them you will become a real ace in this matter. In this article, in addition to the question of how to properly hold Chinese sticks, we will also look at their history, learn about what they are, what they are made of, and also get acquainted with some rules of etiquette.
The Chinese themselves begin to teach their children to hold chopsticks at the age of one, because such fine motor skills contribute to better development the child has mental abilities. And scientists even managed to deduce one formula, which says that if an inexperienced person is allowed to eat 1000 meals with Chinese chopsticks, then he will learn how to use them as well as with his own hands.
1. The hand in which you hold the sticks should not be tense. Otherwise, their use will become a real hard labor for you. Remember this and relax your hand. Next, straighten the index and middle fingers on the right hand, and slightly bend the little finger and ring finger.
2. Chinese sticks are placed parallel to each other in the hand. One is at the top (let's call it conditionally - the top), and the other is at the bottom (bottom).
3. We put the lower stick between the thumb and ring finger. Its thin edge should rest against the ring finger. The lower stick is fixed in this position. When taking food, it always remains static, that is, motionless.
4. But the upper stick, on the contrary, is movable. When capturing food, all movements are made to her. The top stick should be placed parallel to the bottom one and taken as we usually hold a pencil or pen. It is located between the thumb and forefinger.
5. With the help of small bends of the index finger, you can both bring the sticks together and pinch them with the food that you want to send to your mouth. And even if you got too caught big piece food, then it can be carefully divided with chopsticks.
The history of the appearance of Chinese chopsticks
Let's go back a while and find out how and when they were invented. Chinese sticks appeared more than 2500 years ago, and initially they were used only by the emperor and some of his entourage. Only many years later they began to be used for food in Everyday life ordinary citizens. Every year, sticks became more and more popular, and gradually they began to be used in Japan, Vietnam, and also Korea. Traditional Chinese sticks were made from bamboo and were called "kuaizu". Outwardly, they looked like tweezers.
To date, split-type sticks, which can be made from various materials, are very popular. Wood remains the most common, but you can find sticks made of metal, bone or plastic. The wood from which the sticks are made can be different, their processing can also vary significantly. Chinese sticks can be lacquered, inlaid various stones, with a wide variety of drawings. Despite them appearance, it is important to know how to properly hold Chinese chopsticks. Only then will you be able to successfully use them.
How to hold Chinese chopsticks
Conventionally, the sticks can be divided into lower and upper. The lower one is fixed in the brush in such a way that it always remains motionless. Only the upper stick moves, and with the help of it, pieces of food are captured and held. If you still do not know how to use this attribute, then from this article you can learn how to properly hold Chinese chopsticks so that it is convenient to eat.
In order for the lower stick to remain motionless, it is placed in the recess between the index finger and thumb of the right hand, and also rests on the half-bent ring finger. The top stick should be parallel to the bottom stick and be 15 mm higher. There are two options for holding the top stick, and everyone can choose the most comfortable for themselves. The first involves holding the top stick like ballpoint pen used for writing. In the second option, the stick must be pressed against the middle and index fingers, which should be at the same level. How to eat with Chinese chopsticks? After you have taken the sticks in any of the ways indicated above, you need to adjust their length with your left hand so that when they touch, they touch each other only with the tips. In order to bring them together and grab a piece of food, it is enough to bend your index finger.
Using chopsticks while eating
In order to learn how to use Chinese chopsticks correctly, you need to familiarize yourself with the provisions of etiquette. You should know that placing food on Chinese chopsticks is prohibited. If the food is in a common dish, you can’t poke around in it, choosing a piece that you like best. If the stick touches a piece, it must be eaten. Chinese chopsticks should not be used in food. And pinching them in a fist is perceived as a gesture of threat. Now you know how to properly hold Chinese chopsticks, how to use them. We hope you will get great pleasure from joining the oriental culture.