At the dinner table, Westerners use knives and forks, while the Chinese use chopsticks. S at least 3,000 years ago, chopsticks have been the eating tool for the Chinese people. Ancient Chinese used pottery pots (陶罐) to cook food during the Pottery Age. And they used branches or bamboo sticks to p up the food. Later on, they developed the habit of using the chopsticks. In general, the material of chopsticks can be d into five groups: bamboo and wood, metal, jade, bone and chemical plastics. In Modern Chinese family life, people prefer to use the bamboo or wooden chopsticks b they are good for the environment and cost a little.
Using knives and forks or chopsticks brings about a difference not o in lifestyle. For example, the use of knives and forks makes it c for people to eat individually (分别地). And the use of chopsticks makes it possible for the family members to have meals t. As the Westerners prefer to eat individually, they have the idea and habit of not d on others after they grow into adults. The w that Chinese people use chopsticks and eat with others around the table is connected with the lifestyle of the Chinese family. Nowadays, an increasing n of foreign students are coming to China. They are happy to learn to use chopsticks and enjoy the pleasure of eating with friends around the table.
