Chinese eating etiquette
2 min readServing the Meal
Regular Chinese meals are served all at once，but a banquet is about bounteousness，a host’s generosity and prosperity，and the joy of celebration，so the food is brought in many successive courses.In a further display of exaggerated courtesy，the host apologizes in advance for the meager and ill-prepared meal about to be served.Hot towels are distributed at the beginning and end of the meal.
In a dramatic reversal of everyday habit，banquets consist solely of special dishes.The meat and vegetables that serve as side dishes at regular meals become the focus，and fan，or grain，which is normally so important that every last grain must be consumed，is relegated to the very end of the meal and guests need only to pick at the fan，indicating their supreme satisfaction.To eat one’s rice at a banquet might hint that the host failed to provide enough food.
What is Drunk
Alcohol is very rarely served at everyday meals，but it plays an important role at banquets.In the West，the type of alcohol must match the meal according to set customs，and often the guests’special preferences must be accommodated.This is not the same in China，where the host often decides on one sort of alcoholic beverage，either a wine or liquor，which will be served throughout.Wine glasses are traditionally filled at the start of each course.The banquet will probably be marked by guests challenging each other to drinking games throughout the evening.
Commencement of the Meal
The meal begins with a toast by the host，after which there is a long moment while the guests engage in the ceremony of beginning-the degree of politeness exhibited by a guest at this stage increases with every moment he waits to start eating.Throughout the meal，the host displays great solicitousness for the guests.Guests may refuse.offers of food ordrink two times or more without being taken at their word-or，of course，without really meaning their polite refusals.
