Chinese chopsticks. How to properly hold Chinese sticks

Everyone from China knows about the "four great inventions" that were invented by the Chinese people. Among them: paper, gunpowder, a compass, typography. Unofficially, the fifth in a row, there are chopsticks. Residents of China know exactly how to properly hold Chinese sticks, they consider this device to be more civilized than other cutlery, because when using chopsticks, dozens of muscles and more than 30 joints work.

In China

According to archaeological research in China, chopsticks, called "Weisheng Quaizi" (in Chinese), were invented about 3 thousand years ago by the legendary ancestor of Yu, who extracted hot meat. This ancestor knew exactly how to properly hold Chinese sticks.

Chopsticks in the past were indicators of the social status of the owner. Simple people ate bamboo chopsticks. Chopsticks made of sandalwood were eaten by richer people. The nobles and merchants had ivory sticks. And the emperor and his deputies had silver sticks. Silver, in contact with the poison, darkens, so the wand at a dangerous moment will warn the owner.

At present, such materials as wood, metal, ivory, plastic are used for the production of rods.

Quayszes are made about 25cm long and square at the base so that they do not roll over the surface of the table. Kitchen sticks are made from bamboo and a half times as long.

In Japan

Chopsticks in Japan are called "hasi". At first, only noble aristocrats used chasis, other people ate with their hands. For the Japanese, the wand is a sacred symbol, it is believed that Hasi bring a long life and good luck.

Modern hashi are made of ivory or plastic. Also, bamboo, pine, cypress, plum, maple, black or purple sandalwood is used for this purpose. Hasi can be decorated with various patterns, with a square or round cross-section, and the point is conical or pyramidal.

Disposable wooden hashi are served in a special paper bag, which often falls into the collector's coin box, as it is a true decoration. He can have both a bizarre drawing and a restaurant logo.

Korea - the only country in the Far East, where they use chopsticks, produces them from metal. Previously it was brass, now they are made of stainless steel.

Methods of application

Upon arrival in China or Japan, visiting travelers first learn how to properly use Chinese chopsticks.

1) One stick is placed in the right hand, using the index and thumbs, at a distance of two-thirds from the lower, thin end. Hold her nameless and thumbs. In this case, the large, middle and index fingers should form a circle.

2) Place the other wand parallel to the first. When the middle finger is straightened, the sticks move apart.

3) When bending the index finger, the sticks are brought together, while capturing a piece of food. It is very important how to properly hold Chinese sticks.

The connection of centuries and peoples

The most important thing to know when coming to China or Japan is how to eat Chinese sticks correctly. The process of eating with Chinese sticks is most often meditative, since they can take only small pieces of food. Therefore, at any degree of hunger, a person will eat less chopsticks. In the East, food is always associated with the energy that exists in it. It is believed that when eating with sticks of natural materials, human energy is mixed with the energy of food, preparing it for use by this person. At the same time, food, as an energy supplier for humans, is absorbed much better, increasing the efficiency of the product.

The same functions are typical for Russian wooden spoons. According to the historically developed version of the shape of a wooden spoon, there is a conical projection between the handle of the spoon and the scoop itself. From Russian legends it is known that the energy of a person, flowing down the handle of a spoon, accumulates in this cone, gathering as much as possible, pours out into a spoon and covers the food.

Modern souvenir spoons are most often made without this cone. These spoons do not play the role of a conductor of energy during a meal. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the shape of the spoon, especially to people who are dieting, watching their weight. It will be useful for these people to learn how to properly hold Chinese sticks.