1. Background

In the context of economic globalization and cultural diversity, the exchanges between China and Western countries continue to expand. Dialogue in today's society on the table, whether it is for home political or commercial activity has become a fashion. Table manners as cross-cultural communication is an important means of communication, plays an important role in the success of the cross-cultural communication or not. Analyze the causes of the topics from the Western dining etiquette difference to proceed, the historical origins of the Western table manners, and Western table manners differences and their similarities and difference, to learn more about Western cultural differences, so that we can better in Western cultures, promote and Western cross-cultural communication activities.

2. Research Questions and Its Significance
The research questions are concentrated on the following:
(1)What#8217;s the historical origins of the Chinese and Western table manners.
(2)What#8217;s the difference between the most traditional table manners and Western nowadays dining etiquette?
(3)What#8217;s the roots for the formation of the differences between Chinese and Western table manners?

The the difference between the most traditional table manners and Western nowadays dining etiquette is the core of this article, focusing on the invitation, seating, dining, leave shows the difference of the Western table manners. Fully demonstrate table manners in the future for the Western importance of cross-cultural communication, and clear cultural differences between the two sides to desired table manners can be better applied to future cross-cultural communication life.

3. Literature review
3.1 Current situations of researches both from home and abroad and main achievements

So far, a great many socialists and humanists have done numerous researches on different countries#8217; table manners, diet habit and food custom. According to their great efforts and detailed analysis, I make a simple conclusion on the current situations of those researches. First of all, we pay much attention to inviting manners. Either formal or informal forms, there are more various kinds of banquets in western countries, such as seated dinners, buffet dinners, luncheons, receptions, cocktail parties, BYOB and BYOF (Bring your own bottles and bring your own food), picnics and tea parties. They are used for different occasions and needs. While inviting manners in China seem to be a little easier, guests are always being treated with a full table#8217;s food and full cups#8217; of wine almost in any occasion. And hosts regard harmonious atmosphere at table and lively talks between guests and themselves as the evaluation criteria and their face problem. What#8217;s more, the concepts of dining manners are totally different. Chinese people put dish itself at the first place, so it should be delicacy if possible, or it can hardly be called an invitation. It is from ancient or traditional values, as we believe hunger breeds discontentment and food can be the first and the most basic one for people#8217;s natural need. At this point, western people seem to keep an opposite attitude. Mr. Lin Yutang once said, eating is deemed to be an action as if refueling a machine in western people#8217;s eyes. Only if they get full and have energy or power to protect them from diseases, can others all be neglected. From this point, English speaking countries own less various food but more balanced and nutritious diets.
Secondly, early researches on tableware also do a lot of contributions to today#8217;s table customs. There is no doubt Chinese people commonly use chopsticks, the main cutlery in the Chinese meal and used for clip food in pair by the right hand. People use spoon for drinking soup and assisting chopsticks to ladle food; while cup is used for containing tea, water, beverage, juice and so on, but not wine. Wet towel is used for wiping a hand before meal, but you can not use it for wiping mouth and face. After a meal, it can be wiped mouth. On the other hand, knife and fork of Western meal looks like chopsticks of Chinese meal. They play a leading role in Western tableware. Some basic principles are: the knife is held in the right hand and the fork in the left hand. And formal Western meal places at least two spoons. The big spoon is the soup spoon which places on the upper right of the pad plate alongside of knife and fork. The small one is the dessert spoon. In addition, hot towels are replaced by napkins. The shape of napkin has rectangular and square. When dining, the large napkin can be folded diagonally and place in the lap with the point facing your knees.
Third, we conclude and find the existed and new taboos in table manners. For example, Don't stick your chopsticks upright in the rice bowl. Instead, lay them on your dish. The reason for this is that when somebody dies, the shrine to them contains a bowl of sand or rice with two sticks of incense stuck upright in it. So if you stick your chopsticks in the rice bowl, it looks like this shrine and is equivalent to wishing death upon a person at the table! No matter in China or Western countries, people with good manners someone will not make noises when eating. It refers to keep silent or do not talk with your mouth full, and to avoid making noises when chewing food. Another important manner is to pay attention to your body languages; you should do the proper gestures and eye contacts at the right time, and pay attention to such actions, including yawning, coughing, sneezing, spitting and vomiting waste. In the end, giving relaxed and easy table topics will give others a good impression; remember not to tell something about death, devil and unlucky things in formal and business dinners.
Totally speaking, there are more differences of table manners between China and western countries than similarities. But we still share something in common when having meals. First should be the concept of time, in most western countries, punctuality is considered as good manner before dinner as we Chinese do. Guests all like to get to the destiny on time to show their kindness and respect for hosts. And they also will bring some gifts if in special occasion or during a festival, the gifts will show their thanks and love for the invitation. As the saying goes, gifts do not worth blaming, Chinese people clearly remember the sentence, and will not go for an invitation with free hands. During a meal, host will say ”There is no much food to eat.” While Westerners will say ”Help yourself, please!” And have conversation with neighbors. Although there are different expression methods between both cultures, all of them are made the guest comfortable and not restrained.
Above all, these are the main topics and achievements that most researches involved, which will help us understand more about the culture problem reflected in table manners and avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

3.2 Tendency of development

With the frequent intercultural communication and deeper relationship between China and other countries, with the popularity of hot American TV series, and with the convenience of going abroad, we have made a lot of changes in our daily life, especially in our dining etiquette. The proof can be found almost everywhere, because KFC, Mc Donald#8217;s, Papa Johns, Pizza Hut can be easily seen beside roads and they have become the major part of food to many children and young people. That is to say western food has played an important role in today#8217;s diet, which changes our traditional table manners no doubt. For instance, modern people will not use chopsticks when eating, so do they not have rice for major food, and so on. And this tendency will continue for a very long time, even get a much higher position in the following days.
First change can be in Chinese people#8217;s dining structure, we prepare some dishes including vegetables, meat or fish, and soup for an ordinary family#8217;s dinner, staple should be rice or porridge in southern area, and cooked wheaten food in some northern places. Chopsticks and spoons are the major tableware on a table. However, for today#8217;s people are busy with different issues, then some instant food enter for our choices, fried chicken, potato chips, instant noodles, and milk tea are easy to buy and take, and satisfy our stomachs meanwhile. So it#8217;s not necessary for us to have rice or pasta in dining time any more. Vegetarians may be the most popular ones in most females#8217; eyes; the reason is to keep slim, to have a balanced and healthy diet as well. What#8217;s more interesting, once some food are branded with green food and low or zero calorie, and they will be the most popular ones, even they have no peculiar features actually.
On the other side, since we are having instant food frequently, tableware should be simplified for this purpose. So children in kindergarten or primary school tend to use spoon only when having lunch or dinner, sometimes we actually do not need any tableware for hands can be the best ones. And chopsticks are always be replaced by forks when eating instant noodles and some small desserts, knife and fork is brought in during some normal Chinese meals also.
Besides, the forms of Chinese meals are largely varied. We all know that Chinese dinners are generally thought like a table#8217;s dishes and drinks, nothing else. Realizing it, we Chinese also tend to make easy and simple meal, so now we also have family BBQ, picnic and deli invitation instead of those too delicate foods. Nowadays, people prefer to enjoy the atmosphere and small talks at the table rather than food itself. Thus, we dress more properly and behave more politely for the purpose of communicating with others and making friends. And dishes are made in a much healthy and fresh way without too much oil and high calorie. Dinner can not be at host#8217;s homes or in a splendid restaurant, some ordinary food or small restaurants can also be used to treat guests.
All these changes have happened and will be kept for a very long time, and with the mixture of oriental and western culture, this tendency will be larger and larger.

3.3. Existing problems

Although the problems of table manners in any aspect have been studied in detail, but because of misunderstanding and unfamiliar with the other countries#8217; native cultures, there must be something that others can not agree with and have different ideas about.
And the main difference between Chinese and western eating habits is that unlike the West, where everyone has their own plate of food, in China the dishes are placed on the table and everybody shares. If you are being treated by a Chinese host, be prepared for a ton of food. Chinese are very proud of their culture of cuisine and will do their best to show their hospitality. And sometimes the Chinese hosts use their chopsticks to put food in your bowl or plate. This is a sign of politeness. The appropriate thing to do would be to eat the whatever-it-is and say how yummy it is. If you feel uncomfortable with this, you can just say a polite thank you and leave the food there. So many foreigners can not understand why Chinese people prefer picking food for guests and saying there is nothing to eat, and think Chinese have weird characters. Frankly, we just want to show our kindness and warm welcome. Such kind of table manners in China exists a lot. Make sure the spout of the teapot is not facing anyone. It is impolite to set the teapot down where the spout is facing towards somebody. The spout should always be directed to where nobody is sitting, usually just outward from the table. In addition, Don't tap on your bowl with your chopsticks. Beggars tap on their bowls, so this is not polite. Also, when the food is coming too slow in a restaurant, people will tap their bowls. If you are in someone's home, it is like insulting the cook. These are unknown to other countries#8217; people, so if we are having a meal with foreign friends, we can not feel impolite or uncomfortable when they do not obey our own habits, try to explain the reason will close the distance between us and leave a good impression on others.
In western countries, there are some customs we#8217;d better obey in order to not cause problems. Such as, eat with your mouth closed, keep your elbows off the table, use your cutlery from the outside to the inside, put your napkin on your lap, etc. And don#8217;t put your elbows on the table. (This rule applies in formal dinner situations, not when you#8217;re having a casual meal with friends.) While normally in an English dinner situation, if you have got three courses, you start with the outside cutlery and you work your way in. That#8217;s always a good rule. (So just remember to eat from outside in.) In a formal situation, it#8217;s an unwritten rule not to talk about politics, religion or sex.
Whatever difficulty existed in our mostly different table manners. We should first get clearly to know them and keep them in mind, and then put them into practice, so that we can make sure that there won#8217;t be jokes or something ridiculous happen during a dinner. These are all the problems we should face and avoid.

4.References
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