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1、中 西 饮 食 文 化 对 比The Comparison of Dietary Culture between China and Western Countries Abstract: During the course of human development, every country has shaped its own special dietary culture gradually. In different places people have different diets and dietary ideas because of different cultures o
2、f history, language, tradition, and religion. Just like an old saying “One mans meat is another mans poison.” It means that only when they are in their living inhabits, they can understand their dietary culture better. There are great differences between China and West countries in dietary concepts,
3、 dietary contents, and dietary manners. Based on the past researches, the research will further analyze the diversities of dietary concepts, dietary contents, and dietary manners between China and Western countries. By probing the differences of dietary culture between China and Western countries, w
4、e will try to lead people to understand the differences better so as to achieve successful communication. Key words: Chinese and Western dietary cultures; differences; dietary concepts；dietary contents; dietary manners摘要：在人类的发展过程中，各国逐渐形成了自己独特的饮食文化。由于不同的历史，语言，传统，和宗教等文化原因，不同的地区便有了不同的饮食和饮食概念。正如有句俗话，“某人
5、之佳肴即他人之毒药。”这就意味着只有当人们生活在自己的文化圈子里时，他们才能更好的理解自己的饮食文化。中西方在饮食观念，饮食内容，饮食方式上有很大的区别。本文将会在过去研究的基础上进一步分析中西方在饮食观念，饮食内容和饮食方式这三方面的多样性。希望通过探讨中西方饮食文化的差异，能够引导人们更好地了解中西方在饮食文化方面的差异以便实现成功的交际。关键词：中西饮食文化；差异；饮食观念；饮食内容；饮食方式ContentsI. Introduction.1II. Research Review. 2A. Concepts of Chinese dietary culture.3B. Concepts
6、of western dietary culture.3. The Comparison of Dietary Concepts.3 A. Extravagance vs. Simplicity.3B. Collectivism vs. Individualism.4. The Comparison of Dietary Contents.5 A. Dietary materials and structures.5 B. Specialty and taste vs. convention and nutrition.6. The Comparison of Dietary manners.
7、7 A. Chopsticks vs. fork and knife.7 B. Lateness vs. punctuality.8. Conclusion.9Works Cited.10I. IntroductionThere is an old saying that “Food is eating well-deserved for human life.” Diet, an basic action for existence, is the main content in human social life. With time going on, diet derivates a
8、dietary culture. However, seen from all aspects of diet in different regions, it reflects a countrys or a races culture spirit. An old English saying, “One mans meat is another mans poison.” which means all human beings dont have the same diet or form the same dietary habits. Clyde Kluckhohn, a worl
9、d-famous anthropologist, states his opinion like this “What he eats is of course limited by availability, but is also partly regulated by culture” (Hu Readings 39). That is, culture has influence on diet, on the contrary, diet forms a special dietary culture. Chinese diet has a more than two thousan
10、d years long history. It creates innumerable magnificent civilizations. Under those cultural influences Chinese diet has shaped eight cuisine groups. And Chinese cooking method is curious and superb. Dishes on the table have astonishing exquisiteness. While some western countries once were colonies
11、and their dietary habits were greatly affected by other countries. They adapted other countries excellent dietary contents and shaped their own comprehensive speciality. From the whole conditions of two parties, two kinds of dietary cultures have two specialties. For example, Chinese diet emphasizes
12、 taste and enjoyment, while western diet emphasizes nutrition and living. Nowadays the globalization is developing fast. As we all know, it is a big problem for people to have dinner with foreigners because of cultural differences. According to Professor Hu Wenzhong, “The globalization is to help in
13、crease peoples cross-cultural awareness so that fewer problems arise in their interaction with people of another culture. So as to do this, it is necessary to compare cultures to establish similarities and identify differences” (Hu Communication 7). In order to provide some help for cross-cultural c
14、ommunicative people, this thesis will analyze the cultural differences from the aspects of concept, content, and manners. By the analysis of the differences between Chinese and western dietary cultures, we can comprehend the respective cultural traditions of China and the west. Whats more, we can le
15、ad people to understand the differences, and achieve successful communication. Research ReviewThe Chinese and western diet have the differences that cannot be ignored in concepts. Nobody will deny that the Western diet is a rational concept, regardless of the color of food, incense, flavor and shape
16、, but nutrition must be assured. Chinese diet is a sense of beauty diet. The main stress is the overall co-ordination. The beauty of Chinese cuisine is clearly overriding the rational pursuit. It contains a wealth of dialectics of Chinese philosophy, and all these depend on the degree of the wonderf
17、ul flavor and harmony of dish.A. Concepts of Chinese dietary cultureChinese dietary culture, probably longer than any other dietary tradition, has a long documented history, which can be traced back to the ancient times. It begins with the Qin Dynasty(庞杰 1). Chinese people are among the people of th
18、e world who have been particularly preoccupied with food and eating for the simple reason.Confucius (551B.C. 一 479B.C.)，the greatest philosopher, educator in Chinese history, says in Li chi, “Alimentation and reproduction, or in simpler terms, food and drink and women are the two greatest desires of
19、 human beings.” Confucius emphasizes diet is the nature of human beings, and diet is an indispensable condition for the survival and development of human beings. Also, Confucius mentions the important role of diet in Chinese culture for many times in Analecls of Confucius，a book recording Confuciuss
20、 wisdom and his fundamental thoughts. For example, when the duke Ling of Wei asked Confucius about military tactics, Confucius replied, “I have indeed heard about matters pertaining to tsu (meat stand) and tou (meat plater), but I have not learned military matters.” According to Confucius, one of th
21、e most important qualifications of a Chinese gentleman is his knowledge and skill pertaining to food and drink. Kao Tzu, another Warring States-period philosopher and keen observer of human nature, says, “Appetite for food and sex is nature.” Since Confucianism has been regarded as a set of practica
22、l principles and ethical rules for daily life, its profound impact on Chinese culture is self-evident and lasts till today. E.g. Lin Yutang highlights the essential role of diet when he writes in The Importance of Living that, “ So basically influenced are we by this matter of food and drink that re
23、volutions, peace, war, patriotism, international understanding, our daily life and the whole fabric of human social life are profoundly influenced by it”(44). The commonest example is the greeting used among Chinese people when they encounter “Have you eaten?” BConcepts of western dietary cultureIn
24、Europe, diet has all kinds of styles, when the whole culture of a country has expanded, its topical dietary culture will expand, too. But all these countries have the same cultural source, the Ancient Greek Culture. The Greeks considered eating as noble activities. In the ancient times, the male had
25、 superior social position. So the male cook had higher social position, because their occupation had close relationship with religious ceremony. Until now, in France some orthodox restaurants only employ waiters(庞杰 31). What more, the western philosophy, whose main character emphasizes the nature of
26、 things, plays an important role in western dietary culture. In the Western countries there is a rational dietary concept. They dont care about the color, the taste, the smell, or the shape, but they make sure that the food should have nutrition(庞杰 29).Since the food culture has a close relationship
27、 with religion, of course, it has its whole etiquette. And with time going on, dietary etiquette is becoming various. As the book The Cultures and Etiquettes of Western Countries saying “Eating habits, or manners, have been molded by a million external influences through the ages of human existence.
28、 The development of eating habits has kept pace with mans own development” (358). The Comparison of Dietary ConceptsA. Extravagance vs. SimplicityFrom the ancient times on, it is very common for Chinese people to see that there are many high-grade dishes and drinks in a formal banquet in China. What
29、s more, during the banquets, the hosts try their best to persuade guests to drink and eat. If the guests have little, hosts may think they dont prepare the food well. Actually, the hosts use the big banquets to show his sincere and warm hospitality. The more expensive or precious the food served is,
30、 the more dignity the host has, the more quantity of dishes in a banquet, the warmer hospitality can be shown, and in the final analysis, the more “faces” he can earn. In China the concept of face or “mianzi” is so pervasive and important for Chinese people that it has deeply penetrated into almost
31、every aspect of Chinese peoples lives and their spirits(姚 48). Therefore, in China, banquets, whether in form or in content, are all under the influence of the “face” system. In this sense, formal banquets in China have one thing in common that there should be more than enough food on the table, not
32、 only the quality but also the quantity of dishes is highly valued, otherwise the host will lose his face in the presence of guests and feel humiliated(姚 50). Banquets have no longer been a social occasion just for meeting or eating, but to a certain extent, a good opportunity for the host to show o
33、ff his power and earn his face(田玉川 1-3). Compared with extravagant banquets in China, the scale of banquets in western countries is rather smaller. Generally speaking, we are familiar with another gathering style “party” in western countries. In the party westerners are free to do what they like to
34、do, and they can dance, sing, chat, even kiss, etc. Because most Westerners think banquets are occasions on which friends gather, communicate, and strengthen friendship. It is also an occasion for making new friends. The atmosphere in the banquet should be free, casual, harmonious, and joyous. The c
35、oncept of face in Western countries is mainly applied in the field of linguistics as one of politeness strategies to regulate interpersonal relationships rather than in other fields (胡文仲 101). So, when Americans have dinner together, they sometimes would like to adopt a special style that is called
36、“Potluck”, everyone brings one dish to share with others(胡文仲 133). Westerners pay little attention to the formality of banquets, the quality or quantity of dishes like what Chinese people do. B. Collectivism vs. IndividualismChina is a traditional loving-union country, which can be traced back to th
37、e ancient times. From the saying that “If one wants to establish himself, he should help others to establish themselves at first.” we can find collectivistic orientation. Also we can find collectivistic orientation in Chinese dietary culture. People, more than three persons, always have dinner toget
38、her. The host gives the menu to the guests, and guests choose what they like. In this way, it can avoid choosing dishes someone doesnt like. The Chinese dining table is round or square. All accompanying dishes are laid in the center of the table. And each individual diner is given his or her own bow
39、l of rice. People around the table have the same chance to choose what they like to eat. Under the greeting of the host, people at present eat up the dishes. When a banquet comes to an end, participants are likely to strive to pay the bill unless someone has claimed in advance. In short, from the mo
40、ment the dinner starts to the time when it is over, the “truth of sharing” reflects almost everywhere.Generally speaking, individualism refers to that each individual is unique or special. Therefore, the individual highly appreciated is treated as the most important element in any social setting. Th
41、is is because they believe in the concept that “God helps those who help themselves.” Greatly influenced by the individualistic concept, western dietary cultures are characterized by the “separated” style. So westerners are more used to separating one dish into several parts, and then sending one pa
42、rt to each ones bowl or plate before eating. As for the ordering of dishes, unlike what Chinese people usually do, Westerners seem to have more freedom and rights. That is to say, whoever they are, a host or a guest, what they should do is just order the dishes they like, with little consideration o
43、f others tastes or others likes or dislikes. The way of “go Dutch” is widely taken when the bill is to be paid, which means everyone pays his own share. In conclusion, the role of individualism in Western food cultures is obvious and its influence is self-evident. The Comparison of Dietary Contents
44、A. Dietary materials and structuresWesterners think diet is used for hunger, so they like meat most. While Chinese diet emphasizes taste, thus they choose many materials westerners dont like. In China all diet cannot be done without vegetables. It seems always to have something to do with plants. Ac
45、cording to a survey of western plants scholar, there are 600 varieties of vegetables, six times more than in the west. In fact, the Chinese dishes, vegetable dish is common food. Meat dish entered the normal diet only on holidays or higher living standards, so since ancient times there was a saying
46、of “fresh vegetables”. Mandarin language: “Common people eat fresh vegetables, fish is only offered in the worship. Vegetarian diet takes the dominant position in the normal structure. Chinese people consider the vegetables as the main dish; it has inextricably connected with the advocacy of Buddhis
47、ts. Westerners do not seem to have such a good habit. They uphold a cultural origin of hunting, seafaring nation. Living mainly by fishing and hunting. Collecting and planting are just the complement. There are more meat dishes in their lives. Feeding, clothing, and using are taken from the animals,
48、 and even western medicine is derived from animals. When the westerners introduce the diet characteristics of their countries, they always feel that their diet is more reasonable on the mix of nutrition than China. The food industry is more developed, such as cans, fast food, although the taste is m