1 . Help Foreign Guests at Formal Dinner

The Spring Festival is coming. The traditional family banquet (宴会) is also coming. You probably have tried many different Chinese dishes. But do you really know how to behave properly at such an important meal?     1     Don’t worry if you are not sure, and here are some tips.

In the West, everyone has their own plate of food or elder people at the table taste every dish first.     2     It is always polite to let guests or elder people at the table taste every dish first.

Don’t put your chopsticks upright in the rice bowl.     3     The reason for this is that when people die, family members give them a bowl of rice with a pair of chopsticks sticking out. So if you stick your chopsticks in the rice bowl, it looks like you want someone at the table to die.

Make sure the spout (壶嘴) of the teapot is not facing anyone as this is impolite. The spout should always be directed to where nobody is sitting, usually just outward from the table.

    4     Beggars (乞丐) are usually seen tapping (轻敲) on their bowls with chopsticks in the street, so tapping on bowls is not polite，especially when you eat in a friend’s home.

Although, teenagers are not supposed to drink any wine, you can still say “Ganbei” and drink to the health of your grandparents and parents.     5