Chinese Chopsticks

China Chopsticks are known to have been used at least 5,000 years ago in the Shang Dynasty (1766-1122 BC). The oldest chopsticks discovered were made of bronze. It is thought they were first used to lift hot food from the cooking pot, which was over the fire. Later, as fuel resources became scarce, food was cut into smaller pieces allowing for faster cooking and easier retrieval. The smaller pieces of food were easier to eat using chopsticks. Confucianism taught “honorable and upright man keeps well away from the slaughterhouse and kitchen and he allows no knives on his table.”

The word chopstick means quick in Chinese, and so they are referred to as “speedy little fellows.” The lower chopstick is held stationary between the thumb and index finger supported on the third finger. The upper chopstick, acting as a lever, is held between the thumb and index finger and supported on the third finger. Food is served in small pieces or in amounts that can easily be broken apart with chopsticks. Lifting the bowl to the mouth with one hand and using chopsticks with the other hand to push the food into the mouth to eat rice. When finished eating the chopsticks are placed on the bowl with the small tip pointing away.

Chopsticks are made of many materials bamboo, being the most popular as it is abundant in China. Wood, bone and precious metals are also used. Ivory chopsticks are to the Chinese what silver serving utensils are to Westerners. Some emperors and important people used silver chopsticks as it was thought that the silver would turn black if food was poisoned. This has been proven to be untrue. One superstition associated with chopsticks is that if one finds at a table setting chopsticks of uneven length that person will miss the next boat, plane or train he/she is going to catch. One never sticks chopsticks straight up in rice as this is like an incense burner used at funerals. Dropping chopsticks is a sign of bad luck to come.

By 500 AD the use of chopsticks had spread to other countries including Korea, Japan and Vietnam. Chinese chopsticks are usually about 10 inches long, rectangular in shape with blunt ends. Japanese chopsticks are smaller, about 8 inches long and rounded.

It has been said that using chopsticks improves the memory, increases finger dexterity and can be useful in learning and improving skills such as Chinese character printing and brush painting.