The Customs of a Chinese Banquet (Part 1)

Summary

The host most of the time will sit with his/her back expose to the front door, or he/she will seat on the left of the guest of honor. However, the guest of honor will always sit with his/her back facing the wall.

At the beginning of the banquet, people will (pretend) to avoid sitting at guest of honor seat. Once the host push guest of honor to his/her seat, everyone else will seat at random.

If you know you are the guest of honor and a foreigner, then when the host shows you the seat don't hesitate to sit down. The host will not expect for you act like other people in the party, and because, both you and I know that you are very special.

The people will eat food by family tradition, meaning have food place in the middle of the table on a spin plate (Lazy Susan). Everybody can reach to the food they want.

Next to all the empty bowls and plates will always be a pair of chopsticks, and rarely have spoon.

Do not pass the plate around; instead reach it by your chopstick. It is very acceptable to reach in front other.

Do not try to dig the item that you want or like on the dish, but pick what closest to you.

Except other than eating finger food, please do not eat with or lick your finger. Only children eat like that.

Before going to the main topic, I would like to ask you a question. Very simple, instead of asking each other "how are you?" what the Chinese native says to each other. I will provide you with a hint:

Knock Knock...

Who's there?

Lettuce...

Lettuce who?

Lettuce in and we tell you!

If you able to get my hint, your answer will be "Have you eat?" (Ha, Lettuce, get it) I'm too funny.

That's right, in China, eating is very important. You can never escape eating in China. And this subject lead to the most important custom in China (in my opinion), which is "Banquet." Anything from a wedding to a funeral, from birthday of a baby to 100th birthday of an old man, from creating a bond with a new friend to humiliating an enemy, there will always be a banquet.

Banquet is the most effective way to do anything in China.

There is a saying that true "business" is done outside of the boardroom. In America, if you want to talk business, game of golf will be your solution. The same theory hold truth in China, if you want anything done, banquet can be your remedy.

This page will only talk about the beginning of the banquet.

A banquet will always be in a private room within the restaurant. The simple reason is to keep privacy. Once you have step foot into the banquet, the first rule will is the seat's position.

A seat can tell a lot about a person status. The guest of honor will sits with their back facing the wall, the host most of the time will expose their back to the front door, or he/she will seat on the left of the guest of honor.

There is legend behind this custom. Long ago, there was a king invited his enemy to come to the castle to negotiated for peace. When the banquet started, the host king intentionally places his guest's seat at the front door (which has his back exposed to the front door.) As the banquet goes on, an assassin slips into the front door and stabs the guest king on the back.

From that point on, this does not matter where the hosts sit, but the guests of honor never expose their back to the door.

As the beginning of the banquet, people will (pretend) to sit at guest of honor seat. Once the host pushes the guest of honor to sit, everyone else will seat at random.

Finally, you are able to sit down but on the table there are no spoons and forks. That's right, Chinese people only use chopstick when they having a meal. Chopsticks have its own custom

When coming into a banquet, do not think there is a three courses meal. Traditionally, the host has to offer more not less than the guest can consume. With that being said, you should expect to receive twenty plus courses during the banquet. My record is about thirty dishes, but run away after twenty third dishes. So, enjoy. (hehe)

The food will serve in traditional family setting, meaning the food will set in the middle of the table on a 'Lazy Susan,' which a plate that spin around. Because you can spin the plate to get the food that you want, please, do not pass the dish around. Oh yes, you can reach with the chopstick to get the food that you want. It is very acceptable.

Except other than eating finger food, please do eat with your finger or lick it. Only children will eat like that.

There is a different between reach the food that you want and dig for the food that you want. For example, if there is a piece of a chicken that you want, but it at the bottom of dish. Please do not dig that piece of chicken from bottom of plate onto your bowl. The rule is picking something on top or closest to you.

But what if you really want that piece of chicken, this is what can you do. Pretending to put some foods (the ones you don't like) on to somebody else plate. When that is done, the piece of chicken from the bottom is now all by itself. You can pick it up as you like.

This will benefit you in two ways. First show that you care for the people around you, and second you can get what you want. It's a win-win situation. (hehe).