About Chopsticks
Chopsticks have been used for thousands of years in China and in other parts of East and South Asia. They have served as both cooking and as eating utensils. Although forks are normally associated with western culture, forks were used in China long before chopsticks. There is even evidence of bone forks in China dating back to the Bronze Age (2400 BC -1900 BC). Chopsticks did not become a part of the culture until around 1100 BC. Forks did not enter Western Europe until the 10th century AD.
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History
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The earliest evidence of chopsticks came from excavation of Yin Ruin's Tomb 1005 in the Henan province of China, dating back to around 1200 BC. Documented use of chopsticks has also been recorded in The Book of Rites. Records indicate that Zhou, last king of the Shang Dynasty used ivory chopsticks around 1100 BC. Scholars date wood and bamboo chopsticks to about a thousand years before ivory chopsticks. Bronze chopsticks came into use during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1100 - 771 BC), lacquer chopsticks during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 24 AD), and gold and silver ones during the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). Chopsticks were also used by the Uyghurs (of central Asia) during the 6th to 8th centuries.
Identification
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Chopsticks are two thin tapered sticks used to pick up noodles, rice and other small food items. They can also be used for cooking. It is much easier to use chopsticks with Asian rice than with western rice. The reason is that Asian rice is prepared with more water, causing it to clump. Chopsticks are normally held in the hand and maneuvered with the thumb and fingers. Although chopsticks traditionally have been used with the right hand, it is becoming increasingly acceptable for left-handed people to hold chopsticks with their left hand.
Types
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There are several types of chopsticks, each with its own advantage. Longer sticks are more suitable for cooking while shorter ones are for eating. Bluntly tapered chopsticks are better able to securely grasp food while pointed chopsticks allow the user to manipulate smaller food items and to pick out fish bones. Bamboo and wood chopsticks are inexpensive and have naturally antibiotic properties. Plastic ones are also cheap and more durable than wood chopsticks, but they are not suitable for cooking. High temperatures cause the plastic to produce toxic compounds. Metal chopsticks are durable, but more expensive than those made of plastic or wood. Other materials such as gold, silver and ivory serve as luxury items. Chopsticks can also be painted or decorated.
Features
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Style and usage of chopsticks varies from country to country. Chinese chopsticks tend to be square in the upper cross section, and round in the lower cross section, ending with a blunt tip. Chopsticks from Japan are usually shorter and more pointed at the end. Since Japanese cuisine often contains bony fish, the pointed ends are helpful in picking out the bones. Korean chopsticks are medium-length and stainless steel, useful for putting food onto a spoon. Chopsticks from Vietnam are longer and more bluntly tapered.
Geography
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Etiquette for chopstick use varies slightly depending on the region. Yet overall, it is relatively similar to western etiquette. Principles such as not stabbing the food, not playing with the chopsticks or not letting them stand vertically can be figured out with common sense. In Chinese culture, it is acceptable to use chopsticks to pass food to relatives, particularly the elderly. In Japan, food is transferred directly to the plate rather than to the chopsticks. In China and Vietnam, they raise the rice bowls to their mouths to eat while Koreans consider it rude to lift the bowl off the table. Koreans also use a western spoon rather than chopsticks for rice and soup.
Considerations
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There have been concerns about the environmental impact of disposable chopsticks. China Daily reports that China throws away 45 billion chopsticks every year, cutting down 25 million trees in the process. While environmentalists object to excessive deforestation, restaurant owners prefer disposable chopsticks for hygienic reasons. While the issue of deforestation may be unique to disposable chopsticks, one could make parallels to the use of western items such as disposable cups, plates and forks. There have been movements to discourage the use of disposable chopsticks. China has raised a 5 percent tax on chopsticks while Taiwanese-American singer Wang Lee-Hom had encouraged the use of reusable metal chopsticks.
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- Photo Credit Tororo Udon, Ishwar, Wikimedia Commons, public domain
