Chinese Chopsticks

The earliest chopsticks were used in the Shang Dynasty, around 1200 BC. They were made of bronze and were used primarily for cooking. After the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD), chopsticks were used for eating, and their usage spread to other Asian countries including Japan, Vietnam, Korea, and Thailand. Nowadays, chopsticks are made of many different materials, and they have become more and more popular all over the world.
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· History of Chopsticks
· A Legend about Chopsticks
· Chopstick Materials
· Different Styles of Chopsticks
· How to Use Chopsticks
· Chopsticks Etiquette and Taboos
· Chopsticks as a Gift Meanings
The History of Chopsticks
According to the historian Sima Qian (~145–~86 BC) in the Han Dynasty era, Chopsticks were used before the Shang Dynasty, about 4,000 years ago. Archeological analysis of six bronze chopsticks, excavated from the ruins of Yin near Anyang, Henan Province (a Shang city established around 1400 BC) concludes the earliest extant chopsticks were used as cooking tools. Before the Han Dynasty, people in the north of China used spoons to eat millet porridge, which was the main food of that time.
During the Han Dynasty, rice became the staple food, and chopsticks were used as utensils to eat rice and other foods. Spoons were also used alongside chopsticks at that time. Until the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), chopsticks were the main eating utensils in all parts of China.
Chinese chopsticks
An Interesting Legend about Chopsticks
There is an interesting legend about how chopsticks were invented. It is said that Jiang Ziya (1128–1015), who was a famous military sage who assisted emperors of the Zhou Dynasty (1046–221 BC) against the Shang Dynasty, invented chopsticks…
One day, Jiang Ziya's wife cooked some meat for him. When Jiang Ziya was about to grab the meat to eat it, a bird came flew in through the window and pecked him. He didn't eat the meat and hurried off to catch the bird. Jiang Ziya knew it was a divine bird, so he pretended to drive the bird and chased it out to a deserted hillside. The divine bird perched on a bamboo twig, and whispered, "Jiang Ziya, you should pick up the meat with bamboo fiber sticks."
Jiang Ziya listened to the guidance of the divine bird and hurriedly picked two bamboo fiber sticks and returned home.
When his wife urged him to eat the meat again, Jiang Ziya put the two bamboo fiber sticks into the bowl to hold the meat. Suddenly, he saw the silk bamboo sticks hissing out a stream of green smoke. Jiang Ziya pretended not to know about the poisoning and said to his wife, "How can the meat smoke? Is it poisonous?" As he said it, Jiang Ziya picked up the meat and offered it to his wife's mouth. His wife's face turned white and she hurried out of the door.
Jiang Ziya knew that these bamboo fiber sticks were a gift sent by the divine bird, as poison could be detected by the bamboo sticks. From then on, he used two bamboo fiber sticks for every meal.
After the story was told, not only did his wife dare not poison him again, but also the neighbors learned to eat with bamboo sticks. Later, more and more people ate with chopsticks, and the custom was passed down from generation to generation.
Chopstick Materials
Bamboo
Bamboo has long been the most popular material used for chopsticks because it is inexpensive, readily available, easy to split, resistant to heat, and has no perceptible odor or taste.
Wooden Chopsticks
Wood
Cedar, sandalwood, teak, and pine have also been used to make wooden chopsticks. Like bamboo chopsticks, wooden ones are light, functional, and easy to make… with the right wood. Some wood may rot, split, splinter, taint the food, etc. with long-term use and so is not suitable.
Metal
Metal chopsticks are easy to clean and much more durable than other ones. Most metal chopsticks are made of stainless steel, which is as cheap in price as bamboo ones (considering their durability). Some are made from titanium and silver, which are more expensive than other chopsticks.
During dynastic times, it was thought that silver chopsticks would turn black if they met poisoned food. It is now known that silver has no reaction to arsenic or cyanide, but if rotten eggs, onion, or garlic are used, the hydrogen sulfide they release might cause silver chopsticks to change color.
Plastic
Plastic chopsticks are inexpensive nowadays. But they are not popular in China as they are very slippery and not easy to pick up food with.
Jade and Other Materials
The wealthy, however, often had chopsticks made from jade, gold, bronze, brass, agate, coral, ivory, and silver. In ancient times, they were used by royal families or wealthy families. Nowadays, jade or gold chopsticks are kept as souvenirs or as art collections.
Different Styles of Chopsticks
In China
Chinese chopsticks are round or square in cross-section with tapered eating ends. They are much longer than other styles. Most Chinese chopsticks are about 25–30 centimeters (10–12") long. In Chinese restaurants, melamine, steel, or plastic chopsticks are often provided, because they are inexpensive and durable. Bamboo and wood chopsticks are commonly seen in individual households or with takeaways. There has been a drive to reduce one-use chopsticks in China.
Japan
Japanese chopsticks are shorter and sharper than Chinese ones. It is common for women to use shorter chopsticks. There are also small-sized chopsticks designed for children. Many Japanese chopsticks have some round grooves at the eating end, which keeps the food from slipping.
Japanese chopsticks
Korea
Different from other Asian countries, metal chopsticks are much more popular than other materials in Korea. Most of them are made of stainless steel. Rich or wealthy families use silver or bronze chopsticks. To get around metal's slippery nature, most Korean chopsticks have a flat side for better grip.
Vietnam
Vietnamese chopsticks are much longer than other styles in Asian countries. They are often thicker and bigger than othe