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China

Food, Dining, & Drinks

Dining Etiquette

If you're from a culture that uses forks and knives be prepared for what may seem like "food chaos." Dining etiquette, habits, and customs in China will at first seem very odd, and perhaps even rude, however the meanings and reasonings behind their actions will help you understand how to eat in China.

As you sit down to dine, you'll be greeted by little more than chopsticks, a spoon, a saucer, and a welcoming host. Hopefully not too welcoming, since fish eyes are a delicacy reserved for guests of honor or the oldest male of each generation. If you're served these, it's rude to turn them down. The chopsticks are obviously for eating (never place these sticking up in the rice, it's a sign of death); most locals will understand if you request a fork and knife. The spoon is for the soup, and the saucer is a "discard tray" of sorts; reserved for bones and shells that you pick out of your food.

When the meal arrives, the dishes (including the soup) are placed in the middle of the table. Eating begins in order of honor so don't begin until you're directed to do so by your host. Also, don't fill up on the main course since, later in the meal, each person will receive his or her own bowl of starch, typically rice or noodles and this is the most important dish.

As you eat the soup, suck it into your mouth so you make a slurping sound; this will cool the soup and all locals use this technique to prevent burning. The food shall be picked at with your chopsticks and eaten directly from the communal plates, as will the soup. If one of those dishes is fish, don't flip the fish over (locals believe it will flip over the boat of the fishermen).

When the starch arrives, you should pick up the entire bowl and shovel it into your mouth bite by bite if eating in a home; not picking up your bowl is a sign that the food was unsatisfactory. Also, leaving any of the starch behind is considered an insult to the workers who farmed it. When finished, join the locals with a tooth pick in hand to clean any remaining food from your teeth.

Most Chinese will order only as much food as is needed, however for business dinners or for celebrations, an excess of food should be ordered and the number of dishes ordered must always be even.

For restaurant tipping information, read China's Expenses & Tipping section.

History & Influences

Due to the size of China and their contact with people from various ethnic groups, China's cuisine is quite varied. Over time their food has been influenced by those who came by sea like the Japanese, those who came by land like the Mongols, and from the people who the country took over as their borders expanded like the Tibetans and Uyghurs. The one constant among all of these groups is that they all use locally available ingredients.

Along the coasts and major rivers, seafood dominates as the protein of choice. In areas with less water access, pork, soy, or lamb are the primarily proteins. The staple foods in each region are also primarily determined by availability; rice dominates the south while wheat and noodle dominate the north. Additionally, the vegetables used are typically determinant on what's grown locally. One glaring exception to the menu is dairy products; which has never made its way onto the Chinese dinner tables.

As transportation increased in China the most common vegetables spread to all parts of the country and these vegetables became more common throughout the country. Cabbage, Chinese onions, mushrooms, garlic and ginger are some of the more notable vegetables. Vinegar and sauces, like soy and oyster also began to be distributed more nationally.

Today, "Chinese food" in China remains primarily local and regional dishes rule what's served in most restaurants and homes. However, due to a large number of Chinese immigrants, there are dozens of adaptations of "Chinese food," particularly in immigrant countries like the United States, Canada, & the United Kingdom.

Staple Foods

Rice: served with nearly every meal in the south, but not as popular in the north
Noodles: more commonly served in the north; often made of wheat, soy, or rice, although additional varieties exist
Dumplings: more common in the north, often when dumplings are served, other starches, like noodles, are not

Regional Varieties & Specialties

Beijing: Beijing's most famous dish (although not its most popular) is Peking Duck
Hong Kong: dim sum are small dishes so each person can try various foods at one meal; the ingredients and cooking styles of each varies widely
Sichuan: this area is known for their hot and spicy foods

Drinks

Water in China is best approached with caution. Even most of the locals drink bottled water. However, the country's most common drink, tea uses the water after being boiled. Tea is drunk daily by most people and, although it can be served with food, it is more commonly served with snacks, dim sum, or alone. When someone fills your tea glass, tapping the table with two fingers is a way of saying "thank you." Coffee is quickly growing in popularity, especially in the big cities.

Rice wine is popular in China and beer is growing in influence as well.

This page was last updated: June, 2011