Apparently Chinese ancestors were the first who invented chopsticks. They did this by discovering that using two twigs is better for reaching into pots full of hot water or oil, rather than using hands or fingers.
The first examples of chopsticks are dated back to around 1200 B.C. They were discovered in the Henan province of China, which is also where early versions of writing utensils were found.
Chopsticks are used by billions of people around the world—and they have a truly ancient past. The Chinese have been wielding them since at least 1200 B.C., and by A.D. 500 the slender batons had swept the Asian continent from Vietnam to Japan.
The earliest evidence of chopsticks uncovered so far consists of six chopsticks, made of bronze, 26 centimeters (10 in) long, and 1.1 to 1.3 centimeters (0.43 to 0.51 in) wide, excavated from the Ruins of Yin near Anyang (Henan). These are dated roughly to 1200 BCE, during the Shang dynasty.
The history of chopsticks in Asia is older than many countries. They're thought to be over 5000 years old. Originating from China, they began to spread to Japan and Korea by 500 A.D. In ancient times, chopsticks were made from trees or bamboo.
Not all Asian countries use chopsticks as their primary utensils. Expect to use chopsticks when you're in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. But if you go to a Thai restaurant, they'll most likely give you a knife and fork.
Why are Korean chopsticks flat? Korean chopsticks are flat because they are made of metal. This makes them different from other types of chopsticks, which are typically made of wood or bamboo. It has been developed in a form that can save the metal used in making it as much as possible.
In pre-modern times, this way of eating was also more hygienic because chopsticks' small size minimized the chance of passing one's germ to the food in communal eating. In sum, though invented in antiquity about 7,000 years ago, chopsticks were not always so essential to East Asian table manners as one might think.
Chopsticks are the most popular form of utensils in China.
In Vietnam, the culture of using chopsticks is a way to express your caring to others in a subtle way. At the beginning of a meal, especially in traditional meals, before picking up their own items, Vietnamese usually use clean chopsticks to pick up food for others who sit near them.
This wise old man told me that the 'Kuaizi' (chopsticks), only became a dining tool during the Shang Dynasty, almost 4000 years ago. Before that, the elite Chinese used a “Cha' — the fork, usually made out of animal bones.
The History of Sushi. Sushi is said to have originated in China between the 5th and the 3rd centuries BC, as a means of preserving fish in salt. Narezushi, the original form of sushi, has been made in South East Asia for centuries, and nowadays, there are still traces of it in some parts.
The chopsticks that Chinese people use tend to be thicker and longer than those in Japan and Korea. Since the Chinese usually sit around a large round table with a rotating center where the food is placed, it is easier to pick food from where you sit when they are longer.
Actually, the Chinese were taught to use chopsticks long before spoons and forks were invented in Europe (the knife is older, not as an instrument for dining but as weapon). Chopsticks were strongly advocated by the great Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-479BC).
| Thai Dining Etiquette. One fact that comes as a surprise to those that are not familiar with Thai culture is that Thai people generally use forks and spoons instead of chopsticks. This is contrary to what you would expect considering the ubiquity of chopsticks among East Asian countries.
Metal chopsticks are used in Korea despite the traditional use of those made with bamboo or wood. The tradition of eating with chopsticks originated in China and eventually spread to Japan and Korea in A.D. 500. Metal chopsticks became a symbol of social status, first in the Baekje Kingdom under King Muryeong.
Unlike China, Japan, Vietnam and Thailand whose chopsticks are primarily made of wood and bamboo, Korean chopsticks were traditionally made of iron and today of stainless steel. Korean chop sticks are typically flat, like the handle of a western fork or spoon rather than round or square like other Asian cultures.
Chopsticks with wide ends: Wide, blunt ends make it easier to pick up sushi rolls, noodles, and rice. These types of chopsticks are commonly found in China and have become widely used around the world.
Roughly 45 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks are produced yearly in China, this requires a huge 25 million trees.
Whether for dining with or using as home decor, red chopsticks are a great utensil to use for eating rice, noodles, or on sushi dates! Red chopsticks are fun because they symbolize happiness, fortune, and prosperity.
2. When you are eating food with chopsticks, especially with rice, do not stick your chopsticks into your food or rice. This is seen as a curse in Chinese culture. This is taboo and said to bring bad luck because it reminds people of the incense used a funeral.
People rub cheap chopsticks together to remove splinters from them. This is often the case with waribashi (disposable chopsticks that you break in half before use). If you rub your chopsticks together, it shows that you think the host has provided you with cheap/ low-quality chopsticks. This can be taken as an insult.
Since ancient times, Koreans have only used natural, harsh-free ingredients for their skincare routines: green tea, “snail slime”, bamboo extracts, propolis, and honey are just some examples of the elements they used and have passed through generations.
Japanese chopsticks are usually shorter than both Chinese and Korean chopsticks, and have more pointed ends (which sometimes have grooves to prevent food from slipping). This length perfectly suits the dining custom of picking up your bowl of rice or other small dishes and bringing them closer to your mouth as you eat.
Metal utensils are said to be more hygienic, as they are easier to clean at a higher temperature. Particularly, metal chopsticks are ideal for picking up sizzling hot meat from the grill at the Korean BBQ table. Yet, metal is more slippery than wood and can be a challenge for foreigners, as it demands more precision.