Chopsticks

Chopsticks are a symbol of Chinese culinary culture. They are also one of the most commonly used utensils in the world. The use of chopsticks can be traced back more than 3,000 years. Chopsticks are not just utensils; they also carry rich meanings. They are used in pairs, with one stick held steady while the other moves, representing the philosophical concept of yin and yang. The length of chopsticks is typically seven cun and six fen (approximately 7.66 inches), representing the seven emotions and six desires of human beings. They are usually square at the handle and round at the tip, reflecting the traditional concept of "heaven is round and earth is square".

Chopsticks gradually spread to neighboring countries in ancient times and have become dining tools in many countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia. The first person to introduce chopsticks to Europe was Italian missionary Matteo Ricci (1552-1610). Today, many Western families have chopsticks, and in Germany, there is even a "Chopstick Museum" that houses thousands of chopsticks from different historical periods. While representing Eastern culinary culture, using chopsticks is no longer exclusive to the Chinese.

筷子

筷子是中國飲食文化的標志之一，也是世界上常用餐具之一。中國人使用筷子至少有3000年歷史。對中國人來說，筷子不只是常用的餐具，還承載著豐富的傳統文化內涵：筷子兩根為一雙，中國人在使用筷子夾菜時，是一根主動，主動的為陽，一根從動，從動的為陰，這體現了陰陽學說；筷子的標準長度是七寸六分，代表人有七情六欲；筷子一頭方一頭圓，體現了“天圓地方”的傳統觀念。

自古代起，筷子逐漸流傳到周邊國家，成為東亞、東南亞地區許多國家的進餐工具。最早把筷子介紹到歐洲的是意大利人利瑪竇（1552—1610），現在西方很多家庭都備有筷子，在德國還有一所“筷子博物館”，里面收藏有上千種不同歷史時期的筷子。今天，使用筷子不再是中國人的專利，筷子已經成為傳遞東方飲食文化的獨特載體。