"Although Westerners now like to divide meals, we Chinese actually implemented the meal sharing system at the earliest. This system has a history of more than 3,000 years, dating back to the Shang Dynasty.
However, over time, we gradually switched to a shared meal system. So why are we moving from a split meal system to a shared meal system? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these two diets? ”
During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the way of dining was achieved through a separate meal system. This system means that everyone has their own utensils, which they enjoy separately while eating. In the excavation of Yin Ruins, archaeologists found many pottery fragments.
The pottery is a vessel specially used to cook porridge, and it has three hollow feet. Although the pottery and tripod are similar in appearance, there are obvious differences within them.
The tripod is solid and divided into the abdomen and feet, while the tripod of the pottery is hollow and the abdomen and feet are connected.
The feet of the mustache are hollow, which allows the contact area of the mustache with the fire to be enlarged, which is convenient for heating. However, its capacity is only enough to meet the needs of one meal per person, so we can infer that the Shang Dynasty implemented a system of one meal per person.
So, why was the Shang Dynasty a separate meal system? Before the Shang Dynasty, social productivity was low, and people with kinship lived together and obtained food through collaborative labor.
In the team, we respect everyone's rights and needs, and by dividing the food equally, we ensure that everyone can enjoy the food, achieving a truly fair distribution. During the Shang Dynasty, people began to pay attention to etiquette, and different dining specifications would be set at banquets according to different status and status, so as to highlight the distinction between dignity and inferiority.
For example, the Son of Heaven's dining specification is nine tripods and eight tripods, the princes are seven tripods and six tripods, and the doctors are five tripods and four tripods. The ding is used to hold meat, and the gui is a container for food.
In the homes of ordinary people, in order to show respect for the elderly and elders, the specifications of meals vary according to the age and age. For example, people over 80 years old can enjoy 5 courses, while people over 60 years old can enjoy 3 courses.
In the Zhou Dynasty, the system of separate meals was officially recorded, for example, in the "Zhou Li", it is mentioned: "The table is below, and the mat is above." At the same time, the requirements in the "Book of Rites: Internal Rules" that men and women should not eat at different tables and not eat together after the age of 7 also reflect the existence of a separate meal system.
At the banquets of the ancient Zhou Dynasty, people would make large mats out of animal skins, which is what we call it"Feast", which is placed in the seat of each guest who comes to the banquet"seats", which is a cushion.
At the banquet, there will also be a kind of service called"Cases"A low table with utensils full of food and drink. Once the banquet begins, each guest is treated to a delicious meal in front of them.
At that time, it was customary for people to kneel on cushions, sit on their hips on their ankles, and keep their upper body straight, so the thicker the cushions, the more comfortable they could sit.
At banquets, the material and size of the seats and cushions are often used to distinguish the status and status of the guests. During the Warring States Period, in order to convince talents, Meng Weijun ate the same food and drank the same wine with them.
However, a diner with poor eyesight, after seeing Meng Weijun's dishes and the food he ate, he always felt different, and the more he thought about it, the more angry he became, so he left the table. When Meng Weijun learned the reason, he immediately brought a portion of his own food to the diner and asked him to compare.
When the diner saw that the two servings were identical, he was so ashamed that he committed suicide on the spot.
In the Han Dynasty, despite the gradual rise of the shared meal system, the tradition of separate meals still existed. For example, at the famous Hongmen Banquet, when Xiang Yu invited Liu Bang to the banquet, they still sat separately, Xiang Yu sat in the east and Liu Bang sat in the north.
This seating arrangement reflects the hierarchy of dignity and inferiority, because at that time, sitting facing east was the most honorable, followed by south and then north. Because the seats were separated, Xiang Zhuang was able to try to assassinate Liu Bang without harming Xiang Yu.
Due to the low productivity of the nomads, their limited cooking skills, and the lack of elaborate and practical utensils, they did not pay attention to the etiquette of the table, so they have always adopted a communal meal system.
In the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, although the food sharing system was still used, with the continuous integration and exchange of the northern nomads and the Han people, the Han people also began to absorb the eating habits of the nomads.
As a result, during the Northern Dynasties, the combined meal system began to appear, although most people still opted for a separate meal system.
In the era of frequent wars and changes of imperial power, the authority of the monarch weakened, and the noble landlord class began to enjoy luxurious food and drink beyond their own status. In order to adapt to the new meal system, the Tang Dynasty invented high tables and chairs, allowing people to stretch out their sitting posture on large chairs, and no longer need to sit on the ground and bend down to eat.
With the development of the times, high tables have gradually become popular, making it more convenient for people to eat.
In 1955, during an archaeological excavation in Xi'an, people accidentally discovered the murals of the elder brother of the eunuch Gao Lishi. The mural shows him sitting upright on a chair with his feet side by side on the ground, which undoubtedly provides evidence of the origin of the down-to-feet sitting position.
Years later, in 1987, archaeologists discovered a tomb from the Tang Dynasty in Xi'an that contained a mural called "Picnic Banquet". The mural features a huge rectangular table on which a variety of foods are placed.
Around the table, there are three benches, on which the men hang cross-legged or one-legged. These findings reveal that people still retained the habit of cross-legged at that time, which was clearly a transitional stage from kneeling to sitting in chairs.
At the same time, it also heralds a shift from a separate meal system to a shared meal system. These historical sites not only provide us with clues to the ancient way of life, but also help us understand the development and change of social history.
The development of the commodity economy in the Song Dynasty promoted the popularization of the meal system, and the rich variety of foods and diversified cooking methods also made this change possible. The popularity of places such as Jiaofang restaurants has given people more opportunities to get together to dine and drink, and this phenomenon has been vividly reflected in the "Qingming Riverside Map".
In the restaurant, ordinary people and their husbands and wives sit together with high tables and chairs, and the eating habits of the upper and lower classes influence each other, and more ordinary people also bring this habit into the officialdom after gaining fame.
1.In the banquet etiquette of the Song Dynasty, the role of the white seat people is eye-catching. They reminded the guests to eat according to the wishes of the host and guest and to maintain the normal flow of the banquet. Among them, Han Qi was once honored as the guest of honor at the banquet, and the white seat reminded the guests to enjoy lychees with him.
In the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols were accustomed to drinking and eating together. By the time of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the meal sharing system had completely replaced the meal sharing system. 2.In the Song Dynasty, there was a rare profession called "white seat people", whose duty was to remind the guests to eat according to the wishes of the host and guest, which was a ritual retained by the meal sharing system, and their existence was to ensure the smooth running of the banquet.
For example, Han Qi was once honored as the guest of honor at a banquet, and the white seat people would remind the guests to enjoy lychees with him. However, in the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols were accustomed to drinking and eating together, and everyone sat around eating meat and drinking wine.
By the time of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the meal sharing system had completely replaced the meal sharing system.
1.Separate and shared meals: The charm of Chinese cuisine lies in its combination of colours, flavors, and flavors, and each dish is a unique treat. The advantage of the combined meal system is that dishes such as whole fish and whole chicken are cooked together, which not only looks good, but also saves space and creates a unique flavor.
However, there are also risks associated with shared meals. While enjoying the food, the cross-infection of germs is an important hidden danger. People's chopsticks can carry germs and pose a health risk if they are transmitted to people at the same table when picking up food.
2.Pros and cons of a combined vs. shared meal system: Chinese cuisine is attractive for its color and aroma, and whole fish, whole chicken, and other dishes are cooked together, which is not only convenient to place, but also can cook a unique delicacy.
However, there are also risks associated with shared meals, and cross-infection of germs can pose a threat to people's health. Therefore, while enjoying the food, we need to be aware of the spread of germs.
3.Trade-offs between separate and shared meals: Chinese cuisine is loved for its unique color and flavor, and the combined meal system can meet everyone's needs at one time, saving space and time.
However, there is also a risk of cross-contamination with germs. While enjoying the food, we need to weigh the pros and cons and choose the right way to eat. 4.Separate and shared meal options: Chinese cuisine is attractive with its unique color and aroma, and the combined meal system can meet everyone's needs at one time, and save space and time.
However, there is also a risk of cross-contamination of germs in the meal sharing system. Therefore, we need to take health factors into account when choosing a way to eat. 5.Considerations of separate and shared meal systems: Chinese cuisine is loved by people for its unique color and aroma, and the combined meal system can meet everyone's needs at one time, and save space and time.
However, there is also a risk of cross-contamination of germs in the meal sharing system, so we need to take health factors into account when eating to ensure everyone's health.
At the dinner table, if someone is keen to serve food to others or likes to use chopsticks to turn over dishes, then the speed and probability of the spread of the virus will be greatly increased. Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that can cause gastritis, stomach cancer, and peptic ulcers, is mainly spread through saliva or vomit.
How to prevent the spread of the virus while ensuring the joyful atmosphere of everyone's dinner? A healthy option is to use a buffet or takeaway meal system with chopsticks.
As early as the Song Dynasty,"Chopsticks"This concept has been proposed, and the inventor of chopsticks is Song Gaozong Zhao Gou.
In order to prevent the palace maid from eating his saliva, Zhao Gou deliberately used chopsticks and spoons to pick up food, and then used another pair of chopsticks to eat. In the aristocratic families of the Song Dynasty, chopsticks were also seen as a form of etiquette, and the host would use them to grab food for guests as a sign of respect.
The length of chopsticks is seven inches and six minutes, which means that we need to learn to "seven emotions and six desires", only eat what should be eaten, and not touch things that should not be touched. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, many people also began to use chopsticks.
To ensure hygiene and health, public chopsticks and private chopsticks are usually distinguished by different colors, with public chopsticks usually white and private chopsticks black. Although the separate meal system is more hygienic, more dishes are required, which increases the cost of time and effort.
Especially in crowded places, such as restaurants, it is more convenient to use chopsticks and spoons. However, people who are used to eating together may find it troublesome because they need to change chopsticks and spoons frequently, which can drain their patience and time, making the eating process more tiring.
There are pros and cons to eating a different way, and it's worth the trouble to stay healthy. The ancients developed from a separate meal system to a shared meal system, and we can also appropriately adjust the modern meal sharing habits to eat with peace of mind and pleasure.