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英语本科论文:浅谈中美饮食文化的差异

时间:2021-11-04 来源:未知 编辑:梦想论文 阅读:
The different diet cultures between China with the US
 
Abstract: As China’s overall national strength continues to increase, more and more foreigners begin to learn Chinese culture. The United States, as the world’s leading power, has more and more frequent exchanges with China in various fields, including many cultural exchanges. In different styles of Chinese and American culture, food culture is a very important content.
In order to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural characteristics of China and the United States, this article will introduce the differences in food culture between the two countries from four parts. The first part mainly introduces the respective connotations and characteristics of food culture in China and the United States. The second part expresses the differences in the specific dietary culture between the two countries from five aspects: the daily food types, the use of dishes, the order of servings, the arrangement of seats, and the concept of eating and drinking. The third part briefly analyzes the main reasons for the cultural differences between China and the United States from geographical factors and traditional customs. And the last part summarizes the effect and influence of Sino-U.S. dietary differences in intercultural communication between the two countries.
Through the analysis of this article, I hope that more people can understand the differences between Chinese and American diet culture and avoid unnecessary misunderstandings in cross-cultural communication.
 
Key words: diet cultures, difference, communication
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                 
                 浅谈中美饮食文化的差异
 
摘要: 随着中国综合国力的不断提升,越来越多的外国友人开始学习中国文化。美国作为世界第一强国,与中国在各方面的交流越来越频繁,这其中不乏许多文化交流。而在风格迥异的中美文化中,饮食文化是一个非常重要的内容。
     为了深入对中美两国饮食文化特色的了解,本文从四部分介绍两国的饮食文化差异。第一部分主要介绍中美两国饮食文化的各自内涵和特点;第二部分分别从两国日常的食物种类、使用的餐具、上菜的顺序、座席的安排、饮食的观念等五个方面来表现双方具体的饮食文化差异现象;第三部分从两国的地理位置因素和传统习俗因素,简要分析了造成这种饮食文化差异的主要原因;最后一部分总结了中美饮食差异在两国跨文化交流中所起的作用与影响。
     通过本文的分析,希望更多的人能够了解中美饮食文化差异,避免在跨文化交流中产生不必要的误会。
 
关键词:饮食文化,差异, 交流                                 
 
 
 
Contents
 
1. Introduction 2
2. The characteristics and connotations of diet cultures in China with the US 2
3.The different eating habits…………………….…………………………………..………6
3.1 Types of food 5
3.2 Tableware 6
  3.3 Seat arrangement……………………………………………………………...………6
3.4 Concept of diet 8
  3.5Serving order…………………………...……………………………………….…….8
4. Reasons 9
  4.1Geographical locations………………………………….………………………….....9
  4.2Traditional customs……………………………………………….…………………10
5. The effects and functions of different diet cultures ……………………...…….……….11
Works Cited 9
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The difference diet cultures between China and the us
 

 
1. Introduction
 
  Food is a part of the most basics way to help human to keep the pot boiling. ‘Food is god for the people’ what is a sentence that never change its meanings from ancient to modern times. The types of foods have so many varieties in the world, in some countries from east, rice was regarded as staple food and use chopsticks as tableware; In some countries from west, potato was regarded as staple food and use knife and fork as tableware. Why the potato will be often regarded as dish not as staple food in some east’s countries like China? What’s the reason that caused the different diet culture?
   To help people who from different countries to understand the difference diet cultures between the east and the west, the paper selects China and the US as examples to analysed. And through their specific difference manifestations of the eating habits, the reasons of caused difference, and the last part is to introduce the difference diet culture’s effects and functions in the two countries’ communion and confluence. Through to analysed the two countries’ different diet culture, that talk shallowly about the effects and functions of different diet culture in cross-culture communication.
 
2. The characteristics and connotations of diet cultures in China with the United States 
 
Chinese diet cultures influenced by various factors, and it represents different characteristics. First, Chinese diet pays many attentions to appearance. For example, the cook will carve different kinds of sculpts which are made by fruits or vegetables such as watermelon or radish to adorn diet. Second, it has regional features. Different region has different diet system, and the most famous diet system is the eight major components of Chinese cuisine, which are Hunan Cuisine, Anhui Cuisine, Zhejiang Cuisine, Jiangsu Cuisine, Fujian Cuisine, Guangdong Cuisine, Sichuan Cuisine and Shandong Cuisine. Third, it combines diet with medicine. Chinese people always prevent disease and treat the disease through diet therapy. All in all, Chinese food’s aroma, color and teste are all excellent.
As we all know that the United States is a country of immigrants, different country’s culture, history and religion mix together and make up American diet culture. Comparing with Chinese diet culture, the biggest characteristic of American culture is that they pay much attentions to the collocation of nutrition, and they do the best to represents the taste of diet. For example, they prefer to eat uncooked food or unprocessed food rather than processed food. As a multinational country, American’s diet culture is diversity. Other country’s people bring their own country’s diet custom and technique of cook food to the United States, with the passing of time, American diet culture has made up. Therefore, American diet culture mixed up the most outstanding diet culture of other countries, and it owns one of the best diet culture in the world.
 
3. The different eating habits
 
3.1 Types of food
China has been an agriculture country since ancient times, and its main crops are wheat and rice, therefore, most of Chinese like to eat vegetarian diet. In ancient times, people’s living standards are not as high as ours today, they eat rice and vegetables everyday as their food. Only when it is a celebrated day or rich people would eat meat. However, with the development of economic, Chinese people’s dietary structure are becoming more and more reasonable, they would eat meat every day, especially processed cooked food, which they think are much heathier and safe than unprocessed food. Chinese people usually eat three meals a day, in which they think the most important is lunch. There is an old saying: Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, supper like a pauper, and it can be the best description of Chinese dietary habit. We Chinese have an idea that the most important meal in a day is lunch, so our dishes are so bumper in lunch time. As for dinner, the old choose to eat little or eat nothing depend on everyone’s health condition. In addition, Chinese people like to drink tea, which has become a way of communication. The types of tea have green tea, black tea, oolong, Pu’er tea etc. As a guest, when you go to some friend’s house having a visit, the host will provide the best quality’s tea for you to show their welcome.
Americans have totally different point of view. They like to eat meat and in their mind, the nutritional value of meat is so high that vegetarian diet cannot catch up with. Many American food’s material originate from chicken, fish, eggs and beef etc. They also drink milk every day, so they look very strong. Not like Chinese people, American people don’t like to eat animal’s viscera, head, feet etc. As for drinks, they like coffee. Coffee has become a part that cannot be separated from their daily life. There are also many types of coffee: espresso, mocha coffee, cappuccino, lattee and so on.
 
3.2 Tableware
Comparing with two country’s tableware, we can find many disparities. In China, any tableware can be presented on the table.
Traditional Chinese tableware including chopsticks, bowls, saucers, soup spoons and so on. And chopsticks are the most representative tableware in China, we use them at every day’s meal. The usage of chopsticks is very special, we can not only use it to eat rice, but also can use it to eat noodles, dumplings, rice noodles, meat and so on. Almost every kind of Chinese food can be eaten by chopsticks. But there is a taboo we should take notice of. When we use chopsticks to eat rice, we cannot stick it in rice straightly, because when we show our respect to our ancestors, we United usually take this action.
In the United States, we can also see many tableware such as knives, forks, saucers and so on. Unquestionable, knives and forks are used most frequently, hence they become the most representative tableware in America. The function of knives and forks are likely to the chopsticks, they have many usage, too. When you eat fish, meat and sea food, you can use knives, and when you eat salad or other relish, you can use forks. Moreover, if you are in different situation, the functions of tableware are not the same, so the best choice to use tableware correctly abroad is to ask your friends for help, whenever you have questions, ask your friends or the host as much as possible, they will be pleasure to introduce their diet cultures to you.
 
3.3 Seat arrangement
When dine together with relatives or friends, Chinese and Americans are different. Let’s take seats 
arrangement as an example. Generally speaking, the host should arrange everything well to wait for 
the coming of guests. Whether in China or the United States, seats arrangement is very significant. 
Nowadays, we hold a viewpoint that right is superior than left, which represents in the seats arrangement. Usually, the most important seat is at the opposite of door, and that seat is prepared for the most respectful guest. Other guests would be arranged at the right hand of the most important guest, and the host would also sit near him, but the host is on the left hand. Influenced by some western thoughts, and with the development of reform and opening up, women’s situation in China has becoming higher than before. Even in some advanced areas, they accept ‘Lady first’ idea, and respect women all the time.
In addition, when we attend a wedding or a dinner party, we may see more than two tables, Usually the host has arranged the seats already, and if you are enough patient to look around, you will find that the host and his families sit on the main table.
While in ancient China, we have a traditional concept that people who sit the seats on the left are superior than the right ones, hence respected guests or older people always sit on the left. And at that time, women cannot sit down to eat, most often, they were allocated with some food and ate at a corner or outside the dinning room.
In the USA they also think the seats on the right are more superior than the seats on the left. The couple would not sit close to each other, and sometimes they would sit at opposite, because they think this kind of way can help them have more communication, especially eye contact. As what we said above, western countries obey ‘Lady first’, and it is clear America included. Whenever they are, lady’s position is very high and always respected by gentlemen.
 
3.4 Concept of diet
Every country has its own features diet,among these two countries, Chinese people emphasize on the taste of food while the Americans emphasize on the nutrition. Traditional Chinese cooking methods
including steam, deep-fry, bake, roast, boil and so on. Any one of these methods can break down nutrients, some even may do harm to our health. Nevertheless, none of Chinese people think it is vital important, they only want to pursue the best taste. And the highest standard of a Chinese diet is its taste. What is known to all is that Chinese people like eating food with saline taste although they have already known too much salt is harmful to their health. Why this situation would happen? There are some reasons. On the one hand, every family can afford the price of salt, which is a condiment in China, so salt nearly can be seen in every Chinese food. On the other hand, according to a survey, someone can accept the taste of spicy, someone can accept the taste of sweet, but more people would like to accept the taste of salty, this survey laid a solid foundation for the popular of salty food.
The appearance of food reflects Chinese traditionally philosophical view—fuzziness. Thus we pursue the beautiful appearance of food surpass its nutrition. The ultimate demand of Chinese cuisine is to merge together every kind of flavor or raw material and make a satisfying meal for dependents. Such process lays stress on the control of details and the coordinate of entire food system.
Contrary to Chinese diet culture, Americans lay much emphasis on food nutrition. Americans think that eating scientifically nutritious food is critical, and they pay more attention to efficiency and convenience, and do not care about the appearance of refinement and meticulousness (Lockie, S., 2002:54-57). "What American holds in great account is whether nutrient content, including protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamin and other inorganic elements, is suitable and whether the nutrient content is best absorbed"(Clayton, M. M.,1994:12). They regard diet as a kind of science, and pursue as much as nutrition in food. In their idea, everyone cannot survival without food, in other words, food is only to help people survival rather than give you a good taste. For them, getting energy is the only target for them to eat. But going too far is as bad as not going far enough, today’s rate of obesity in the United States rise to about 38 percent, which is the highest rate in the world. In addition, Americans like to eat food with little condiment, some athletes or fitness fanatics even eat food just boiled in order to reduce lipid. Indeed, this type of diet system is good for metabolism.
 
3.5Serving order
Chinese serving order United usually like this: Firstly, drinks and cold dishes will be served, you can chat with your friends and eat some cold dish. Then, hot dishes will be served. Our Chinese people like even numbers, whatever dishes are served, the number will be six, eight, ten, twelve etc. Because Chinese people think even numbers represent good luck and happiness. Next, staple food will be served. Staple food mainly include rice or steamed bun. At last, dessert and fruits will be served. When the host invited many friends, there would be many tables in the room, but the food’s serving order are the same, and cold dishes will be served at the beginning, then hot dishes and dessert. If you take the responsibility to server all the people, you should keep in mind that guests are the most important people, so you should serve them first, after all the guests are served, the host’s table is the last. Some matters need attention in this serving progress. If the dishes like chicken, duck or fish are entirely as a whole being served, then we should be careful that the head cannot toward the emic position. About serving system, there are different forms. Some places or restaurants would put the same dishes on a big tray, then bring it to the guests, every table can have one if they take it by themselves. Some places or restaurants would order their servants to provide all the dishes to guests without disturbing them. While some places would divide all the dishes into small quantity that is adequate for one person, then distribute to everyone. This type of distribution like slide show, serving one dish at a time.
America’s serving order United usually like this: before staple food, they United usually can get butter, bread, cold dishes, soup and sea food. Cold dishes and soup are match with bread to eat together first. As the first dish, cold dish can be eaten together with aperitifs. Then it is the performance of staple food. American people like to eat all kinds of meat, for instance, beef, mutton, pork, chicken, fish and so on. Not like Chinese people, in some occasions, Americans don’t like to chat while eating. Ice-cream and pudding are their dessert.
 
4. Reasons
 
 4.1Geographical locations
China is located in the east of Asia and the west coast of the Pacific Ocean. Northern Chinese people like to eat pasta due to wheat is appropriate grown at there. Northern area’s terrain is open and plain, and its precipitation is seasonal. Steamed buns are necessary for northern Chinese people, and they did not have the feeling of satiety without eating it. Southern China’s weather is hot and rainy, and the local famers know what kind of grain can grow best, so they plant paddy fields. Southern Chinese people attach great importance to color, smell and taste of food. Their taste is subdued and they like to add sugar into their food. Many people also like to eat raw aquatic products such as fish, crab, salmon, etc., and eat it with a little condiment. Southern Chinese people pay attention to exquisite food, and every meal will have stewed soup, also with light tastes.
Most of China’s areas are located in monsoon climate. Its rain and heat are in the same period, which is conducive to the growth of crops. It boasts several latitudes and longitudes, thus forming multiple climate zones, which is conducive to the diversity of agriculture. The terrain is complex and diverse, which is conducive to the development of three-dimensional agriculture. The coastline is long, and the economy of the southeastern coastal areas is advanced, also the area’s sea transportation is convenient.
The United States is the forth-largest country in the world. Its territories include the United States, Alaska in the northwestern part of North America, and the Hawaiian Islands in the central Pacific Ocean. Most of the United States belong to the continental climate, and the northeast climate is clammy, suitable for the growth of juicy pasture, the development of dairy farming. The central terrain is flat, black soil is widespread, and there is plenty of water and heat. During the same period of rain and heat, large farms are developed. Wheat, corn and cotton are from the north to the south. Western highland areas own extensive grasslands and it is suitable for animal husbandry. Western coastal Mediterranean climate is suitable for planting fruit.
 
4.2Traditional customs
China as a country of five-thousand-year history has a large amount of festivals, so has its traditional customs. We are going to introduce some typically traditional customs. During the Spring Festival, every family will unite together and eat New Year’s Eve dinner. In the northern region, people prefer food made by wheat, so most families choose Jiaozi as their staple food. In the southern region, people prefer food made by rice or sticky rice, so most families choose glue pudding and rice cake as their staple food.
At Dragon Boat Festival, we row dragon boats to in honor of our ancestors. At this special festival, we pin our hope on the food—zongzi. Zongzi is popular all over the country, the northerners like the taste of sweet while the southerners like the taste of salty, and the northerners like to add red dates or candied dates in it while the southerners like to add meat in it. Except zongzi, Wuhuang(finless eel, cucumber, yellow croaker, apricot and realgar), which is a name including five kinds of biont, must eaten by people.
The Mid-Autumn Festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month is a time for people to expect harvest and family reunion. After dinner, all the family members would sit around a table and share mooncakes together. 
As an old American saying goes: You are what you eat. For the rules of the dining customs, you are not only what you eat, but how to eat. Every society has its rules governing the all-important customs of breaking bread (Edward T Hall, 1990: 13). The United States is under no exception. In the United States, the golden time to have business meal is the breakfast and lunch time, as for dinner, they always reserve their time for special occasions or guests. And you should be punctual, that means you should not arrive late or ahead, precise is the best. As an old saying goes: Do as the Romans do, when you go to a dinner party or go to visit an important person, you’d better bring a present, whatever it is a bunch of flowers or a beautiful dress. We Chinese like to chat while eating, however, if you do like this in America, it is impolite. In America, when you eat or drink, you should keep quiet and avoid sneezing, blowing your nose or coughing when having dinner.
 
5. The effects and functions of different diet cultures
 
There are countless links between Chinese an American diet cultures, and they have a deeper influence with each other than before.
With the trend of globalization, China and the United States are increasingly connected. Take KFC as an example, the first KFC physical store opened at Beijing in 1987, and now, KFC has opened over 8000 physical stores in China, which is an amazing expand speed. Other multiple shops such as Mcdonald’s, Pizza hut, Walmart, Starbucks etc. also have developed a whole lot. The transmission and development of American diet culture bring fresh vitality to Chinese diet culture. For one thing, Chinese-American food has been created, which has enriched the Chinese diet and has made the Chinese diet system more complete. For another, America’s “individual serving” has arose our interest, which has influenced our traditional diet habits. More and more people like to drink milk and eat bread in the morning as their breakfast, which can provide them nutrition and is a healthy way. Moreover, some people prefer western wedding’s pattern when they get married, and at the wedding site, they provide buffet for all the guests. From what we said above, we can see that America’s diet culture has enjoyed popular support in China. How about Chinese diet culture in the United States?
With the influence of American diet culture on Chinese, Chinese diet culture also deeply influenced American diet culture. Since the end of Qing dynasty, many ethnic Chinese has emigrated to the United States, also brought our diet culture out there. Our predecessors not only introduced a great variety of our country’s making method, but also introduced our traditional diet customs and table manners. And the taste of Chinse diet has recognized by many Americans. Wherever you are, New York or Washington, you can find many Chinese restaurants, in there, you can order kung pao chicken, fish slices boiled in hot sauce, boiled pork slices, dumplings etc. The number of Chinese restaurant has over 16,000, and more ethnic Chinese are preparing to open a restaurant in the United States. Some Chinese snacks such as Shandong style Pan-fried cake and spicy strip are loved by vast majority of foreigners. 
Diet culture is a significant part in cross culture. From the aspect of diet culture, we can gain a deeper standing of Chinese and American diet cultures as well as two country’s cultural connections, which can promote us to identify and accept with each other’s culture. Through the analysis of this article, more people can strength the ability and consciousness of cross cultural communication and understand the differences between Chinese and American diet culture deeper, moreover, this passage can help people avoid unnecessary misunderstandings in cross-cultural communication in a way.
 
 
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