Museum explanation

Perfect Beauty - Chinese Chopsticks Culture Exhibition

Lecture words

Dear guests, dear audience:

Hello everyone! Welcome to the "Beautiful and Happy - Chinese Chopsticks Culture Exhibition".

From the Paleolithic Age, humans used bone cones and branches to get food from fire, and the germination of eating with chopsticks occurred; in the Neolithic Age, with the popularity of cooking food with pottery, the habit of eating with branches was formed. Gradually become an important tool of human food culture. my country is a country with excellent cultural traditions. The use of chopsticks has a history of at least 7,000 years in our country.

Chopsticks, also known as "chopsticks", are light and flexible. They are unique among the world's tableware and are known as the quintessence of China. In its long development process, its shape, material, decoration, and craftsmanship have also changed with the development of the times, and its functions have been continuously extended and expanded. Contains rich historical and cultural connotations. Fujian, as an important birthplace of chopsticks, has a very rich heritage of chopsticks. Qi'an Village in Fuzhou, known as "Chopsticks Village", is one of the birthplaces of lacquer chopsticks culture. Its lacquer chopsticks are famous for their exquisite craftsmanship and profound heritage. A wonderful flower in the treasure house of culture.

In his important discussion on guiding everyone to learn and inherit the excellent traditional Chinese culture, President Xi emphasized the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage. It is a pity that we eat and use chopsticks every day, but we do not necessarily fully understand the past and present of chopsticks. At present, there are very few young people who learn the skills of lacquer chopsticks. In the form of storytelling, this exhibition shows the development history, production process, cultural charm and other knowledge of Chinese chopsticks and lacquer chopsticks to the world, so that people have a platform to understand chopsticks and stimulate their interest in chopsticks and lacquer chopsticks. I hope that more people will inherit this skill, so that this excellent intangible cultural heritage can be passed on for a long time.

The first part has a long history from ancient times to the present

The tableware used by our ancestors in the early days included knives, forks, spoons, and chopsticks. With the continuous development of food culture, in the Neo-Paleolithic Age, the primitive ancestors used bone cones or branches for food, which may be the earliest chopsticks in China. In the early days, the main function of chopsticks was to pluck, take food or take dishes from soup. Later, chopsticks gradually replaced knives and forks. During the Warring States Period, chopsticks became the mainstream on the dining table until today.

Unit 1, the origin of chopsticks

There are two main theories about the origin of chopsticks:

One is to speculate on the origin of chopsticks from the primitive people who learned to use fire . It is believed that the production of chopsticks is premised on the anthropological use of fire-roasted cooked food to give birth to the production of chopsticks. In order to prevent the hands from being scalded, the ancestors might use a bone cone or two damp branches to clamp the meat in and out, which may be the prototype of chopsticks .

The other is the phenomenon that birds use their upper and lower beaks to hold food to feed young birds, or birds use their claws to grab food, which inspired people to invent chopsticks. The ancients called chopsticks梜, which may be the origin of this.

Unit 1, the development of chopsticks

According to literature records, chopsticks have been widely used during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and the etiquette of using chopsticks has gradually begun to take shape. The Shang Dynasty already had chopsticks made of ivory. However, the chopsticks of the Shang Dynasty were not used for eating, but for dishes in soup. By the Han Dynasty, chopsticks eventually became complete food aids. After a long historical process, chopsticks have gradually become more diverse in shape, increasingly rich in materials, more exquisite in craftsmanship, and more widely used.

1. The evolution of the name: from "chopsticks" to "chopsticks"

Chopsticks, commonly known as chopsticks in ancient times . In the pre-Qin period, it was called "碜" or "箸". During the Han Dynasty, the three words "箸", "筯" and "竡" were common. In the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the words "筯" and "箸" were used at the same time. According to the investigation of accurate documents, the name "chopsticks" has been established at the latest in the Ming Dynasty. At that time, people were most looking forward to the smooth wind and the water when they were fishing in a boat, and they were most afraid of the "living" and "moth" of the boat. Therefore, "chopsticks" were called "chopsticks" (fast) in the opposite way, with the intention of "making the boat go fast" ". After the Qing Dynasty, it was generally called "chopsticks". As dialects or common sayings, "箸" and "筯" continue to be used.

Bibliography:

It is recorded in "Han Feizi ·Yu Lao ": In the past, Zhou was an elephant chopper, and Jizi was afraid .

"Book of Rites , Qu Li" : For those who have vegetables in the soup, use a pan, and those without vegetables do not use a pan.

Tang Li Bai's Difficulty Traveling: Stop the cup and throw the chopsticks and can't eat , draw the sword and look around in a daze .

Ming Lu Rong's "Shuyuan Miscellaneous Notes": It is a taboo among the people, and it is everywhere, but it is very common in Wuzhong. It is taboo to stay in the boat and turn it over, and use chopsticks as fast chopsticks .

The evolution of shape

The evolution of chopsticks has a developmental process. From the Spring and Autumn Period to the middle of the Ming Dynasty, the length of chopsticks was basically between 20-30cm, and it gradually increased with time. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the two ends of chopsticks were almost the same thickness. Most of the chopsticks in the Han Dynasty were cylindrical, with a thick head and a thin foot, and some had a square head and a round foot. Most of the chopsticks in the Sui and Tang Dynasties were cylindrical with a thick head and a thin foot; some had a thinner head and a slightly thicker middle; some had a square head and a round foot, which was flat and square. At the same time, the chopsticks in the Tang Dynasty began to have some decorations. The chopsticks in the Song, Liao, Jin, and Yuan dynasties were mostly cylindrical and conical, and there were also six-diamond, eight-diamond, and square-foot-circle. The craftsmanship is more refined, focusing on the decoration of the chopsticks. Most of the chopsticks in the Ming Dynasty had a square head and round feet, and the craftsmanship was more exquisite. The craftsmanship of chopsticks in the Qing Dynasty is exquisite and beautiful. From practical to a fusion of practical and ornamental. For example: silver chopsticks, not only a silver cap, but also a 7-8cm silver chain on the top of the cap, which not only gives people a sense of beauty, but also its practicality, so that the two chopsticks are inseparable.

The following is the evolution of the shape of chopsticks

serial number	era	main form	Remark
1	Pre-Qin	The thickness of the first foot is normal
2	Han Dynasty	cylindrical
3	Tang Dynasty	The head is thick and the foot is cylindrical, the head is thinner, the middle is slightly thicker, the head is round and the foot is flat and square	decorated
4	Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties	Cylindrical, conical, hexagonal, octagonal, square and round
5	Ming Dynasty	round feet
6	Qing Dynasty	Round foot with square head, round foot with flat head	Pay attention to the decoration of chopsticks

3. Changes in materials

With the continuous development of society, the materials of chopsticks are constantly changing and enriching. In the early days, only bamboo sticks and animal bones were used. But soon the aristocratic society, driven by the extravagant curiosity, chased after expensive materials. In the Shang Dynasty, there were not only bone chopsticks and copper chopsticks, but also jade chopsticks and ivory chopsticks. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, there were wooden, copper and ivory chopsticks. The chopsticks unearthed in the tombs of the Han Dynasty are mainly bamboo chopsticks and copper chopsticks. At the same time, the production of exquisite lacquer chopsticks began in the Han Dynasty. During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, gold inlaid wooden chopsticks were popular. Judging from the large number of silver chopsticks unearthed in the Tang Dynasty, it can be seen that the level of smelting in the Tang Dynasty has been further developed, and gold chopsticks and silver chopsticks continue to appear on the dining table. In the Tang Dynasty, the national power was strong, and the materials of chopsticks were very luxurious. In addition to chopsticks made of gold and silver, there were also chopsticks carved from jade and coral. The chopsticks in the Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan dynasties were mainly made of copper and silver. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the materials of chopsticks were more diverse, including ebony chopsticks, red sandalwood chopsticks, coral chopsticks, jade chopsticks, jade chopsticks, ivory chopsticks and so on. In terms of craftsmanship , they gradually compete for victory and splendor. The chopsticks are not only eating utensils, but also gradually transformed into exquisite handicrafts. Food and beautiful utensils complement each other, reflecting the characteristics of Chinese food culture.

The following is the evolution of chopsticks material

serial number	era	popular material	Remark
1	ancient times	Bamboo, animal bones
2	Shang Dynasty	Bamboo, animal bone, jade, ivory
3	Spring and Autumn and Warring States Period	wood, copper, ivory
4	Han Dynasty	bamboo, copper, lacquer
5	Wei and Jin Dynasties	gold inlaid wood
6	Tang Dynasty	Gold, silver, jade, coral
1	Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties	silver, copper
2	Ming and Qing Dynasties	Ebony, Rosewood, Coral, Jade, Jade, Ivory

feature rich

In the process of appearance, use and evolution of chopsticks in China, not only did it play a dietary function, but also gradually evolved and expanded a wide range of social functions, blooming in many aspects such as economy, culture, religion and so on.

1. Food aid function

The function of chopsticks in the pre-Qin period was to pick or take vegetables or other solid foods from the soup. In the Shang and Zhou dynasties, chopsticks were widely used, and the ritual system for using chopsticks was very strict in the Zhou Dynasty.

In the Han Dynasty, chopsticks have been widely used. In terms of functions, with the passage of time, related utensils such as chopsticks for holding chopsticks and chopsticks for holding chopsticks have gradually appeared. Gilt bronze bowls and chopsticks were unearthed in the tomb of Huang Huan in the Song Dynasty in Shaowu City, our province.

2. Derivative function

As a bocho --- Bochou, it is a kind of instrument in the ancient chess game Liubo chess. The chopsticks are used as counting chips in the game. In the early days, there were 6 chopsticks in Liubo chess. In the Han Dynasty, the number of chopsticks increased. In the Mawangdui Han tomb, a Liubo chess containing 42 chopsticks was unearthed.

As a fire stick: mainly used to hold things, such as for hand stoves to set fires, charcoal fires, etc.

As early as the Tang Dynasty, Lu Yu's "The Classic of Tea" had already seen records about fire chopsticks, all of which were made of metal.

As incense chopsticks: Incense chopsticks appeared later than fire chopsticks. They are incense tools used to hold charcoal. It is shorter than fire chopsticks, but more refined than fire chopsticks. In the incense cage unearthed from Famen Temple in Xi'an, there are golden chopsticks.

As chopsticks: The ancients believed that chopsticks had the divine nature and were the connection between life and death, ancestors and descendants, mortals and gods, and were often used as divination tools, called "Chopsticks". Chopsticks have been around for a long time in our country . According to legend , Zhao Da, a native of Wu State during the Three Kingdoms period , " is a good general , and it is all right. The rise and fall of Wu State is counted among them . "

Playing Musical Instruments: At the latest in the Song Dynasty, chopsticks were used for musical instrument performances, which opened the prelude to playing the qin, and are still used today. In the Ming Dynasty, the dulcimer was introduced to China, and artists used bamboo chopsticks to cut it into "qin hammers" to expand its range and volume. In modern times, chopsticks have been used in the performance of " Bowl Music" and "Cup Music" .

As a burial article: The chopsticks are used as a burial article, which symbolizes the wish that the deceased can use eating utensils in the underworld. The chopsticks used as burial objects include copper chopsticks, silver chopsticks, bamboo chopsticks, and wooden chopsticks.

5. Examples of physical exhibits ......

Unit 3, Contemporary Chopsticks

Chopsticks are a unique household tool in China with profound historical and cultural connotations. The chopsticks culture has developed so far. After years of tempering and the baptism of time, chopsticks have not been eliminated by history, but more and more exudes a long-lasting fragrance, and gradually evolved into a form that combines practicality and culture. and exist.

In contemporary China, chopstick production is not only large-scale and high-yield, but also refined in craftsmanship and full of varieties. From the general popular bamboo and wooden chopsticks to the precious material chopsticks that are both practical and rich in craftsmanship and ornamental value, everything is available. In addition to Fuzhou lacquer chopsticks, today's famous chopsticks include Guangzhou tooth chopsticks, Hangzhou Tianzhu chopsticks, Nanyang brand chopsticks, Hunan Yangmingshan bamboo chopsticks, and Sichuan bamboo chopsticks.

Guangzhou tooth chopsticks

The ivory carvings in Guangzhou were famous all over the world during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. In the book "Traveling in China", Barto, secretary of Macartney, the special envoy of King George III of England, praised "the peak that seems to be the best and most immaculate is (Guangzhou) ivory carving." During the Qianlong and Jiaqing years, The ivory chopsticks produced by Huaiyuantang, a ivory carving company in Guangzhou, are widely sold all over the country.

Hangzhou Tianzhu chopsticks

Tianzhu chopsticks are one of the traditional famous products in Hangzhou. They are made from fine bamboo in the Tianzhu Mountain area of Hangzhou. They are of good quality and are well-known both at home and abroad for their practicality, low price and good quality, as well as local characteristics.

3. Nanyang branded chopsticks

According to legend, the burnt flower started at the end of the Western Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Liu Xiu, Emperor Guangwu, once ordered the burnt flower in Nanyang, Henan, as a tribute. Burning chopsticks is a traditional Chinese handicraft. It is made of holly wood with suitable annual rings and thick trunk.

4. Bamboo chopsticks of Yangming Mountain in southern Hunan

Hunan Yangmingshan bamboo chopsticks are mainly made from arrow bamboo produced in Yangmingshan, Shuangpai County, Hunan Province. It is characterized by ventilation at both ends, no mold, no insects, no deformation , and it stands upright and does not float horizontally after being placed in water.

Sichuan bamboo chopsticks

Bamboo chopsticks in Jiang'an County, Sichuan have a long history of production and excellent craftsmanship. As far as the "lion carving" of the chopsticks is concerned, there are square lions, round lions, single lions, double lions, bell lions, hydrangea lions, live-eyed lions, and Bao lions. and other varieties. Sichuan Meishan ebony chopsticks are solid and durable, smooth and easy to wash, and have a long-standing reputation.

Examples of exhibits: all kinds of chopsticks at home and abroad …

The second part is extensive and profound

With the continuous enrichment of ancient Chinese culture, chopsticks are gradually not only eating utensils, but their connotations are also constantly developing. Simple and simple chopsticks can be used to express military and political opinions, imply philosophical thoughts, symbolize wealth and status, expand the economic field and so on. The chopsticks are integrated into many aspects, reflecting my country's colorful cultural features and extensive and profound historical deposits from different angles.

Unit 1 Chopsticks and Literature and Art

From ancient times to the present, my country has produced a number of works with chopsticks as the theme of creation, which has enriched the treasure house of literary creation in my country from many aspects. In addition, chopsticks widely appear in many literary and artistic forms such as poetry, words, folk songs, novels, music, drama, dance, arts and crafts, etc., which have produced a unique artistic expression and achieved outstanding artistic effects.

1. The chopsticks of poetry

With its unique rhythm, ancient poetry nourishes people's hearts and souls. "箸" is integrated into the poetry, and together with other words, it reflects the author's ambition, joys and sorrows.

Such as: Bai Juyi's " Drunken Gifts to Liu Twenty-Eight Ambassadors "

Li Bai's Difficult Road , Part 1

" Four Poems of Spring Hope " by Xue Tao

Before and after the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, in the textbook "Mandarin" published by Zhonghua Book Company, he was selected for the "Chopsticks Mystery" composition class. Always let them try it first." Wait

Master Feng Jicai's poem: "Mo Dao's chopsticks are small, and they accompany you to eat every day. The thousand-year history of ups and downs is all in the pair of chopsticks."

Two, chopsticks idiom

Using chopsticks to raise money on behalf of others is a metaphor for giving ideas and planning things from the sidelines.

Wen Lei lost the chopsticks as a metaphor to cover up his true situation with other things. "Three Kingdoms"

Elephant chopsticks and jade cups: Elephant chopsticks: ivory chopsticks; jade cups: rhinoceros jade cups. Describe the luxury of life.

When Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty had no place for a chopstick , how could he live a luxurious life and spend thousands of dollars per day on food, but there was no place for a chopstick. Later used to describe the rich and extravagant diet.

Operational planning borrowing chopsticks means operations planning.

Zhang Liang borrowed chopsticks Zhang Liang borrowed (Liu Bang's) chopsticks to guide him. A metaphor for planning.

The long bowl of chopsticks is short to describe the messy and incomplete household utensils.

Shiji was so frightened that he even dropped the chopsticks in his hand. frightened out of normalcy

The "Kaiyuan Tianbao Legacy" records that Emperor Li Longji of Tang Ming Dynasty gave a pair of golden chopsticks to commend the prime minister's integrity, selfless punishment, selfless punishment, and the courage to violate Yan Zhi's advice.

3. Chopstick Dance

The chopstick dance is popular in the Mongolian grasslands. The rhythm of the chopstick dance originated from Ordos folk songs. Founded in the Yuan Dynasty, it has a history of more than 700 years. It expresses the happy scenes of the herdsmen who sang and danced, and exchanged happy scenes with each other, accompanied by the sanxian, flute, sihu, and dulcimer.

Unit 2 Chopsticks and Philosophy

Chopsticks are loved by people because in their design, many of our Chinese traditional philosophies are implied .

Such as: the Taoist concept of yin and yang , the seven emotions and six desires in the human world, the round sky in nature and so on.

Unit 3 Chopsticks and Folk Customs

Chopsticks are not only used as eating utensils, but their images appear frequently in various folk activities. They are widely used in various folk customs such as funerals, weddings, medical care, etc. , and are endowed with various cultural connotations.

1. Auspicious symbols

Chopsticks have always been regarded as mascots by the Chinese people. Chinese people use chopsticks with a square top and a round body, which means that the sky is round and the place is long. In wedding customs, chopsticks bless the newlyweds to have a son, and send chopsticks to lovers, expressing their determination to never separate in pairs. Send chopsticks to relatives and friends to express caring for each other's life. In traditional Chinese festivals, eight pairs of chopsticks wish good luck and prosperity; ten pairs of chopsticks signify perfection and reunion. Therefore, in people's minds, chopsticks are not only a kind of tableware, but also represent the blessing and hope for a better life.

2. Healthcare

According to legend, in the Han Dynasty, there were rhinoceros and poison-proof chopsticks. In the Tang Dynasty, there were records of chopsticks made of rhino horns. In the folk, there are also legends such as ivory chopsticks to avoid poisons and silver clothes to recognize poisons .

In some ancient documents, it is also recorded that chopsticks can be used as medicine. Song "Hidden Dwelling Record" records: "August Shuo uses a bowl to take leaf dew, grinds cinnabar, and dyes his body with tooth sticks, and all diseases are eliminated, which is called 'Heaven Moxibustion'." Chopsticks are also used directly by doctors to treat diseases. . Ming Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica" recorded: "The throat is blocked, and the rhinoceros and chopsticks are used to burn the smoke to hold the throat. The smoke enters the abdomen, and the cough is broken."

Chopsticks also have the functions of acupuncture, massage and scraping. In the old days, when people walked the rivers and lakes, as long as they had a pair of chopsticks on their bodies, they could solve any problems by themselves.

There are also examples of using medicinal wood chopsticks for medical care in modern folk. Henan Nanyang holly wood chopsticks were produced in the Qing Dynasty. The raw material of holly wood chopsticks is holly wood. According to Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica", holly is "sweet and cool, non-toxic, safe for the five internal organs , nourishes the spirit, and black develops the eyes. "

Three, chopsticks taboo

1. Three long and two short:

Put chopsticks of different lengths on the table, usually we call it "three long and two short". In the past, it was believed that people should be put into coffins after they died. After people were put in, before the lid of the coffin was covered, the components of the coffin were two short wooden boards at the front and back, and three long wooden boards on both sides and the bottom. The coffins made together happen to be three long and two short, so it is extremely unlucky.

2. The fairy guides the way:

This refers to holding the chopsticks with the thumb, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger, while the index finger sticks out. Because when you are eating, the index finger is stretched out, and it is always pointing at others. When people generally stretch their index finger to point at each other, most of them have the meaning of accusation. Therefore, fingering someone while eating with chopsticks is the same as scolding someone and cannot be allowed.

3. Pingchou phonics:

This refers to holding one end of the chopsticks in your mouth and using your mouth to sip back and forth, making a hissing sound from time to time. Because using the mouth to suck the chopsticks while eating is a rude behavior in itself, coupled with the sound, it is even more annoying. Therefore, this kind of practice is generally considered to be a lack of tutoring and cannot be allowed.

4. Knock the cup:

This refers to hitting the plate with chopsticks while eating. Because in the past, only the beggars used chopsticks to hit the begging bowl, and the sound of the beggar was accompanied by a plea in his mouth, which made pedestrians pay attention and give alms.

5. Patrol the city with chopsticks:

This method is to hold chopsticks in your hand and act as if no one else is there, and use chopsticks to search the dishes on the table back and forth, not knowing where to place the chopsticks. Such behavior is typical of lack of self-cultivation, and is arrogant and extremely objectionable.

6. Misty digging the grave:

This refers to holding chopsticks in the hands of the dish and slamming the dishes constantly, in order to find prey, just like robbing graves and digging graves . Tired.

7. Tears left behind:

In fact, this is when using chopsticks to pick vegetables on one's own plate, without falling in his hands, and spilling the vegetable soup into other dishes or on the table. This practice is considered grossly disrespectful and equally undesirable.

8. Upside down:

This means using the chopsticks upside down when eating. This practice is very despised. It is the so-called hunger that does not choose food, so that it is absolutely impossible to turn the chopsticks upside down without regard for face.

9. Dinghaishenzhen:

It is also not acceptable to use a chopstick to insert the dishes on the plate during the meal, which is considered to be a form of humiliation to the dining staff at the same table.

10. Serve incense in public:

It is often out of kindness that when helping others to serve a meal, in order to save trouble, a pair of chopsticks is inserted into the meal and handed to the other party, which is regarded as disrespectful by the meeting people. Because folk tradition holds that this is done only when offering incense to the dead.

11. Cross Cross:

The chopsticks are casually placed on the table when eating, because traditional customs believe that hitting a fork on the dining table is a complete denial of other people at the same table and cannot be accepted by others.

12. Falling to the ground:

The so-called "falling to shock" means that the chopsticks are dropped on the ground by mistake, because traditional customs believe that the landing of chopsticks is equivalent to disturbing the ancestors underground, which is unfilial.

Fourth, the use of chopsticks (see the use of chopsticks, a total of 7 essentials)

5. Examples of cultural relics exhibits ...

The third part spreads famous overseas

For thousands of years, chopsticks have not only been widely used in our ancient country and endured for a long time, but also spread to many countries and regions in the world.

As early as about the Sui and Tang Dynasties, chopsticks have spread to the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and Vietnam as cultural messengers, and since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, they have also flowed into Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and other places. Since modern times, with the migration of a large number of Chinese overseas, the habit of eating with chopsticks has spread all over the world. More and more people use chopsticks to accept the edification of Chinese culture.

The first unit was introduced to the Korean peninsula

The Korean Peninsula was the first area outside the Chinese territory to accept the chopstick culture. The inhabitants of the Korean Peninsula have used chopsticks for more than a thousand years. At the beginning of the 6th century, the bronze chopsticks unearthed in the Mausoleum of King Munyeong, Baekje, in Songsan-ri, Gongju County, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea, are the earliest objects of chopsticks found on the Korean Peninsula.

Bamboo and wooden chopsticks are mostly used in ordinary households on the Korean peninsula, but now many people use stainless steel chopsticks. In addition, some rich people use gold and silver chopsticks to show their status.

Unit 2 Introduced to Japan

In 607 AD, Prince Shotoku of Japan sent a group of 12 people to Sui, and the Japanese envoy, who was still "hand food", saw Chinese silver chopsticks and spoons and other tableware at the banquet. In 608, when the Japanese envoy returned to China, the Chinese government sent a foreign envoy Pei Shiqing to accompany him. At his welcome banquet, Prince Shotoku used chopsticks to entertain the guests in the Chinese way. After the 8th century AD, chopsticks gradually became popular in Japan. At that time, chopsticks were called "Tang chopsticks", which originated from the meaning of Tang soil (China).

Nowadays, Japanese chopsticks are more woody, slightly shorter, and have pointed heads and thick tails, in order to adapt to the characteristics of Japanese diets that are often cold and divided into meals, and are more convenient to use. Japanese chopsticks are also different depending on the user. There are chopsticks for children, chopsticks for adults, chopsticks for guests, and some chopsticks for men and women.

Unit 3 Chopsticks in Mongolia

In the Mongolian People's Republic, the people like to use chopsticks and knives as tableware. This is related to their nomadic life. The scabbards of the food-relieving knives carried by the herdsmen are all equipped with chopsticks. These scabbards for knives and chopsticks are usually delicate. In the past, the chopsticks used by nobles included ivory chopsticks, silver chopsticks, ebony chopsticks, mahogany chopsticks, and silver inlaid ivory chopsticks. Ordinary herders mostly use chopsticks made of animal bones, such as robe bones, elk bones, camel bones, etc.

Unit 4 Introduced to Southeast Asia

Chopsticks are very popular in Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, they have a long tradition of using chopsticks, and most of them still maintain the tradition of using chopsticks as eating utensils. The tradition of using chopsticks in Singapore has a history of hundreds of years. Not only the Chinese who account for about 77% of the population in Singapore still use chopsticks, but even Malays and some foreigners also use it. Restaurants and restaurants all provide chopsticks to their guests. Thais are also used to eating with chopsticks. For typical Thai dishes, chopsticks are used. The chopsticks produced in Thailand are exquisite, and most of them are matched with spoons. In addition, due to the spread of chopstick culture by overseas Chinese, it is also common to eat chopsticks in Malaysia, Indonesia and other places.

Unit 5 Introduced to the West

The Italian who introduced chopsticks to Europe earlier was Matteo Ricci, who also described the culture and usage of chopsticks in his book "Notes on China". At the same time, he also mentioned that some Indian tribes in North America also used "bone chopsticks" made of two slender animal bones, which made some historians further believe that Indian culture is related to Asian culture.

With the continuous migration of overseas Chinese to European and American countries, chopsticks are not unfamiliar to the West, and many families have chopsticks. The French Tourism Association has developed a "Golden Chopsticks Award" to recognize outstanding Chinese food industry; there is a "Chopsticks Museum" in Germany, which collects thousands of chopsticks from different historical periods. Many Westerners like to experience the feeling of eating with chopsticks. In the process of the continuous exchange of Chinese and Western cultures, the scope of the spread of chopsticks culture in the world has become more and more extensive.

The fourth part: the wonderful flower Fuzhou lacquer chopsticks

Lacquer ware originated in the Neolithic Age, the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period began to spread, and the Han Dynasty was relatively prosperous. The lacquer ware from the Mawangdui Han Tomb in Changsha, Western Han Dynasty unearthed in 1972 was once considered a major archaeological discovery that shocked the world . The archaeological discoveries of the Minyue Kingdom in the Han Dynasty in Wuyi Mountain, Fujian confirmed that lacquer wares such as lacquer qin were already popular among the nobles of the Minyue Kingdom at that time. According to records, the making of Fuzhou lacquer chopsticks is a skill that has been gradually formed since Wuzhu, the king of Fujian and Yue, established the city (now Fuzhou) more than 2,200 years ago. After thousands of years of inheritance and evolution, there are currently a wide variety of Fuzhou lacquer chopsticks and various forms, such as beauty chopsticks, mandarin duck chopsticks, twist chopsticks, Melaleuca chopsticks, wooden chopsticks, rope-tying chopsticks, etc. They are rich in color, sophisticated in craftsmanship, profound in cultural heritage, and pay equal attention to beauty and practicality. They have become a unique "landscape" of Chinese chopsticks. Today, Fuzhou lacquer chopsticks have been included in the intangible cultural heritage protection project of Fujian Province and are one of the important exhibits in the Fujian Exhibition Hall of the Shanghai World Expo.

Unit 1 Features of Fuzhou Lacquer Chopsticks

The predecessor of Fuzhou lacquer chopsticks was called oil chopsticks in the folk. From the end of the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, there were 20 or 30 family-style oil chopsticks workshops in Fuzhou Taijiang Liuzhu Bridge and Guanqi Alley. Famous ones such as "Jiang Xingji" in Fuzhou opened during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty; "Yang Chunsheng" opened in the Republic of China; and "Jiang Dexing" are already very famous. At the end of the 1950s, artists further applied the red treasure sand and other lacquer decoration techniques of bodiless lacquerware to lacquer chopsticks, which made Fuzhou lacquer chopsticks more local and welcomed by consumers. It uses the lacquer etching technique of bodily lacquer, combines engraving, lacquer, polishing and embellishment with tin foil pattern, and adopts printing, decals, cut flowers, cremated lead, imitation scenery, recording blue and other decorations. The designs are gorgeous and bright, and the products are elegant and luxurious, which are favored by collectors and exported to overseas in large quantities.

Unit 2 Fuzhou Lacquer Works

Fuzhou lacquer chopsticks are made of first-class moso bamboo or high-quality nanmu, beech, and mahogany blanks, with domestic special raw lacquer as the base and surface, and the Fuzhou bodiless lacquer ware making technique is adopted. From blank to finished product, lacquer chopsticks need to go through more than 20 large and small processes, such as oiling, polishing, printing, nodding, and drying. Usually it takes at least 15 days to make a pair of chopsticks, and if it is a pair of lacquer chopsticks with complicated craftsmanship, it takes more than 1 month. The main processes of the lacquer chopsticks process are as follows : (with pictures)

1. Material selection : High-quality materials are a prerequisite for making good lacquer chopsticks. The materials are generally selected from high-quality nanmu and beech, which must be of excellent quality.

2. Primer : This is the first process for the selected wood embryos to enter the production process. The purpose of the primer is to pull the paint. A pair of lacquer chopsticks requires a craftsman to pull the paint many times to produce good results.

3. Polishing : After the chopsticks are painted, they need to be dried. Through the polishing machine, the surface of the chopsticks can be polished smoothly and evenly.

4. Decal : Decal is to stick the patterned glass glue on the processed chopsticks , so that the chopsticks show a more beautiful artistic effect. In addition to basic printing, Fuzhou high-grade lacquer chopsticks also use the method of engraving and embellishment to make the pattern more gorgeous and exquisite.

5. Spray painting : When spray painting, chopsticks should be placed in a row on the turntable, and the speed and strength should be sprayed evenly , so that all chopsticks can be sprayed.

6. Drying : It usually takes one to two days for the surface paint to dry evenly.

Each of the above -mentioned processes needs to be carefully operated by the craftsmen to test the effect of each step. If there is a mistake in any part of the process, the chopsticks will be unsightly, and the previous efforts may be lost.

The third unit of Fuzhou lacquer chopsticks skill inheritor - Zhang Guotian

Zhang Guotian was born in a family of lacquer craftsmen and has the title of "The King of Chopsticks". Over the years, he has devoted himself to researching and improving traditional lacquer chopsticks skills, strictly following traditional craftsmanship, adhering to the spirit of ingenuity, leading 28 students across the country , and receiving more than 30 lectures for primary, middle and high school students every year , combining modern technology with traditional Fuzhou Combining the techniques of rebirth, he created the art of lacquer chopsticks belonging to his personal style, which was widely welcomed and the products sold well at home and abroad.

There is only one lacquer chopsticks factory that once spread all over Qi'an Village, Cangshan District, Fuzhou. The Cangshan Tiantian Chopsticks Factory in Fuzhou City, operated by Zhang Guotian, has a history of more than 50 years. It is the largest chopsticks factory in Fuzhou so far that has continuously passed down the skills of chopsticks and chopsticks. Most of the exquisite lacquered chopsticks produced are sold to Japan, Southeast Asia and Europe. The exquisite chopsticks were born from here, and after being packaged, they entered thousands of households, spreading the brilliance of Chinese chopstick culture.

In 2008 , Fuzhou chopsticks culture was included in the Fujian provincial-level intangible cultural heritage protection, and Zhang Guotian was rated as the first batch of provincial-level representative inheritors of the Fujian Province intangible cultural heritage project - lacquer chopsticks making craftsmanship. He believes that Fuzhou lacquer chopsticks have a long history, rich shapes, exquisite craftsmanship, profound heritage and wide influence. They are the crystallization of Fuzhou people's ideology and culture, and also a valuable material and spiritual cultural wealth for Fuzhou and Fujian people. Promote and inherit the lacquer chopsticks culture. There is a long way to go, and it is also our glorious mission. I hope more people will pay attention to and invest in this cause that is closely related to our lives!