中国饮食文化 chinese Catering Culture
礼仪为先
作为一个注重礼仪的国家，我们的饮食文化深深地扎根于我们的历史。在餐桌上尊重别人是优良的传统，如老人、师长和客人等，同时还要照顾好孩子。中国人总是强调孝顺。世世代代以来，人们总是把最好的食物首先敬献给家里的老人。
在中国，主人总是很友好、很热情，而你也应该向他们表示尊敬。在开始就餐之前，主人可能会说一些致辞。客人要等主人说“请自便”之类的话语之后再开始吃，要不然就会使人感到无礼或不悦。
一些重要场合
庆祝生日是人生中的重要场合之一。人们小时候过生日通常会在生日那天吃面条，因为在中国长长的面条象征着长寿。为老人祝寿的时候，还会用各式各样的桃子以及喜庆的对联、蜡烛等来象征长寿。
婚礼上常常会招待客人红枣、花生、桂圆和莲子，用来表达祝福新人“早生贵子”的美好愿望，因为这四种果实的发音连在一起与“早生贵子”谐音。
在中国中部，孩子出生的时候，高兴的父亲就会派送红鸡蛋来宣布这个好消息。
此外，春节的晚宴上总是有鱼，因为它象征“年年有鱼”，也就是繁荣和财富。
Etiquette first
As a country focusing on etiquette, our catering culture is deeply rooted in our history. It is a good tradition to take good care of the children and to show your respect to others,like the old, teachers and guests etc. when having dinner. Chinese people always emphasize on fealty. Across the generations people always provide the best food for the old.
In China, hosts are always friendly and hospital, and you should also show your respect to the hosts. Before having dinner, the hosts may address a speech. Guests cannot have dinner until the host says,”Help yourself”. Otherwise, your behavior may cause some impoliteness and unhappiness.
On some important occasion
Celebrating birthday is one of the most important occasions in one’s life. People always eat noodles on birthday when they are young, because the Chinese long noodles stand for longevity. When congratulating an elderly person on his birthday, people will choose various kinds of peaches, festive couplets, http://www.51lunwen.org/dxassignment/2012/0313/lw201203130918402917.html and candles to signify longevity.
In weeding ceremony, people always entertain guests with red dates, peanuts, longan, lotus seeds so as to express their sincere wish of a healthy baby, because the pronunciation of these four fruits is similar to Chinese
In central China, after the birth of the baby, the happy father will send ren eggs to relatives to spread this good news.
In addition, we can always see the fish in the spring festival dinner,which signifies””---prosperity and wealth.
