Chopsticks versus forks?
Why are chopsticks the main eating utensil in many Asian cultures, but forks and knives serve the same purpose in many European cultures, and those descended from European cultures?
Note: good answers will reference solid historical or anthropological facts or resources, not just be speculation.
Best Answer
Why have chopsticks been adapted as the primary utensil of choice:
The answer I've been taught my whole life (and I'm Chinese) was that Confucius believed that forks and knives promoted a sort of violence when eating and that it was best to keep weapons off of the dinner table and promote a gentleness when eating. This would follow his philosophical teachings.
Where do chopsticks come from:
The origin of the chopstick itself is fairly unknown, but believed to be an evolution of the ancient chinese who would roast meats over/in coals and use long sticks to fish them out. As food and fuel became more scarce food was cut into smaller pieces to cook more quickly and smaller sticks were needed to pick up the food.
History of chopsticks: http://www.asianartmall.com/chopstickshistory.htm http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2009/08/the-history-of-chopsticks/
Confucius and Chopsticks: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-01/09/content_297513.htm
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Quick Answer about "Chopsticks versus forks?"
Every group prefer forks over chopsticks, though people in the Western United States are much more likely to prefer chopsticks, with 40% of people in the West rejecting forks in favor of chopsticks. People in the South (83%) are the most likely to prefer forks and knives.What is better chopsticks or fork?
Eating with chopsticks forces you to eat more slowly and mindfully, which often leads to feeling more satisfied with less food. How? 1) You can't pile food onto a chopstick, at least with the same ease, as with a spoon or fork. 2) By default, each mouthful is smaller.Why do Japanese use chopsticks instead of forks?
The honourable and upright man keeps well away from both the slaughterhouse and the kitchen. And he allows no knives on his table. It was due to this that it's believed that Chinese chopsticks are traditionally blunt at the tip and thus somewhat poor choices to try to spear food as you would with a fork.Do Chinese use forks or chopsticks?
Despite how common they are in China, dining tables do not have knives or forks. Knives and forks are much less common in the West, and chopsticks are still used by the Chinese a century after they were introduced. A jar of dinner forks was found at the Majiayao cultural site in 3500 BC.Why do Asians use chopsticks instead of silverware?
400 that people began eating with the utensils. This happened when a population boom across China sapped resources and forced cooks to develop cost-saving habits. They began chopping food into smaller pieces that required less cooking fuel\u2014and happened to be perfect for the tweezers-like grip of chopsticks.Chopsticks vs. Forks [DISH BATTLE]
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