Chinese Chopsticks: Origins & History

The Chinese character "箸" translates to "chopsticks", which are unique tableware invented by ancient Chinese civilizations during the Neolithic Age, from 7,000 to 6,000 BC. Ancient chopsticks were mainly made of animal bones. Today, among the various tableware available, chopsticks perfectly embody Chinese cultural characteristics, becoming an important symbol of Chinese tradition.

Meaning of Chinese Chopsticks

Chopsticks originated in China. Although simple, they are a great invention in the history of mankind. "Chopsticks, although they are just two pieces of wood, represent the lever theory in physics," said Dr. Li Zhengdao, a famous Chinese physicist. According to modern science, long-term use of chopsticks makes fingers flexible, which is beneficial to physical and mental health. They come in all kinds. Thus, among the various kitchen utensils available today, chopsticks with a lucky charm are very popular among the Chinese.

Chopsticks symbolize the centuries-old Chinese civilization and embody China's 5,000-year history. Whether Chinese people live in China or abroad, they cherish their connection with chopsticks.

"A chopstick can be easily broken, ten pairs of chopsticks hold each other tightly." People are familiar with this beautiful and enlightened song by Fu Disheng, a well-known singer in China. Indeed, a chopstick is so delicate that it can be easily broken. However, ten pairs of chopsticks possess a strength that is indestructible under any circumstances. This symbol of chopsticks reflects a spirit of unity, perseverance and power, which are strong values in China. This spirit that lives in chopsticks will always influence, inspire and encourage people.

In a word, chopsticks are part of Chinese gastronomic culture, which is centuries old.

The History of Chinese Chopsticks

One of the main features of Chinese culinary custom is the use of chopsticks. Chopsticks, also called "zhu" (箸) in ancient times, have a long history in China. The Book of Rites also recommended: "One cannot eat a meal without chopsticks." These objects, rich in centuries of history, appeared during the Sang Dynasty.

The Origin of Chinese Chopsticks

Lan Xiang, the curator of the Folk Chopsticks Pavilion, said that historical records date the ivory chopsticks to 3,100 years ago. As recorded in the records, "Zhou" (the emperor at the end of the Sang Dynasty) used the ivory chopsticks while Ji Zi, Zhou's uncle, was worried "because it was too luxurious." After the emperor killed the elephant to assert his power, he sawed the ivory to make chopsticks, which are known as the first chopsticks in history. However, historically, these were not the first chopsticks but the first ones made of ivory in China. Therefore, Chinese ivory chopsticks have a strong symbolism.

Chinese chopsticks have existed for almost 1,000 years before ivory chopsticks. The first chopsticks were made of bamboo because China was covered with primitive forests. Branches were broken to cook food in a pot. It was impossible to pick up the food by hand because the food was very hot. So, the Chinese found a way to use bamboo branches to pick up food. We assume that ancient chopsticks were different sizes from each other.

Since the Sang Dynasty, chopsticks have been the same length and size.

In ancient times, chopsticks were made of local materials such as branches, sticks, animal bones, and horns. Chopsticks were mainly made of wood and bamboo in primitive society. Ivory and jade chopsticks appeared in the Xiang and Sang dynasties, while copper and iron chopsticks appeared in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States (770-221 BC), flamboyant lacquer chopsticks, delicate silver and gold chopsticks in the Han-Wei and the Six Dynasties (the kingdom of Wu, Jing, Song, Qi, Liang, Chen). Today, there are chopsticks made of various materials, including ivory, rhinoceros horn, gilded ebony, and assorted jades.

Legends about Chinese Chopsticks

People who use chopsticks, including the Chinese, admire the invention, but no one knows who invented it. There is no precise data about the creator of this invention that has made significant contributions to human civilization. Some believe that the increase in illiteracy, among other reasons, explains this lack of information. There are, however, myths surrounding the birth of chopsticks. Here is a summary of two legends, centered on the origin of chopsticks:

The Legend of Jiang Ziya

The legend spread to areas such as Sichuan Province. It was said that Jiang Ziya was capable of nothing but fishing. He was so poor that his wife could not bear to live with him and planned to kill him to marry another.

One day, Jiang came home empty-handed after fishing. His wife said to him, "You must be hungry. I made some meat for you. Come and eat!" He was hungry, so he stretched out his hands to get the meat. Suddenly, a bird on the window pecked his hand. The pain made him scream. In his pain, Jiang tried to chase the bird away from the window but the bird pecked him a second time. Jiang was so confused, he didn't understand why the bird kept pecking at him. To understand, he tried to get the meat back but the same thing happened. He understood that it was because the bird was a divine bird and he chased it to send it to a hill so that no one could see it.

Perched on a bamboo branch, the divine bird sang, "Jiang Ziya, don't eat the meat with your bare hands, use what is under my feet." Hearing this, Jiang took two small sticks from the bamboo and went home. Then, he took the meat with the two sticks. After doing this, smoke came out of the bamboo. Jiang understood that the chopsticks were reacting to the poison his wife had poured into his food.

Jiang Ziya knew that the magic bamboo given by the divine bird could detect poison. Thus, he ate all his meals with them. After the incident, his wife no longer dared to poison his food, and his neighbors learned to eat with a bamboo branch. Later, more and more people followed this habit, so the custom of eating with chopsticks was passed down from generation to generation.

The Legend of Da Yu

This legend has spread throughout northeast China. It is said that Yao and Shun, mythical rulers of ancient China, ordered Da Yu to control a flood. After receiving the order, Yu vowed to eliminate the flood disaster. He tried his best to fight the flood day and night, to the point of not eating and sleeping, let alone resting.

Yu went to an island by boat where he was so hungry that he used an earthenware pot to cook the meat. Once the meat was well cooked in boiling water, he could not pick it up by hand and did not want to waste time waiting for it to cool down, so he took two branches to pick up the meat from the soup. He kept this habit to the point of becoming adept at picking up food with small sticks, which was imitated by his subordinates who understood that this way of eating could allow them not to touch hot and greasy food with their hands. Thus, the first types of chopsticks were born.

Although these legends were not historically accurate, they showed the way people thought in the past.

How to use Chinese chopsticks?

The correct use of chopsticks can be described as follows: the right hand holds the chopsticks with the thumb and index finger by pinching the upper end of the chopsticks and the other three fingers naturally hold the chopsticks, so the two ends of the chopsticks should remain aligned. Before the meal, the chopsticks are carefully placed to the right of the bowl and after the meal, in the middle of the bowl, in a vertical direction.

Taboos on Chopsticks

• Unexpected misfortune : Arranging chopsticks of unequal lengths on the table is considered an omen of misfortune.
• Immortal Guidance : If the chopsticks are pinched by the thumb, middle finger, ring finger and little finger while the index finger extends the hand, which refers to blame.
• Sucking chopsticks with a sound : Having a chopstick tip in your mouth and sucking it repeatedly with a sound is impolite behavior.
• Hit the cup : Banging plates and bowls is considered disrespectful and is looked down upon by others.
• Shake to make choices : Taking chopsticks to "dig" through plates is bad manners that are called "digging the grave".
• Food that flows : Dropping soup into other dishes or on the table when picking up food with chopsticks is considered disrespectful.
• Heaven and earth upside down : Using chopsticks upside down means you are a beggar.
  
• Key ring : Using a chopstick to stick food to plates is seen as humiliating to others at the table.
• Burning incense in public : Chopsticks should not be left upright in a bowl of rice, as this resembles the incense ritual which symbolizes "feeding" the dead.
• Cross : During the meal, chopsticks should not be crossed on a table as this is perceived negatively.
• The fall of the wands disturbs the immortal : During a meal, it is discourteous for chopsticks to accidentally fall to the ground, as falling chopsticks represents a disturbance to buried ancestors.

The materials of Chinese chopsticks

Chopsticks look simple and flexible, but they vary in types and composition. There are more than 100 types in Chinese history, the most common of which are wooden, bamboo and melamine. Lan Xiang divided Chinese chopsticks into five types according to his collection and research. They are: bamboo chopsticks, metal chopsticks, ivory and bone chopsticks, jade chopsticks and chemical chopsticks.

The earliest and most primitive, wooden and bamboo chopsticks, remain popular today (Discover our bamboo chinese chopsticks and our wooden chopsticks). Bamboo chopsticks are made from different types of bamboo including nandina bamboo, spotted bamboo, and phyllostachys pubescens, among others. Bamboo is considered a symbol of traditional Chinese values. It is an example of the harmony between nature and human beings. There are many bamboo accessories available, especially at Bamboo Calm with his bag collection.

Metal rods today are bronze, gold, silver, iron andstainless steel.

Ivory and bone chopsticks can be created from animals like cow, camel and elephant etc. Camel bones are often used in northern China.

The fourth type of chopstick is jade. The materials used vary from the use of white marble, white jade, emerald used by Empress Dowager Ci XI of the Qing Dynasty, as well as golden emerald. Check out our beautiful pair of Chinese Jade Chopsticks.

Advantage of eating with Chopsticks

• Using chopsticks makes it easier to eat more slowly and healthily. They pick up smaller portions of food than a fork or spoon, making it easier to gauge your fullness and avoid eating more than you're hungry for.
  

• Using chopsticks requires greater hand-eye and hand-brain coordination than eating with fingers, a fork, or a spoon. Chopsticks allow the hands to exercise different muscle groups and may improve brain development, including agility, during early childhood (Chinese Learning Chopsticks)