In the early days of human civilization, primitive people lived a life of "eating like fur and drinking like blood". Later, they discovered fire, found a way to cook food, and people began to eat cooked food. When cooking and eating cooked food, it is impossible to operate directly by hand, so sticks and branches are used as AIDS. These sticks and branches are the predecessors of chopsticks.

People in China are used to using chopsticks, while people in Africa, the Middle East, Indonesia and the Indian subcontinent grasp them with their fingers. At present, the earliest chopsticks found in China are copper chopsticks unearthed from Yin Ruins in Anyang City, Henan Province.

Chopsticks were called "chopsticks" in the early days, and the earliest description of "chopsticks" appeared in Han Feizi Yulao: "Ji Zi was afraid of being like chopsticks." The chronicle of the twelve princes in Historical Records also said: "It is like chopsticks, but it is like a basket." "Like chopsticks" here refers to ivory chopsticks.

Our chopsticks are round at one end and square at the other end, which has its connotation. The symbol of the circle is the sky, and the symbol of the square corresponds to the place where the sky is round; This is the basic principle for China people to understand the world. Secondly, when holding chopsticks, the thumb and forefinger are above, the ring finger and little finger are below, and the middle finger is in the middle, which is the image of three talents in heaven and earth. This is China people's understanding of the relationship between man and the world.

Chopsticks have a history of at least 3,000 years in China. Since chopsticks have a long history, there must be many stories related to chopsticks in the long history.

The folklore about chopsticks is as follows: First, Jiang Ziya was inspired by the divine bird and invented the bamboo chopsticks; Second, in order to please Zhou Wang, da ji invented chopsticks with hosta; Third, Dayu invented chopsticks with branches to save time in water control.

Chopsticks once surprised westerners who came to China for the first time. Matteo Ricci, a missionary in Wanli period, marveled at the complicated and prudent etiquette, exquisite and luxurious food and utensils held frequently in the late Ming Dynasty. He was particularly shocked that China people could easily put any kind of food, including boiled eggs, into their mouths without a knife and fork.

As tableware, chopsticks pay attention to etiquette. In the Ming Dynasty, Xu Zhenqing recorded a story in Victory News: Hanlin wanted to wait on Tang Su and have dinner with him. When he finishes eating, he will "bow to show respect", which is a kind of folk etiquette. Mao thought it could not be applied to the son of heaven, so he gave Tang the punishment of "sitting irreverently and guarding Haozhou".

Since our parents taught us to use chopsticks, there are many rules. If you are left-handed, you are generally not allowed to hold chopsticks with your left hand. My sister is left-handed. She was badly beaten by my father when she was a child, so she was forced to use chopsticks as her right hand. Why don't you give it to your left hand? Dad says it's because everyone uses their right hand. If you use your left hand alone, it will appear uncoordinated. Of course, this is my childhood impression, which may not be accurate.

Also, when preparing meals, chopsticks should be placed on the right side of the rice bowl, not crossed or thrown on the table; You can't wave chopsticks when eating, and you can't beat the plate with chopsticks. It is said that knocking on a plate is like a beggar knocking on a rice bowl and begging along the street. There is also a saying that tableware has something in common with a vicious curse, so it is taboo for people. It is very impolite to knock on the plate before or after a meal.

I still remember being naughty once in a while when I was a child and knocking on my job. First of all, I was scolded. I can't stop beating after scolding, so I'm impressed by knocking on my rice bowl.

There is also a well-known proverb that "one chopstick is easy to break, but one chopstick is difficult to break", which means that one chopstick is easy to break, and the other chopstick is not difficult to break, but when three or four chopsticks are put together, it is difficult to break, which means the power of unity. Chopsticks are like two brothers who work together, and they are a symbol of unity.

In addition, in some areas, people use the homonym of "chopsticks" to let the bride eat longan with red chopsticks to express the meaning of "having a baby early" and express people's good wishes.

To sum up, chopsticks in our daily life are not only a tool, but also a culture, which has been integrated into our blood.