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Where to Eat 
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Table manners
 The
main difference between Chinese and Western eating habits is that
unlike the West, where everyone has their own plate of food, in China
the dishes are placed on the table and everybody shares. If you are
being treated by a Chinese host, be prepared for a ton of food. Chinese
are very proud of their culture of food and will do their best to
give you a taste of many different types of cuisine. If it is a banquet
or a very formal occasion, there is likely to be a huge amount of
food that will be impossible to finish.
A typical meal starts with some cold dishes, like boiled peanuts and
smashed cucumber with garlic. These are followed by the main courses,
hot meat and vegetable dishes. Finally soup is brought out, which
is followed by the starchy "staple" food, which is usually
rice or noodles or sometimes dumplings. Many Chinese eat  rice
(or noodles or whatever) last, but if you like to have your rice together
with other dishes, you should say so early on.
One thing to be aware of is that when eating with a Chinese host,
you may find that the person is using their chopsticks to put food
in your bowl or plate. This is a sign of politeness. The appropriate
thing to do would be to eat the whatever-it-is and say how yummy it
is. If you feel uncomfortable with this, you can just say a polite
thank you and leave the food there, and maybe cover it up with a little
rice when they are not looking. There is a certain amount of leniency
involved when dealing with Westerners, so you won't be chastised.
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2001 By China Daily Information. All rights reserved. 