Why did the Chinese start to use chopsticks?

Question

It would be exciting to discover why people started using chopsticks to eat rice. Why did the Chinese start to use chopsticks to eat their food?

Answer 1

In short, the use of the chopsticks for eating can be traced to the China population boom and the teaching of Confucius against making the knife part of their eating utensils.

1. Origin of the Chopsticks

The first chopsticks were created in China between 4,000-5,000 years ago, but were mainly used for cooking purpose because they were suitable for reaching the bottom of pots filled with hot oil or water. There were mostly carved from twigs. Population boom across China was one of the major reasons chopsticks came into use. Cooking utensils became very scarce following the population boom. So people started cutting foods into very small parts to accelerate the rate of cooking. The very tiny morsels eliminated the need for knives, as there was little or nothing to cut. Nevertheless, eating with chopsticks became a way of life. Making the chopsticks were neither expensive nor difficult. This was the birth of the era of eating with chopsticks.

2. Teaching of Confucius

The teachings of Confucius also contributed to the decline in the use of table knives in this part of the world at that time. He was of the beliefs that eating with knives was never proper. In the words of Confucius, "The upright and honorable man stays away from both the kitchen and the slaughterhouse. Such a man never allows any knives on his dining table."

This is the reason why all traditional Chinese chopsticks are always made to be blunt at the tip and a very poor alternative to knives and forks.

Answer 2

Why did the Chinese start to use chopsticks? Actually, chopsticks are not only used by Chinese.

In many countries, chopsticks are very important part of human existence, though you can always request for a fork or knife if you can't use them easily.

In Asian tradition, in countries where chopsticks are used, you hold the chopstick in your right hand, and a bowl of rice in your left hand. So despite the fact that using a spoon is quite okay, chopsticks enable you grab the pieces of all the other foods you eat with your rice.

In Japan, we use them often as well, and sincerely speaking, I cannot imagine a life without using my chopsticks...! The style of cooking adopted in Europe and America made the use of the fork and knife quite necessary for eating. It was either you use two knives or you use your fingers, one to spear and the other to cut. The knife used for spearing has evolved into the fork over time. The fork seems to be more convenient and efficient.