Japanese chopsticks how to use. How to hold Chinese chopsticks and how to eat with them correctly? Video: How to use chopsticks correctly

Chinese and Japanese food are becoming increasingly popular. The peculiarity of such delicacies is that standard utensils are usually not used for their consumption. While eating, it is customary to use special chopsticks called hashi. This cutlery It is actively used not only in Japan, but also in China, Vietnam and Korea. As a rule, Chinese hashi for sushi, rolls and other dishes are made of bone, wood, plastic or metal. Regardless of what material the chopsticks are made of, the main thing is to learn how to hold them in your hands and use them correctly.

Who came up with the idea of ​​using chopsticks?

Chopsticks are a traditional cutlery for a number of eastern countries. Khasi are a very ancient invention. According to archaeological research, the first such tools for eating appeared about 3 thousand years ago, during the reign of the Shang Dynasty. Despite the fact that Japan is traditionally considered the birthplace of Hashi, the cutlery was first found in China. By the way, the local population still calls such sticks not hasi, but kuaizi.

It is also remarkable that there are several legends and myths associated with the invention of sushi chopsticks. In some eastern countries There is a legend according to which the Khasi came up with and suggested using Yu. This is a clever emperor who wanted to take hot meat from the cauldron, but he had nothing with which to do it. Then he used chopsticks.

Interesting! It is generally accepted that the first Khashi were quite long, about 38 cm. Now this type chopsticks are used in household use, they are used for cooking. The usual chopsticks used for eating are somewhat shorter. Their length is usually 25 cm.

Chopsticks came to Japan only in the 12th century. The traditional device is made from bamboo. Many modern variations can safely be called a work of art. They are varnished, painted, decorated with various decorations, and inlaid with mother-of-pearl. It is not surprising that in many eastern countries chopsticks are considered a luxurious and presentable gift, which is often presented to dear people, newlyweds, and anniversaries.

There is another legend associated with the appearance of sticks. It says that Rikyo invented them. It is he who is considered the founder of the tea ceremony. The legend says: one day Rikyo went into the forest for brushwood. Something attracted him to a couple of branches. He peeled their bark. This is how chopsticks appeared. But in eastern countries they are a personal item, like a toothbrush or comb. That is why khasi is not given to strangers. For this purpose, disposable chopsticks for sushi and rolls are used.

Hashi in Japan, China and other countries in this region cannot be called a simple household item. This is a special thing. Surprisingly, local residents often use chopsticks in the process of developing and raising a child. They are believed to help develop a child's mental abilities and fine motor skills. That is why there is a unique holiday, which is usually called “First Sticks”. It is celebrated when one hundred days have passed since the baby’s birth and the parents allow him to try rice for the first time. On this significant date, the child is given his first sticks.

Types of sushi chopsticks

There are several varieties of hasi. Sushi chopsticks, without which no meal is complete in Japan, come in different varieties. There are 5 options in total:

  • cedar hasi;
  • Khasi from cryptometry;
  • “common” sticks (Gong Fai);
  • hashi for cooking;
  • varibashi.

Each option has its own unique features and is used for specific purposes. For example, hashi cedar always correctly pointed on both sides. These sticks are intended for eating fish and meat dishes.

Sharpened on one edge only hashi from cryptometry, as Japanese cedar sugi is often called.

There is another type of hashi for sushi. It's called Gong Fai. This is how “common” sushi chopsticks are usually designated. Why did this device acquire such an unusual name? The whole point is that these hashi are intended for transferring food from a common plate into individual dishes.

Note! Only a true Japanese can distinguish Gon Fai from other types of hashi, since the nuances in execution are practically unnoticed.

Regarding Waribashi, then these sushi hashi are disposable. These sticks are the most popular and widespread option in Japan. Such sticks are very familiar to all connoisseurs of Asian delicacies. As a rule, varibashi is served in a sushi bar or cafe. They are also brought along with sushi when ordering delicacies home. Varibashi are usually created on the basis of wood or budget plastic.

Another option for sushi chopsticks is for cooking. This type of hashi has a unique feature - it is about 30 cm long. With the help of this device, the Japanese usually stir the dish when it is cooked in a container with high walls.

The listed types of khasi are just a “drop in the ocean”. There are a huge number of varieties of chopsticks intended for sushi. Sticks are divided into separate groups for:

  • sweets;
  • New Year celebrations;
  • tea ceremonies.

The Japanese are especially sensitive to gift options for chopsticks. This device is created from the most different materials. Often, such sushi sticks are made from maple, bamboo, plum, cypress, pine wood, sandalwood, and ivory. Rarely, but still there are gift sticks made of high-quality plastic.

As a rule, non-trivial khasi, which are created as a gift, are covered with varnish or paint. They are often painted with hieroglyphs and decorated with all kinds of decorations. Their tip is distinguished by a pyramidal or conical cut.

How to hold sushi chopsticks correctly?

Learning to eat properly using special chopsticks is a true art. But if millions of Chinese and Japanese easily manage them when eating sushi, then the task is feasible for any person. You can learn to hold a simple device correctly. The main thing is to follow a few simple rules.

  1. It is very important to relax your hand correctly, not to stick your little finger out far to the side and not to strain your hand, and to hold the sticks calmly. All movements are measured, gentle, as free as possible.
  2. To hold the sushi chopsticks correctly, you will need to bend your pinky and ring fingers slightly, pressing them slightly together. Then take a stick, which must be held between the index and thumb. A certain level must be maintained. This is 1/3 of the top, thickest edge of the stick.
  3. When eating, hashi should not only be held, but fixed so that the chopsticks remain motionless. The device itself should be held on the ring finger.

As for the second stick from the open set, it can be used in two ways.

The first option is this: the stick is held like a writing pen. You need to hold it with your middle, thumb and index fingers.

The second option for using a stick involves gripping the instrument at 1/3 level from the top edge of the hashi. In this case, the stick is located on the first phalanx of the index finger. It is recommended to hold it with your middle and thumb almost in the center of the device. After all, it is necessary to allow it to move quite easily, without pressure and tension.

To freely take food from a plate using hashi in a similar technique, the chopsticks should be located at a distance of approximately 1.5 cm from each other at the top. Only the lower edges are closed, which should not knock on the plates or table surface.

Pay attention! Chopsticks must not be held in a fist. This is a sign of belligerence and aggressiveness.

In order to take food from a plate with chopsticks, you need to learn how to move them apart and connect them correctly. To do this, you just need to straighten and bend the middle and index fingers on your hand if necessary.

Video

If you want to learn even more about how to properly hold sushi chopsticks, watch this video.


I love Japanese dishes, but I don’t spoil myself often, so as not to get tired of the charm of the small culinary masterpieces of Asian cuisine.
What do you need to visit a Japanese restaurant? Money, mood and ability to hold sticks.

I think of the three points, the question can only arise about how to hold chopsticks for sushi and rolls.

But first

A little history...

Chopsticks(hashi/hashi)- a pair of small chopsticks, a traditional cutlery in East Asia. The four countries where chopsticks are predominantly used are China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam.

In Thailand, with the introduction of European cutlery into circulation in the 19th century by King Rama V, only noodles or soups are eaten with chopsticks

Hashi came to Japan from China in the 12th century and was made from bamboo.
The current separate form of chopsticks appeared in Japan during the Asuka period (593 - 710). By this time, their use had not yet become widespread. It was believed that immortal gods and emperors eat with chopsticks. According to Chinese chronicles, at that time only the imperial court and the Japanese aristocracy enjoyed Khasi, and the common people still ate with their hands. It was only by the Nara period that ordinary people also began to eat with chopsticks.

Since then, chopsticks for the Japanese are not only an everyday personal item (it is not customary to share them with others), but also a sacred symbol (the Japanese respectfully call them o-hashi). According to legend, they bring good luck and long life to the owner, so it is not surprising that Khasi are considered a good holiday gift.
For example, hashi is presented to newlyweds, implying the wish to be as inseparable as a pair of sticks.
They are given to a baby on the 100th day of his birth, when, during the “First Chopsticks” ceremony, adults give him the first taste of rice using chopsticks.
They also make gift sets of chopsticks for the whole family.

There are many types of hashi sticks: for regular food, for culinary purposes, for cakes and desserts. In addition, there are hashi for the New Year, the tea ceremony, and for sweets.

Modern khasis are made of bone, wood (bamboo, pine, cypress, plum, maple, black or purple sandalwood), and the material for them can also be silver, iron and aluminum. Recently, plastic has been used a lot. Occasionally there are sticks made of such exotic materials as ivory or deer antler, but this is rather an exception.
Metal chopsticks are used primarily for cooking and not as cutlery.

In Japan, one of the advantages of chopsticks over European cutlery is that “you don’t have to scratch your teeth with the pieces of iron.” Therefore, even in points catering Practical and durable metal chopsticks are not served. Disposable chopsticks are used instead Waribashi, which are made from a single, relatively roughly processed piece of wood, sawn along a little not completely - a sign that no one has used the chopsticks, so they need to be broken before use.
By the way, now most restaurants serve waribashi sticks made of plastic. They are designed for one-time use and are served along with the dish in a sterile sealed paper envelope ( hashi bukuro), which often turns out to be a real decoration and collectible. It can be painted with fancy designs, or it can contain a restaurant logo. This is much more hygienic than using reusable European cutlery.

There are many variations in shapes and sizes of reusable chopsticks ( nuribashi), which sometimes represent a real work of art: they are painted, varnished, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and decorated with various patterns. , round or square in cross-section with a conical or pyramidal point. Appearance The sticks are quite diverse: their cross-section can be round, oval, square, or with rounded corners. They come in pyramidal shapes, with thick or thin ends, flat...

Usually hashi is placed across in front of the device, horizontally. But, as a rule, there are special stands for chopsticks in Japan - Hasioki. This name is formed by adding the verbal noun oki from the verb oku - put, leave.

The chopsticks should be placed on the hasioki with their thin ends, so that they point to the left.
If there is no hasioka on the table - Khasi can be placed next to the edge of the plate or on the table.
Hasioki appeared in ancient times, when during ritual sacrifices, sticks intended for the gods were laid out on special stands so as not to desecrate them.
Hasioki are made from ceramics, wood and bamboo and are often of artistic value. Japanese chopstick stands are a collector's item in the West.

Choosing sticks

Use the sticks that suit you best. Just like every person needs their own clothing size, size and shape Khasi It’s also better to choose individually.


Previously, chopstick length was calculated based on the average height and palm size of men and women during the Edo period (1603 - 1867). Now people have become somewhat larger than then, and, accordingly, have changed standard sizes Khasi.
How to choose sticks of your size? Their usual length is one and a half times longer than the chitoate - the length of the imaginary hypotenuse formed when you fold your thumb and index finger at a right angle. The same value is used when determining where to take the sticks with your hand: for this, the distance of the chitoat is counted from the thin ends.

Instructions for use

Currently, about a third of the world's population uses chopsticks: residents of China, Japan, Southeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula, where sticky rice is traditionally the main food. Chopsticks are quite difficult to master, but for those who have learned to master them perfectly, they are a convenient and versatile cutlery.
The peculiarities of working with chopsticks determined the method of preparing Japanese dishes, served mainly in the form of small individual pieces, which you just need to pick up and put in your mouth.

Think of the chopsticks as a pair of tongs, made up of two different parts. One stick is held motionless, and the second one moves.

Use chopsticks like this:

So..

1. First, take one stick (one third of the way from the top end) between the thumb and index finger of your right hand. Hold the stick with your thumb and ring finger so that your index, middle and thumb form a ring. If the stick has one end thick and the other thin, hold it so that the thick part is at the top.
2. Take the second stick, placing it parallel to the first, at a distance of 15 mm. Hold it the way you usually hold a pencil: o) When the middle finger straightens, the sticks move apart.

3. Bring the chopsticks together by bending your index finger and pinch the food with the ends.

In addition, if the piece is too large, you can use chopsticks to separate it, but only very carefully.

And the main rule is not to strain your hand and fingers. Try to use the chopsticks freely - one stick should be motionless, and the other should move freely.

In practice it looks something like this :o)

Chinese/Japanese chopsticks for beginners and children


And for clarity, you can watch these videos


Of course, until you once try to hold the chopsticks in your hands, no instruction will teach you this. So practice eating with hashi chopsticks at home first. And if you don’t have chopsticks, pick up pencils and go ahead and explore Eastern culture.

Etiquette

Chopsticks have become an integral part of Japanese culture and history; their use is surrounded by a lot of conventions and ceremonies. Countless rules and good table manners in Japan cluster around chopsticks.

Chopsticks are only used to pick up food and put it in your mouth or on your plate. Any other manipulation with chopsticks may be considered inconsistent with etiquette. Etiquette related to chopsticks varies from country to country. characteristic features. The general part of the rules generally looks like this:

Do not knock on the table, plate or other objects with chopsticks to call the waiter

Do not draw on the table with chopsticks, do not wander aimlessly around the food with chopsticks. Before reaching for food with chopsticks, select a piece (this taboo behavior is called "mayoibashi")

Always take food from the top, do not poke around in the bowl with chopsticks in search of the best piece. If you touch food, eat. ("saguribashi")

When picking up food with chopsticks, your palms should always face down. Turning your hand over with your wrist and palm facing up is considered uncivil.

Do not stick food on chopsticks ("sashibashi")

Do not shake the chopsticks to cool the piece.

Don't put your face in the bowl or bring it too close to your mouth and then use chopsticks to push food into your mouth.

Do not compact food brought to your mouth using chopsticks.

- Try not to drip sauce from your chopsticks or food.

Don't lick the chopsticks. Don't just put chopsticks in your mouth

When not using chopsticks, place them with the sharp ends to the left

Never pass food with chopsticks to another person. ("futaribashi") into a plate or into someone else's chopsticks. This gesture is used for close relatives to place the bones of the deceased after cremation in an urn, and is taboo in all other cases.
And in Chinese etiquette, unlike the Japanese tradition, it is quite acceptable to pass food to loved ones (children, parents, relatives) with chopsticks if it is difficult or inconvenient for them to take the food themselves. In relation to elders, it is considered a sign of respect to pass food to them first, even before the meal begins (which corresponds to the Confucian tradition of respecting elders).

Never point or wave chopsticks in the air

Do not pull the plate towards you using chopsticks. Always pick it up. ("yosebashi")

Place your chopsticks on the table before asking for more rice

Do not clasp two chopsticks in your fist: the Japanese perceive this gesture as threatening

Never stick your chopsticks upside down into the rice. This is how they place it on the altar (including at home) during a memorial service. If you stick chopsticks in like this while eating, the Japanese become gloomy - according to legend, this means that someone will die soon... ("tatebashi")

Do not place chopsticks across the cup. After you have finished eating, place your chopsticks on the stand.
Well, in a Chinese restaurant, on the contrary, after finishing the meal, the chopsticks should be placed across the bowl, with the ends to the left - this is a sign that the meal is completed and no additional food is required.

- Use Khasi It’s not easy when you’re not used to it, so to avoid inconvenience, don’t hesitate to ask the waiter to show you how to use chopsticks correctly, and if it’s really hard, bring more familiar utensils - a fork or spoon.

But remember that, that you cannot eat sushi with a knife, this shows the owner that the prepared dish is tough, and it is impossible to do without a knife.

Or at a restaurant you can simply ask for training sticks. Such sticks are connected, and between them there is something like a spring. So these are more tongs than sticks. But they are very convenient to operate.

Knife and fork are used only for Western food. Spoons are sometimes used for Japanese dishes that are difficult to eat with chopsticks, such as Japanese curry rice. For soups, a Chinese-style ceramic spoon is used.

Interesting facts:

It is believed that chopsticks train small muscles that develop mental abilities, which is why in Japan people are taught to handle hashi from an early age. Japanese scientists consider instilling in children a desire to master chopsticks an important and relevant task for their country. Confirmation of the effectiveness of “exercises” with chopsticks is the statement of researchers that children who began to eat with the help of hasi immediately after they turned one year are ahead in development of their peers who were unable to part with spoons.

Many Asian chip manufacturers, when hiring staff to the factory, conduct a motor coordination test: you need to quickly assemble small beads with chopsticks.

By the way, in Japan, dishes (bowls for rice, soup, plates for other food) and serving items are divided into “male” and “female”. Sticks are no exception.

In China, chopsticks are called kuaizi. Kuaizi are square at the base so that they do not roll on the table. Their length is approximately 25 cm, and kitchen ones, usually bamboo, are one and a half times longer.

In Korea they eat with thin metal chopsticks. This is a unique custom of its kind - no other country Far East Where chopsticks are used, they are not made of metal (although chopsticks for cooking may be made of metal). Previously, Korean chopsticks were made of brass, now they are mainly made of stainless steel.

I hope that now you can easily use hashi chopsticks :o)


Based on materials from ru.wikipedia.org, izum.darievna.ru

History of Chinese chopsticks

The history of Chinese chopsticks goes back several thousand years. Scientists believe that they were first used in BC. According to one version, this happened during the reign of the Shang-Yin dynasty (approximately 1764 - 1027 BC). But the historical notes of Sima Qian, written during the Han Dynasty, say that Emperor Zhou used ivory chopsticks about 4,000 years ago. From this it follows that the first Chinese chopsticks appeared even before the Shang-Yin dynasty. Chinese chronicles indicate that in those days only the emperor and his entourage used chopsticks, and only in 700-800 AD did they enter the homes of the common people. There is a version that initially chopsticks were needed only when preparing food wrapped in leaves. It was with their help that cooks quickly and deftly moved hot stones and turned over pieces of meat, fish and vegetables. Later, sticks became a replacement for a long-handled scoop called a “bi.” If previously prepared food was removed from the dish with this spoon, then with the advent of chopsticks the need for it disappeared. Now the sticks are popular all over the world.

What types of chopsticks are there?

What the first chopsticks were made of can be guessed by their name " kuaizu", containing a root meaning "bamboo". The bamboo trunk was split in two, and its halves were folded, resulting in the sticks resembling tweezers. The separate form of kuaizu was acquired much later, and has remained in this form until our times.

Now chopsticks are made from the most various materials: plastic, bone, metal (including gold and silver). But most often, wood of various species is used for their production. Among them are pine, cypress, plum, maple, cedar, willow, black or purple sandalwood. Chopsticks can be disposable, like those served in Chinese, Japanese or Vietnamese restaurants, or reusable, which are purchased for constant use and stored at home along with other cutlery. Such kuaizu can be a real work of art: they are painted and varnished, decorated with ornaments and inlaid with metal and mother-of-pearl. The appearance of chopsticks is also varied: pyramidal in shape, with thick or thin ends, flat. Their cross-section can be round, oval, square, with rounded corners.

The tradition of eating with chopsticks from the Chinese was adopted by the Japanese, Koreans, Vietnamese and other peoples of the East, but this happened only in the 12th century. In each of these countries, chopsticks look different. Japanese hashi are also made of wood, but they are shorter than Chinese kuaizu and have more pointed ends. Koreans eat with very thin chopsticks, made mostly of metal.

How to hold Chinese chopsticks correctly?

Characteristic dishes have their own cutlery. You wouldn't eat soup with a fork, would you? In this article we will learn how to use Chinese chopsticks. It's not difficult at all.

1. First, take one stick (at a distance of one third from the upper end) between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. Hold the stick with the thumb and ring fingers so that the index, middle and thumb form a ring.

2. The second stick is taken, placing it parallel to the first, at a distance of 15 mm. When the middle finger straightens, the sticks move apart.

3. They bring the sticks together, bending the index finger, and pinch with the tips what they want to put into the mouth. In addition, if the piece is too large, you can use chopsticks to separate it, but only very carefully.

Table culture.

Since Chinese chopsticks are part of the culture, there are certain table manners when using them.

Do not tap your chopsticks on the table, plate or other objects to call the waiter.
- Don’t “draw” on the table with chopsticks, don’t “wander” aimlessly around the food with chopsticks. Before you reach for your chopsticks, choose a piece.
- Always take food from the top, do not poke around in the bowl with chopsticks in search of the best piece. If you touch food, eat.
- Do not stick food on sticks.
- Do not shake the chopsticks to cool the piece.
- Do not put your face in the bowl or bring it too close to your mouth and then use chopsticks to stuff food into your mouth. Do not compact food brought to your mouth using chopsticks.
- Don't lick the chopsticks. Don't just keep chopsticks in your mouth.
When not using chopsticks, place them with the sharp ends to the left.
- Never pass food with chopsticks to another person.
- Never point or wave chopsticks in the air.
- Do not pull the plate towards you using chopsticks. Always pick it up.
- Before asking for more rice, put your chopsticks on the table.
- Do not clasp two chopsticks in your fist: the Japanese perceive this gesture as threatening.
- Never stick your chopsticks into the rice. This is prohibited and is only served to the dead before a funeral.
- Do not place chopsticks across the cup. After you have finished eating, place your chopsticks on the rack.

VIDEO LESSON


Coming to a restaurant, today we have the opportunity to try the culinary delights of any country in the world. And quite often the choice falls on dishes oriental cuisine. And, as a rule, you need to eat them according to your own rules and traditions.

In the East, it is customary to eat food using special utensils - Chinese chopsticks. They are called that because they were first used in China, and only then they came into use in other Asian countries. These chopsticks are used to eat in China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Taiwan and other countries. Residents of these countries learn to handle them from an early age and have no problems using them. What should we do if we are in an oriental restaurant or, even worse, abroad, but we don’t know how to use them? In order to avoid getting into an uncomfortable situation, you just need to understand how to use Chinese chopsticks and learn how to do it.

But before we begin to consider the technique of using these devices, we should say a few words about the etiquette associated with them. According to the rules adopted in Asian countries, you cannot hit different objects with chopsticks. They should not be licked or used as a pointer. You also don't need to grab anything with the hand you're holding. You can't stick them anywhere - they only do that at funerals.

Children should not play with them or use them as toys. Although a child is taught how to hold Chinese ones and how to use them from the moment he is one year old. After all, it is believed that this affects mental abilities, because... develops motor skills.

The sticks themselves can be completely different: round and square, disposable or for permanent use, just pieces of wood or beautifully decorated and varnished. The only thing that is the same is the technique of using them.

So, let's look at how to hold Chinese chopsticks and how to eat them.

The first thing you need to remember is that your hands should be relaxed and your movements should be calm and smooth, then the result will not be long in coming.

The hand position should be like this:

  • The little finger should be pressed against the ring finger.
  • The index and middle fingers are slightly moved forward.
  • The first stick is located in the recess between the large one and its lower end rests on It must be well fixed, because will be motionless.
  • The second stick is placed on top and held with the thumb, index and middle fingers. To be more precise, it should rest on the first phalanx of the index finger and the third phalanx of the middle finger, and should be held with the tip of the thumb. Or you can hold it the same way you hold a pen.
  • Adjust the length of the chopsticks by tapping them on the plate - they should be the same length.
  • Rotate the top one - press it and roll it along the index finger to the second knuckle.
  • The ends of both sticks should be connected when moving.

At the same time, while you are learning how to hold chopsticks, prepare several pieces of food - from larger ones to smaller ones - and practice gripping these foods with them. Mastering this accessory is not difficult at all. All you need is desire and perseverance.

Gradually, with practice, you will learn not only how to masterfully wield and hold them in your hands, but also be able to beautifully show your friends and family how to eat with Chinese chopsticks. You can even eat rice one grain at a time!

In conclusion, I would like to add that, because This device is individual, then to understand how to hold Chinese chopsticks and learn to eat with them - the process is also individual for everyone and requires practice and attention from the person.

Lastly. In China, this attribute is given as a gift New Year with best wishes for the coming year. And in Japan they are presented to newlyweds at their wedding, implying that the couple will always be together, just like these two sticks.

Every Chinese resident has known since school about the “four great inventions” that were invented by the Chinese. Among them: paper, gunpowder, compass, printing. Unofficially, fifth in a row are chopsticks. Residents of China know exactly how to hold it correctly and consider this device more civilized than other cutlery, since when using chopsticks several dozen muscles and more than 30 joints work.

According to archaeological research in China, chopsticks, called “weisheng kuaizi” (in Chinese), were invented about 3 thousand years ago by the legendary ancestor Yu, who took out hot meat. This ancestor knew exactly how to hold Chinese chopsticks correctly.

In the past, they were indicators of the owner's social status. Ordinary people ate with bamboo sticks. Richer people ate with sandalwood chopsticks. The nobility and merchants had ivory sticks. And the emperor and his governors had silver sticks. Silver, in contact with poison, darkens, so the sticks will warn the owner at a dangerous moment.

Currently, materials such as wood, metal, ivory, and plastic are used to make sticks.

Kuaizi are made about 25cm long and square at the base so that they do not roll on the table surface. Kitchen chopsticks are made from bamboo one and a half times longer.

In Japan

Chopsticks are called “hashi” in Japan. At first, only noble aristocrats used khasi; other people ate it with their hands. For the Japanese, chopsticks are a sacred symbol; hashi is believed to bring long life and good luck.

Modern khasis are made from ivory or plastic. Also used for this purpose are bamboo, pine, cypress, plum, maple, black or purple sandalwood. Khasi can be decorated with various designs, with a square or round cross-section, and the point can be conical or pyramidal.

Disposable wooden hashi is served in a special paper case, which often ends up in a collector's treasury as it is a true decoration. It can have either a fancy design or a restaurant logo.

Korea is the only country in the Far East that uses chopsticks and makes them from metal. Previously it was brass, now they are made of stainless steel.

Methods of application

Upon arrival in China or Japan, the first thing visiting travelers learn is how to properly use Chinese chopsticks.

1) One stick is placed in the right hand, using the index finger and thumb, at a distance of two thirds from the lower thin end. Hold it with the ring finger and thumb. In this case, large, medium and should form a circle.

2) Another stick is placed parallel to the first. When straightening the middle finger, the sticks move apart.

3) When you bend your index finger, the chopsticks are brought together, while grasping a piece of food. It is very important how to hold Chinese chopsticks correctly.

Connection of centuries and peoples

The most important thing you need to know when coming to China or Japan is how to eat with chopsticks correctly. The process of eating with Chinese chopsticks is most often meditative, since they can only pick up small pieces of food. Therefore, at any degree of hunger, a person will eat less with chopsticks. In the East, food is always connected with the energy existing in it. It is believed that when eating with chopsticks made from natural materials, a person’s energy mixes with the energy of the food, preparing it for use by that particular person. At the same time, food, as a supplier of energy for humans, is absorbed much better, increasing the efficiency of the product.

The same functions are inherent in Russian wooden spoons. According to the historically established version of the shape of a wooden spoon, there is a cone-shaped protrusion between the handle of the spoon and the scoop itself. From Russian legends it is known that flowing down the handle of a spoon, it accumulates in this cone, collecting as much as possible, pours into the spoon and covers the food.

Modern souvenir spoons are most often made without this cone. These spoons do not act as a conductor of energy during meals. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention especially to people on a diet who are watching their weight. It will be useful for these people to learn how to hold Chinese chopsticks correctly.