筷子

筷子

筷子是中国饮食文化的标志之一，也是世界上常用餐具之一。中国人使用筷子至少有3000年历史。对中国人来说，筷子不只是常用的餐具，还承载着丰富的传统文化内涵：筷子两根为一双，中国人在使用筷子夹菜时，是一根主动，主动的为阳，一根从动，从动的为阴，这体现了阴阳学说；筷子的标准长度是七寸六分，代表人有七情六欲；筷子一头方一头圆，体现了“天圆地方”的传统观念。

自古代起，筷子逐渐流传到周边国家，成为东亚、东南亚地区许多国家的进餐工具。最早把筷子介绍到欧洲的是意大利人利玛窦（1552—1610），现在西方很多家庭都备有筷子，在德国还有一所“筷子博物馆”，里面收藏有上千种不同历史时期的筷子。今天，使用筷子不再是中国人的专利，筷子已经成为传递东方饮食文化的独特载体。

Chopsticks

Chopsticks are a symbol of Chinese culinary culture. They are also one of the most commonly used utensils in the world. The use of chopsticks can be traced back more than 3,000 years. Chopsticks are not just utensils; they also carry rich meanings. They are used in pairs, with one stick held steady while the other moves, representing the philosophical concept of yin and yang. The length of chopsticks is typically seven cun and six fen (approximately 7.66 inches), representing the seven emotions and six desires of human beings. They are usually square at the handle and round at the tip, reflecting the traditional concept of "heaven is round and earth is square".

Chopsticks gradually spread to neighboring countries in ancient times and have become dining tools in many countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia. The first person to introduce chopsticks to Europe was Italian missionary Matteo Ricci (1552-1610). Today, many Western families have chopsticks, and in Germany, there is even a "Chopstick Museum" that houses thousands of chopsticks from different historical periods. While representing Eastern culinary culture, using chopsticks is no longer exclusive to the Chinese.