Traditionally, at dinner, Chinese people sit in a circle at a round table while the dishes are placed in the middle of the table to be shared by all. In more health-conscious environments, only “public” chopsticks and spoons are used to remove food from the plates in the middle of the dining table, so as to prevent any possible spread of diseases. In China, a standard banquet usually consists of four to eight prepared cold dishes, eight hot dishes, two to four whole-size showpiece dishes (such as a whole fish, a whole chicken), as well as soup, steamed rice and pastries, and fresh fruit for dessert.

Often beer, yellow rice wine and strong white liquor are served at a Chinese banquet. During the meal, you can hear people saying “Gan Bei” when toasting each other, which means “cheers” or “bottom up”. People “Gan Bei” to communicate the message that they are sincere and joyful.

While Eating

Like Chinese etiquette in other areas, if a foreign guest broke one or two of these rules it’s not likely that a Chinese person would be offended. Many Chinese people are even impressed if non-asian foreigners can use chopsticks.
- Do not play with your chopsticks.
- Do not leave your chopsticks sticking out of your food.
- Do slurp your soup. Chinese people don’t mind some noise while eating.
- If you are at a “feast” then you do not need to finish all the rice in your dish.
- If you are eating a small meal with family then do finish the rice that you take.
- Do leave bones, shells or other things you don’t want to eat on your plate or on the table.
- Do help yourself to the food.
- Do not be too quiet.

The Bill

By breaking these rules you could potentially offend someone. In China the bill is payed once by one person and then next time by the other person and this process continues. Leaving some personal debt between friends, family or business contacts keeps the relationship strong and ongoing.

- Do offer to pay the bill.
- DO NOT split the bill.
- You do not have to pay the bill. Usually if you are a guest of a Chinese person they will insist on paying the bill.
- Do pay the bill the next time, or if you did pay the bill the first time then do let them pay the bill the next time.
- Do not tip any of the restaurant staff.

Rules for Drinking:

Rules for drinking are less clear cut. The rules can vary based on the situation and can also based on which part of China you are drinking in. In general, people in Northern China drink more than people in Southern China.

- If you are drinking beer and someone says “gānbēi” (干杯, dry the glass, cheers) to you, you should drink the whole glass. If you are not sure about that then just take their lead.
- If you are drinking white liquor (白酒, báijiǔ) then just take a sip of liquor from the glass when you “gan bei” with somebody.
- If you are with a group of people that you have just met you should “gan bei” to each of them individually.
- Sometimes Chinese people will get drunk during supper. They can get just as drunk during supper and Kareoke as “wàiguórén” (外国人, foreigners) can during parties and at bars.
- Having open liquor on the street is legal but it just doesn’t look good.

www.synotrip.com/china/food/quick-tips-on-dining-etiquette-760.shtml

Thanks Demoore! It's quite useful and interesting. It helps us know better about Chinese dinning and their people and culture.

Please share more cultural cases with us. I believe that everybody would like to enjoy them

You're welcome Laeticia, it would be a pleasure to put the Chinese Dining Etiquette in practice with you...

THanks , i want learn this because is another country and another culture , and i love this asian people and i dont want be a bad person

it's very interrsting.And it's the same in senegal but the defference is in senegal people eat with their rigth hand. Ho I forget to present me Iam senegalese and I fell in love CHINE you can see my profil pease can you send me informations in their studies. thanks

merci, Bob
lovely article
i went two weeks ago to have lunch at my first chinese restaurant and i managed to use the chopsticks from the very first time; good sign, right? though i guess it will take a lot more till i master chinese; an eternity...
waiting for more cultural input
Nona

demoore, these are certified! hehe..
one more thing, if you broke any of these rules, they'll get offended, and they mean it...

What about putting food in your mouth and spittinbg out what you don;'t eat, like the shrimps shell or the fish brain/bone/eyes. To this Meiguórén it's pretty disgusting. Is this acceptable from the younger Chinese generation or just the elders?