论中西饮食文化差异

Analysis the Differences Between Chinese and W estern Dietary Cultures浅析中西饮食文化差异外语系1101班11403127 周微AbstractDiet is absolutely necessary in the life of mankind, and even in the existence or development. Because of the differences between Chinese and western cultural traditions, the Chinese and western dietary cultures are different in concept, target, pattern, attribution and nature. We study these differences and then find out the points that can be digested, in order to facilitate the communication about cultures between China and the west. Taiwan Professor Zhang Qijun said, “The old saying, 'Eat, drink, man, woman who wishes greatly'. For such a standard fair, western culture (in particular, modern American culture) can be said to be male and female culture. But the Chinese culture can be said to be a dietary culture. "As the reason of the cultural traditions, the western lives tend to men and women, but because of the narrow gender relations, Chinese people are dumping guidance on life in the restaurants. Thus the diet is rich in culture. Food culture in the west is not developed enough, but this underdevelopment itself is the result of the development of a culture, so it is still significant to study the dietary cultures of Chinese and Western diet. By the analysis of the differences between Chinese and western dietary cultures, we can comprehend the respective cultural traditions of China and the west. And we can also improve and create the culture of China.Key W ordsdietary culture; cultural tradition; differences摘要饮食是人类生活、生存与发展的必需，可是由于中西方文化传统的差异，导致了中西方饮食文化在观念、对象、方式、归属与性质方面产生了差异，研究这些差异，找出可以融会贯通的地方，促进中西文化交流。

台湾张起钧教授说过“古语说‘饮食男女人之大欲存焉’。

就这样的标准而论，西方文化（特别是近代美国式的文化）可说是男女文化，而中国可说是一种饮食文化。

”由于文化传统的缘故，西方人的人生倾向男女关系，而中国人由于对男女关系的褊狭，把人生精力倾泄导向于饮食。

由此赋予饮食以丰富的文化内涵，虽然饮食文化在西方不够发达，但这种不发达本身也是一种文化发展的结果，所以对中西饮食文化的比较仍有意义。

通过对中西饮食文化差异的分析，我们可以了解中西方各自的文化传统；同时能对中国文化进行改善与创新。

关键词饮食文化;文化传统;差异IntroductionOnce there is a saying that "Food is eating well-deserved for human life”,so food is an indispensable condition for the survival and development of human beings. There are two desires in life: one is feasting them to survive; and another is the lust ofmen and women, which can help the mankind to carry on the family line. Facing the two desires, China pays more attention to the former, while the west tends to the latter. Such phenomenon affects the cultural trend. Diet is actually the contents of our daily lives, but why we call it culture? That is because the diet has special status in the Chinese culture, and it also has a great distinction between China and the west.Receiving the influence of respective cultural tradition, the Chinese and western dietary culture has had different characteristic. The differences in concepts, targets, patterns, attribution and nature had reflected the different dietary culture in the different state characteristic; such characteristic has enriched the research value of dietary culture. Studying these cultural differences, we can find out a joint enhancing the communication between China and the west through a comprehensive study of the subject. It may be a great help to the communication of the Chinese and western cultures.I. Differences in ConceptsGreeting by asking your meal in China.It is a very common practice we Chinese people say "Have you had your meal?" when they meet each other around the time before or after meals. Sometimes they even ask this question everywhere even in toilets。

In fact, it is a kind of greeting to communicate with each other. But foreigners cannot understand that because they think why you ask me this. They tend to think you want to invite me to dinner or I am not rich enough to feed myself regularly but that is my business not yours. Chinese think food is very important and essential to people so it shows some care and concern about you.So chinese and western have difference sense of food.The Chinese and western diet have the differences that cannot be ignored in concepts. Nobody will deny that the Western diet is a rational concept, regardless of the color of food, incense, flavor and shape, but nutrition must be assured. It cares about the intake of calories, vitamins, protein and so on during a day. Comparing with the Chinese diet, western diet tastes stereotyped, as simple as chewing the candle, but the sense tells them: We must eat them all because of the nutrition. And then they put it bluntly, just like refueling machine.The concept of western diet is compatible with the whole western philosophy. Metaphysics is the main feature of western philosophy. Such kind of philosophy brings vitality to western culture, so the natural sciences, psychology and methodology achieve a rapid development. In some other aspects, such philosophy proposition is a significantly obstacle, such as the dietary culture, which is the inevitable thing to drop behind, and just the metaphysics of methodology marks everywhere. In celebration, it stresses tableware, stresses the staple, stresses the servings, and stresses the color and shape mix of raw materials. But no matter how luxurious the grade is; from Los Angeles to New Y ork, only one taste of steak, it is no art to speak of. And as dishes, the chicken is chicken; steak is steak, even in groups, which are also conducted in a shallow dish. In a dish of "French Muttonchops", one side is potato mud, and muttonchops sits next to it, another side is allocation of cooking beans, and plus a few tablets of tomato. Color is on clear, but the tastes of thevarious materials are separated, not to reconcile, and the entire flavor is also simple and clear.II. Differences in targetsChinese people consider the vegetables as the main dish; it has inextricably linked with the advocacy of Buddhists. They deem animals as "people" and plants have "no soul." So, they advocate vegetarianism. Westerners do not seem to have such a good habit. They uphold a cultural origin of nomadic, seafaring nation. Living mainly by fishing and hunting, collection and planting are just the complement. There are more meat dishes in their lives. Feeding, clothing, and using are taken from the animals, and even Western medicine is derived from animals. When the westerners introduce the diet characteristics of their countries, they always feel that their diet is more reasonable on the mix of nutrition than China. The food industry is more developed, such as cans, fast food, although the taste is monotonous, but it saves time, and it also has good nutrition. Therefore, in their countries: people are generally healthier and taller than Chinese, and the people have strong shoulders and developed muscles; but Chinese people look short, their shoulders narrow and legs thin, their skin yellow and their body weak. The differences between Chinese and western food for Westerners to judge the merits of the two diet is not justified. Mr. Sun Y at-sen had profound study of the culture of food and incisive exposition. In his composing The Scheme for National Reconstruction, detailing the differences between Chinese and Western diet phenomenon, he concludes: "Chinese ordinary people drink green tea, and eat simple food such as vegetables and tofu for meal. Such kinds of food are the most healthy and beneficial according to the research of hygienist. Therefore, the remote people in china, whose diet are far from meat and wine, always live a long life. Also China has a big population, and Chinese people have enormous power to resist disease, but they never try the non-diet. “He added:" The C hinese vegetarians all eat tofu. Tofu is expected as the real meat in plants, as it has the nutrition that meat has. It is the meat without toxic materials. So the Chinese are vegetarian used to be a custom without the promotion of scholars. It is also a custom that the European and American drink thick Wine, eat meat and fish. So there was science promotion before and a severe law later, such as the United States Prohibition. And the transfer will not carry out in a short time. "Mr. Sun’s words tell out th e scientific benefits of Chinese diet and disadvantages of Western diet.III.Differences in the NatureDifferences in the nature of the Chinese and western diet are inosculated with the respective lifestyle and the pace of life. In the west, people do the duplication of pipeline operations, and implement piece-wage system, so the paces of their lives are so fast. People fall under the mechanical method either intentionally or unintentionally, and believe that "Work is work, and game is game." Mechanical lives led to oneness of diet or a single blind about diet, and eat beefsteak and potatoes every day. Monotonous diet is the same as work, for which the purposes is to fulfill the "incident", naturally with no interests, and all these have no word in terms of taste.But China is not, "The game is work, and the work is of a game”. Such life manner is also emerged in diet. A baker sells bread in the street, he likes using the rolling pole to beat the chopping board rhythmically when they knead flour. When the cooks fry a dish, even beating scoop, they also care the sense of rhythm during cooking. These would not work for any conveniences, but it increases the interests of workers. Only in such an atmosphere work will be meaningful, and it will have more creativity and artistry of Chinese cuisine.There still exist various differences between Chinese and western dietary cultures. But with the development of cultural communication between China and the west, along with the strengthening of communication between China and the west, China has imported various kinds of western food, known as the "KFC" "DICOS", "McDonald". This marks a new western dietary culture exchanges and infiltration. We believe that with the development of society, the cultural differences between Chinese and western dietary will no longer be the difference.ConclusionBy the text from this thesis, we can easily find that there still exist various differences between Chinese and western dietary cultures. But with the developme nt of cultural communication between China and the west, along with the strengthening of communication between China and the west, China has imported various kinds of western food, known as the "KFC" "DICOS", "McDonald". These mark a new western food culture exchanges and infiltration.China is the country of a long history with an ancient culture, and enriching in cultural traditions. She feeds the 1.3 billion Chinese people, and Chinese culture is very inclusive; in the course of development it absorbs a lot of different cultures. Moreover, now China does more efforts to draw all the outstanding achievements in the World. China's reform and opening up policy create the conditions on international relations and cultural exchanges. We need to use such an opportunity to absorb the excellent cultures from other countries, to develop and create China's new culture.This work can make the world to know China better and let China go to the world.Bibliography[1] 刘枋.吃的艺术[M].山东:山东画报出版社,2003.[2] 刘玫君，陈加真.出国点菜不求人---别人不会告诉你的旅行智慧[M].北京:中国旅游出版社，2005.[3] 马文.哈里斯(美).好吃:食物与文化之迷[M].山东:山东画报出版社,2001.[4] 苏珊.罗德里格.亨特.巴黎:一席浮动的豪宴[M].北京:生活.读书.新知三联书店,2004.[5] 徐先玲,李祖状.西方饮食文化[M].北京：中国戏剧出版社, 2005.[6] 张茗阳.食物改变你的一生[M].上海:学林出版社, 2003.。