Abstract

Along with China’s entry to WTO, international trade and cross-culture communication become more and more popular. Table manners occupy important position in the cross-cultural communication. The international and domestic authorities already had extensive researches of cultural differences of table manners between Chinese and the westerners. It is easy to find that chopsticks instead of western knife and fork are the most obvious difference of table manners. However, that is only superficial. Moreover, there are various differences of table manners that need us to have a deep study. This thesis gives a better acquaintance with the differences of table manners, cultural differences and the ralationship between them. Through an analysis of the differences of seat arrangement, tablewares and behavious during the meal, we study the huge cultural differences between Chinese and the westerners. In this thesis, there are three big culture differences: differences of the traditional noble and humble ideas, the method of thinking and the values. This paper also puts forwards some suggestions for everyone to avoid or deal with conflicts easily and to establish a correct attitude towards the cultural differences of table manners between Chinese and the westerners.

Key Words: table manners  cultural differences  Chinese and the westerners

摘  要

    随着中国加入世界贸易组织，国际贸易与跨文化交际越来越频繁，餐桌礼仪在跨文化交际中显得十分重要。古今中外已经有许多关于中西餐桌礼仪文化差异的研究。其中，筷子与刀叉是最大的不同。然而，餐具的不同只是表面的, 有更多的餐桌礼仪差异等待我们进一步的研究。这篇论文让读者对餐桌礼仪差异，文化差异，以及两者之间的关系有个更好的理解。通过对中西餐桌位置的安排，餐具的摆放使用，用餐过程中谈吐举止的对比研究分析，学习中西文化差异。本文提到三大中西文化差异，即传统尊卑观念的不同，思考方式角度的不同以及价值观的不同。该论文还提出了一些建议，帮助读者在面对中西餐桌礼仪文化差异时，能轻易的处理和面对并且树立正确的态度。

关键词: 餐桌礼仪  文化差异  中西方

1 Introduction
    International trade become more and more popular with the rapid development of the world economy. Without any knowledge of western culture, the failure and misunderstandings appear frequently during cross-culture communication. Nowadays, table manners occupy an important position in the cross-cultural communication. Not only the people who always have to attend formal parties or have frequent contact with the foreigners, but also the every member of the society should have the sense of its importance and spend time studying it. Learning and using the proper table manners can improve the efficiency and competitiveness during the cross-culture business. This thesis attempts to analyze the differences of table manners and the big cultural differences between Chinese and the westerners.