Chinese have eaten with chopsticks for over 3,000 years. A simple pair carries a cosmology: the square end symbolises Earth, the round end Heaven - hold chopsticks and hold heaven and earth.
The taboos (taken quite seriously in China): never stand chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice (it resembles incense at a funeral); never point at people with them; never bang them on your bowl; and never pick food for others with your own chopsticks - use serving chopsticks.
Mealtime etiquette: elders eat first; take from the side of the dish nearest you instead of rummaging; fishing in soup is fine, but do not hold chopsticks in your mouth for long.
Technique: aim, steady, lift - most people master chopsticks in three to seven days. Left hand holds the bowl, right hand the chopsticks: the standard posture.
Today shared dishes usually come with serving chopsticks and spoons, especially after the pandemic - modern hygiene blended with tradition.
