Originated in China sometime during the Shang Dynasty (1766 - 1122 BC), the substitution of knives for chopsticks at the table reflected the ascendancy of the scholar over the warrior as a cultural hero. According to Confucius, knives were equated with acts of aggression and should not be used to dine. Consisting of a pair of slender sticks, chopsticks are held between the thumb and fingers of the right hand. Eventually, they became the eating utensils of choice as neighboring Asian countries adopted its use and modified it according to cultural preference. Chopsticks from Japan, for example, are usually more tapered than those from China -- which are blunt and longer. In Korea, chopsticks are usually made of stainless steel. A practical invention, chopsticks are still used today and have spread to all points of the globe. |
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