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Why Do the Chinese Use Chopsticks?

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SideQuest - Animated History

SideQuest - Animated History

Күн бұрын

Chopsticks have been the go-to eating utensil in East Asia for the better part of three millennia. But why did they emerge there in the first place and (more importantly) why did they become popular?
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Пікірлер: 3 400
@hetshepsuit
@hetshepsuit 3 жыл бұрын
I've lived in Taiwan for 20 years and this is the first decent explanation that I have gotten to that question. Well done.
@bungertheboring2037
@bungertheboring2037 2 жыл бұрын
Taiwan? Don't you mean, real China?
@hetshepsuit
@hetshepsuit 2 жыл бұрын
@@bungertheboring2037 Well, the caretakers of traditional Chinese culture, certainly.
@Kvasir-thewise1
@Kvasir-thewise1 2 жыл бұрын
@@hetshepsuit Formosa is just historical name the English and Portuguese called it. It’s the Island of Taiwan officially tho, across the Taiwan strait.
@Kvasir-thewise1
@Kvasir-thewise1 2 жыл бұрын
@@hetshepsuit that’s why the ROC adopted Taiwan as a second name to call itself, they won’t anymore when they retake China
@Boulgaroktonos2
@Boulgaroktonos2 2 жыл бұрын
Taiwan is a country
@Luboman411
@Luboman411 2 жыл бұрын
You forgot one pretty important fact as to why chopsticks were taken up in East Asia and no other major civilization took them up--bamboo. You can make lots and lots of cheap chopsticks with the plentiful bamboo that grows throughout China, Korea and Japan. Bamboo also has the added benefit of growing super-quickly, and can be cut easily into pieces very much resembling chopsticks. And that's why these countries and cultures took up chopsticks and no one else did--plentiful bamboo everywhere you go in the wet parts of East Asia.
@jovimathews
@jovimathews 2 жыл бұрын
Not really. Japanese and Korean they use spoon, the only utensil is not in China customaries. Chopsticks were spread to Korea during China’s occupation.
@happylobsterpatatas
@happylobsterpatatas 2 жыл бұрын
@@jovimathews Yes, and korean chopstick are made with metal
@user-gw3ke4zh9r
@user-gw3ke4zh9r 2 жыл бұрын
You are wrong, Chinese people use chopsticks because they think they are more elegant and civilized, actually in ancient China they used knives and forks, but after the Zhou Dynasty they thought this kind of eating utensils were too barbaric, so they used chopsticks instead. Japan and Korea use chopsticks because of the strong influence of ancient Chinese culture.
@leezhieng
@leezhieng 2 жыл бұрын
@@jovimathews Chinese also use spoon but only for soup.
@jovimathews
@jovimathews 2 жыл бұрын
@@leezhieng KZfaq was discussing about Customary Chopsticks not spoon, fork, bats, dogs, lightbulbs during Song Dynasty when China was much more cosmopolitan
@emperorofpluto
@emperorofpluto Жыл бұрын
The Cardinal Richelieu story reminds me of living in Spain in the 1980s - when dining, everyone had to keep both hands visible at all times to show your host that you're not aiming a gun at them under the table.
@ihavechocolate8718
@ihavechocolate8718 Жыл бұрын
an italian dude saw me eating spaghetti with chopstick once. He asked me for a pair, and he was mind blown.
@yuluoxianjun
@yuluoxianjun Жыл бұрын
chopsticks is very suit to eat things like noodles
@tantibusdraws6165
@tantibusdraws6165 3 жыл бұрын
Considering how straight forward, cheap and easy chopsticks are to make, I'm kind of surprise more cultures didn't invent them independently. *Wow. Never imagined my comment would get this much attention. Here's some more detail on why I think the usage of chopsticks is straight forward The reason I say straightforward is because you are literally using sticks to eat. Things that exist in nature and are everywhere. People have been skewering and cooking food on sticks for millennia. I don't think it's that much of a logical jump to take a small, relatively straight branch, with a knife clieve it into two halves. Carve them into crude kebob skewers, cook the food and later uses the sticks to wolf down a bowl of cooked grain. As a kid, whenever I'd go into the woods, I'd do something like this. So I can easily imagine someone in the distant past doing this.
@sohkathatch4081
@sohkathatch4081 2 жыл бұрын
In Khmer history, we believed "Thon Chey" brought noodles called Nom Banh Jok into ancient China. Nom Banh Jok became so famous thru out China that the Chinese King himself wanted to try Nom Banh Jok. Thon Chey was invited to see the King to make his famous Nom Banh Jok. Thon Chey taught the Chinese King how to use a Chopsticks. It tasted so good that the Chinese King start sipping the broth from the bowl. Thon Chey looks up and noticed how hideous and ugly the Chinese King was and insulted the king and was put in prison.
@sirnikkel6746
@sirnikkel6746 2 жыл бұрын
India: *h a n d*
@sagalahmed8370
@sagalahmed8370 2 жыл бұрын
Well their ancestors used their hands which if you have access to clean water to wash it, is healthy for you as our hands have good bacteria that helps us digest the food. Eating with hands is in every culture, but i still love my chopsticks
@boygenius538_8
@boygenius538_8 2 жыл бұрын
Because fingers do everything chopsticks can.
@binaryglitch64
@binaryglitch64 2 жыл бұрын
@@boygenius538_8 except keep the food off your fingers and perhaps more importantly, keeping your fingers off the food.
@mrgopnik5964
@mrgopnik5964 2 жыл бұрын
Honestly, considering that the cardinal had to host a table for many powerful people, some of which would undoubtedly be his political enemies, it’s quite understandable that he wanted to keep potential assassination attempts off the table. (Pun intended)
@rachdarastrix5251
@rachdarastrix5251 2 жыл бұрын
The ironic this is that the result was people started getting good at throwing them like darts. Still however, unlikely to kill someone rather than just anger them.
@jalight27
@jalight27 2 жыл бұрын
😂
@mr.boomguy
@mr.boomguy 2 жыл бұрын
It's almost like you build up to that pun in the first place 😆. Good one 👍
@snicksabea
@snicksabea 2 жыл бұрын
👏🏼👏🏼
@Heather-xm9ul
@Heather-xm9ul 2 жыл бұрын
If he'd done his job as a cardinal, instead of playing secular politics all the time, he would have been less hated.
@Ryanflees
@Ryanflees Жыл бұрын
Very interesting video about the chopsticks. I’ve known that China used to use forks and knives in the ancient times and switched to chopsticks. But I never thought about the reason of food behind it. In a common Chinese household, we have chopsticks, and spoons as well.Spoon has been used throughout the history and is often forgotten probably because it’s too universal in all civilizations . 😂 Sometimes I prefer to use spoon as it’s easier to get the rice and small chunks of vegetables mixed.
@wtz_under
@wtz_under 7 ай бұрын
yeah. when i go to like some east asian restaurant my parents often make me use forks. after i while, i decided to try chopsticks and i never knew how significant this change was for me lol. now im starting to prefer smaller chunks of food
@NorroTaku
@NorroTaku 6 ай бұрын
i hear Thais love their spoon for everything 😂
Жыл бұрын
As an Asian living in Germany, I appreciate the versatitlity of chopsticks so much! You can stir/cook pasta, then eat it with the same chopsticks. You can pick chips, french fries/Pommes without using your fingers. Chopsticks are also so versatile when you want to grill something, too. Also, the same pair of chopstick can be used from during cooking until eating.
@JOEFABULOUS.
@JOEFABULOUS. Жыл бұрын
Chopsticks have a primitive pleasure like eating with your fingers minus the mess
@btsarmyforever3816
@btsarmyforever3816 Жыл бұрын
Actually cooking chopsticks are different. They are longer and wider. Meant for easy cooking and you won't burn your hand. Feeding chopsticks are shorter and less pointy.
@soyokase
@soyokase Жыл бұрын
yah, I eat 7-11 pasta by chopsticks in office.
@ruminatingenigma4649
@ruminatingenigma4649 Жыл бұрын
Do you live near Hannover?
@milkystudy4u
@milkystudy4u Жыл бұрын
@@JOEFABULOUS. so using fork and knife is just like slicing and piercing food with your nails but less effort, right?
@nguyenngocanspk
@nguyenngocanspk 2 жыл бұрын
The two reasons you mention are rice and large population are actually related. Rice is the reason why east Asia, especially south China and south east Asia, is so populous in the first place.
@tdpro3607
@tdpro3607 2 жыл бұрын
damn i saw around ten viets on youtube, its nearly none just a week ago
@hydrolito
@hydrolito 2 жыл бұрын
Also close to ocean for fishing. Lack of access to ocean and cold are problems with living in most of Russia.
@Gepap3
@Gepap3 2 жыл бұрын
@@freneticness2136 Europe's population is less than 750M, including European Russia. So, only 75% of a billion people, in an area bigger than India, and India is approaching 1.4 billion.
@nguyenduyphuc3924
@nguyenduyphuc3924 2 жыл бұрын
@@freneticness2136 i would disagree. The population of Europe were no match for the Asian civilizations before the Columbian Exchange. After the exchange, potatoes got introduced which helped boosted the population of Europe significantly. Therefore, I would argue plants that contain high amounts of sugar and starch (i.e. potatoes and rice) are the major factor in determining the population of a region.
@nguyenduyphuc3924
@nguyenduyphuc3924 2 жыл бұрын
@@freneticness2136 while I agree that arable land a without a doubt important, I still think a starch rich diet is what contributed to the population growth around the world. When I mentioned the European pre-Columbian exchange, I wanted to emphasize the fact that they DID have arable soil (to an extend). However, what they was lacking was a starch rich food/plant that they could plant in that soil. They did have wheat, but because of their food habits, you have to actually put an effort in to grind it, make a dough, and bake it. It wasn't anything you could cook and eat fast as boiling a potato or rice. Thus, the European population before the exchange was lower than the other civilizations where starch rich food was common (I.e. china, india) Now, after the exchange, we can see the population of Europe practically exploded. This indicates that while good land is important (because again, they DID have good/ok soil, just lacking the plants), the most important player in determining population growth was however the starchy plants. Ok, I admit u really did poked some holes in my argument with those Egyptians, but I'm gonna pull a quick one here and argued that wheat is still a starchy food (just not as effective to consume as rice/potatoes), so my point still hold water (somewhat?). But seriously tho, keep posting ur opinions, I love when people can have nice debate without insulting each others. Rare to find these nowadays
@whimai412
@whimai412 2 жыл бұрын
I absolutely adored the animation style, the script, everything is just so cheeky, and such high quality. Totally subscribing 👌
@tatortot5516
@tatortot5516 2 жыл бұрын
Compared to other problematic communities that try to do the same thing I agree
@vincedibona4687
@vincedibona4687 2 жыл бұрын
What other “problematic communities“ are you referring to, pray tell?
@killiancoleman3452
@killiancoleman3452 2 жыл бұрын
@@vincedibona4687 the woke squad
@guillerhonora717
@guillerhonora717 2 жыл бұрын
The art style reminds me of Dont Starve
@saulgoodman570
@saulgoodman570 Жыл бұрын
@@guillerhonora717 Me too😀
@stephenmartin9393
@stephenmartin9393 2 жыл бұрын
I just got home from eating at a favorite local chinese buffet. In addition to the regular knife, fork and spoon they have chopsticks available for those that prefer to use them. I often will use chopsticks since it adds to the ambience of eating at a Chinese restaurant. I still use the traditional knife, fork and spoon but chopsticks work and I have become somewhat of an expert at eating food by using chopsticks
@demorbe-official
@demorbe-official Жыл бұрын
This has been on of the questions I have been asking my self for some good time but had failed to find the real answer to it. Love how you explain things and make them easy to understand
@glynislailann9056
@glynislailann9056 2 жыл бұрын
A pair of chopsticks is a multifunctional tool: one can eat with them; cook with them - beat eggs, extricate pasta from a pot as opposed to chasing it round the pot; use them to level out ingredients- measuring flour, baking powder; use them as a guide when rolling out cookie dough as the sticks are generally 1/4 inch in height. Etc etc.
@meltherecafe2394
@meltherecafe2394 2 жыл бұрын
Doesn't a spoon make all of them more convenient?
@paulcseley3881
@paulcseley3881 2 жыл бұрын
Don't forget that you can also kill someone with them too!
@brosplit
@brosplit 2 жыл бұрын
@@meltherecafe2394 never cook? Try extricating cooked pasta from a pot of water with a spoon, it will fall off right after: no grip . Beat eggs with a 🥄? The least you can do is with a fork.
@lowelltaxservice
@lowelltaxservice 2 жыл бұрын
you can even whip your children with the long chopsticks
@Meevious
@Meevious Жыл бұрын
@@brosplit Two spoons can handle this exactly as well as two chopsticks, better with some designs of spoon and also with most designs of pasta. A dedicated toothed tool like a "pasta spoon" (not a true spoon) is much better than either at this task though (and can be easily made from any rigid material), so if pasta extraction is your reason for using chopsticks, well, think again! Btw, in case you didn't notice, a spoon has 2 ends, one of which is effectively a chopstick that can have some specialised shape if that's advantageous, so there is just no way a chopstick is ever going to beat a spoon at anything, except possibly threading through a small hole. Unfortunately for the Chinese, they didn't figure out knitting, so the chopstick is just a fool's spoon.
@ThinWhiteAxe
@ThinWhiteAxe 2 жыл бұрын
My mom is Viet and so I grew up with chopsticks in the house. Funny thing is I don't use them for eating all that often, but I use them almost exclusively when cooking. Stir, grab, even scoop in a limited capacity - chopsticks do it all. They also make great bone tools, back scratchers, rigging for toy creations of all descriptions, and magic wands, to name but a few alternative uses.
@servantofjesuschristthekin5291
@servantofjesuschristthekin5291 2 жыл бұрын
Hey❤️ I may not know you personally however I care about you deeply because I know how much you mean to Jesus The King of all creation . I want to tell you that Jesus Christ loves you so much, he died for our sins so that whoever believes in him wouldn’t have to perish in hell but instead have eternal life in heaven. You need to understand that HEAVEN and HELL are 1000% REAL they aren’t imaginary , and hell is a horrible place I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. God doesn’t want you to end up there he wants you in heaven and so he is giving you a chance to accept the sacrifice of his son Jesus Christ and be saved. Day by Day the world is falling apart because we are literally living in the last days of Earth there is no doubt or debate about it, Jesus Christ is coming faster then you think to bring judgement to the world and to destroy it. This really is URGENT, it’s NOT A JOKE ,Tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone, you can be alive one minute and gone the next, please take this opportunity to be on the side of Mercy confess your sins and wicked ways to Jesus , sincerely REPENT/turn away from them, and ask for his forgiveness- ask him to enter your heart and to be your Lord and Savior before it is too late , truly believe in him and he WILL do it because it is his promise. It’s important that you seek the righteous and Holy path of the Most high God so that you may inherit eternal life and be spared of Hell fire. You can begin a new life in Christ and have a genuine relationship with him, please repent. Jesus changed my life and he will change yours too🥰, May the Lord be with you eternally💕🙏🏾
@bikramjeetgoswami6523
@bikramjeetgoswami6523 Жыл бұрын
Sold on the back scrating thing...have to get a pair. 🙂
@gwho
@gwho Жыл бұрын
The stick was like the iPhone in 23000 BC
@waltof2504
@waltof2504 2 жыл бұрын
Please never stop uploading, you are so awesome man ... I was laughing my lungs out ... Wow, good stuff....
@deewesthill1213
@deewesthill1213 2 жыл бұрын
For most people outside of China, chopsticks are awkward to use. Food drops off of them too easily, and eating that way takes too long. Depending on what the food is, forks, skewers, toothpicks, small tongs, edible food wrappings like regular bread, tortillas, roti, or seaweed, inedible ones like leaves, husks, or napkins, spoons, or clean fingers are all better. However, i agree that sharp knives are dangerous for eating, worse than chopsticks, while table knives are almost useless for picking up food, although useful for cutting through soft stuff and spreading, or maybe for stirring a drink or soup if you have no spoon.
@AustroHungarianAnimations
@AustroHungarianAnimations 3 жыл бұрын
Just imagine how painful it will be when you using a knife to eat then you miss.
@hiimryan2388
@hiimryan2388 3 жыл бұрын
F no fingers....
@untontomas891
@untontomas891 3 жыл бұрын
Imagine being that dumb
@jacopofolin6400
@jacopofolin6400 3 жыл бұрын
@@untontomas891 ahahahah true
@redneckhippiefreak
@redneckhippiefreak 2 жыл бұрын
Uhh, How often do you miss? Eating and hitting the mouth is a VERY Basic skill...
@thomasdavison7184
@thomasdavison7184 2 жыл бұрын
Only us Americans Aren't coordinated enough to eat using it knife... I'd be willing to bet there's even a law about it somewhere. We've turned into a full Nanny state these days
@ankhdrassil
@ankhdrassil 2 жыл бұрын
Best explanation so far I've watched in KZfaq! Thanks! Anyway, the bowls are important too! In Chinese language, there's a term called WanKuai (碗筷), which means bowl and chopsticks. The Chinese bowls are usually small at the bottom, with either slanted or curved wall. The design of the wall helps shoveling rice in to your mouth easier.. so you should always hold the bowl up (well, except if it's too big). Even when eating noodle, you can also just shovel the last few ones in to your mouth since it's already too hard to pick up using chopsticks. And since Chinese food are usually hot, so the tableware are made of porcelain to avoid hurting our hands ( bronze was used before the invention of porcelain). The Koreans, however don't hold the bowls up as they think it looks like baggers bagging.. so their bowls are straight down without slanted or curved wall, making them standing more steadily on the table, and more capacity. And since porcelain is heavy and fragile, plus they don't hold up the bowls, they changed the material back to steel. It's light and doesn't break.
@py8554
@py8554 3 ай бұрын
Forks and knives mean both hands are busy. Using chopsticks means I can eat with one hand. I can then use the other hand to play with my phone 😊
@Rashomon69
@Rashomon69 Жыл бұрын
#1 reason - They are extremely effective when you learn how to use them. They’re like an extension of your hand. You can even cut food with them like scissors.
@casualeconomist3563
@casualeconomist3563 4 жыл бұрын
So this is how it feels to find a great KZfaq channel before they blow up and become giant channel with hundred of thousand or even millions subscribers.
@internetguy7319
@internetguy7319 3 жыл бұрын
stillll waiting
@gc6096
@gc6096 3 жыл бұрын
Ikr?
@thatdude9091
@thatdude9091 2 жыл бұрын
nope
@falaicha
@falaicha 2 жыл бұрын
Still waiting
@mylesjude233
@mylesjude233 2 жыл бұрын
Not quite there yet, but certainly getting near to breaking into 100k 😁
@TheIrelandish
@TheIrelandish 2 жыл бұрын
If anyone is looking for more reading material on this, "Consider the Fork" by Bee Wilson is a wonderful read. As a professional culinary anthropologist and an amateur food historian, it's a wonderful start into the field.
@Laurpud
@Laurpud 2 жыл бұрын
I love that book; so interesting!
@TriviRocks
@TriviRocks 2 жыл бұрын
I was told that the fork was invented by Leonardo Da Vinci
@inkbold8511
@inkbold8511 2 жыл бұрын
I guess now you want to whitewash the history of chopsticks saying it's also invented by white men and got stolen by Chinese somehow? 😂
@myriamickx7969
@myriamickx7969 Жыл бұрын
@@TriviRocks Not sure about Leonardo, but the fork was indeed an Italian invention, introduced in France by Catherine de Medicis when she married Francis the First’s son, who would become Henry II in the 16th century.
@elmohead
@elmohead Жыл бұрын
@@myriamickx7969 bone forks were found in China dated back to 2000 BC...
@danielstromberg
@danielstromberg Жыл бұрын
I heard that the first chopsticks were bamboo twigs. That's a pretty simple way of making the utensils. Forks are easier to get good with, but once you get good with chopsticks you can do things with them that you couldn't do with a fork.
@SmallSpoonBrigade
@SmallSpoonBrigade Жыл бұрын
This is true. I used to be able to remove fish bones with my chopsticks. I do no believe that it is possible to do that with just one fork. You can also cram one in the side of an ear of corn to use as a holder. Also, if you're eating family style, you can use one end for feeding yourself and the other for grabbing food.
@mattmanncan
@mattmanncan Жыл бұрын
But then again, try eating a steak with chopsticks, or a shepherd's pie
@cheungchingtong
@cheungchingtong Жыл бұрын
@@mattmanncan Using chopsticks to eat steak is not that hard mate. But it is not the best choice.
@anblueboot5364
@anblueboot5364 Жыл бұрын
@@mattmanncan I‘ve been eating pizza, burger, pretty much everything with chopsticks when I was younger just to annoy my parents and I had the ability to do so. + I wanted to be an edgy anime protagonists who eats everything with chopsticks. It‘s doable and is a lot of fun in addition to that.
@gwho
@gwho Жыл бұрын
Legend has it that the chopsticks champion of the 3rd century used chopsticks to deliver a baby
@HungryAlienWorms
@HungryAlienWorms 2 жыл бұрын
I totally agree! I also felt uneasy at first when I moved to the US when I was 13 from China. Eating with a knife on the table felt weird and dangerous, I did get used to it though.
@yuenhai
@yuenhai 4 жыл бұрын
3:03 Actually, the main reason why the Chinese cut food, especially meat, into small chunks before cooking them was to ensure that meat would not be accidentally eaten undercooked The Chinese knew that eating undercooked meat would lead to health problems, so cutting meat into thin slices or small chunks would ensure that they would be easily cooked through, even by the most careless of cooks If fuel was the problem, they wouldn't be eating porridge, which tends to take longer to cook than just rice
@nauhycisgab5998
@nauhycisgab5998 3 жыл бұрын
Thanks
@martinlucas6004
@martinlucas6004 3 жыл бұрын
China: Fully cooks meat to prevent illness Also China: decide to eat it with an inferior eating utensil
@natalietilsley9644
@natalietilsley9644 3 жыл бұрын
I'll use them for knitting needles. I tried using them one time, no luck so you can use them for knitting needles.
@lorelei4468
@lorelei4468 3 жыл бұрын
@@martinlucas6004 chopsticks are really useful tho
@Bixbeat
@Bixbeat 3 жыл бұрын
@Martin, when you learn to use them properly then they're really just about as efficient for Chinese dishes as a fork & knife are, if not more efficient. It's much easier to grab food from a hot pot than it is to use a fork. Same for fishing noodles from noodle soup. Learning it can take a few tries, but that really shouldn't deter you from trying them.
@sharonrigs7999
@sharonrigs7999 2 жыл бұрын
I usually eat with chop sticks as a way to eat slower. This way, I find I feel full from less food. I have lost 25lbs so far . Choppers are also very versatile and useful in cooking. I prefer Korean style stainless steel sticks for most applications.
@Temporal94
@Temporal94 2 жыл бұрын
Can confirm, chopsticks are very useful for whisking
@icoz7
@icoz7 2 жыл бұрын
Counter-intuitively, chopsticks can also be used to eat certain foods easier (and therefore, faster/in bigger amounts) than forks. See noodles, long-cut stir-fried vegetables, and starchy rice. Once a person is comfortable with chopsticks, they essentially become extensions of their fingers. So instead of poking, prodding, and spinning your fork around to pick up noodles, it becomes as quick and easy as basically reaching in and grabbing them with your hands, without the mess.
@ankhmortus1470
@ankhmortus1470 2 жыл бұрын
@@icoz7 As someone used to using chopsticks I can confirm.
@theTeslaFalcon
@theTeslaFalcon 2 жыл бұрын
That was another aspect that Confucius desired in all his philosophy: slow down, enjoy; don't just rush through. It's also why, although I became quite skilled w chopsticks, I now REFUSE to use them. Fork please.
@risannd
@risannd 2 жыл бұрын
Korean chopsticks are indeed fancier, but its flat handles made it inconvenient for me. I'd rather prefer Chinese one as it is stronger.
@adamford7808
@adamford7808 Жыл бұрын
I'm from UK, but chopsticks are really growing on me. They're so versatile for cooking etc. I got a takeaway fry up at work once, and the plastic fork snapped. I had chopsticks in my bag and ate it with those 😂
@Dr.Pepper001
@Dr.Pepper001 Жыл бұрын
You know you're getting good using chopsticks when you eat M&M's with them.
@adamford7808
@adamford7808 Жыл бұрын
@@Dr.Pepper001 Haha, or catching flies with them like Mr Miyagi 🤣
@reincarnate3440
@reincarnate3440 Жыл бұрын
@@Dr.Pepper001 Do it with tofu can do the same trick, especially the Japanese one if you want it to be challenging
@martintai3004
@martintai3004 Жыл бұрын
two toothbrushes is my rescue
@bobbiusshadow6985
@bobbiusshadow6985 3 күн бұрын
The slippery metal chopsticks take mastery to a whole different league
@just4therecord
@just4therecord Жыл бұрын
That’s something even better. Fork and spoon. We can eat rice with it, drink soup with it. Goes well with stir fried stuff.
@dfruitziga2543
@dfruitziga2543 2 жыл бұрын
3:03 non-Chinese food lover here, I got the epiphany on why I always thought that the food eaten with chopsticks is tastier. You see, many Chinese dishes are stir-fried, or at least they are coated with tasty sauces. Being cut in smaller slices, the seasoning covers more surface, hence the indulgence. Like it was said in the video, most Chinese foods spend less time on the fire, hence the freshness. At times, you can still feel the crunchiness of the vegetables, along with the meat broth and garlic and many other seasonings... ugh ... heaven! With the tiny grasp of the chopsticks, the flavor enters your mouth little by little (yeah, I try so hard not to use the chopsticks to shove away the meal like a starving person, no matter how starving I am), that feeling when your tongue dances along with the taste ... 100% blissful
@pinkqqq
@pinkqqq Жыл бұрын
I’m from southwest Asia and I’m here to learn more about my continent and all the other people there
@rebasack21
@rebasack21 Жыл бұрын
i have tried so many times to learn to use chopsticks while also wondering how simpler clay spoons or other designed utensils didnt become the norm instead. to be fair i dont have the manual dexterity for chopsticks. my hands shake worse the more i try, so spoon and fingers for my fried rice as i watch others make it look so easy! thank you for answering this question it makes a lot of sense now.
@RabidLeroy
@RabidLeroy 2 жыл бұрын
Coming from an Australian who just picked up the chopstick habit years back when eating ramen noodles, and really branched out when eating out at Chinese restaurants, and can confirm that while handling chopsticks is a learning curve in itself, the skill speaks wonders for itself.
@henryottis295
@henryottis295 2 жыл бұрын
It could be me....... but when I eat Chinese food and use chopsticks, it seems to taste better and seems more authentic.
@RexGalilae
@RexGalilae 2 жыл бұрын
@@henryottis295 Ah so you're one of those types 🤡
@RexGalilae
@RexGalilae 2 жыл бұрын
Same, though I see little use for chopsticks outside of ramen. A trusty fork can do so much more
@roboduck7401
@roboduck7401 2 жыл бұрын
@@RexGalilae if you’re eating a dish which is a kind of wrapping with soft filling inside, using chopsticks to grab, rather than have a fork pierce the food can reduce possibility of breaking open the wrap and the inside falling out. Although a spoon can also be used. There is a type of dim sum Xiao long Bao 小笼包 that has thin Bao skin outside soup and meat inside, it is harder to eat with fork because of the aforementioned reasons, and personally not easy to scoop with a spoon due to it sticking to the container it is on.
@TheLadybughug
@TheLadybughug 2 жыл бұрын
@@roboduck7401 those are my absolute fave. Sadly, I'm clumsy with soupy stuff, so I end up stabbing the poor dumpling if it evades me, and drink the soup after. I need chinese spoons!
@double4345
@double4345 2 жыл бұрын
I remember this story I was told. Two friends wanted to have a competition to see who could eat a steaming hot bowl of rice (or something else) the fastest. However the rice was too hot to pick up with hands so one friend waited. The other picked up 2 sticks from the ground beside him and started using them as chopsticks. A fictional tale for sure but just a childhood story I remember and would like to share
@servantofjesuschristthekin5291
@servantofjesuschristthekin5291 2 жыл бұрын
Hey❤️ I may not know you personally however I care about you deeply because I know how much you mean to Jesus The King of all creation . I want to tell you that Jesus Christ loves you so much, he died for our sins so that whoever believes in him wouldn’t have to perish in hell but instead have eternal life in heaven. You need to understand that HEAVEN and HELL are 1000% REAL they aren’t imaginary , and hell is a horrible place I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. God doesn’t want you to end up there he wants you in heaven and so he is giving you a chance to accept the sacrifice of his son Jesus Christ and be saved. Day by Day the world is falling apart because we are literally living in the last days of Earth there is no doubt or debate about it, Jesus Christ is coming faster then you think to bring judgement to the world and to destroy it. This really is URGENT, it’s NOT A JOKE ,Tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone, you can be alive one minute and gone the next, please take this opportunity to be on the side of Mercy confess your sins and wicked ways to Jesus , sincerely REPENT/turn away from them, and ask for his forgiveness- ask him to enter your heart and to be your Lord and Savior before it is too late , truly believe in him and he WILL do it because it is his promise. It’s important that you seek the righteous and Holy path of the Most high God so that you may inherit eternal life and be spared of Hell fire. You can begin a new life in Christ and have a genuine relationship with him, please repent. Jesus changed my life and he will change yours too🥰, May the Lord be with you eternally💕🙏🏾
@sandybarbee8401
@sandybarbee8401 2 жыл бұрын
Sadly , they seldom "pick up food" with sticks and place it in the mouth . Most often , they pick up and tilt the bowl and shovel/shove the food into their mouth as if they had to be somewhere important to be and were already 30 minutes late. That is REALLY hard to watch .
@frankficcle7081
@frankficcle7081 2 жыл бұрын
If the food is too hot to touch with your hands, then surely it would be to hot to put in your mouth.
@ucnguyen6375
@ucnguyen6375 2 жыл бұрын
@@frankficcle7081 if you pick it piece by piece then it is not that hot
@w.reidripley1968
@w.reidripley1968 2 жыл бұрын
Knife and fork team up well with a flat plate to work on. Chopsticks really need a hand sized small bowl 🥣 for the shovel-rice-in trick. It can be done mannerly. Yes, the Chinese restaurant use of a flat plate to eat from is an awkward hybrid.
@lisanidog8178
@lisanidog8178 Жыл бұрын
Wonderful history lessons and narration by an Englishman makes it better. Love the accent. Thanks for a great video!
@theodoreaguglia8902
@theodoreaguglia8902 Жыл бұрын
Anyone notice how Cardinal Whats-his-name had absolutely nothing to do with the rise and/or prevalence of chopsticks?
@zhaochongyao9997
@zhaochongyao9997 3 жыл бұрын
Ancient Chinese kid: these damn sticks are to hard to use. Acient Chinese Parents: don't act like those barbarians behind the great wall (Mongolian). That's the story I heard when I was a Child 🤣
@MkVainilla
@MkVainilla 2 жыл бұрын
Chinese kid: You mean those who are crossing or those who are on the other side? Chinese mother: What?
@hetshepsuit
@hetshepsuit 2 жыл бұрын
That's what TRAINING chopsticks are for - my niece (6yo American) is quite good at using regular chopsticks now thanks to that simple present I provided years and years ago.
@brianuyungele1583
@brianuyungele1583 2 жыл бұрын
the great wall was not even built against the Mogols, let alone they are Chinese too in today's world
@udozocklein6023
@udozocklein6023 2 жыл бұрын
@@brianuyungele1583 but mongolia is it's own country
@brianuyungele1583
@brianuyungele1583 2 жыл бұрын
@@udozocklein6023 most Mongolians are Chinese citizens.
@georgesedwardh461
@georgesedwardh461 2 жыл бұрын
This channel is simply the best thing I found lately, I'm addicted, congrats Side Quest - To infinity and beyond!
@servantofjesuschristthekin5291
@servantofjesuschristthekin5291 2 жыл бұрын
Hey❤️ I may not know you personally however I care about you deeply because I know how much you mean to Jesus The King of all creation . I want to tell you that Jesus Christ loves you so much, he died for our sins so that whoever believes in him wouldn’t have to perish in hell but instead have eternal life in heaven. You need to understand that HEAVEN and HELL are 1000% REAL they aren’t imaginary , and hell is a horrible place I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. God doesn’t want you to end up there he wants you in heaven and so he is giving you a chance to accept the sacrifice of his son Jesus Christ and be saved. Day by Day the world is falling apart because we are literally living in the last days of Earth there is no doubt or debate about it, Jesus Christ is coming faster then you think to bring judgement to the world and to destroy it. This really is URGENT, it’s NOT A JOKE ,Tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone, you can be alive one minute and gone the next, please take this opportunity to be on the side of Mercy confess your sins and wicked ways to Jesus , sincerely REPENT/turn away from them, and ask for his forgiveness- ask him to enter your heart and to be your Lord and Savior before it is too late , truly believe in him and he WILL do it because it is his promise. It’s important that you seek the righteous and Holy path of the Most high God so that you may inherit eternal life and be spared of Hell fire. You can begin a new life in Christ and have a genuine relationship with him, please repent. Jesus changed my life and he will change yours too🥰, May the Lord be with you eternally💕🙏🏾
@guillotineblade999
@guillotineblade999 Жыл бұрын
1. Sanitary 2. Safe, not a table hazard. 3. In the past, no after taste (keep in mind why "silverware" became a trend) & poisoning from metals. Technology was not as advance way back when. 4. Easy to clean. 5. Easy to produce (mass production. or just being alone in the middle of no where and needing eating utensils.) 6. No corrosion. It doesn't need religion/philosophy to take off. In the course of selection of pros v.s. cons. It is was logical choice. -fiy- it's actually easier to pick up something from a plate with a chopstick and less messy (compared to a fork or spoon, if you have learned to use them.) As far as learning curve. There are no actual studies. However, a child without experience with experience with any utensils. Does not seem to require more training using chopsticks than forks or spoons (remembering from childhood.) It's just a matter of practice and building finger dexterity (as with learning to use any tools.)
@dgmojojojo
@dgmojojojo 2 ай бұрын
Bamboo, the common material of chopsticks grew very quickly, but only after 4 years. The first 4 years the bamboo doesn’t really grow much, since it grew very fast at the roots. I think it found it very sentimental that sometimes people only see on the surface level, but beneath there’s more magical things. Trust the process.
@brianlbeck
@brianlbeck 2 жыл бұрын
This reminds me of that Jerry Seinfeld joke: You have to admire the chinese because by now you know they've seen the fork but continue to use the chopsticks
@SilverforceX
@SilverforceX 2 жыл бұрын
Chopstick is more versatile once you get good at using it.
@jp-sn6si
@jp-sn6si 2 жыл бұрын
i've grown up using both and i prefer to use chopsticks. forks are kind of nasty imo, they're harder to clean and even a lot of restaurants will have gunk on their forks. asians are just cleaner i feel.
@nutbastard
@nutbastard 2 жыл бұрын
Shovel, spoon, hello? You aren't plowing 40 acres with a couple of pool cues!
@emory0
@emory0 4 жыл бұрын
Great piece. I actually learned a lot even though I've been a student of Chinese history & technology for many years.
@eelcj1
@eelcj1 Жыл бұрын
Because using forks and knives at a table seems like fighting a war on food.
@brentvalentine
@brentvalentine Жыл бұрын
Awesome story telling while explaining the topic. Bravo
@makasii
@makasii 2 жыл бұрын
such a pleasure to learn interesting things online - so relaxing compared to the amount of crap available anywhere else, thx for the magnificent work and the beautiful animations!!!
@midnighteternalsoul
@midnighteternalsoul 4 жыл бұрын
"Ever wonder why the Chinese use chopsticks? It's got something to do with ... Cardinal Richelieu." ... no, it doesn't. The only very loose connection to Richelieu is he, too, changed an eating utensil. An unrelated eating utensil. Nothing at all to do with chopsticks.
@erikcrouch7881
@erikcrouch7881 3 жыл бұрын
Their link is that both of them were, essentially, their genetations' Sadiq Khan.
@KlaxontheImpailr
@KlaxontheImpailr 2 жыл бұрын
I like to think he just came up with a different way to solve a similar problem.
@Xalerdane
@Xalerdane 2 жыл бұрын
Yeah well there wasn’t enough material to give him his own separate video, so here we are.
@angsern8455
@angsern8455 2 жыл бұрын
Chopsticks had nothing to do with Richelieu but it has similar stories to why they were invented. Luckily this is shown in the video.
@midnighteternalsoul
@midnighteternalsoul 2 жыл бұрын
@@angsern8455 Then it should say ""Ever wonder why the Chinese use chopsticks? It's kind of like what Cardinal Richelieu did to invent forks" rather than imply Richelieu had something to do with chopsticks directly, right?
@Fryzzi
@Fryzzi Жыл бұрын
Fascinating! And the ways to such amazing Videos always amaze me. - clicked Video about Drama - saw 2 seconds of this Video in it, as a Reference - got curious
@Horinius
@Horinius Жыл бұрын
Back to your question: Why do the Chinese use chopsticks? A better question would have been: Why do some people, Chinese or not, use chopsticks? Well, clever people use chopsticks. Well you see, with forks, you can only *pick* up food but not put it down unless you use your knife, which means you have to use BOTH hands. While with chopsticks, one hand is enough to do both actions. That's efficient. Clever people use more efficient tools.
@harukrentz435
@harukrentz435 2 жыл бұрын
one thing i loved being a southeast asian is the fact that we can use every eating utensil exist in the world. spoon, fork, knife, chopstick, or bare hand are no problem for us lol
@miketan8190
@miketan8190 2 жыл бұрын
😁
@bodhixxx1
@bodhixxx1 Жыл бұрын
how do you like your cats cooked?
@TaroLoaf
@TaroLoaf Жыл бұрын
SEA gang. Fish oil for life
@minitetourou8744
@minitetourou8744 Жыл бұрын
Southeast Asia is a place with different cultures, I am amazed that the mainstream culture of the world can be seen in Southeast Asia
@haryanwar1263
@haryanwar1263 Жыл бұрын
@@bodhixxx1 It's so delish
@Neuralatrophy
@Neuralatrophy 2 жыл бұрын
Your voice is awesome !! Brings me back to the days of Dungeon Keeper by Bullfrog Studios and the art style reminds me of Dont Starve !
@Noum77
@Noum77 Жыл бұрын
The dining table was a danger zone back in the days with all the knives laying around
@oliversherman2414
@oliversherman2414 Жыл бұрын
Modern day: Knives and forks Medieval Europe: Knives and knives
@ddding9518
@ddding9518 Жыл бұрын
Chinese invented forks and knives, and used spoon before the west. The earliest recorded accounts of fork and knife usage in fact come from China.
@oliversherman2414
@oliversherman2414 Жыл бұрын
@@ddding9518 cool
@VictorianTimeTraveler
@VictorianTimeTraveler 2 жыл бұрын
Have any of you ever actually tried eating with a knife in the old fashioned manner? It takes some practice, the trick is to always be aware of the edge and the flat of the blade.
@RhodokTribesman
@RhodokTribesman 2 жыл бұрын
Eating knives (at least in Europe) were a lot more friendly than the dagger you would wear at your hip.
@VictorianTimeTraveler
@VictorianTimeTraveler 2 жыл бұрын
@@RhodokTribesman yeah this video really goes overboard trying to portray the act of eating with a knife as negatively as possible
@ellakajfasz2569
@ellakajfasz2569 2 жыл бұрын
Not my cup of tea. See what I did there?
@jeff__w
@jeff__w 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the very informative video! As someone from a “non-chopstick” culture (i.e., the US), I find chopsticks extremely easy to use (no problem picking up individual beans or grains of rice, not that I do that very often) and prefer them for eating various types of food that's in bite-sized pieces, even something like salad. Once you get used to them they're like eating with your fingers-with the advantage that your fingers remain clean.
@skaldlouiscyphre2453
@skaldlouiscyphre2453 2 жыл бұрын
I feel like chopsticks were actually designed for poutine, just no one realized it yet.
@andrewchin5583
@andrewchin5583 2 жыл бұрын
actually i noticed that some people know how to use chopsticks as soon as they picked it up and some needed to be taught how to use em(i was the one who was being taught), i don't have a preference of which cutlery i use when eating, i just use what's provided to me or closest to me
@olive8604
@olive8604 2 жыл бұрын
I agree with that last part a lot! I often think of chopsticks as extensions of my fingers, so they’re great for finger foods and all sorts of snacks as well. They’re also simpler to clean, too, which is a plus.
@phoenixarian8513
@phoenixarian8513 2 жыл бұрын
Salads are perfectly consumed by chopsticks- They are called "cold dishes" in Chinese involving veg served at room temperature.
@phoenixarian8513
@phoenixarian8513 2 жыл бұрын
@@skaldlouiscyphre2453 Yep. Not only poutine but any kind of small morsels of food. What chopsticks have trouble picking are porridge and large chunks (Whole bun or undivided steak). Actually some foreign sourced food can also be consumed by chopsticks for example pasta.
@crystalclear3177
@crystalclear3177 Жыл бұрын
I don't know the history behind it but I find chopsticks much more convenient to use compared to a fork in most Asian cusine.
@MrBoazhorribilis
@MrBoazhorribilis Жыл бұрын
Death by a dull knife is more painful than death by a sharp one.
@ryanrong495
@ryanrong495 2 жыл бұрын
As a chinese I really appreciate you making a clear history on why we use chopsticks to this day
@redundantwithrecumbent6460
@redundantwithrecumbent6460 2 жыл бұрын
I thought that it was one of the early Chinese emperors who banned knives from the dining table as he didn't want to see weapons of war when he was at the dining table!
@VicksWezaleff
@VicksWezaleff 2 жыл бұрын
I'm Asian and never thought about this before either, it's like asking why people use forks. Actually would love a video on forks!
@ryanrong495
@ryanrong495 2 жыл бұрын
@Wildlife Warrior that's only in China And maybe Japan
@michaelli5915
@michaelli5915 2 жыл бұрын
@Wildlife Warrior dog actually tastes quite good and is unique from traditional western meats.
@reincarnate3440
@reincarnate3440 Жыл бұрын
@@redundantwithrecumbent6460 That makes sense. Ancient Chinese emperors always afraid of being overthrown by people, some dynasties might even forbade metal objects being use in the public.
@pheeku6996
@pheeku6996 2 жыл бұрын
Sometimes I eat with chopsticks. I tried Korean ones made of metal, thick Chinese ones and Japanese ones. But still I find forks overall better and easier to use, also for ramen, which I roll up like spaghetti and then pick up vegetables
@SmallSpoonBrigade
@SmallSpoonBrigade Жыл бұрын
China has a variety of chopstick designs, metal, bamboo and plastic are common. They even have these evil ones that are flat metal. They were the ones that took me the longest to learn to use, as they want to go sideways on you.
@gs4207
@gs4207 Жыл бұрын
Talking about chopsticks so much that his legs turned into one(or two. You get? Cus two. . . NvM )
@uarbor70
@uarbor70 11 ай бұрын
A Chinese co-worker of mine once said that it's considered uncouth to butcher your food at the table. That would be uncouth to use a knife at the table that's why the food is always cut up into small pieces
@TheFirstManticore
@TheFirstManticore 2 жыл бұрын
If you are in the wilderness with no supplies, chopsticks are the easiest eating and cooking tools to make.
@Pope_Rural_I5184
@Pope_Rural_I5184 2 жыл бұрын
Hands
@thehappyclam3942
@thehappyclam3942 2 жыл бұрын
Never go into the wilderness without a spork.
@umutsen9290
@umutsen9290 2 жыл бұрын
Goodluck cutting raw meat with your chopsticks.
@ObjectorSnark
@ObjectorSnark 2 жыл бұрын
@@Pope_Rural_I5184 good luck stirring your stew as it comes to a boil
@LurpakSpreadableButter
@LurpakSpreadableButter 2 жыл бұрын
@@ObjectorSnark you stir with a stick, not chopsticks. Plus you shouldn't make a stew as it is not fuel efficient
@SenorTucano
@SenorTucano 2 жыл бұрын
I recently went to a Chinese restaurant in an affluent area in Perth, Western Australia, where I was astounded to find that they had no chopsticks. Barbarians!
@Losttoanyreason
@Losttoanyreason 2 жыл бұрын
Well some of us barbarians can't get the hang of using chopsticks like the elite snobs that do and like to rub it in our faces, so we prefer forks or spoons. A good Chinese restaurant in the US at least will provide all 3 options and let the paying customer, who they want to return over and over again, choose what to use without begin judgmental. If I have to bring my own fork because they only use chopsticks, then I'm not patronizing that restaurant. I come to eat, not fight a battle with my eating utensils.
@shastasilverchairsg
@shastasilverchairsg 2 жыл бұрын
Really? Wow! It's like visiting a steakhouse where they have no knives.
@gamechanger8908
@gamechanger8908 2 жыл бұрын
Chinese Restaurant turns out to be run by Gweilos and Laogai XD
@superchargerone
@superchargerone 2 жыл бұрын
sorry but there are no good chinese restaurants in perth.
@TheHamburgler123
@TheHamburgler123 2 жыл бұрын
@@Losttoanyreason They do make training pairs that you can use. I've seen them at quite a few Chinese restaurants. They're the equivalent of chopsticks with training wheels lol. You should give it a shot.
@altzs764
@altzs764 2 жыл бұрын
I’m almost purely Chinese and have been using chopsticks since I was 5. I am proud to say that to this day, I still can’t hold my chopsticks correctly.😅
@w.reidripley1968
@w.reidripley1968 2 жыл бұрын
There's actually an incorrect way?
@andrewzheng4038
@andrewzheng4038 Жыл бұрын
@@w.reidripley1968 not really but there is a kind of “standard” grip (the one that you’ll often find written on the packaging for disposable chopsticks at restaurants). Some people like my sister wind up with a more unusual grip but they generally make it work
@El_Dominar
@El_Dominar Жыл бұрын
absolutely terrifying mouth drawing, loved it though
@phoenixarian8513
@phoenixarian8513 2 жыл бұрын
Addition: Dicing ingredients also make seasoning a lot easier as their superficial area per volume increase a lot. That probably explains why Chinese cushine outtastes. Despite this some recipes require meat curing aka preseasoning.
@amyqiu8137
@amyqiu8137 2 жыл бұрын
Fun fact: the first forks were found in China from before the Shang dynasty, and there is evidence for forks being used for both dining and cooking in the Han dynasty. Question is, why did chopsticks supplant forks?
@G0th1cpar0dia669543
@G0th1cpar0dia669543 2 жыл бұрын
Metal and metal tools were very expensive right up until only a couple hundred years ago. Even making a decent fork or spoon out of wood requires a little bit of time and effort, whilst making chopsticks is simplistic. It really comes down to economics.
@ousamadearudesuwa
@ousamadearudesuwa 2 жыл бұрын
economics. If something is cheaper, then you go for it
@nunyabeezaxe2030
@nunyabeezaxe2030 2 жыл бұрын
To be honest I think it didn't. I think there was a lot of holdover that is not discussed. Also if I recall a particular government in China's history deprived gardening tools and other metals from the population to prevent them from being used in revolts. Might be why there is a culture of hand to hand combat today. This isn't verified, btw, because I am recalling an off hand lecture from a boomer teacher back in the day.
@bryanlee7295
@bryanlee7295 2 жыл бұрын
Watch the video
@bodyno3158
@bodyno3158 2 жыл бұрын
Way easier to make, I can just find two sticks and peel them into a set of chopsticks with anything that can cut.
@euromayan
@euromayan Жыл бұрын
I like the british chap with the monocle, he sounds so wise
@animehuntress9018
@animehuntress9018 11 ай бұрын
Was wondering what to make for dinner, lol. Thanks for the suggestion and the info!
@100PercentOS2
@100PercentOS2 2 жыл бұрын
I've been eating with chopsticks since 2019. Not only do I love eating with them but I'm able to pick up smaller bites of food and it has really helped since I have a hiatal hernia. Best thing that ever happened to me. I live in the U.S.A.
@JOEFABULOUS.
@JOEFABULOUS. Жыл бұрын
Using chopsticks is like eating with your hands it has a primitive pleasure you don't get with cutlery but you have to learn not to grip them too tightly and get cramp like writers cramp in your hand
@100PercentOS2
@100PercentOS2 Жыл бұрын
@@JOEFABULOUS. I must be using my chopsticks right then.
@thesisypheanjournal1271
@thesisypheanjournal1271 2 жыл бұрын
While living in Korea, I went on a trip to China with a mixed group of westerners and Koreans. We took some Chinese people to a Korean restaurant. The westerners, who had lived in Korea for months if not years, happily chowed down with their chopsticks. The Chinese, on the other hand, struggled. You see, Koreans use stainless steel chopsticks which are extremely slippery and take some getting used to. The Chinese people, used to bamboo or wood, which had more grip, couldn't get the hang of the Korean chopsticks and ended up using spoons. I also went to a restaurant with two of my students and their parents. A man at another table pointed at our table, laughed, and said something to the waiter. I asked my hosts what the hilarity was and they explained that there I was, the white person, confidently eating with chopsticks, while the little Korean girl sitting next to me struggled. She'd spent many of her formative years living with her family in England and had gotten used to western tableware.
@keithscott2525
@keithscott2525 2 жыл бұрын
I know the feeling of slippery chopsticks. Usually when we get our lunch in China , it' comes with the takeout variety, cheap, short, rough and disposable bamboo chopsticks. I'm the chopstick master at lunch. But when we go out to the spinning table fancy dinners, with polished chopsticks, I'm humbled. Me trying to grab a moving dumpling at arm's length is a source of great humor to my Chinese hosts.
@erickchandra3771
@erickchandra3771 2 жыл бұрын
It's true! I always use chopsticks, but really hate when using the stainless steel chopsticks. It's really not comfortable in my hand. It's too slippery, wet, and its metal tingling sound makes me feel irritated. I prefer using spoon (or even fork) than that weird metal chopsticks.
@travcollier
@travcollier 2 жыл бұрын
@@erickchandra3771 Korean chopsticks aren't too difficult, but have a bit of a learning curve even if you are handy with Chinese chopsticks. That said, I know quite a few Koreans (including the one I'm married to) who prefer the Chinese style chopsticks. Especially if they have relatively large hands. BTW: I find Japanese style chopsticks a bit annoying. They are much more tapered/pointy (and often coated making them smooth). Also tend to be a bit too short for me. The longer simple bamboo sticks are our everyday table wear... Along with a spoon of course. Koreans tend to eat rice with a spoon, because of course
@rexzuydo250
@rexzuydo250 2 жыл бұрын
indeed, stainless steel chopsticks r popular in China, but they r used at home. but i have no difficult in using stainless steel chopsticks as there r grooves in the tip.
@iam.alexstarr
@iam.alexstarr 2 жыл бұрын
The problem is that Chinese chopsticks are square, which hurts my fingers, but Korean one is round, so it's easier for me.
@Grivian
@Grivian 2 жыл бұрын
Best part of the video was the explanation of the invention of the table knife
@rahimtamer8176
@rahimtamer8176 2 жыл бұрын
According to my research during famine times people used to go to jungle in search of food and dig the ground for ants and termites eggs.
@himssendol6512
@himssendol6512 2 жыл бұрын
I remember seeing an archaeology documentary and it said areas with bamboo have less metal spearheads. Because bamboo grows fast and you can just chop off the end to a sharp point and throw it. It also said the region with chopstick use overlaps greatly with the pre-historic bamboo spear area. So maybe they simply found another use for all the wood laying around? 🤷‍♂️🥢
@Ikajo
@Ikajo 2 жыл бұрын
Bamboo is actually a type of grass. That's why it grows so quickly and why it doesn't taste like wood. It is a very versatile grass.
@Scarletraven87
@Scarletraven87 2 жыл бұрын
@@Ikajo well yes duh. Basically a hardened dandelion stem
@Ikajo
@Ikajo 2 жыл бұрын
@@Scarletraven87 Dandelion is a flower 🤨
@bryanlee7295
@bryanlee7295 2 жыл бұрын
You would need to heat treat the Bamboo tip for it to hold and edge
@ObjectorSnark
@ObjectorSnark 2 жыл бұрын
@@bryanlee7295 bamboo is ubiquitous, all you need is to make one clean angled cut and use it like a spear...once. if it breaks or bends or splits, pick another one out of a barrel of 500 for the next attack
@MissMentats
@MissMentats 2 жыл бұрын
I’m so happy I found this channel!
@TheDeadmanTT
@TheDeadmanTT 4 жыл бұрын
3:16 Ths is the most unsettling thing I've seen today.
@erikcrouch7881
@erikcrouch7881 3 жыл бұрын
Smaller bites = more chewing = brain feels fuller. Psychology!
@joziahelliott1976
@joziahelliott1976 Жыл бұрын
imagine a archaeologist finding two sticks in the ground and being like ahoy chopsticks.
@Steven-qt4vx
@Steven-qt4vx Жыл бұрын
Luke Skywalker and Obi Wan are out at a Chinese restaurant and Luke is really battling trying to use the chopsticks to feed his face. After a while Obi Wan turns to him and says "use the forks luke"
@warrenl4196
@warrenl4196 2 жыл бұрын
A single pair of chopsticks can be used to beat eggs, pick up noodles, flip a whole cut of steak, pick up tofu without breaking, pick fish bones, accurately manipulate food in boiling water or while deep frying, etc.. I can cook four or five simple dishes in half an hour or so every single meal just for myself with a knife, a single pair of chopsticks, and nothing else, no spatula/whisk/tongs/strainer. I can then eat with the same pair of chopsticks. Never needed to wash a shitload of different utensils and cookware. I cook a variety of cuisines BTW, not just Asian. I eat pizza, steak, salad, ribs, fries, chips, cheetos, fruits, you name it, all with chopsticks. I can’t even come up with one scenario where a fork works better than a pair of chopsticks. A pair of chopsticks (the proper ones, not the flimsy disposable ones) can handle something rather large with ease once you master them. You can bite into a chicken drumstick or a wedge of pizza with your dominant hand holding it with a pair of chopsticks, and the other hand on your phone.
@bodyno3158
@bodyno3158 2 жыл бұрын
All that, without a greasy hand. #chopsticksmasterace
@SilverforceX
@SilverforceX 2 жыл бұрын
Well said. Chopsticks once you get good at using them, are very versatile!
@jp-sn6si
@jp-sn6si 2 жыл бұрын
don't lie you don't eat pizza with chopsticks wtf.
@miketan8190
@miketan8190 2 жыл бұрын
@@jp-sn6si 🤣
@leezhieng
@leezhieng 2 жыл бұрын
@@jp-sn6si im chinese and i never eat pizza with chopsticks lol
@maresgoez
@maresgoez 4 жыл бұрын
I didn't think I'd be interested in the history of chopsticks, but it was a very ineresting video!
@yunyung
@yunyung Жыл бұрын
I love how chaotic the top comments are. A simple video about chopsticks dragged a whole conversation of politics in. It's like watching a video about croissants and see the Austrian and French people fight. Very entertaining
@gwho
@gwho Жыл бұрын
If you think about it, the war knife being dulled to a butter knife is just like the trident vs the table fork.
@mitchellminer9597
@mitchellminer9597 2 жыл бұрын
In Indonesia and Thailand, they eat their stir-fry with serving spoons ... when they aren't using just their fingers. I have adopted the serving-spoon technique. Great vid! Informative and entertaining. Subscribed.
@encro
@encro 2 жыл бұрын
It's serving spoon and fork. You use the fork to push the food onto the spoon. That's the technique* in Thailand at least and it's quite smart compared to the western knife and fork technique. *This is only really made possible because the cutting happens in the meal prep stage and everything is made bite sized.
@eleethtahgra7182
@eleethtahgra7182 2 жыл бұрын
Thats now Back then, its using hands.
@hc8714
@hc8714 2 жыл бұрын
these two culture are relatively recent in using utensil.
@leonbrown7911
@leonbrown7911 2 жыл бұрын
Right, full on agriculture and all the tools that come with - yet no cutlery? Push on
@golangismyjam
@golangismyjam 2 жыл бұрын
@@encro depends which western knife and fork technique you are talking about, Americans eat very differently to europeans, mostly preferring to just use a fork like a spork. Source: Im european, wifes american.
@Babyjohn8170
@Babyjohn8170 2 жыл бұрын
Nice video! You have a new subscriber 😃👍
@jimwong8056
@jimwong8056 Жыл бұрын
In the old China, to enter the palace, everyone except the king had to turn in their weapons. The shields also become the wok.
@Ram_i_
@Ram_i_ Жыл бұрын
People : chopsticks are economical Me : 🖐️ is more
@abcderanzi
@abcderanzi 3 жыл бұрын
that poor borneo on the map got splitted into 4 different parts :(
@arrosin408
@arrosin408 2 жыл бұрын
The reason I heard was about the clan culture. In the past, people eating meals individually in their own plate, but since the clan culture goes viral in China, people starting eating from the same plate. And the chopsticks was been used for picking food for others since they was too long that was not able to feed the holder. Afterwards, the chopsticks becomes shorter that all of the members could either pick food for others or for themselves.
@krisredmond1840
@krisredmond1840 Жыл бұрын
This side quest has given me a level up.
@enginediyshop6269
@enginediyshop6269 Жыл бұрын
As a Chinese, I have never thought about this issue. Thanks for your tips.
@marcalvarez4890
@marcalvarez4890 2 жыл бұрын
Your illustrations, jokes, and accurate anthropology just earned you a new subscriber. Respect. Also at 3:08, your vegetable isn't just well outlined, but also has proper perspective.....Which makes me wonder what art school you attended, if you did. May i ask?
@duneydan7993
@duneydan7993 2 жыл бұрын
I fully relate to the ancient chinese! When I was a student, my tactic to have the least dishes to wash was using chopsticks! No forks, no knives just 2 pairs of sticks!
@zibbitybibbitybop
@zibbitybibbitybop Жыл бұрын
Ancient China: *uses large forks in the kitchen* Also ancient China: *invents chopsticks instead of just making a smaller eating fork out of bamboo*
@cryptoleprechaun5492
@cryptoleprechaun5492 Жыл бұрын
Love how Confucius here looks absolutely nothing like how he is depicted in ancient paintings
@emoti0n21ptindigo2
@emoti0n21ptindigo2 2 жыл бұрын
You are really a 20th-century broadcaster, lol. Subscribed, and you bring me a funny and educational story about chopsticks which I don’t exactly know as a Chinese. We just know about chopsticks are easy to get food and other uses such as stirring in both kitchen and table. It’s my first time to get this that chopsticks prevent people from stabbing their face. Interesting
@bocbinsgames6745
@bocbinsgames6745 2 жыл бұрын
Not just in the dining room, I would be so lost without chopsticks whilst cooking
@appa609
@appa609 Жыл бұрын
Chopsticks are literally the easiest utensil. When I'm backpacking I don't even bother bringing a fork I just find two decently straight sticks and eat with them
@quotidian8720
@quotidian8720 Жыл бұрын
europe: spoon, fork, knife china: stick india: H A N D
@ddding9518
@ddding9518 Жыл бұрын
The earliest recorded accounts of fork and knife usage in fact come from China. Chinese invented forks and knives, and used spoon before the west. China used forks before chopsticks
@user-gf3ol1ob7r
@user-gf3ol1ob7r 2 жыл бұрын
0:04 cause they don't use spoons and forks
@nishobit.1293
@nishobit.1293 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for this. I always wondered how come any culture would use sticks to eat. But first starting out with piercing pieces of meat or vegetable with one hand and eating millet with the bare other hand makes sense. And then starting to use two sticks also makes sense to me now.
@ellakajfasz2569
@ellakajfasz2569 2 жыл бұрын
My mom always said, "hands were made before forks. "
@Ohyeahhahaha
@Ohyeahhahaha 2 жыл бұрын
@@ellakajfasz2569 learn to respect. Tell your mom too
@theyuha
@theyuha 10 ай бұрын
When I eat or fix Chinese food I find it is sometimes easier to eat with chopsticks. The fork just does not work so well.
@backwashjoe7864
@backwashjoe7864 Жыл бұрын
Wow, a video with chopsticks, table knives and shoe horns! So versatile!
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