The meal-sharing system was once the protagonist of Chinese food culture. Why was it not passed down in the end?

The meal-sharing system was not inherited in the end, which puzzled many people. So let’s first analyze the reasons for the emergence of the meal-sharing system. Some historians believe that the meal-sharing system appeared in the prehistoric clan culture period. At that time, meal sharing was mainly due to low productivity. Men went out to hunt and could not guarantee harvests. What if there is a previous meal but no next meal? Can only be allocated on demand. The strong should eat more, the old, weak, women and children should eat less. The initial meal sharing started out of frustration. In the Zhou Dynasty, the requirements for the meal sharing system were even stricter. The record in "Book of Rites" is very clear: "The emperor's beans are six out of twenty, the princes are six out of ten, the princes are two out of ten, eight are superior officials, and six are inferior officials." ?It can be seen from the number of dishes that people with different statuses can enjoy different amounts of delicious food. This means that the meal-sharing system in the Zhou Dynasty represented the status of superiority and inferiority. In the pre-Qin period, influenced by Confucian culture, the concept of "older and younger" in food culture became more deeply rooted in people's hearts. The ideas of respecting elders and juniors and distinguishing host and guest even influenced the entire feudal era. Therefore, the ancient meal sharing system was probably due to the lack of material conditions and the order of seniority and inferiority.

Regarding the reason why the mixed meal system was formed, one theory is that the Tang and Song Dynasties were the dynasties when the mixed meal system gradually emerged. During the prosperous period of the Tang Dynasty, the Silk Road connected the world. Not only did the table equipment such as Hu beds and Hu tables flow into the Central Plains, but even some customs and habits of the Hu people gradually spread, including sharing meals. The nobles found that it was very pleasant for a large group of people to eat at the table and chat and gossip. They no longer had to sit on the floor and eat separately. With the rise of poor families brought about by the prosperity of the scientific examination system, aristocratic families gradually disappeared. Out of dignity and safety, the royal family still retains the tradition of sharing meals. After the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the shared meal system became more popular and the separate meal system gradually declined. In the Song Dynasty, productivity was further developed, the commercial economy prospered, and the dishes on the Song Dynasty dining table became more abundant. Public dining spaces such as Jiaofang Restaurant and Goulan Houses sprung up, which was an important reform of the Chinese people's food culture. In the Yuan Dynasty, because the people in power were horseback people, they naturally introduced the habits of the northern nomads into the Central Plains. Therefore, when the nomads became rulers, the meal-sharing system in the Central Plains was impacted again. What goes up works but also works, so it gradually became popular, and the meal sharing system lost the opportunity to build a sense of presence. Therefore, in general, the meal sharing system is the product of cultural blending.

China’s shared meal system has also experienced episodes of cultural shock. For example, the impact of Western food and the impact of health concepts. During the Republic of China, the invention of the "revolving dining table" and the call for the use of "serving chopsticks" triggered an upsurge in attempts to revive the meal-sharing system. But generally speaking, the current Chinese food culture has formed a dining style that is mainly based on "combined meal preparation" and is compatible with "separated meal preparation".

This epidemic has prompted us to think about the meal-sharing system, making us call for a more civilized and hygienic way of dining. Serving chopsticks and spoons is a simple task, and it is also a social responsibility!