Family table manners, seating arrangements and explanations

2025-01-08 13:11

Family table manners and seating arrangements were based on traditional culture and etiquette. The seating arrangement principles included the order of seniority, male left and female right, hierarchy, right high and left low, etc. In family gatherings, the seating arrangement was usually based on seniority and age. The host usually sat at both ends of the table, facing the direction of the guest's entrance, and the hostess faced the direction of the kitchen. On the right side of the male and female owners were the number 2 lady and number 2 man, and on the left side were the number 3 lady and number 3 man. The order of the seats needed to be carefully arranged according to the rules of age, seniority, status, and so on. In typical Chinese banquets, the principle of " friends first, relatives second, clan second " was followed, and age was the order. The seating arrangement also took into account the principle of separating men and women. The arrangement of men and women was based on the hostess. In addition, the seating arrangement had to follow the principle of right-wing, and the position on the right had to be higher than the position on the left. In the western dining table, the ladies had priority, and the male and female guests sat on the right side of the hostess and the male host respectively. The arrangement of the seats also took into account the distance. The closer to the main seat, the higher the status. In short, family table manners and seating arrangements needed to be carried out according to traditional culture and etiquette norms, with respect for the elders and the principle of hierarchy.