The origins of bamboo and wooden tableware must begin with chopsticks, a unique Chinese tradition.
Chopsticks, known in ancient times as "zhu," are recognized worldwide as a unique piece of tableware. Learning to use them is indeed challenging for Europeans and Americans who prefer knives and forks, but once mastered, these two small pieces become incredibly versatile. Therefore, some Western scholars praise chopsticks as a representative of ancient Eastern civilization and the crystallization of the Chinese people's ingenuity and wisdom.
Our ancestors have been using chopsticks for dining for over 3,000 years, perhaps even longer. But who today can pinpoint the exact origins of Chinese chopstick culture? Over one billion people in China use chopsticks for three meals a day. Precisely because they use chopsticks every meal, every day, every year, and every day, the Chinese have become so accustomed to them that they seem almost oblivious. Consequently, historical records of chopstick culture are rare. Even in ancient texts, where some mentions do occur, they often refer to other matters rather than the chopsticks themselves. For thousands of years, there have been few dedicated studies and discussions on chopsticks.
Today, chopsticks have become a common research topic of interest to all Chinese who dine with chopsticks.
my country, the birthplace of chopsticks, has a long history of using them for dining. Ancient texts, such as "Yu Lao" in "Han Feizi," record: "In the past, King Zhou made ivory chopsticks, and Ji Zi was terrified." Sima Qian also wrote in "Records of the Grand Historian: The Family of Zong Weizi," "King Zhou made ivory chopsticks, and Ji Zi sighed and said, 'If they make ivory chopsticks, they must make jade cups; if they make jade cups, they must be made from exotic and exotic objects from far away to chariot with.' From this time on, the proliferation of chariots, horses, and palaces began, and it is impossible to reverse it." While this statement reflects the fear aroused by King Zhou's extravagant lifestyle among his courtiers, it provides valuable historical evidence for tracing the birth and development of chopsticks through the palace incidents caused by ivory chopsticks. Zhou was the last emperor of the Shang Dynasty. Based on this, it is estimated that refined ivory chopsticks appeared in my country around 1144 BC, more than 3,100 years ago.
Some people doubt the ancient record that "Zhou invented ivory chopsticks," arguing that there were no elephants in Henan, Hebei, and other places, so how could ivory chopsticks have existed? Archaeologists have discovered the character for "elephant" in Shang Dynasty oracle bone inscriptions, as well as references to "Fuxiang" (fu xiang) and "lai xiang" (lai xiang). The "Lüshi Chunqiu: Ancient Music" also mentions the phrase "Shang people served elephants." The "Original Flavors" chapter records "the agreement to use elephants," indicating that elephant trunks were also considered a delicacy. This suggests that herds of wild elephants existed in the Central Plains during the Shang Dynasty. It is precisely because elephants were hunted during the Shang Dynasty that "Zhou invented ivory chopsticks."
The ancient text states that "Zhou was the first to use ivory chopsticks," indicating that King Zhou was the first emperor to use ivory chopsticks. He was not the first Chinese to use chopsticks; the invention of chopsticks must have predated the Shang Dynasty by several years.
