On Cultural Differences between Chinese and American DietsWord文件下载.docx

1、Abstract： Food, an essential prerequisite for existence, plays an irreplaceable role in the development of society and in the progress of human beings, whether in ancient times or in modern times, and whether in East or in West. However, not all human beings have the same food or develop the same fo

2、od habits. And the food is of course limited by availability, and it is also influenced by culture. Actually, food is closely related to culture, and food culture varies with nations. Therefore, only within the context of specific culture can food and food habits be best understood. There are great

3、differences between China and America in ideas, contents and characteristics of food.From the perspective of concepts, etiquette and contents, this essay endeavors to analyze the cultural differences between Chinese and American food cultures and the underlying causes are also studied. The study fin

4、ds out that with the development of cross-cultural communication, more factors and new variables that are complementary and compatible in food cultures will arise through communication.Key words: Chinese and American food cultures；Differences; Cross-cultural communication论中美饮食文化差异摘要：无论是在古代还是现代，无论是在东

5、方还是西方，饮食作为人类生存的必要前提，在人类社会发展和文明进步中起着不可替代的作用。然而，人类的饮食或饮食习惯各不相同。一个人的饮食当然要受到其获得食物种类的限制，但同时也要受到文化的制约。由此可见，饮食与文化密不可分。不同的民族缔造了不同的饮食文化。只有在特定的文化中，人们才能更好地理解其饮食内容和饮食习惯。中国与美国在饮食观念、饮食内容、食物特征等方面都存在着显著的差异。本文着重探讨、分析了中国与美国在饮食观念，宴会礼仪，饮食内容等方面的跨文化差异，揭示了导致饮食文化差异的深层次原因，研究发现随着跨文化交际的不断发展，中西饮食文化的交流、互补和兼容的因素也会日益增多。关键词:中美饮食文化

6、,差异,跨文化交际Contentsacknowlegements iAbstract iiKey Words ii摘要 iii关键词 iiiContents ivChapter One Introduction 11.1 Research Objective 11.2 General Organization of the Thesis 2Chapter Two The Differences between Chinese and American Diets 32.1 Chinese Diet 32.2 American Diet 4Chapter Three The Causes of

7、the Differences between Chinese and American Diets 63.1 Social Factors 63.1.1 Agricultural Factors 63.1.2 Economic Factors 73.1.3 Historical Factors 73.1.3.1ChineseTraditional Culture 73.1.3.2The Historical Features of Western Culture 83.2 The Notion of Food 83.2.1 Chinese Notion of Food 83.2.2 Amer

8、ican Notion of Food 93.3 National Character 93.3.1 Chinese Character 93.3.2 American Character 10Chapter Four Conclusion 11Bibliography 12Chapter One Introduction1.1 Research Objective Food is an essential substance, which provides the nutrients necessary to maintain life and growth. It plays an irr

9、eplaceable role in the development of society and in the progress of human beings, whether in ancient times when primitive man ate the raw flesh of birds and beasts or in modern times when human beings have entered the new era of information, and whether in East or in West.China, a great country wit

10、h much delicious food, has a long history of food culture, which can be traced back to the ancient times. During the development for many years, Chinese food has experienced four stages, including omophagia, delicatessen, natural cuisine and scientific cuisine. Moreover, many typical local dishes an

11、d traditional dishes have been made. However since the opening to the foreign countries in 1980s, many American refreshments have poured into Chinese market, such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonalds. And they have swiftly expanded in the large and medium-sized cities in China. In the first 11 mo

12、nths of 2001, there are 100 Kentucky, and the capital investment has amounted to 3 hundred million. Meanwhile, there are more than 380 McDonalds in China （王雅林 55）.Though Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonalds have been popular with many customers, some cultural impact has come into being, which has at

13、tracted many sochlors attention. There is an old English saying One mans meat is another mans poison, which means not all human beings like to have the same food or develop the same food habits. The difference in the opinions about the eating of dogs meat is a good case. Generally speaking, dogs meat is considered delicious in China. However, in America, it is immora