电影《饮食男女》,中西方饮食文化差异论文

电影《饮食男女》,中西方饮食文化差异 An Analysis of the Difference about the Dieting Culture between the West and China -----From the Film Eating, Drinking Man and Woman 姓名:杨谦 学号:201111901104 班级:111班 年级:2011级 Abstract The film Eating, Drinking Man and Woman, directed by the famous Taiwan director Ang Lee, presented a feast of Chinese food and drink culture, especially the Chinese food. It told both the form and the concept of Chinese food, from which we can see the different dieting culture between the west and China. From one plot that a foreigner said he needed the fry chicken, and the waitress said it was, the sharp comparison and the intensive conflicts were displayed. In the film, based on the culture of food and drink, a typical but ordinary Chinese family’s life was presented. The family used the food to express their love to each other, and communicate to each other, which also was a different aspect from the foreign culture. Key words: Eating, Drinking Man and Woman, food and drink culture, difference 1. The comparison of food and drink culture between the west and China. The different culture background, climate, habits, customs or even the religion decides that the food and drink is different. The food and drink is part of the culture. So it is very important to know the differences, when we want to know more about the different culture and promote the cross-cultural communication, and enhance the globalization. From the film, Eating, Drinking Man and Woman, kinds of the food and ways of cuisine showed us the profound and complex connation of food and drink culture. The form and concept of food and drink were expressed clearly. 1.1 The different form of food and drink. In the long history of china, cuisine has played an important role and now is considered an integral part of Chinese traditional culture. Chinese food gets a high reputation in the world not only for its exquisite, delicious taste and charming appearance but also for its sheer abundance. People in different counties and culture have created their own cuisines to suit their tastes and life. But colorful, aromatic and delicious are characteristics of China’s cuisines. 1.1.1 The objects that can be used to make the food are different. In the film, from the beginning, Mr. Zhu was preparing delicate food for the dinner. The process includes complicated steps with knifes, adding different tastes, and proper controlling the fire. The dinner was a feast for both the eyes and taste. But for western people, they eat the chunk of meat, such as beefsteak, chicken or some fast food. They created the fast food culture. The Chinese food focuses on its’ taste. The food itself has its own taste, but the seasons are extremely needed to taste delicious. The Chinese food can be regarded as an art of taste, and an art of seasons. On the other hand, Chinese mainly live on vegetables, while the west lives on meat. Chinese eat over 600 vegetables, which are 6 times than the west. In the past, in hinese food, the vegetables were very common. The meat could be eaten in the C festivals, important moments or among the rich people. Even today many people advocate the vegetarian. The western people lived on fishing and sea farming. What they use to support themselves was form the animals. 1.1.2 The ways of cuisine are also different. In Eating, Drinking Man and Woman, Mr. Zhu made the food with different color. Each has the matched color and form. Sometimes, he used the vegetables, tomatoes or onion to decorate the food. The basic cooking techniques including frying, roasting, stir-frying, sautéing, deep-frying, braising, stewing, streaming, simmering, pickling and so on. These techniques created an art of the food. The process of preparing might cost the whole day. In the west, people usually use the frying, stewing, baking, and simmering. They don’t mix various materials together. The food can keep its’ form. Because they pay attention to the nutrition, the western people eat most of the vegetables without cooking. They eat the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. For Chinese, they gradually realize the importance of nutrition, so they stir-fry the vegetables. They don’t usually eat them without cooking, or adding seasons. 1.1.3 The ways of food and drink can also present different culture. The ways of food and drink are totally different between China and the west, which may influence the characters of a nation. In china, when people get together for a dinner, they always use the round tables. They sit around the table, eat, drink and communicate with each other. In the film, we could see that on each Sunday, three daughters had to return home, sit around the round table and eat what their father prepared for them in the whole day. The round table could make a unit, polite, and harmonious. It was located in the center of all the people, and it was regarded as a media to exchange feelings to each other. They gave the food to each other, which expressed the love to each other, even though they acted coldly. In the west, the food and drink are necessary for a dinner, but they are just ways to connect, and enhance the friendship. The feast in china is like a dance that all of the people can dance together, the in west, it is a dance between two people, and people use the way “Go Dutch.” All of the foods are put on the tables, and the guests can walk around to get what they want to eat, which show the respect for personalities and individuals. For Chinese, they may think this way is too indifferent to establish a joyful and harmonious atmosphere. 1.1.4 The dinnerware is also different. The two different cultures decide that the use of dinnerware is different. In China, people would like to use the chopsticks, while the western people use the knives and forks. Chinese are influenced by the agriculture, so they like to live a peaceful life. The west lives on hunting, and wants to win and risk. They want to conquer. Chinese use the round tables and chopsticks, which fully shows the harmonious and relaxing atmosphere. The west uses the square tables, knives and forks, which gives people a sense of killing. 1.2 The different concept of food and drink The different thoughts and philosophy between the west and China make the concept of food and drink different. In china, the food and drink contains rich and profound cultural significance, and human’s knowledge about the things, which presents an important social significance. Chinese hold that food is the first thing for people, and they focus on the notion” The unity of man and nature”. So Chinese use the food to express their meanings and feelings. They pay attention to the meaning, color, form, scent, and taste of the food. They hold that cuisine is an art, so it has two features, closeness and creation. Cuisine can show a person’s interest and creation. The food and drink can be seen as pleasure of the life. In west, people the use of the food. From the nutrition of the food, they focus on the good points to human’s health. They believe that eating is to gain enough fuel to the function of the body, and that food can make people keep healthy, and become strong to avoid the disease. Besides, with the effect of collectivism, Chinese are inclined to share the food, and eat together, which is a concept of unity. The western people use the “go Dutch”. They order the food that they want to eat, which can show the respect for the personalities. They have the own food, and eat separately, and add any season based on their own favor. 2. Conclusion Form the film, Eating, Drinking Man and Woman, we can see many different aspects in the food and drink between China and the west, which can give us a clear description of the difference about the culture, concept and thoughts. But because of the globalization, the Chinese food has been eaten around the world, and people can also see kinds of foreign foods. The food and drink can be a media for people to know and experience different culture. Reference 程丹蕾. 饮食男女与中国传统家庭文化.影视评论. 2012,24. 蒋艳. 中西饮食文化差异的原因分析及其研究意义[J]. 湖北教育学院学报. 2007, 4. 孔润常. 中西方饮食文化差异[J]. 中国食品.2007,5. 宋莉. 风采中国---中国文化概况[M]. 哈尔滨工业大学出版社.2005, 7,326-329. 王静.中西方饮食文化之比较[J]. 考试周刊.2009, 17. 王姗. 浅谈中西饮食文化的差异---从影片《饮食男女》谈起[A]. Journal of Language and Literature Studies. 2011, 18. 魏形峰. 不同思想下的中西饮食观念.2007. 谢小红. 李安---电影中东西方文化的冲突、和解与交融. 2010,17. 赵荣光. 中西饮食文化概论.2003.