Cultural Insights: Analyzing Eating and Drinking Habits in Sociology

This sociology essay explores the cultural significance of eating and drinking habits by comparing China and the USA. It examines how these habits reflect societal values, traditions, and cultural norms. The essay highlights the differences in food consumption, including the types of food consumed, methods of eating, and the role of family meals. It also analyzes the role of alcohol consumption, including the history of brewery in China and the cultural significance of drinking in both countries. The essay delves into the impact of individualism and collectivism on eating and drinking habits. It discusses specific cultural practices, such as Chinese banquets and American drinking habits, providing a comprehensive cross-cultural analysis. The essay uses the drinking and eating habits of people of different countries to highlight their cultural assumptions in different ways. The rich history of brewery in China has converted them as one of the highest alcohol consumers. The increase of alcohol drinking in China has shown their similarities with the culture of United States. The differences between the eating and drinking styles between the Chinese and the US are completely different. The impact of individualism and collectivism can be felt in these habits.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Sociology
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Food is the most important ingredient that measures the cultural aspects of people. It is
through the intake of different types of food and drinks that helps to understand how the eating
and drinking habits would help the two countries to bridge all the cultural gaps. Multiculturalism
is a very definite thing in today’s world (Shepherd: 75). Therefore, the drinking and eating habits
of people of different countries would definitely highlight their cultural assumptions in different
ways. The rich history of brewery in China has converted them as one of the highest alcohol
consumers. The increase of alcohol drinking in China has shown their similarities with the
culture of United States.
The differences between the eating and drinking styles between the Chinese and the US
are completely different. The impact of individualism and collectivism can be felt in these habits.
Multicuisine restaurants are very frequently available in the country because many people from
the western countries come and live in China (Yokum et al.: 2545). The Chinese people always
like to eat by sharing their meals with their fellow people. There are some regional cuisines
available in the country as well. All these restaurants have their own food, style and customs that
are exhibited in different regions. These restaurants of different regions are generally based on
the favorite food of the people. There are some specialties of food dishes that are prepared in
different regions and these restaurants are built in those special places only. Some of the most
special cuisines associated with different regions are Laiyang pears, Sichuan hot pot, Beijing
duck, Qingdao seafood and other type of foods. Shandong is one of those places where many
chefs belonged after the ending of the Song dynasty (Shepherd: 75).
The eating habits also manifest their ability to host their guests properly. When some
important guests in different regions come for special occasions, they are provided with the most
delicious and exotic treats by the local people (Chen et al.: 348). This is one of the best features
of the country. They are also one of the oldest countries in the world that began the brewery.
Many authors have shown that the increase of the consumption of alcohol has grown up so much
in the country. This might be the after effect of mixing with people from the western worlds.
According to the research works of many eminent scholars, it has been found that the use of
alcohol had originated in China from the Shen Nong period that was during the advent of the
New Stone Age. According to the views of the views of the people, it has been said that the Du
Kang was the person who had invented alcohol in China (Shepherd: 75). He lived in the Xia
dynasty. Different types of foods that are provided to the guests are the brains of different birds,
larvae of various insects, blood and eggs of snakes, snake soups and scorpions. The guests are
also allowed by the guests to eat different types of fishes, pangolin, scorpions and civet that are
the specialties of their regional cuisine (Hao, Chen and Su: 738).
One of the rituals during the eating habits of people is the fact that the one representative
of the guest will go with the hosts to overview all the dishes placed on the table in the
restaurants. These foods are generally located at the central spot of the tables. The Chinese
people eat together and they look to enjoy every bit of time during their eating. When the
Chinese people attend the banquets, they seem to hear the stories and folklores about the
traditional Chinese food. This takes up much time but they take good food and enjoy their times
as well. In these banquets, the hosts go on to declare and explain all the details about the food
that the hosts are eating (Shepherd: 75). This might include details of preparation of food,
nutritional value of the foods and many other things. During the time of these declarations, they

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go on to make the discuss about the rituals and taboos that are very closely associated with the
foods (Petrescu et al.: 20).
Drinking is also shown as one of the most essential factors of the Chinese culture.
According to the scholars, alcohol is a very important thing when it is about the entertainment of
the guests. Drinking is taken as the theme of the entertainment of guests at Shandong. In the city
of Shandong, consumption of alcohol has become the most important medium through which
their culture can be manifested. Therefore, drinking is obviously the most common practice out
there. In the banquet games, drinking has four main roles to play (Hao, Chen and Su: 738). These
are to build the proper face for players, depiction of the honesty of a person, enhancement of
various feelings in their minds and creation of an atmosphere that will cater to the happiness of
people all around (Chen et al.: 348).
In the next section of the discussion, the eating and drinking habits of the Americans will
be discussed (Hao, Chen and Su: 738). The use of sugars in the food is excessively done in USA.
They take food like saturated foods, excessive sugar and sodium. According to the measurements
of the nutrition experts, it has been assumed that around three fourth of the people in the country
consume their foods that have very low amount of fruits, vegetables, dairy products and oils.
There is a problem in the eating pattern of the Americans (Saha and Eckelman: 135). About half
of the American population has met their targets of consuming grains and protein foods. Still,
they have been unable to meet the targets of the consumption of food subgroups. The nutritional
value of the foods eaten by Americans and the Chinese are almost similar. People of both the
countries generally consume foods that are full of harmful calorie (Hao, Chen and Su: 738). On
the contrary to the Chinese people, the Americans mostly rely on the self serving method for
their satisfaction. This perhaps highlights the impact of individualistic culture on their food
habits. Though Chinese people use forks to cut their food and eat them with chopsticks,
Americans do not need so. Rather Americans only cook their food in big pots and eat them with
the use of knives and forks (Tian et al: 28).
On the other hand, it has been seen that the Chinese people generally do not remove the
bones from the meat. They cut the meat of animals into several pieces and eat them. This is a
contrast to the American people where they tend to eat the filleted fish and meat without bones.
Chinese use the round tables for their family meals since they do their things collectively (Wang
et al., 145). On the contrary, American people love to eat their food in square tables. In the
American culture, drinking is a very common habit and parents do it openly in front of their
children. There are some ill impacts seen in the consumption of alcohol in the US like
intoxicated drivers causing accidents while driving, arguments within the family and assaulting
the people on the rod by drinking too much. They drink beers, whiskey and scotch too much.
On a concluding note, it can be said that the cultural differences between USA and China
are pretty clear when it comes to their eating and drinking habits. The drinking habits
accompanied with their eating habits have been discussed in the paper to find out the differences.
These differences are very useful to identify their cultural beliefs, their togetherness and
closeness with the society.

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