Drinking etiquette in Changsha

Since ancient times, there has been a saying in Changsha that "no wine is no gift, no wine is no joy, no wine is no feast, and no wine is no respect". Therefore, drinking not only has etiquette, but also gradually forms a unique wine culture.

The etiquette of entertaining guests with wine in ancient times

At the beginning of the old banquet, guests could not drink alone, and the host only picked up the glass and stood up to respect the guests, which was called "the host doesn't treat guests or drink." Especially in rural areas, the host family likes to be polite, and keeps picking up dishes and pouring wine for the guests while eating to show respect. If you meet a heavy drinker and the host can't accompany you, you can stop pouring wine, but you must continue to accompany the guests slowly and don't add food, otherwise it will be considered impolite to urge the guests to stop drinking. Generally, when there is a difference between the host and the guest, the guest will be more polite. Although I haven't had enough wine, my mouth indicates that I have had enough. This time depends on the attitude of the host. If the host thinks that the guest can continue to drink, he will "force" to pour wine for the guest and pour some for the guest to continue drinking. If the host thinks that the guests are almost finished, or they really can't continue to accompany them, they will say: Enough wine, don't mention it! Then provide a meal for the guests. I won't advise you to drink at dinner.

The above drinking etiquette mostly stems from the virtue and courtesy of drinking in ancient times. The Zhou Dynasty promulgated the first prohibition of alcohol in China, fermented grains, requiring officials and professionals to drink alcohol only during sacrifices, but not too much, let alone get drunk. In the Ming Dynasty, people thought that there was nothing wrong with drinking, and the key was "prohibition without lewdness". Therefore, they naturally emphasized the importance of drinking methods. Smooth and moderate drinking methods can sublimate people's feelings and avoid irrational behavior.

Since ancient times, people in Changsha county have thought that drinking is not only a way to entertain guests, but also an elegant thing. The time, occasion, way and object of drinking are very particular. People think that the best wine drinkers should be elegant, frank and sincere confidants, the best drinking places are Huaxia, Bamboo Forest, Gaoge, Youguan, Pingchou, Tanghe and other places, and the best drinking seasons are clear autumn, rainy night, new moon, first snow, cool night and other most poetic times. When drinking, or singing poems in pairs, or talking around the stove at night, or fighting for wine and guessing fists, each has its own interests and becomes a culture.

Etiquette on the wine table today

Today, wine culture has become more and more abundant. In Changsha county, most people who drink will pay attention to the following points:

Prioritize and avoid whispering. Most banquets have a theme, that is, the purpose of drinking. When you go to eat, you should first look around the guests and prioritize. Don't drink just for the sake of drinking, and lose a good opportunity to make friends, let alone let some grandstanding drinkers disturb the host's meaning. If there are many guests at the banquet, we should try to talk about some topics that most people can participate in and get the approval of most people. Don't whisper to each other, leaving everyone cold, giving people a feeling of being unsociable.

Appropriate language, humor. The wine table can show a person's talent, common sense, self-cultivation and communication etiquette. Sometimes a humorous language will leave a deep impression on the guests and make people feel good about you invisibly. Therefore, it is very important to know when to say something, to use appropriate language, and to be humorous.

Moderate persuasion, don't force it. On the wine table, we often encounter the phenomenon of persuading wine. Some people always like to regard the wine field as a battlefield and try their best to persuade others to drink more, thinking that it is unrealistic to drink enough. "Talk about heroes with wine" is ok for people who drink a lot, but it is difficult for people who drink less. Sometimes, excessive persuasion will destroy the original feelings of friends.

Toast is orderly and sincere. Baking bread is also a science. First of all, we should fully consider the order of toasting. Generally speaking, toasting should be carried out in the order of age, position and guest and host status. If you are drinking with people you don't know, you should first find out your identity, or pay attention to what others call you, so as to know what you are doing and avoid embarrassing or hurtful situations. If you want a guest, you should respect him more at the banquet, but you should also pay attention to that if there are people with higher status or older people present, you should not only respect those who can help you, but also propose a toast to the distinguished people and older people first, otherwise everyone will be embarrassed.

Sense motive, grasp proper limit. At the banquet, you should know how to read your feelings, recognize the occasion, correctly evaluate your own strength, don't be too impulsive, try to keep some alcohol and talk, don't let others look down on you, and don't show yourself too much, giving people a sense of stability and propriety.