【HaiChuan: Going Home for the New Year】The rules at Shandong people’s dining tables

Let’s talk about seating first. Shandong has always been a region known for its emphasis on propriety, so the distinctions between guests and hosts, as well as between those of higher and lower rank at the dinner table, must not be overlooked. At a drinking party, the seat facing the entrance is usually occupied by the host or the person who pays for the drinks. Opposite him is the person who joins the host in receiving guests, called the \"host’s assistant\". These two locations are called differently in various places, but the meaning is similar. If friends from other places are not familiar with the details, here is a simple way to tell: just look at the way the napkin is folded in the cup on the table to figure it out. The folding method of the napkins in these two locations is unique. The host’s napkin is usually folded into a cylindrical shape and placed inside the cup. The napkin for the host is folded into a fan shape. The napkin in that position is typically folded into three layers in a petal shape. The overall layout of the napkin resembles a phoenix with outstretched wings. Once these two seats are chosen, the rest can be determined easily. Sitting to the host’s left is the “guest of honor,” and to the right is the “secondary guest.”” ； Correspondingly, the person sitting next to the host on the left is called the \"deputy host,\" while the one sitting next to the guest of honor on the right is called the \"secondary host,\" although the term \"third host\" is more commonly used. For the remaining seats, the guests and hosts can sit wherever they like. At the dinner table, these people are jokingly called \"unreputable\", as there are no terms like \"three guests\" or \"four companions\" used there. The host and guests took their seats, and the pouring of wine began. People from Shandong enjoy drinking alcohol, especially drinking in large bowls. It seems to carry the legacy of the heroes of Liangshan. These days, although large bowls are no longer needed, small cups are also unnecessary. If you see people from Shandong drinking from those small three-qian-sized liquor cups in movies or TV shows, it doesn’t seem realistic at all. The standard glass in Shandong these days is a tall glass holding three liang and three. It’s impossible to determine who first popularized this type of glass, but one bottle of baijiu is just enough to fill three such glasses. The liquor is usually baijiu, with an alcohol content of around 38 degrees (people in Shandong don’t really like strong-alcohol drinks). Of course, beer can also be consumed, but generally it is converted at a ratio of 1:6 between spirits and beer.

Upon entry, each person is first served a cup like this, called the welcome cup. It means that everyone should take care of their own problems. Everyone present is required to drink this drink; refusing to do so is considered a lack of respect toward the host or owner. Of course, the host should lead everyone in drinking the first glass of wine. The host usually needs to have an opening remark, exchange some polite words, and then set a standard. That is to say, this drink needs to be consumed over several times. It is usually 6 times, called “six rises”. “The meaning of “start” includes the idea of “prosperity,” as it is meant to bring good fortune. In this way, everyone, under the host’s guidance, drinks, eats, and talks at the same time. After the host leads everyone in drinking from this cup, it’s time for the guest of honor to speak. He also exchanged pleasantries and invited everyone to have a drink. Under normal circumstances, after drinking two glasses of wine, the amount consumed is over 250 grams; both the host and guests turn red in the face and feel as if they’re floating on clouds. At this point, the host announced that the ceremony was over and everyone could move about freely. Note that this free time isn’t really meant for you to go out and get some fresh air to sober up; rather, it allows you to drink alone with anyone, with no restrictions on how much you drink. Generally at this time, the guests should express their gratitude for the host’s generous hospitality. Usually, the first round of thanks is given by the main guest and the host, followed by the secondary guests and the host’s accompanying guests, and so on. During this time, the atmosphere at the dinner table is at its liveliest, and the relationship between guests and hosts can be greatly strengthened. But this is often a time of trouble. By this point, half a jin of baijiu had already been consumed, and with all the ways people tried to get me to drink more, it was very easy to get drunk.

Generally, when people from Shandong host a meal, fish must be on the table. Fish is considered a delicacy in Shandong, and it’s referred to as a \"special dish\" at banquets. Don’t look at all those delicacies; compared to fish, they can only be considered side dishes. It’s not that people in Shandong particularly like fish; it’s mainly for good luck, after all, to have an abundance of fish every year. Generally, when presenting the fish, the fish’s head is turned toward the guest as a sign of respect. At this time, the guests who are on the side of the fish’s head should drink wine made from the head, while those on the side of the tail should drink wine made from the tail; generally it’s \"three sips for the head and four sips for the tail\", after which everyone eats the fish together. When the soup arrived, everyone drank the wine in their cups, ate, and then the banquet came to an end. People in Shandong usually drink for quite a long time; aside from some ceremonial gatherings where drinking is limited to about an hour, the drinking session typically lasts over 3 hours, and gatherings among close friends last even longer.

Yes, I once fell at the hands of a friend in Zibo. Hahahahaha

【HaiChuan: Going Home for the New Year】8 ways Sichuanese drink alcohol – you simply can’t handle them! https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-2280546-1-1.html (Source: Haichuan Chemical Industry Forum Website)

【Haichuan. Going Home for the New Year】Those famous Shandong dishes https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-2280739-1-1.html (Source: Haichuan Chemical Industry Forum)