My Mom told me an old Chinese custom, that knock the table while you eat, it means thank you.?

Question

She told me a story about a king that went udercover with his bodyguard. Is it true? can anybody tell me the whole story? any reference (website) about it? Anybody still do that old custom?

Answer 1

When you are served tea, you knock you index and middle finger (tip of the nails) on the table to say thanks which the emporer told his bodyguard to do instead of saying "thank you your majesty" which would blow his cover. The knocking resembles kneeling, which the Chinese do to show respect to their king. This custom is still practised when chinese tea is served to someone.

Answer 2

Since I had memory, I've never knocked the table while eating. Neither do my parents or other kin. Most of my friends don't do it. I feel it kind of rude for table etiquette. Again, since I heard the story of the emperor, I don't mind doing it in chinese restaurant when somebody pours tea for me into my cup. However I'll do it very lightly with one two fingertips without any noise, which is not exactly "knock". Sometimes the pots are really too heavy for women's hands you know and when I don't want to say "Thank you" and "Thank you" continuously ( the cups are always too small that I need to add some more all the time ), then I'll do that.

As for the story, I don't know that much myself. I've heard that the king sometimes poured tea for his bodyguards during his tour of inspection undercovered. The bodyguards couldn't kowtow to him in public as they did in the palace, so they used their hands to act kowtow on the table instead. It's not an uncivilized manner originally.

NEVER BURPING!

Answer 3

No, but I've heard lots of other things masquerading as ancient Chinese customs. It's popular because the Chinese do have some strange customs that most people are not aware of. Heck, I like the "old Chinese custom" of burping at the table to show you liked the meal, but somehow my wife won't let us practice it no matter how honorable it might possibly be!

In any case, I would not recommend duplicating what are said to be old customs from any unusual locale, be it China or New York. At worst, your host may be insulted; at best, they may simply say "But we're not in China, are we?"