□曲甜甜（中国），吴氏垂心（越南）

一日三餐，中国人的餐桌上离不开筷子，而筷子很久以前就已出现在越南家庭中的餐桌上。

筷子在中国古代被成为“箸”，早在3000多年前在《韩非子·喻老》一文中就有相关筷子的记载：昔者纣为象箸，而箕子怖。而在越南语中，筷子也出现在民间绘画或民俗文化，筷子的发音是“đũa”，正是源自古汉语的“箸”。原来两国的筷子还有这样一段渊源。

筷子通常由木、竹、瓷、金属、塑料等材料制成，在中国最传统、也是最常用的是木筷子。而由于地理环境、气候等因素的影响，越南北部和中部地区的筷子通常是用竹子制成的，而南部的筷子通常是用椰子木制成的。现如今，两国的筷子都引申出礼品或摆件的功用。

大部分的越南人喜欢用自然原料做出来的筷子，因为他们相信自然的就是最好的。但在越南留学生垂心家里至少会有两种不同材料的筷子，做饭时用木筷子，吃饭时用塑料筷子。因为在垂心看来自然虽好，但有时候可能会残留味道，这让她感到很不舒服，于是也不知从什么时候开始，垂心对塑料筷子情有独钟。

筷子的设计是十分讲究的，所体现的文化内涵也十分丰富。譬如，一双筷子长七寸六分，代表人有七情六欲，提醒人们用筷子时要节制欲望，不要暴饮暴食；筷子两头分方圆，代表天圆地方，其中入口一端为圆，有着民以食为天的寓意；用筷时拇指食指在上，无名者小指在下，中指在中，取天地人三才之意。这些特殊的寓意充满了中华文化的特色。

时至今日，为了方便，中国人日常使用的筷子早已没有那么多严苛的标准，来自中国的甜甜最喜欢的筷子是吃火锅时特殊的筷子，它比普通的筷子要更长一些，目的是为了防止烫伤。老一辈人有这样一种说法：拿筷子时，手持的位置离入口端越远，长大后嫁人就会嫁的越远。所以，对于爱用长筷子的甜甜来说，她的爸爸妈妈十分忧心。

由此可见，筷子虽然没有固定的材质和长度，但又可以满足每一个人的要求，于是我们同筷子的感情也更深厚了许多。

中越两国在筷子的寓意上是有共识的：筷子有两根，为了体现其不可分割，通常人们会说“一双筷子”。在越南的民俗文化里，把筷子类比为夫妻两人之间的关系，好的婚姻，就像一双筷子一样，你离不开我，我也离不开你。

筷子伴随着中越人民的一生，小时候，长辈会用筷子沾一点菜汤，宠溺的让你品尝，那味道果然比奶粉更有滋味，于是新世界的大门开启了。

儿童时代，为了学会用筷子没少挨骂，可看着爸妈熟练用筷子的样子，暗下决心攻克“难题”，传承的热血在内心激荡。

少年时代，“与长辈吃饭不可先动筷子”，“筷子不能插在米饭里”，“两根筷子要一样长才好”，于是渐渐在这些条条框框中懂事明礼。

长大以后，很多人尝试过刀叉，但依然觉得筷子更顺手。身在他乡，原来筷子也会成为内心的柔软，表达着无限的思念。

因为一双筷子，中越人民有了共同的记忆，坐在同一张饭桌上，彼此的距离又近了一些。中越两国人民用筷子感受着舌尖上的酸甜苦辣咸，不同味道凝结在一双筷子上，形成了每个人的专属记忆，这自然也搭建起两国的文化桥梁。

当邀请客人来家里吃饭时，中国和越南都习惯说“多个人多双筷子”。而中越之间的关系又何尝不是如此，彼此相互往来交流的过程，也不过是“多个人多双筷子”。两国之间有很多相似的文化，有长1350公里的陆地边界线，巧的是，中国也是越南筷子出口的客户，伴随着“一带一路”建设，中越之间的关系会更加密切，就像筷子一样不离不弃，互相进步互相发展，最终实现命运共同体。

A pair of chopsticks builds a cultural bridge between China and Vietnam

Chopsticks are indispensable for three meals a day in China. Also, chopsticks have been on the tables of Vietnamese families for a long time.

Chopsticks were called "箸" in ancient China. As early as 3,000 years ago, there was a record of chopsticks in the article "Han Feizi-Yu Lao":“昔者纣为象箸，而箕子怖”. In Vietnamese, chopsticks also appear in folk paintings or folk culture, chopsticks are called "đũa", which is derived from the ancient Chinese word "箸". It turns out that the chopsticks of the two countries still have suchan origin.

Chopsticks are usually made of wood, bamboo, porcelain, metal, plastic, and other materials. The most traditional and commonly used in China are wooden chopsticks. Due to factors such as geographical environment and climate, chopsticks in the northern and central regions of Vietnam are usually made of bamboo, while chopsticks in the south are usually made of coconut timber. Nowadays, chopsticks in both countries have the function of gifts or ornaments.

Most Vietnamese people like chopsticks made from natural ingredients because they believe that natural is the best. Thuy Tam (Vietnamesestudent)sharing that she has two kinds of chopsticks at home: wooden chopsticks for cooking and plastic chopsticks for eating. Because Thuy Tamthinkwooden chopsticks can sometimes leavea residual taste,which makes her feel very uncomfortable, she doesn't know when it started. SoThuy Tam has a soft spot for plastic chopsticks.

The design of chopsticks is very particular,which reflects a rich cultural connotation. For example, a pair of chopsticks is seven inches and six centimeters long, representing the seven emotions and six desires of a person, and reminds people to restrain their desires and avoid overeating when using chopsticks. In addition, the chopsticks are divided into square and round ends, representing heaven and earth, with the entrance end being round, which has the symbolic meaning of people taking food as heaven.What's more, when using chopsticks, the thumb and index finger are on the top, the fourthfinger is on the bottom, and the middle finger is in the middle, with the meaning that heaven and earth and human are one. These special symbols are full of Chinese cultural characteristics.

Today, for the sake of convenience, the chopsticks used by Chinese people in daily life have not been so strict. Tian Tian (Chinese student) love the chopsticks used to eat hotpot. They are longer than ordinary chopsticks. It is to prevent burns. The older generation has such a saying: when holding chopsticks,the closer to the end, the further away from home you will be when you grow up. Therefore, for Tian Tian, who likes to use long chopsticks, her parents are very worried.

It can be seen that although chopsticks do not have a fixed material and length, they can meet the requirements of everyone, so our relationship with chopsticks is much deeper.

China and Vietnam have a consensus on the meaning of chopsticks: there are two chopstick, in order to reflect their inseparability, people usually say "a pair of chopsticks". In Vietnamese folk culture, chopsticks are compared to the relationship between a husband and wife. A good marriage is like a pair of chopsticks, inseparable.

Chopsticks accompany the Chinese and Vietnamese people throughout their lives. When we were babies, our parents would use chopsticks to dip a little vegetable soup and let you taste it. A baby's first taste of food with chopsticks,better than powdered milk, and opening the door to new worlds.

Whenwe were kids, wewas scolded a lot for learning to use chopsticks, but seeing how ourparents used chopsticks skillfully, wesecretly made up ourmind to overcome the "difficulties", and the bloodof inheritance stirred in my heart.

"Can't move your chopsticks first when you eat with your elders," "Can't stick the chopsticks in the rice," and "make sure the two chopstick are equal in length" were rules and regulationsweweretaught as a teenager, so you gradually became sensible and polite in these rules and regulations.

Many people have tried knives and forks but still feel that chopsticks are more convenient. Living abroad, it turns out that chopsticks will also become the softness of the heart, expressing infinite thoughts.

Through chopsticks, the Chinese and Vietnamese people have a common memory, and sitting at the same family meal means they are closer to each other. The people of China and Vietnam use chopsticks to feel the sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty tastes on their tongues, the different flavors condense on a pair of chopsticks, forming a unique memory for each person, which naturally builds a cultural bridge between the two countries.

When inviting guests to eat at home, both China and Vietnam are accustomed to saying "Just one more pair of chopsticks".The relationship between China and Vietnam is no different, the process of mutual exchange is just "more chopsticks for more people".There are many similar cultures between the two countries, and there is a 1,350-kilometer-long land border, coincidentally, China is also the customer of Vietnam's chopstick exports. With the construction of the "the Belt and Road Initiative", the relationship between China and Vietnam will be closer, just like the chopsticks, we willprogress and develop together and become a community of destiny.

指导老师：刘海明、王小杨