Q. Edward Wang is Professor of History and Co-ordinator of Asian Studies at Rowan University and Changjiang Professor of History at Peking University. Educated in both China and the US, he has received a fellowship from the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, and the Chinese Studies Fellowship from the National Library, Taiwan. He has given lectures and talks at a number of institutions in North America, Europe and Asia, and has been Secretary General of the International Commission for the History and Theory of Historiography since 2005. His recent publications include Mirroring the Past: The Writing and Use of History in Imperial China (co-authored), which was a Choice Outstanding Academic Title in 2006, and A Global History of Modern Historiography (co-authored), which has been translated into Chinese, German, Greek and Russian.

• 1. Introduction; 2. Why chopsticks? Their origin and original function; 3. Dish, rice or noodle? The changing use of chopsticks; 4. Forming a chopsticks cultural sphere: Vietnam, Japan, Korea and beyond; 5. Using chopsticks: customs, manners and etiquette; 6. A pair inseparable: chopsticks as gift, metaphor and symbol; 7. 'Bridging' food cultures in the world; Glossary; Bibliography; Index.

'Questions you would have never thought to ask are expertly answered in this timely volume. The pages and chapters bring to light unique facets of Chinese life that are usually reserved for interrogation by focusing on the Chinese written language as a special East Asian 'cultural sphere'. By addressing chopsticks Wang neatly augments that sphere by adding culinary history to the cultural mix.' Benjamin A. Elman, Princeton University, New Jersey

Q. Edward Wang is Professor of History and Co-ordinator of Asian Studies at Rowan University and Changjiang Professor of History at Peking University. Educated in both China and the US, he has received a fellowship from the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, and the Chinese Studies Fellowship from the National Library, Taiwan. He has given lectures and talks at a number of institutions in North America, Europe and Asia, and has been Secretary General of the International Commission for the History and Theory of Historiography since 2005. His recent publications include Mirroring the Past: The Writing and Use of History in Imperial China (co-authored), which was a Choice Outstanding Academic Title in 2006, and A Global History of Modern Historiography (co-authored), which has been translated into Chinese, German, Greek and Russian.

• 1. Introduction; 2. Why chopsticks? Their origin and original function; 3. Dish, rice or noodle? The changing use of chopsticks; 4. Forming a chopsticks cultural sphere: Vietnam, Japan, Korea and beyond; 5. Using chopsticks: customs, manners and etiquette; 6. A pair inseparable: chopsticks as gift, metaphor and symbol; 7. 'Bridging' food cultures in the world; Glossary; Bibliography; Index.

'Questions you would have never thought to ask are expertly answered in this timely volume. The pages and chapters bring to light unique facets of Chinese life that are usually reserved for interrogation by focusing on the Chinese written language as a special East Asian 'cultural sphere'. By addressing chopsticks Wang neatly augments that sphere by adding culinary history to the cultural mix.' Benjamin A. Elman, Princeton University, New Jersey

Q. Edward Wang is Professor of History and Co-ordinator of Asian Studies at Rowan University and Changjiang Professor of History at Peking University. Educated in both China and the US, he has received a fellowship from the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, and the Chinese Studies Fellowship from the National Library, Taiwan. He has given lectures and talks at a number of institutions in North America, Europe and Asia, and has been Secretary General of the International Commission for the History and Theory of Historiography since 2005. His recent publications include Mirroring the Past: The Writing and Use of History in Imperial China (co-authored), which was a Choice Outstanding Academic Title in 2006, and A Global History of Modern Historiography (co-authored), which has been translated into Chinese, German, Greek and Russian.

• 1. Introduction; 2. Why chopsticks? Their origin and original function; 3. Dish, rice or noodle? The changing use of chopsticks; 4. Forming a chopsticks cultural sphere: Vietnam, Japan, Korea and beyond; 5. Using chopsticks: customs, manners and etiquette; 6. A pair inseparable: chopsticks as gift, metaphor and symbol; 7. 'Bridging' food cultures in the world; Glossary; Bibliography; Index.

'Questions you would have never thought to ask are expertly answered in this timely volume. The pages and chapters bring to light unique facets of Chinese life that are usually reserved for interrogation by focusing on the Chinese written language as a special East Asian 'cultural sphere'. By addressing chopsticks Wang neatly augments that sphere by adding culinary history to the cultural mix.' Benjamin A. Elman, Princeton University, New Jersey