12. 筷子
Chopsticks originated in ancient China and have been an important part of Chinese food culture. Our ancestors liked to have steamed or boiled food, but it was difficult for them to spoon out vegetables from the soup, so they invented chopsticks. Thus chopsticks have become the most convenient tableware in their life and marked the coming of food civilization. Nowadays, chopsticks are added many new functions besides being used as one kind of tableware. Skillful craftsmen paint beautiful sceneries on them to make them look like fine artworks. Many people are keen to gather them as their collections.
筷子（chopstick）起源于中国古代，一直是中国饮食文化重要的一部分。我们的祖先喜欢吃蒸煮食物，但用勺子很难舀（spoon out）到汤里的蔬菜，所以发明了筷子。从此，筷子成为他们生活中最为方便的餐具（tableware），标志着饮食文明的到来。如今，筷子除了具有餐具功能外，增添了很多新功能。熟练手艺人在筷子上描绘美丽的风景，使之变成精美的艺术品。许多人热衷于收集筷子作为藏品。
