00:00 Chopsticks are surprisingly old, dating back about 7,000 years, and while they are commonly associated with Asia, they have a long history in other parts of the world as well.

05:06 Chopsticks were initially used for cooking and food preparation, and later became table utensils, with different cultures having their own word for them; they were also used for practicality reasons, such as avoiding sticking hands into boiling water, and the widespread use of chopsticks in China was influenced by a population boom and Confucius' vegetarianism.

10:07 Chopsticks became popular in China due to the population boom, the use of wheat in cooking, and the introduction of a specific type of Vietnamese rice that is clumpy and sticky.

15:08 In Korea, the spoon and chopstick are used together, possibly due to the consumption of hot stews and soups, while in China and Japan, chopsticks are longer and blunter to discourage the use of knives at the table.

21:01 Using chopsticks involves holding the bottom one stationary while using the top one to pick up and tweeze food, with the key being to hold them loosely but in control.

25:37 China produces 80 billion disposable chopsticks every year, requiring 20 million 20-year-old trees to meet the demand, with Japan using 77% of the other half and Korea using 21%.

30:24 In Japan, there are certain etiquette rules regarding chopsticks, such as not sticking them upright in a bowl of rice or crossing them, as these actions are reminiscent of death and are considered impolite.

36:07 In Japan, there are etiquette rules regarding chopsticks, such as not using them to spear food, not crossing them, and not washing them off in your drink, as these actions are considered impolite and reminiscent of funeral rights.

40:34 In Japan, it is considered impolite to use chopsticks as a rake to lift up a bowl of rice and rake it into your mouth, while in China it is perfectly acceptable; in Thailand, chopsticks are not commonly used, while in Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and China, they are ubiquitous and even used to eat soup.

45:11 Using chopsticks involves using over 50 muscles in the fingers and 30 joints in the fingers, arms, shoulders, and wrists, which is much more than what is used when using a fork.

50:11 Chopsticks are a great tool for enjoying Asian cuisine and it's worth learning how to use them properly.