QUICKSAND BY THE NUMBERS » CHOPSTICKS
.33
Percentage of the world population that uses chopsticks each day, almost as many people who use a fork and knife. Chopsticks can be made of a variety of materials, including bamboo, plastic, bone, steal, jade and ivory. In the past, the royal family of China would use silver chopsticks, not just for regal opulence but also to test the toxicity of foods. It was thought if the silver turned black, the food was poisoned. Unfortunately, science has proven that silver does not react to arsenic or cyanide, but it does change color when exposed to hydrogen sulfide, a compound found in garlic and onions. Must have led to a few deadly misunderstandings.
5K
The estimated number of years chopsticks have been in existence. Originating in China, folklore has the Chinese philosopher Confucius championing the use of chopsticks over other utensils because of his non-violent views. He believed in removing all eating instruments associated with violence, like knives, from the dinner table. As Confucius notes, “The honorable and upright man keeps well away from both the slaughterhouse and the kitchen. And he allows no knives on his table.”
6 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE February/March 2022
4
Number of chopstick styles. The Chinese use a long chopstick with a blunt end; the Japanese a short, wooden style with a pointy end (7 inches for women; 8 inches for men); the Koreans use a shorter chopstick that can be metallic, wood or plastic; and the Vietnamese use a longer chopstick similar to the Chinese version. A fear of chopsticks, by the way, is called consecotaleophobia.
50
The number of muscles engaged when using chopsticks. Users also use 30 joints. From your fingers and wrists to your arm and shoulder, studies have shown that regular use of chopsticks can decrease the risk in osteoarthritis in the hands.
90B
Number, in billions, of disposable chopsticks used in China each year. The Chinese use so many disposable chopsticks, the government imposed a 5 percent tax on them to reduce their use. The Japanese use about 50 billion disposable chopsticks a year, which equals about 200 pairs of chopsticks per person in the country.
139K
Amount, in dollars, of the most expensive pair of chopsticks. The 18-carat gold pair was crafted in Australia.
