In the past, chopsticks were much more than tableware; they represented blessings and misfortune. In the Sung dynasty, sailors didn't say zhu - the antique word that refers to chopsticks; another word that shares the sound of zhu means 'halt'. It is not a good thing for sailors when the boat halts, so they pronounced this word as kuai, which means fast - a good thing for them; that's why chopsticks were also known as kuai-zi, which can be interpreted as "have a son soon". So our ancestors gave their daughters a pair of chopsticks as a dowry in the hope that they would give birth to a son in no time.
Even in modern times, chopsticks still have many applications other than as eating utensils: children today still use chopsticks with rubber bands to create the coolest handguns, perfect for an ambush or a direct shootout - don't you remember those childhood games?
Chopsticks are so involved in every aspect of our lives, that they can be dubbed as the most creative, versatile, beautiful, and lasting product design.
