why were chopsticks invented

Chopsticks were invented primarily as cooking utensils about 5,000 years ago in China. Early chopsticks were used to reach food from hot cooking pots, making it easier to handle food over fires without burning hands. As cooking evolved, food was cut into smaller pieces to cook faster and save fuel, which made knives unnecessary at the table and made chopsticks practical for eating. Additionally, the Chinese philosopher Confucius promoted the use of chopsticks over knives at the table because knives symbolized violence, and chopsticks were seen as a gentler, non-violent tool. By around 500 A.D., chopsticks had become common eating utensils across East Asia, including in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, and evolved into various styles and materials across regions.