Why is it taboo in Japan to use chopsticks to serve food to others

Just after the new year, I believe that we are still pondering over all the delicious food we have eaten in the new year. We are still calculating how to spend our new year's money. But have you noticed a little habit of eating in the new year's table?
For example, when a huge plate of braised hooves is brought up, one person can't get a piece of meat, or when a large piece of meat is taken, two pieces of meat are "lotus root is broken" which are very embarrassing. At this time, another pair of chopsticks will come to solve your urgent problem and help you separate the two stubborn meat. When you look at the dish opposite the dinner table, it dribbles, but it's not good. When we want to stand up and stretch out our chopsticks, the adults around us will help you to clip them. However, these actions that we think are common and even can enhance our feelings are taboo in Japan. Why do we say so? Is it because the Japanese are so clean that they stay away from the chopsticks used by others? Or are the Japanese very selfish and unwilling to help others and like to see others make a fool of themselves? Not really
That's because Buddhism in Japan is different from that in China. Although both originated in India, with the passage of time, two different systems and habits have been developed for a long time. In China, the remains of the dead can be buried or cremated. There is no particular emphasis on the convergence of the remains. It's OK to transfer the ashes to the urn with a small shovel. The eldest son of the family comes to complete the task
But in the Japanese Buddhist custom, after the deceased is cremated, the convergence of the remains can not be completed by only one person. The family members should send two or more people to clamp the burned bones into a special jar with chopsticks. In this process, one person picks up the bones with chopsticks, the other catches the bones with chopsticks, and then puts them into the jar.
Why do you do that? Is it for family members to express their grief for the dead? Or to show respect for the dead? Not really
The origin of this practice is that in Japanese, chopsticks are the same as the sound of the bridge. In Japanese Buddhism, there is a river between our world, that is, the living world and the dead world, that is, the underworld. The use of chopsticks to pick up the remains means to build a bridge for the dead to another world, and also to rely on the living for the dead. Rest on the other side of the river with good wishes for a smooth passage through the river
Therefore, it is taboo to use chopsticks to help others with their dishes in Japan, especially when there are elders present. It should be noted that others think you are cursing them... Chopsticks are not taboo in China, for example, chopsticks can not be inserted straight in the rice bowl, because this looks like incense in the censer, which is also regarded as the behavior of cursing the premature death of others
At the same time, it's not very sanitary to use chopsticks to pick dishes for each other. If you have to show concern for others, you should use public chopsticks to pick dishes for others.
When traveling to Japan, don't use chopsticks to pick up dishes for relatives. Maybe the waiter is looking at you in the corner with strange eyes