The plate is often under the bowl in Chinese banquets (lived in Shanghai for 4 years)and been to many a meal having been the regional 'taipan' - they often judge your familiaity and time in the East by asking visitors to see how many peanuts or small mushrooms in a shrimp sauce you can pick up in thirty seconds. And it isnt easy for the newcomer.
Anyway, on the subject of chopsticks, thought you may like this (perhaps it ought to be over in jokes or religion and spirituality!
A Chinese Christian just died and went up to the Heaven. After an angel greeted him, the angel said, "Let me take you down to the Hell before we go inside the Heaven."
Once they were there, the Chinese saw a huge table full of a big feast. However, everybody around the table looked real sad and starving. He asked the angel why.
The angel said, "They only get a pair of 4-foot chopsticks and thus each one of them cannot feed oneself because the chopsticks are too long."
Then, they went back to the Heaven and went inside. Again, the Chinese saw a huge table full of a big feast just like that in the Hell and each person has a pair of 4-foot chopsticks too. However, strangely, everybody around the table looked happy and satisfied.
The angel explained, "Simple, here in Heaven each one feeds another with the chopsticks, unlike those selfish ones down there."