How did Chinese people eat before chopsticks?

The first utensils used in ancient China 5,000 to 7,000 years ago were bare human hands. After that, people discovered that certain food items could be better eaten with tools, such as spoons and knives, which were made from animal bone or wood. This period lasted for approximately 2,500 years, until people began to eat foods that were more easily digestible, such as meat, cereal grains and vegetables. When food became easier to chew and swallow, the knife's cutting function became less important, and its digging and spooning functions became more valued. This, in combination with the availability of better material, such as bronze and iron, gave rise to the creation of the first chopsticks around the 5th century BC.