Yes, you will definitely be thrown in prison.

I've kind of gotten used to it myself. If there are no other foreigners, of course. I love to talk while chewing so liberating.

Why. Just try to understand that it is only bad manners where you were brought up and I am assuming by your statement that like me that place was not China. It is not bad manners in China so just let go of what you would do in your own culture and as it cannot physically harm you just roll with it. You can still eat the way you were taught but why would you or should you expect locals to conform to your way of doing things.

I try to explain what my manners are and why I stick to them and have actually had a few Chinese try to follow them but I do not try to convince or coerce them, rather i let them make their own decisions and am neither offended or disappointed it they do what is the normal way of behaving within THEIR society.

Culture?! Why do so many people relate things back to culture when there is no cultural comment being made? This isn't about MY or THEIR cultures; I just hate that noise.

Allow me to explain: Most people do not eat open-mouthed, chewing their food loudly. Only a very small minority do. However, that minority is of a greater decimal point percentage in China than it is in my home country. If there's a cultural point to be made it's to say that the Chinese people are significantly more tolerant of others' publicly displayed peculiarities of manner than we Western-types are.

I don't care if the noise comes from a Chinese mouth, an American mouth or an Ethiopian mouth -- it puts me off my food!!! 

Wana kill somone for that??? stay a little longer here and you will see there are much worse things than that??? you crazy.... you cant expect another country must change just for you and just cause you like to kill them for b.. shit?

Wow, you're really picky. Is it annoying? It can be sometimes, although it doesn't really bother me anymore. Sorry to tell you this, but you're just going to have to get used it or never go to a restaurant in China again. I still don't chew with my mouth open, but on occasion I will slurp my noodles if they are very hot. I'm more likely to in private, where no one else can hear me though. There's nothing physically wrong with chewing with your mouth open, but it can be a little bad if they're talking and food comes out. But haven't we all done that by accident before? Personally, I'm glad they can just ignore gross stuff, I'm almost used to spitting out of bones. Actually, I'm gaining those separating the bad stuff in your mouth skills. Came in really handy when I ate some salmon the other day. There were little bones, and I didn't bite into every single one and was able to eat around them. Still not willing to put a shrimp in my mouth shell and all, but maybe someday.

Dude just try to change your mind man.We can't expect others to live by our command.

I guess I am reading this post differently as I see no evidence that Yian wants people to change. He is just stating his dislike for this particular habit. I also think that eating with your mouth open and making loud noises is not appealing. I don't care who is chewing or slurping, it's just not good. I'll await your "thumbs down" vote.

Being jailed is probably the minimal punishment you would receive especially if you killed someone. Unless it was self defense and the loud chewing was somehow causing you to protect your own life you will be jailed for killing and it could only get worse from there.

yes,you will be in prison if u kill ppl in china.
WHY ? there is no WHY,since so many chinese do this, and doing this since long time, so it is kind of chinese culture. this behaviour is not good--that is in your point of view. but some chinese ppl say: the more they chew,means the more they like the food (i asked one chinese young lady before,although i dont chew & i also dont like to hear this noise. but i am also interested why they do this ).
besides, all habits are from the background,if his parents do it,his grand parents do it ....so how can he doesnt do it ?
anyways,since you are here in china,if you dont like it, you have to  bear it or leave it and find some place which  makes you comfortable. because it is  hard for everybody to change some people here in china.

What, u guys are taking this post literally? Emily, Mattaya.....wow!

I have been asking this question myself too. The chewing and spitting drives me nuts! I guess the only explanation is lack of etiquette or different culture (the culture of spitting, chewing, nose picking, etc).

First off, don't kill anyone.  It will land you in prison anywhere.  I know you are speaking figuratively, so hahahahaha.

Look, you need to take cultural differences into account.  Fo example, here in China it is acceptable to spit bones/shells/etc out onto the table or floor.  Embrace it and do as the locals do.

I think the practice is pretty gross, but hey, it's the way it's done here.

Join in and have fun with it. It kind of makes you feel like a kid again!

Exactly what Mr.T said. He's so smart

You can not go to someone else's home and expect them to hold the same values, mannerisms, habits, traditions, etc. as you do. If you don't like their home and the way they do things in their home, you either have to accept it or go back to your own. 

etiquette rule #1: never leave live witnesses
                      #2: never eat with your mouth open

This is true and the old adage about when in Rome, etc,. etc.

Nonetheless, I found the title of this thread somewhat inappropriate. Most of us are guests in their country.  We are here by choice not by force. We come here for many reasons.  We do not have to embrace their culture nor do we have to like or admire it.

That being said, to advocate violence of any kind, even euphemistically, is simply, IMHO, not an acceptable form of conduct on a forum like this.  And worse so, to advocate violence, even metaphorically, based upon a national stereotype is just totally inadmissible.

I thought about this a good part of the evening.  While I can understand what I believe to be the intent of the OP, I nonetheless feel that his choice of words was somewhat unfortunate at best and totally inappropriate at worst.  There is no humor in violence, not any.

As I always say, it's only illegal if you get caught... so, depends how you do it!

OK, let me clear this up for those literal minded people out there without any sense of humour.

1. I hate chewing noises. Period.
2. Nobody is going to get killed in any way whatsoever, figuratively, metaphorically, in parable, allegory or anything else. Not even in a string theory quantum narrative.
3. My comment has nothing to do with culture!!! Nothing at all. My cousin eats like this and he's, unsurprisingly, from the West. It's just as grating to sit with him as it is anywhere else when these horrible noises are going on. Call my listening to it yesterday the catalyst for a Pavlovian-style response. I am in no way whatsoever disparaging China or the Chinese people. Nor am I attempting a crique of differences in social etiquette.

Make sense now? Good.

To Yian:  as I said before, I see no humour in violence, purported, intended or committed.  

I relent: 'Will I be jailed if I randomly tickle and otherwise do vaguely annoying things to people who chew their food loudly and open-mouthed?'