Which seat at the dinner table is the seat of honor?

In ancient banquet etiquette, the seating order of guests was "with the left at the top as the chief guest." The order of seating is "to the left and to the east" and "to face the door is to respect".

If it is a round table, the one facing the door is the host and guest. The positions to the left and right of the host and guest are based on the distance from the host and guest. The closer the host and guest are, the more respectable they are. At the same distance, the left side is more respected than the right side.

If it is the Eight Immortals table, if there are seats facing the door, the right seat on the side facing the door will be the host and guest. If it is not facing the gate, the right seat on the side facing east is the chief.

At a banquet, people who sit in the north and face the south are generally the top ones on the table; those who sit in the east and face the west are the second best; those who sit in the west and face the east are the third best; those who sit in the south and north are the last ones. When arranging seats, the guest of honor is at the top and the host is at the bottom. In a traditional courtyard, the north room is the main room and the east and west rooms are the wings. The left hand side of the main house, that is, the east side of the north house is the upper head, and the west side is the lower head.

Extended information:

If you are the host, you should arrive early, wait at the door and lead the guests to their seats. If it is a big banquet, the arrangement between the tables should be such that the chief guest should be in the front and center, with seats 2, 4, and 6 on the left, and seats 3, 5, and 7 on the right. They should be seated according to the identity, status, and proximity of the host and guest.

If you are an invitee, you should follow the host's arrangements for seating. Generally speaking, if your boss is present, you should lead him to the main seat and ask the highest-ranking customer to sit on the left side of the main seat.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-Seating Etiquette