Many Japanese people stood up to defend the Chinese origins of chopsticks. "It takes so much audacity to say such a ridiculous thing. Have the Koreans forgotten about the 'ginseng chicken soup' incident, in which you claimed it's also your invention but later got thoroughly proved wrong?" "Don't the Koreans use metal spoons to eat?" "Chopsticks can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn period in China (770-221 BC)."