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When did China's food culture really take shape?
For thousands of years, China's food culture has formed four levels, which complement each other and form a never-ending feast.

First, market culture. Its main representatives are home-cooked dishes and snacks. People can't live without whole grains, rice, oil and salt. This home-cooked dish, which originated from the kitchen stove at home and the hands of a clever woman, is full of the flavor of housewives. It is intimate and close to the lungs, which not only fills the stomach, but also saves a lot of money. Later, home cooking has also been transformed into some street shops, which are more satisfied with traveling all the year round and it is difficult to eat delicious people at home. It is difficult for ordinary people to put down their home cooking. Of course, because there are no more opportunities to eat delicacies in high-end restaurants, housewives are more keen on the exchange of home cooking.

Speaking of snacks, there are many kinds, too numerous to mention, each with its own characteristics and rich local conditions and customs. All kinds of snacks have cultivated a group of people who love it, and also made snacks flourish. Its biggest feature is delicious and cheap, so it is deeply loved by people.

Second, the literati culture. Poets Yuan Mei, Li Bai, Su Dongpo, "gluttonous people", Zhang Daqian in modern times, Shen Hongfei today, etc., the authors of the above-mentioned Suiyuan food list, almost all literati have special preferences for food. No matter street snacks or family gatherings, it is difficult for literati to leave wine and vegetables when reading and writing poems together. Wine and vegetables are just forms and can be used anywhere. Really not good. Like Yuan Mei, he just took the cook with him when he went to the party, and when he saw something delicious, he went back to school to cook it himself. "Suiyuan Food List" is also Mo Bao left by him after collecting and evaluating everywhere. Another point is that literati pay attention to the atmosphere. No matter how good the dining tables are, scholars may not be willing to participate. When you meet a few like-minded people, you will be full of poetry and painting. Therefore, how many writers leave their masterpieces when they are slightly drunk. A scholar is particular. He wants to eat culture and literary talent in one dish, which is very difficult for a cook. Therefore, Yuan's "Menu with Garden" and Zhang Daqian's "Great Taste" ... that's why literati dare to call themselves "one sound" and "one elegance".

Third, merchant culture. Ancient restaurants and inns, now hotels, its main consumers are merchants and the like. The prosperity of an era mainly lies in the number of businessmen. With more businessmen, commercial trade will flourish and business consumption is essential. Restaurants and tea shops have become the best places for negotiations and banquets. In this respect, it seems that there is not much difference between ancient businessmen and modern businessmen, but the content is slightly richer. The most typical one is Chengdu, where there are teahouses everywhere. Some people describe that businessmen in Chengdu moved their desks to teahouses. Imagine that they are comfortable when they are doing business. Kill two birds with one stone. Why not? There are restaurants and tea shops, which are the most Jianghu places. Most Jianghu people in China have found some traces on the people sitting here.

Fourth, the government and court culture. It seems that this way of eating can be traced back to the princes, nobles, senior officials and ministers in feudal times, and the typical ones are A Dream of Red Mansions and Han Xizai's The Banquet. In ancient times, both the official and the imperial court were luxurious, and it was necessary to have such ostentation and extravagance if possible. This kind of food culture is the mainstream of food culture in the whole feudal society and is famous for its luxury. Today, with the popularity of high-end catering consumption, this official catering culture has basically disappeared. When the state banquet also pays attention to four dishes and one soup, it is somewhat surprising to hear that many local grassroots governments owe money to restaurants. However, as the representative of the old government and the court, the cuisine of Tan Jiacai and luxury houses has been improved to the people, which is a kind of inheritance and development, and it is also a kind of fun with the people.