As we all know, Chinese and Japanese cultures have deep roots. As the basic culture of China, food culture has a special influence on neighboring countries and even the whole world. As the saying goes, "Food is the most important thing for the people", which shows how important diet is in China's 5,111-year culture. Since the Tang Dynasty, Japan has carried out a lot of communication activities with China. It is from this time that China's food culture has also had a far-reaching impact on Japan. The use of chopsticks has also been passed down from China, and even Japan's old-age food customs and seasoning methods are inseparable from the spread of festivals and customs in China.
Japanese people don't pay much attention to diet. In traditional Japanese thought, talking about diet is considered low and filthy. In Japanese mythology, many parts about diet are related to body parts. From a thousand years ago, a typical meal form of "women are superior to women" has emerged, and it still appears in high-level clubs in big cities such as Kyoto, Tokyo and Osaka. Therefore, Japanese people think that paying too much attention to diet is unclean from deeply rooted culture. In addition, when China Thought was introduced to Japan, it also accepted Mencius' thought that "a gentleman cooks far away", which made the taste of gender differences in diet more intense.
China, on the other hand, has a deep obsession with diet. There is a saying that "a gentleman's stomach is not for his eyes". Every meal in China is cooked for a long time, especially at banquets, and the dishes are a great symbol of the host's family and identity. In festivals, the preparation of traditional food is sometimes more noticed than traditional celebrations, and festivals without specific food cannot show the atmosphere. For example, on the Dragon Boat Festival, it is absolutely inevitable to divide zongzi after rowing the dragon boat. Even students living in universities will buy zongzi to celebrate the festival without paying attention to the dragon boat race. Other festivals also have corresponding food. This is very different from the activities that Japanese people pay more attention to during festivals.
In order to better develop the food culture, China has specially held many different competitions. In areas with local characteristics, there are also exclusive names of cuisines, such as Cantonese cuisine, Sichuan cuisine and Shanghai cuisine. There are also common sayings such as "Food in Guangzhou, Taste in Sichuan".
The ingredients used in cooking between China and Japan are also quite different.
China is mostly land-based, while Japan is a typical country born around the sea. Although China has a long coastline, there will be a large number of marine dishes in the offshore areas, but there are fundamental differences in cooking with Japan. People in Asia, or westerners who pay more attention to Chinese and Japanese culture, can basically easily distinguish which food belongs to China and which belongs to Japan. And can casually say some traditional Japanese food, such as sushi, Lamian Noodles and so on.
The staple food in China is grain, and the food processed from rice and wheat such as flour and rice is in the north, while rice is in the south. The raw materials of dishes are mostly terrestrial animals and plants, as well as fish from rivers, seas and lakes. According to relevant data, the average per capita consumption of fish in China is about 11 kilograms per year, which varies greatly from north to south according to different geographical environments.
In Japan, the raw materials of dishes are mostly rice, fish and seaweed, which is very different from China. Each person can eat about 71 kilograms of fish on average every year. In order to keep the umami flavor from losing when preparing fish food, Japanese people use cold dishes more, that is to say, Japan mainly has raw, cold and light dietary tastes. This is in deep conflict with China's deep-rooted idea that food must be cooked before eating. Therefore, the cooking process between China and Japan is also different. In order to keep the original flavor of food, the Japanese like to use local materials, try not to process it after obtaining fresh fish, and only dip it in seasoning and eat it directly. For some foods that must be cooked by fire, hot food is used, such as Lamian Noodles. Therefore, it is very difficult for China people who are used to chilled, air-dried food and more than a dozen complicated cooking methods such as frying, frying and stewing to get used to Japanese raw and cold food.
If China pays attention to the food itself, Japan pays attention to the tableware for holding food. The different pursuit of taste and vision has created different food cultures between China and Japan. Obviously, although China people have noticed that the utensils used to store food have an influence on their appetite, they will also use "color, aroma and taste" as the standard when evaluating a dish, and there are also "five colors and five flavors" in cooking theory, but the main scoring point is still on the food itself. Japan, on the other hand, is different, and the choice of tableware will vary greatly due to different seasons, festivals, dishes and so on.
Japan is our "neighbor" separated only by a strip of water. Since ancient times, Japanese culture has been deeply
influenced by China. Therefore, there are many similarities between Japanese diet and Chinese diet. For example,
Japanese and China have basically the same tableware, and they all use chopsticks, bowls and plates. Although many people love western food now, traditional "Japanese food" must be eaten with chopsticks. Secondly, the hospitality of Japanese and China people is very warm. Ancient People's Day: "It's a pleasure to have friends coming from afar." A family in China, once it comes to be a guest of honor, buys, cooks and accompanies guests, and is busy with its master. Rich materials, fine workmanship I, pay attention to "color, fragrance and taste" in cooking, and do your best to entertain guests. Japanese people are also sincere in receiving guests. They are as happy as China people. They often make an appointment with the hotel many days in advance for a meal, and even drive the guests to a distant place for dinner.
However, there are great differences between Chinese and Japanese food cultures. This paper compares them from the following five aspects
.
1. The ways and concepts of hospitality between the two sides are quite different
China people like to "leave more than less" when entertaining guests, as if the more food left on the table, the more
it can show the hospitality and kindness of the host. Even if there is a lot of leftovers on the table after dinner, the host
will apologize again and again: "There is nothing to eat, I am really sorry." When the Japanese entertain guests, the number of "dishes" (dishes) will be just right, which will not only make the guests full, but also leave no leftovers, otherwise it will be considered too wasteful. The
materials used in "cooking" pay attention to "novelty, novelty and freshness", not all of them are "fish and meat", but they are mixed with vegetarian dishes. Even if it is a humble green vegetable from parents, the host will proudly declare to the guests that "it is made by himself"; "This dish is delicious" to show the hospitality. Moreover, the tableware used by the Japanese is also very particular. They often choose different utensils according to the types of dishes, and they will put some flowers and plants on the dishes to increase the sense of nature. This is one of the differences
Second, there are great differences in cooking methods
Chinese food pays attention to "color, fragrance and taste" and belongs to the beautiful and obscure type; Japanese cuisine pays attention to "novelty, novelty and freshness" and is a nutritious dish. Chinese food is divided into many cuisines, and there are more than 21 cooking methods such as "burning, frying, frying, boiling, frying and steaming", which is beyond the reach of Japanese cuisine.
Japanese cuisine is called "cooking culture" because I like light tastes, and I usually eat raw food or cook food in
water. This practice may be < P > related to Japan's abundant water and wood. In addition, there are several limited cooking methods of Japanese cuisine, such as roasting, roasting and frying.
when cooking Chinese food, pay special attention to the heat. Japanese people are dazzled by its exquisite workmanship and variety. Therefore, when some professional terms are translated into Japanese, it is difficult to find words that match them, so we can only make corresponding explanations.
Some China dishes are simply transliterated in order to be concise in translation.
Third, delicacies need wine.
Wine and tea in China have a long history. Since ancient times, people have had an indissoluble bond with wine. The so-called no wine is no feast, no wine is no ceremony, no wine is no joy, no wine is no respect. China people treat people to dinner, in addition to preparing sumptuous meals, but also set up good wine and good liquid, persuading them to drink freely, and even forcing them to drink until they get drunk, to show their sincerity. Wine also has other wonderful uses. After a hard day's work and moderate drinking, you can relieve fatigue and dredge the tendons. People in ancient and modern times prefer to drown their sorrows with wine. In ancient poems, state affairs, family affairs and the world are closely intertwined with wine, and there is a saying that "poetry and wine do not separate". There are many kinds of liquor in China, which can be roughly divided into white wine, yellow wine, beer, fruit wine and cooking wine, and there are countless specific varieties. There are more than 311 kinds of famous wines alone.
There are many Japanese wines, and sake is famous far and wide. In terms of taste, there are two kinds: sweet and spicy. From the level, there are three kinds: super, first and second, all around 15 degrees. The most famous sake are "Daguan", "Chrysanthemum Authentic" and "Fujiu Niang", and the "Yue Gui Guan" in Kyoto, "Zui Xin" in Hiroshima and "Taipingshan" in Akita are also good. Japanese people like drinking very much, especially at night. After work every day, most people have to have a drink before going home. People who go home directly also have a drink at home, and they often eat and drink like China people. Unlike westerners, sometimes they don't eat and drink, and they don't eat. Many employees of Japanese companies have to stay out until late at night for three or four days a week before returning home like a tired bird. Therefore, there is a saying that there is no modernization in Japan without wine. However, the Japanese can't drink enough, and they don't drink much. They like to drink and sing songs, sometimes showing their bold character, and sometimes showing a strong national color of sadness and pain. The function of wine is more manifested in the trading floor. Drinking is only a form and means, but the real purpose is to talk about business.
Japanese people's drinking is completely separate from their work. Drinking alcohol during working hours is not allowed at all. Under normal circumstances, Japanese people will not talk about serious things that should be done between friends when drinking. On the occasion of banquets for the benefit of the company, the mentality of the Japanese when toasting is that they have no intention of doing it and have to do it; So drink very carefully and superficially. Even in this case, the Japanese still don't really feel ashamed of their gaffes after drinking; I don't have a sense of responsibility for what I say and do under the influence of alcohol. Because in Japanese culture, there will be no such binding content at present and in the future. This is in sharp contrast with the world trend of China society that drinking is work, and not doing serious things without drinking. < P > Fourth, there are differences in greeting < P > The first sentence when people meet in China is often "Have you eaten?" Some colleagues are often puzzled by this: Why? It's already ten o'clock in the morning, can people not eat? When the Japanese meet, they usually say "What a nice day", and the other party replies "Yes, it's a nice day". We China people often don't think so: We really know perfectly well past asking and have nothing to talk about.
5. Differences in hospitality
China people are hospitable and often take turns to entertain guests. When it's time for dinner, if anyone says
"Let's go to a restaurant!" It is often the inviter who pays for it, and he can't come down at the dinner table for two or three hours. In Japan, on the same occasion, even if anyone says "Let's go to dinner", it's often Dutch, and there's no need to be polite to each other. In addition, the Japanese pay attention to the speed of eating. Even the boss of the company usually only eats a bowl of noodles or "box lunch" for lunch. This is the difference five
Looking at the above-mentioned differences in food culture between China and Japan, the reason is closely related to the historical development of the two countries. China has been known as "the country of etiquette" since ancient times, and feudalism has played a leading role in the long history. China, as an important aspect of Chinese civilization, has formed a warm, kind, respectful, frugal and accommodating national style and social conditions. Looking through the chapters of Internal Rules and Quli in the Book of Rites, we can clearly know that as far back as that time, China people had a clear summary and specific rules on the rules, manners, rules and taboos of eating. With the maturity of farming culture, these rituals are becoming more and more perfect, becoming an integral part of China's food culture, and a lot of knowledge about eating has emerged. Since ancient times, there have been many gourmets in China, including celebrities and ordinary people. For example, Su Shi's Dongpo Meat and Mapo's Tofu have produced many famous foods in various dynasties. As long as it is from Japan to heian period, the metropolis wins the admiration and imitation of ordinary people, especially the nobility. It can be said that China's food civilization has promoted the formation of Japanese ways of eating and drinking. On the other hand, the Japanese are absolutely unwilling to give up the hard-won good things of others once they get them. Since the Meiji era, with the introduction of western food, not only the face of Japanese cuisine has been greatly improved, but also the western civilization in the field of food culture has begun to take root, blossom and bear fruit in the Japanese archipelago. This makes the overall quality of Japanese food culture not only have the beauty of the East, but also drink enough modern human nutrition. So as to form their own characteristics, and reached a higher cultural taste. However, due to Japan's small territory and poor products, especially after the Meiji Restoration, the rulers mainly focused on foreign expansion and economic development, and rarely took care of eating. Therefore, the Japanese have developed the habit of "saving" and not being extravagant since childhood, and even have the world-famous "good name"-"stingy".
in the past century, the national conditions of domestic superiority and foreign invasion have made the development of China culture change from a long-term leader
to an obvious lag. China's food is amazing, but the overall quality is not flattering. Some heritages and habits of China's food culture have been well preserved and carried forward in our neighbor Japan. In Japan, you can enjoy the comfort of the food etiquette of ordinary Japanese families everywhere. After the housewife cooked the meal, she called her family to surround the dining table. The whole family bowed to the meal and said, "I accepted it, and picked up chopsticks and began to eat. The Japanese believe that everything human beings eat is given by God, and when they enjoy it, they must first pay tribute to God's love. The food in the bowl must be eaten cleanly, and a porridge and a meal is hard to come by. Don't be picky about the taste of food; Generally, we should pay more or less compliments to understand the hard work of the author. After eating, chopsticks should be put on the side of their bowls in a proper way and bow to the table again to say "thank you for your hospitality". Japanese people are like this at home, and they do the same thing in public: no exceptions, uniform, gentle and gentle.
Japanese food culture originated in China, and I dare not judge whether the eating habits of the two countries are right or wrong. However, it is an indisputable fact that the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases suffered by many middle-aged and elderly people in our society are related to the high intake of fat and cholesterol. Japan is a famous longevity country in the world, and now the average life expectancy of Japanese is higher than that of China. Statistics in 2111 show that the average life expectancy of Japanese men is 78.17 years and that of Japanese women is 84.93 years. Some experts believe that this is largely due to the good eating habits of the Japanese-advocating green food, paying attention to nutrition and not overeating.
Japanese people's dietary characteristics can be summarized as follows:
1. The daily calorie intake of each person is just in line with the needs of Japanese people's size:
2. The calorie intake from protein, fat and carbohydrates keeps an ideal
balance;
3. protein absorbed from plants and fish such as soybean is relatively high;
4. There are many aquatic products, which are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, thus reducing
the cholesterol in the blood.
with the economic development and the continuous improvement of people's living standards in China, people's concept of
eating is gradually changing. For example, we used to treat people at home in the past, but now we like to go to restaurants to save trouble, but we don't eat and drink.