Premier Zhou personally set the standard for the state banquet
October 1, 1949 the night of the Founding Ceremony, the Central People's Government in the Beijing Hotel held the first grand state banquet of the new China. That night, the founding fathers of the new China, as well as representatives from all walks of life, guests *** more than 600 people attended the first state banquet of the new China. 1959 after the completion of the Great Hall of the People, China's official banquet to welcome visiting guests is usually held in the Great Hall of the People Banquet Hall, and sometimes also in the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
Since the founding of the first banquet, the changes in the state banquet is notable, the reform of the state banquet with the times.
Four dishes and one soup, which was the standard set by Premier Zhou, has continued to this day. 1984, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in accordance with the instructions of the relevant leaders of the Central Committee and the State Council, the reform of state banquets made specific and clear provisions, the standard of state banquets: the General Secretary, the President of the State, the Chairman of the Committee, the Premier, the Chairman of the Military Commission, the Chairman of the CPPCC, the banquet organized by each guest is 50 to 60 yuan, if the banquet for a few important foreign guests, it will be within 80 yuan, and the banquet will be within 80 yuan. If a few important foreign guests are invited, the expenditure is controlled within 80 yuan, and the standard for general banquets is 30 to 40 yuan per guest. After that, it was determined again that the number of banquets for visiting foreign guests should not be too many, and that the banquets should consist of four dishes and one soup for Chinese food, two dishes and one soup for Western food, and three dishes and one soup for Western food at the most. At the same time, the provisions of the State Banquet will no longer use spirits, such as Maotai, Fenjiu, etc., according to the guests' habits on liquor, such as beer, wine or other beverages. The said provisions, the implementation of many years, until the implementation of the new standards.
As far as I know, the current state banquet, per person per meal standard shall not exceed 200 yuan (excluding alcohol). Banquet for four dishes and one soup or three dishes and one soup, state banquet four dishes and one soup, long so. At present, when leaders invite state guests to banquets, some of them only use three dishes and one soup or two dishes and one soup. This practice not only saves money and materials, but also saves time and manpower. Right now, the state banquet time is 1 hour and 15 minutes. In the past, state banquets usually took two or three hours.
It can be recalled that in the 1960s, the banquets to welcome visiting state guests usually set up banquets of more than 50 tables, in addition to inviting visiting state guests and their entourage to attend, but also invited foreign ambassadors and their couples, diplomatic corps to occupy the banquets of more than 20 tables, coupled with the Chinese side of the accompanying guests, a great number of people together.
At that time, under normal circumstances, the banquet on the cold dishes 6 kinds of hot dishes 4, in front of each guest, each set large and small cups of 3, spirits Maotai and other brand-name wines, cups poured full. Plus orange water, mineral water and other beverages. At each banquet, the guests and hosts made speeches, which were translated into three languages: English, French and Russian.
At that time, the relationship between China and the Soviet Union was in a state of acute antagonism, visiting guests and hosts of either side of the speech, such as involving the "Soviet Union" and "small repair", their envoys withdrew from the table in protest, and all of a sudden, the banquet hall was empty a few tables. In a moment, the banquet hall was empty for several tables. Later, the leader instructed, after they finished eating four dishes, the host and the host party to speak again, so that they are all happy to go.