So what does the emperor usually eat?
Jun tells you the breakfast of two Qing emperors who lived in the Forbidden City:
First of all, Emperor Kangxi, who had a relatively frugal diet among all the emperors in the Qing Dynasty, recorded hundreds of breakfast side dishes of Kangxi, such as bird's nest, red and white duck, eight immortals hot pot, green pepper duck hot pot, kelp stewed fried chicken shreds, shredded mutton, steamed duck's tail, pork hot pot and silver sunflower box.
At the end of Qing Dynasty, Xuan Tong Emperor Puyi, at that time, the country was at the end of the road, but our little emperor was still extravagant in "eating". According to his memoir, "his breakfast includes mushroom fat chicken, three fresh ducks, five pieces of shredded chicken, stewed meat, stewed persimmon, stewed mutton, stewed spinach tofu and cherry meat." Stewed cabbage with donkey meat, sliced radish and mutton, sliced duck and sea cucumber, diced duck, roasted mushrooms, sliced magnolia stew, shredded braised mutton, fried spring rolls, fried leek, smoked elbow belly, stewed tofu, shredded smoked vegetables, shredded cabbage with pepper oil, spiced dried meat, sliced meat soup for offering sacrifices, boiled stuffing and cooked white meat.
Some people say that the Qing Dynasty was "eaten". Of course, this is a bit exaggerated, but the extravagant "eating" of emperors' concubines did accelerate the collapse of such a riddled dynasty.
Where are these delicious things made? There must be a place to cook. The place where ordinary people cook is called the kitchen. What about the emperor's house? I believe that some friends are influenced by costume dramas and must blurt out: "Imperial Restaurant"!
First of all, let's talk about the origin of the emperor's "imperial diet". "Imperial food" refers to the food eaten by the emperor. Its origin can't be verified now. Anyway, since the emperor (king). I can't help it The emperor is also a human being, and "eating" is also a top priority in his life.
The emperor is very particular about diet. Not only do hundreds of people have to wait on him, but the food is also 800, and the utensils for eating are extremely expensive. For example, according to the Book of Rites:
During the Zhou Dynasty, the diet of the Emperor of Zhou was Liugu (rice, millet, millet, sorghum, wheat and rice), Liuqing (water, pulp, rice, vinegar, cold and rice) and Liulivestock (cattle, sheep, tapirs, dogs, geese and fish).
Eating more than 200 dishes alone really scares you!
All the kitchens that made imperial meals had their own rules, but in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, this mysterious imperial dining hall was hidden in the Forbidden City. Where is it?
Hey! Isn't this hall of mental cultivation? How can it be a chef? Is the emperor a good man who goes to the hall and goes to the kitchen? Will he show off his cooking after he finishes his government affairs?
Of course not! The emperor has been served by more than n people since he was a child. Even the most basic clothes and socks are available. How can he cook?
In fact, the real "Imperial Chef" is hidden in the innermost part of hall of mental cultivation. It is the emperor's private kitchen, and people generally call it "the imperial palace kitchen".
First, the imperial dining hall: the emperor felt that the takeaway was too slow, so he had to build his own "small kitchen"
This "inner dining room" is relative to the "outer dining room". No matter inside or outside, they should be the "Imperial Tea Dining Room". According to historical records, in the early years of Shunzhi, imperial chefs were actually divided into "tea room" and "dining room". People in China like drinking tea, and the emperor is no exception, so a teahouse was set up to supply tea. During the Qianlong period, the two rooms merged into the "Imperial Tea Room", hereinafter referred to as the "Imperial Tea Room".
The "Outer Kitchen" is located outside the Jingyunmen Gate of the Forbidden City, far away from hall of mental cultivation where the emperor lived. In order to catch up with the emperor's special hunger for food, it is estimated that the food will be cold when it is sent to hall of mental cultivation from the kitchen. Therefore, the emperor also felt that this "take-out speed" was slow, so he set up his own small kitchen in his hall of mental cultivation. According to Puyi's memoir, "The meals of hall of mental cultivation Imperial Chef are prepared in advance and kept warm by fire. When the emperor wants to eat them, they will be sent directly to him. "
In those days when there was no microwave oven, the chef in the kitchen could only heat the food in this way.
Second, the imperial kitchen: the emperor does not love it, and the maid-in-waiting eunuch cannot do without it.
The emperor usually uses his own small kitchen-the inner imperial kitchen. Where's the chef? Is it empty?
In terms of scale, the outer imperial dining room is actually larger than the inner imperial dining room.
However, there is generally no food for the emperor here. It is mainly a "collective canteen" for ladies-in-waiting and eunuchs, and also a "temporary canteen" for ministers who work in the palace.
Third, how many establishments does the Imperial Chef have?
Seeing this, friends must ask, how many chefs in this imperial chef serve the emperor? Listen carefully, these chefs are not ordinary chefs, but they are all "national civil servants" and have been compiled. According to historical records:
Yangxintang Royal Catering Room is equipped with 2 directors, 2 deputy directors, 27 directors, 2 foremen, 20 directors, 20 contractors, 44 contractors, 2 supervisors, 6 supervisors, 57 three-flag chefs and recruits 10.
There are also many "catering eunuchs", such as Qipin eunuchs in charge of catering 100, eunuchs carrying water 10, who specialize in catering, catering and offerings for officials from all over the country, seasonal banquets, attendants, seating and so on.
There are hundreds of people in this forest. This is not a meal, but a "carnival for eating".