There were four major cuisines in China from ancient times to the Qing Dynasty. As early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the flavors of northern and southern cuisines in China's food culture showed differences. By the Tang and Song Dynasties, the southern food and the northern food formed their own systems. In the early Qing Dynasty, Shandong cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, Guangdong cuisine and Huaiyang cuisine became the most influential local cuisines at that time, and were called the four major cuisines.