Chinese noodles and miso

Some travel magazines that introduce Japanese specialties and food even say that noodles are a Japanese invention with a history of 1,500 years. Vermicelli, ramen, etc. are all It is a specialty of Japan. This is obviously dishonest advertising, because noodles, ramen and miso, all daily foods of Japanese people, all originated from China and were introduced to Japan around the 12th century.

Dried noodles are actually what the Chinese often call "dragon-bearded noodles". Although the earliest written record clearly using the word "dried noodles" was in the Yuan Dynasty, it appeared more than once in Dunhuang documents as early as the Tang Dynasty. "Xianmian", and it is recorded that a family in Dunhuang at that time used "Xianmian" as a betrothal gift in wedding customs.

Miso sounds like a very "Japanese" name, but it also originated from China and was introduced to Japan during the Song Dynasty. As for the method, it is said that it was spread to Japan through the Korean Peninsula. The first thing introduced to Japan was bean miso (modern times include rice miso and barley miso), which is a condiment very similar to bean paste, soybean paste, and tempeh made from soybeans through mold reproduction.

Miso is made from fermented grains such as soybeans, rice, and wheat. It contains a large amount of amino acids (umami) and sugars (sweetness) produced by enzyme decomposition, plus salt added during the production process. (salty), as well as the aroma generated by fermentation of yeast, lactic acid bacteria, etc., make miso not only rich in aroma, but also uniquely attractive from a practical point of view - it contains salts, lipids, alcohols and a variety of substances needed for human metabolism. Amino acids can not only supplement the consumption of strenuous exercise, but also increase appetite and improve resistance.

These two Chinese delicacies were introduced to Japan in the 12th century. They not only feasted the Japanese people, but also changed their history.

Ancient Japan where eating meat was prohibited

More than 100 years after noodles and miso were introduced to Japan, starting from the 12th century, Japan entered a chaotic samurai society. The fierce war between two samurai groups, Minamoto and Taira, who were both descendants of the Empress of Japan - the Genpei War. The result of the Genpei War was that the Taira family was wiped out (of course, the Taira family still has collateral bloodlines that continue to be passed down). The victorious leader of the Minamoto family, Minamoto Yoritomo, was named the "Shogun of the Conquering Barbarians" by the emperor, and founded the first shogunate in Japan - Kama. Kura Shogunate. The shogunate completely emptied the emperor's power, and the emperor became only a symbol. This situation lasted for more than 700 years until the Overthrow Movement broke out in the 19th century and the last shogun of the Edo shogunate handed over power to Emperor Meiji.

So why did the Taira family lose to the Minamoto family? This actually has a lot to do with Japan’s dietary structure at that time. The ancient Japanese court issued a "meat ban" as early as the 8th century, and subsequent emperors continued to issue several edicts. After hundreds of years, Japanese nobles developed the habit of not eating meat at all (except fish) . They believed that only undocumented peasant hunters consumed the meat. Later, with the long-term popularity of Buddhism in Japan, the common people influenced by monks' education gradually stayed away from meat until the Meiji Restoration Emperor lifted the ban. For more than 1,200 years, the Japanese, especially the aristocratic samurai, did not have the habit of eating meat, except for those who were seriously ill or naturally weak and were allowed to eat meat occasionally.

During the Japanese war at that time, what soldiers mainly ate was nigiri sushi, which is rice dumplings covered with a layer of seaweed, kelp and other things. Although this can fill the stomach, it is nutritious and can easily make the warriors thirsty. It will obviously affect the combat effectiveness as the battle lasts for a long time.

Wheat affects the outcome of the war

So, how does the dietary life of the Minamoto warriors compare with this? In fact, when it comes to eating meat, the Minamoto family samurai are in a similar situation to the Heike family, but they have two magic weapons on the battlefield that the Heike family does not have - noodles and miso soup. In addition to replenishing the salt lost in battle, miso is also rich in various acids, esters, and alcohols required for human metabolism. Therefore, it can not only quench thirst and appetizer, but also enhance the soldiers' resistance to various diseases and maintain their endurance. Combat endurance. The samurai of the Taira family usually eat a very simple diet, and they do not get the necessary supplements during war. Naturally, they will be unable to cope with the war.

More importantly, the food that the Minamoto warriors often eat between battles is noodles - they put the noodles and vegetables into a pot and cook them together, and then season them with miso, which is very useful for cooking. Soldiers in the army whose physical strength determines victory or defeat are extremely nutritious. In terms of staple food structure, Westerners mainly eat pasta, and Japanese mainly eat rice; northerners in China mainly eat pasta, and southerners mainly eat rice. Different staple foods make the east and west, and the north and south of China, in different regions. There is a big difference in the physiques of people in the world - eating mainly pasta can indeed make people stronger.

Until Japan’s Warring States Period, the charm of noodles and miso soup still shined. The famous Japanese daimyo known as the "Tiger of Kai" ("daimyo" is the name for feudal lords in ancient Japan). The reason why Takeda Shingen was able to defeat countless invasions by many powerful enemies when surrounded by powerful enemies, and even It can also establish a base for a time and seize large areas of other people's territory. In addition to favorable terrain and other factors, the combination of noodles and miso also plays a big role - because according to records, the Takeda family's samurai love to eat udon noodles. The noodles are cooked with vegetables so they last longer while fighting on the battlefield.

The noodles and miso introduced from China have subtly affected the history of Japan. They enabled the Minamoto family to defeat the Heike and started Japan's shogunate politics. Among the heroes, they have remained standing for a long time. They were treasures in the era when Japan's heroes were fighting, and even influenced the historical trend of Japan to some extent.

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