Chinese food culture has a long history. Traditional Chinese food culture is not only an important part of traditional Chinese culture, but also a branch with unique characteristics and personality in the larger system of traditional culture. Since people in Beijing used fire to grill food more than 500,000 years ago, the Chinese people have begun the evolution of their food culture.

? The popularity of stone mills

? From the Neolithic Age to the Yin and Shang Dynasties, the processing of grains has always been relatively primitive and simple. The ancestors roughly processed the grains through grinding plates, rolling rods, pestles and mortars, etc., and it was difficult to provide a large amount of hulled and clean rice. In the Zhou Dynasty, the emergence of Shi Qi was a leap forward in the primary processing methods of grains. Shiqi means stone mill. The primary processing of grains changed from grinding to grinding. With the popularization of stone mills, the dietary conditions of Zhou people have been greatly improved.

? Meat processing began

? Compared with grain processing, meat processing in the Zhou Dynasty was more sophisticated. Moreover, as a selection of meat for initial processing, it has the same importance as later cooking. In particular, the selection and cooking of the various meats enjoyed by the Zhou royal family and nobles during sacrifices and banquets were handled by the specially designated official offices "Inner Cooking" and "Outer Cooking". People in the Zhou Dynasty fully understood how to select healthy livestock and poultry that are disease-free, free of special fishy and odorous smells, and identify the various parts of livestock and poultry before slaughtering them. When eating, various dishes have fixed positions, and eating is also carried out according to certain procedures. These are determined by the different shapes of the meat.

? The emergence of Bazhen

? The emergence of "Bazhen" in the Zhou Dynasty marked the formation of cooking as an important art, showing the Zhou people's exquisite skills and the taste of food and drink. scientific. Take Paopork as an example. First, wash and peel the piglet, fill it with dates in the belly, wrap it in wet mud, bake it dry, peel the mud and take out the piglet, then smear the pig body with rice flour paste, fry it thoroughly, and cut it into slices. shape, mix the ingredients, then place it in a small cauldron, put the small cauldron in a large wok cauldron, stew it over a slow fire for three days and three nights, and then season it with soy sauce and vinegar before eating. This dish uses three cooking methods: roasting, frying, and stewing, and there are as many as ten processes. "Bazhen" created a precedent for using a variety of cooking methods to prepare dishes. A dazzling variety of dishes in later generations were developed on this basis. "Bazhen" was even used in the names of dishes, and it is still used today. There are also "Bazhen Cake", "Bazhen Noodles", "Babao Porridge" and so on.

? The birth of the four major cuisines

? During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the integration of various ethnic groups gradually formed the two major flavors of northern and southern cuisines in food culture. In the north, Guqilu food culture has a long history and relatively developed cooking technology, forming the prototype of Shandong cuisine, the earliest local flavor dish in China.

In the south, the Chu people unified half of the southeastern country and occupied today's "land of plenty". "There are swordfish in spring, shad in summer, fat ducks in autumn, and vegetables in winter." Throughout the year, aquatic products, livestock, poultry, vegetables and vegetables are on the market, providing superior material conditions for the development of cooking technology. Due to the integration of the folk customs, folk customs and eating habits of many ethnic groups in the south, the prototype of today's Jiangsu cuisine gradually formed.

? In the west, the Qin State occupied the ancient countries of Ba and Shu, and then sent Li Bing to transform the flood-stricken country into the "Land of Abundance". In addition, with the arrival of a large number of immigrants from Hanzhong, combined with the local climate and customs As well as the traditional food of the ancient Ba and Shu countries, the predecessor of Sichuan cuisine has had a huge influence to this day.

? Thailand's great cause of unification was in its later stages. At the end of Qin Dynasty, he sent troops to annex the three counties of Guilin, Nanhai and Xiang to establish the Nanyue Kingdom. In the eleventh year of Han Emperor Gaozu's reign, he was granted the title of King of Nanyue. Taking advantage of Guangzhou's location on the southeast coast, the Pearl River Delta's mild climate, rich products, wide variety of edible animals and plants, and convenient water and land transportation, Lingnan's political, economic, and cultural center was established. The food here is relatively developed. The current food culture in Guangdong is actually the result of Zhao Tuo introducing advanced cooking arts and utensils from the Central Plains region to Ling, and combining them with local food resources to make "flying, diving, animals and plants" all delicacies and spread. To this day, the eclectic food trend has given rise to Cantonese cuisine.

? So far, Shandong cuisine (including the flavor dishes of Beijing and Tianjin and other northern regions), Jiangsu cuisine (including the flavor dishes of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui regions), and Cantonese cuisine (including the flavor dishes of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui regions), later known as the "four major cuisines" The prototypes of special dishes from Fujian, Taiwan, Chaozhou and Qiong regions) and Sichuan cuisine (including special dishes from Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou and Yunnan regions) have taken shape.

Eating in the Han and Tang Dynasties

? With the complete birth of China's unification, the emperors of the Han Dynasty had the most complete food management system in the country at that time. Among the officials under the Shaofu who were responsible for the emperor's daily affairs, those related to dietary activities were Taiguan, Tangguan and Daoguan, who were respectively "main meal", "main cake bait" and "main rice selection". This is a large-scale official system. The food expenses for the emperor and the harem were equivalent to the property of 20,000 households of average-level people in the Han Dynasty.

During this period, the spread of Chinese food culture to the outside world intensified. Zhang Qian and others not only introduced courgettes, walnuts, coriander, flax, carrots, pomegranates and other products from the Western Regions, but also introduced peaches, plums, apricots, pears, ginger, tea and other products and food culture from the Central Plains to the Western Regions. Today, among the cultural relics unearthed from Han tombs in the former Western Regions, there are wooden chopsticks from the Central Plains.

Among my country's traditional barbecue techniques, there is a grilling method, which was also spread to Central and West Asia through the Silk Road very early, and eventually formed the kebabs that people like to eat there.

? Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty was the center of world culture at that time, which facilitated the exchange and integration of food cultures of various ethnic groups. The traditional dietary structure of the Hu and Han people has undergone major changes. "Eating meat and drinking cheese" began to become the unique dietary feature of the Hu and Han ethnic groups in the entire northern and northwest regions during the Han and Tang Dynasties.

? There are about 160 kinds of vegetables eaten daily today. However, among the more than 100 kinds of common vegetables, about half are native to the Han region and half are introduced from outside the region. During the Han and Tang Dynasties, the mainland of the Central Plains introduced many varieties of vegetables and fruits through exchanges with ethnic minorities in the northwest. For example, vegetables include alfalfa, spinach, brassicas, courgettes, beans, garlic, coriander, etc.; fruits include grapes, almonds, and watermelons. , pomegranate, etc., and condiments include pepper, sugar, etc. At the same time, cooking methods from the Western Regions were also introduced to the Central Plains.

? Various kinds of Hu food introduced in the Han Dynasty have gradually become popular in the Yellow River Basin during the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, and are favored by the majority of Han people, especially boiled or rinsed sheep and roasted whole food. Sheep are the most typical.

? The Han and Tang Dynasties were also a period when traditional Chinese eating styles gradually changed. After the Eastern Han Dynasty, the bed as a seat was introduced to the Central Plains from the Western Regions and gradually became widely used. Since sitting on the Hu bed requires both feet to hang on the ground, this changes the traditional kneeling posture of the Han people. New changes in furniture began in the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties and reached their climax in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. On the one hand, this is reflected in the fact that the height of traditional beds and tables continues to increase; on the other hand, the variety of new high-foot furniture is increasing, and chairs, tables, etc. have begun to be used. After the appearance of tables and chairs, it was natural for people to sit around the table and eat.

? The Tang Dynasty had a lot of exchanges with foreign food cultures. People’s material life had a trend of advocating the Western Regions. Food flavors and clothing were all based on the beauty of the Western Regions. Advocating foreign countries became a big trend. trend. In Chang'an at that time, there were many hotels opened by Hu people, accompanied by gorgeous Orchids. Li Bai and other literati often visited these hotels. Many Tang poems mentioned these hotels and Orchids. Restaurant Hu and Hu Ji have become an important feature of the food culture of the Tang Dynasty.

? Tea and food in Liao and Jin

? With the trade of tea, tea and food have also penetrated into the daily life of the Liao and Jin people. In the important marriage ceremony of Jin people's life, it is formal to serve tea and food. The so-called tea food is just a kind of "cold utensil" commonly eaten by the Han people, that is, fried mahua and other large and small soft fat foods, and then a plate of honey cake. Only after the entire banquet is over and the guests attending the wedding are served "Jianming". Tea became a drink that only the rich could drink, while the poor could only drink cheese.

? Kublai Khan’s Shabu-Shabu Mutton

? By the Yuan Dynasty, the territory of the empire had grown to an unprecedented extent, which also brought about the broad development of food culture. During this period, mutton-boiled meat was born with the support of Kublai Khan; moon cakes have become an indispensable snack for the Mid-Autumn Festival; Dadu in the Yuan Dynasty became the birthplace of the first roast duck restaurant in history; and a dish that everyone is willing to taste to this day was born. Famous dish - roasted whole lamb.

? During the Mongols’ Western Expeditions and the Yuan Dynasty, a large number of Muslims of various ethnic groups were issued or voluntarily came east from Persia, Central Asia, Arabia and other places in various identities, and integrated with the local ethnic groups to become a new member of the Yuan Dynasty. The Hui ethnic group, together with other Muslim ethnic groups, created and developed China’s halal food culture.

? The extravagance of the court

? The palace diet in the Ming Dynasty was extravagant. The vegetables in the palace include chicken fir from southern Yunnan, smallpox and morel from Mount Wutai, Chinese cabbage, asparagus, kelp, antlers, seaweed and other sea plants from the East China Sea; wormwood, bamboo shoots from the south of the Yangtze River, pine nuts, thistles from Liaodong. Yellow flowers and golden needles from the north, yams and potatoes from Zhongdu, moss from the south, bamboo shoots, polygonatum and black essence from Wudang. Beishan's walnuts, dates, magnolias, philodendrons, bracken, etc., as well as various other vegetables, dried and fresh fruits, local specialties, etc. are all available.

? Palace cuisine in Beijing

? Flavored dishes from all over the country have been gathered, integrated and developed in Beijing over the years to form unique Beijing cuisine. In the past, there were royal families, princes, dignitaries, wealthy businessmen, and literati in Beijing. Due to the needs of social interaction, etiquette, festivals, and daily catering, various restaurants came into being. Courts, government offices, and mansions all employed chefs. These chefs come from all over the world and give full play to Chinese food culture and cooking skills. Palace cuisine refers to the dishes served in the imperial palace of the Qing Dynasty. It also absorbed many dishes from the palace cuisine of the Ming Dynasty. Especially the two emperors Kangxi and Qianlong went to the south of the Yangtze River many times and appreciated southern food very much. Therefore, the dishes of the Qing palace have been absorbed from all over the country. There are many local dishes, as well as meals of Mongolian, Hui, Manchu and other ethnic groups. Palace cuisine has become famous at home and abroad, and has the reputation of being the best in the world. Peking duck is one of the royal dishes with unique flavor and is famous all over the world.

? The evolution of official cuisine

? Official cuisine is one of the specialties of Beijing cuisine.

In the past, there were many government offices in Beijing, and each government focused on gourmet food, each with its own merits. Pan fish, Kung Pao chicken, Li Hongzhang chowder, Zuan shark fin, Zuo Gong chicken, Song Sao fish soup, Beijing white meat, etc. that are still popular today all came from the government government. Beijing Tan's cuisine is quite representative. It came from the family of Tan Zongjun, a Hanlin scholar in the late Qing Dynasty. It was later introduced to restaurants by his chef and was called "Tan's cuisine". In recent years, Red Mansion cuisine has appeared, which is also official cuisine. Beijing cuisine combines flavors from all over the world, so the cooking techniques are extremely rich, such as grilling, stir-frying, deep-frying, grilling, steaming, braising, stewing, stewing, pickling and smoking, stewing and soaking, and baking and carving. etc.

? Manchu-Han banquet

? Man-Han banquet is a grand banquet that combines the flavors of Manchu and Han nationalities. It is a banquet that can only be held by the royal family and nobles of the Qing Dynasty and is rarely seen among ordinary people. It is grand and noble in scale, with complex procedures, delicacies from Manchu and Han Dynasties, and both northern and southern flavors. There are more than 300 kinds of dishes, and it has the reputation of being the best banquet in ancient China. The Royal Imperial Dinner in Beijing once divided the Manchu and Han banquets into six categories: the Mongolian Pan Banquet, the Courtier Banquet, the Longevity Banquet, the Thousand Old Man Banquet, the Nine White Banquet, and the Festival Banquet.

? The Manchu-Han banquet gathers the essence of the world. The materials used are not divided into east, west, north and south. Birds and beasts, mountain delicacies and delicacies are all in your mouth. The Manchu-Han banquet in the Qing Dynasty has the so-called "four eight delicacies" of mountains, seas, birds and grass. . "Mountain Bazhen" refers to camel humps, bear paws, orangutan lips, monkey brains, orangutan lips, elephant trunks, leopard fetuses, rhinoceros tails, and deer tendons; "Hai Bazhen" refers to bird's nests, shark fins, black ginseng, fish maw, and fish bones. , abalone, seal, pike (giant salamander); the "eight treasures of birds" refer to red swallows, flying dragons, quails, swans, partridges, colorful sparrows, turtle doves, and red-headed eagles; the "eight treasures of grass" refer to monkey heads, white fungus, and bamboo fungus. , donkey's nest mushroom, morel, flower mushroom, day lily, cloud scented mushroom.

During the Jiashen period of Qianlong (AD 1746), a man named Li Dou from Yizheng County, Jiangsu Province wrote a book "Yangzhou Painted Fang Records", which contained a food list for a Manchu-Han banquet.

? The Manchu-Han Banquet can be said to be the fruit of thousands of years of practice of China’s food culture under the guidance of totalitarianism, and has reached the peak of taste that humans can enjoy. In January 2005, a businessman spent thousands of dollars in Xi'an, paying 366,000 yuan to eat a Manchu-Han banquet cooked in a hotel. In fact, the so-called Man-Han banquet is certainly not a real Man-Han banquet, because there are some things such as bear paws and orangutan lips that are impossible to obtain. From this we can see how much a real Man-Han Banquet is worth.