In ancient times, China was divided into nine states, one of which was Yangzhou.

But it is the same as Weiyang, so the ancients loved to call Yangzhou Weiyang, and Weiyang is also one of Yangzhou's nicknames. Therefore, the dishes under the "Yangzhou Kitchen Knife" have two nicknames: Huaiyang cuisine or Weiyang cuisine.

As early as about 4,000 years ago, the ancestors of Yangzhou had already broken away from the ignorant state of eating hair and drinking blood. They had surpassed the primitive era of Fuxi burning meat on fire and Shennong burning grain on stone. They used pottery cookers and cooked cooked food by fire!

The Pottery Age can be regarded as the formative period of Yangzhou cooking.

Yangzhou entered the ancient Han Kingdom era, that is, the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties in the Central Plains. Bronze tripods and Li (cooking utensils) belonging to this period were unearthed at Poshan Pass in Yizheng.

), bells (banquet instruments), and four phoenix plates (eating utensils) containing sacrifices to cattle, sheep, and pigs. Based on this, it is speculated that the ancestors of Yangzhou could eat meat, drink wine, listen to music, perform rituals, and walk around in style.

People in ancient Yangzhou knew how to treat life well.

"Shangshu" records: "Huaiyi tribute fish" was recorded in the Xia Dynasty, which seems to be the earliest documentary record of Huaiyang cuisine; "Zhou Li·Zhi Fangshi" records that "the southeast is called Yangzhou...its valley is suitable for rice", which shows that

Yangzhou is a natural land of plenty.

These are enough to prove that Yangzhou cooking about 3,000 years ago has entered the Bronze Culture Age.

In 468 BC, King Wu Fu Chai destroyed the ancient Han Kingdom, dug Hangou, and built Hancheng. This was of epoch-making value not only for Yangzhou city construction, but also for Yangzhou cuisine.

The "Book of Zhou" records about the "Wu Han King Pot" used as a wine paddle, as well as the "printed hard pottery pot" unearthed from Huanghuangba in the northwest of the city, indicate that Fucha introduced a whole set of dietary experiences in the late Spring and Autumn Period.

This is the first work in which foreign food culture influences Yangzhou cooking.

After the Qin Dynasty, "Shang Shu."

The "Huaiyi sea beads and fish" in "Yu Gong" refers to the fact that during the time of Xia Yu, the tribal residents in the lower reaches of the Huaihe River had already used clam beads and fish as tribute.

Since fish is used as a tribute, it is probably related to the Huaiyi people's understanding of the delicacy of fish and their ability to make delicious fish.

During the Western Han Dynasty, Mei Cheng, a native of Huai'an, wrote a famous poem "Qi Fa", in which a guest from Wu persuaded the prince of Chu to taste the world's delicacies. The delicacies involved include bamboo shoots and cattails with calf belly, and stone ear and dog meat soup.

, stewed bear paws, five-flavor blended sauce, roasted animal backbone thin slices, carp wont, cooked pheasant, cooked leopard fetus, cooked autumn vegetables, etc.

Yangzhou has realized the transformation from natural divisions to administrative divisions.

When Liu Bi, King of Wu in the Western Han Dynasty, established his capital in Guangling, Yangzhou was transformed and became the capital of the southeast, hence the name "Huaizuo Famous Capital".

Because of the benefits of boiling salt and casting copper, the financial resources were strong, the soldiers and horses were beautiful, and the state had plenty of supplies. Bao Zhao said in "Wucheng Fu": "In the old days when it was prosperous, the cars were hung with horseshoes, the people were driving on the shoulders, and the black hoofs were flying.

The land is filled with songs and the sky is boiling! "When Yangzhou people are getting rich and their pockets are bulging, they are naturally no longer hungry, so they can eat well and eat well.

The "Guangling Shiguan" bronze tripod unearthed from the Han Dynasty tombs in the suburbs of Yangzhou as well as lacquerware eating utensils such as bowls, plates, pots, and spoons are very exquisite. This not only tells us that Yangzhou's tableware development and research is in a leading position in the country and is unique;

From the side, it reflects the exquisite diet of Yangzhou people at that time.

In the spring of the eighth year of Qingli reign in the Song Dynasty, Ouyang Xiu, a great literary master of the generation, brought good news to Yangzhou's food scene. This drunken man often held banquets in Pingshan Hall with his guests, and wrote thousands of words about food. After that, Su Shi also knew Yangzhou,

Braised fish belly on a plate with flying snow, and debated over boiled chicken heads with four bachelors. This was the first time to inject fresh literary blood into Huaiyang cuisine. This was the beginning of the elegant and pretty literati style of Huaiyang cuisine, which has endured for many years.

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The collision of northern and southern cuisine styles finally broke out in Yangzhou.

In 1125 AD, when the Jin invaded, Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty fled into Yangzhou City in panic. In the small market, hundreds of sheep were cooked under spring lanterns, and he wanted to eat and drink. A year later, Huiqin was captured, and Emperor Gaozong took the Sheji royal family.

Forty thousand people also fled into Yangzhou City, "walking" in jade and gold, not only talking in vain, but also eating and drinking!

Although Yangzhou City was plundered, it is also true that the catering industry received abnormal promotion under the background of subjugation.

After that, the imperial court moved away from Yangzhou, and Yangzhou became the intersection of the Song and Jin Dynasties.

There is both confrontation and connection between the food culture of the north and the south. The Yangzhou city is bustling with food and wine. It has a special "Korean Pavilion" and a nine-course banquet according to the imperial banquet system for Jin Dynasty envoys in Lin'an.

The imperial tour is undoubtedly equivalent to holding a national cooking skills competition and food culture exchange in Yangzhou, which is naturally beneficial to the formation and development of Huaiyang cuisine.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the salt industry in the Lianghuai River (the two areas south of the Huai River and the area north of the Huai River) was quite developed and it was the largest salt area in the country.

In the process of operating the salt industry, Yangzhou salt merchants made huge sums of money from all walks of life, making them "as rich as the country."

In order to communicate with the government and business entertainment, coupled with the need to show off their wealth and enjoy themselves in time, many salt merchants "clothes and houses are extremely luxurious; the food and drink utensils are equipped with craftsmanship; the actors and actresses perform music, dance and sing; banquets and games

, there is no time left... arrogance and extravagance are common practice, and this is true for salt merchants everywhere, especially in Yangzhou. "It is worth noting that due to the improvement of consumption levels, business competition, and the creation of chefs, the Qing Dynasty

The famous "Red Mansion Banquet" and the Manchu-Han Banquet appeared in Yangzhou. This shows that the level of chefs in Yangzhou was indeed very high in the late Qing Dynasty. During these two periods, especially during the reign of Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, Huaiyang cuisine entered its second climax. The Yuan Dynasty will

Yangzhou was listed as the food supply base for the imperial palace. In the 16th year of the Yuan Dynasty, Yangzhou Yingfang captured Lu Huachi, the general manager, and was responsible for fishing and hunting in the lakes and mountains to provide meals in the inner rooms.