DaJuan Foley Jr.
Jacqueline Pomeroy-Tso
Liam Grace
Theo Taplitz
HISTORY of CHINESE FOOD
China, one of the oldest cultures still existing in the modern world, has been around for over 4,000 years. Over this long spanned of time Chinese cuisine has developed and evolved through the several dynasties to the diverse palate we associate with Chinese food today. Through the seven large historical shifts of power, we see the push for more obscure sources of food based on the growing population, the instigation of foreign trade bringing new imported goods for cooking, the relation between food and political power, and the development of flavor.
After the initial founding of civilized society during the Xia dynasty (2070 BCE to 1600 BCE), food had become an important aspect of refined society, imperial food beginning during the Xia dynasty, developing during the Shang dynasty (1766 BCE - 1122 BCE) but becoming
(Northern Zhou Mortuary 557–581 CE)
more advancely stratified between the nobility of China during the Zhou dynasty (841 BCE - 828 BCE) according to the Book of Rites “There were 26 bowls for the emperor, 16 for the princes and dukes, 13 for the marquis, 8 for the senior officials, and 6 for the junior officials,”. Of recorded Chinese Cuisine the Zhou dynasty was the beginning of historian attention toward the art. Most of this imperial food spurred straight from the commoners of China, which then was improved through the advanced facilities of the imperial chefs. The relation between these imperial banquets become politically very important during the Zhou dynasty (as it was in the imperial dynasties after), the Emperor discussing matters of business and politics with princes and dukes during such meals. With a wealthy economy Zhou China saw an abundance of meats, vegetables and cereals (grains such as barley, beans, millet, and brown rice. white rice for the nobles), but unlike the Western palate the Chinese tended to focus more on the vegetables and grain then meat (although they had a variety of options from oxen, to dog, cow, elephant, turtle, etc.).
(Folding screen prints of "beauties" daily live during the Qin Dynasty)
As the Zhou dynasty faded into the Qin dynasty (230 BCE - 221 BCE) , new flavors began to be introduced. Sour and spicy flavors began to seep through the dynasty, adding seasoning and new complexity to food that had previously only been seasoned with salt. Seasoners such as cinnamon, vinegar and soy bean sauce became a huge staple in day to day culture.
As the Han dynasty (206 BCE - 9 CE) rolled around the complexity of Chinese food gained a whole new input through opening of the silk road. New foods, cooking utensils, and quality dishware invaded the country, raw materials such as grapes, walnuts, honey, garlic, and onion were imported from Europe and incorporated into the culture.
(A banquet image from the Dahuting Tombs, Han dynasty)
Thick broth soups, stir frying, and tea drinking in the imperial palace (versus wine) became more prominent. With the rise of Buddhism in China, vegetarianism became wide spread instigating the growing of vegetables in hot houses so that crops could be harvested any time of the season. In this time we also see the creation of gluten. Towards the end of the Han dynasty we see the use of fermentation for popular foods like steamed buns, steam cakes, and stuffed buns, which would continue as a staple food right up to modern day, and the renaming of Chinese foods to represent culture and history rather then the ingredients and method used for cooking the meal, showing food now consciously being put in a place of cultural significance.
(Tang Dynast imperial banquet)
During the short reign of the Sui dynasty (518 CE - 618 CE) and the more substantial reign of the Tang dynasty (618 CE - 907 CE), the flavor as well as the presentation of the food became a paramount aspect of dining. Sea food become more prominent under the Sui emperor Yang Di. Delicacies such as crab rolls, fried ringing bells, phoenix cakes, fried prawns and Mandarin fish with no soy sauce were
instigated during this time, and have continued to be popular food options to this day. The practice of preserving food was very important to the Chinese people, commoners digging trenches and salting their food, while the emperor and nobles had giant trenches full of ice blocks (3ft by 3 ft) to save their food, and enjoy certain froen foods such as frozen melon in the summer. . Diet Therapy became a more widely practiced form of medicine and several books were published examining the variety of food and its effect on one’s health, such as The Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold for Emergencies by Sun Simiao and the General Descriptions of Diets, by Lou Juzhong.
Between the Song dynasty (960 CE to 1279 CE) and the Yuan Dynasty (1279 CE to 1368 CE, were China is under Mongol rule) the schools of varying cuisine’s began to form across the regions of Northern and Southern China, foods marked with their corresponding areas. Hot, cold, and colored dishes that used to be primarily for the imperial class slowly began to move down into the lower classes, grand meals being available to commoners with money to spare through restaurants.
Qingming festival during the Song dynasty
Qing dynasty restaurant illustration
Between the Ming (1360 CE to 1644 CE) and Qing dynasty (1644 CE to 1911CE) Halal food, food adhering to the Koran, began to be widely practiced, spread through Islamic ethnic groups. The Muslim diet worked well in the Chinese arsenal of foods through the diverse cooking methods used, such as stewing, roasting, braising, etc. . The primary ingredients being lamb and mutton and the restrictions
including not consuming pig products worked fine for Chinese audiences, always looking for diverse and innovative tastes.. Trade in Southeast Asia brought over popular delicacies such as shark fins and edible bird nests Hot peppers were introduced toward the end of the Ming dynasty and beginning of the Qing dynasty, dispelling internal cold and promoting one’s appetite, most often sprinkled on top of rice. The development of Cantonese Cuisine (one of the 4 major Chinese Cuisines) developed during the Qing dynasty through the opening of Chinese shops in England, which led to the mixture of Western styles with traditional Chinese recipes influencing areas along Southern China such as Guangzhou, Huizhou and Chaozhou and Hainan Island. Cooking soon became a complete commercial activity, cooks being freed completely from the slave status working in the imperial kitchens, and becoming independent laborers.
With the end of the dynasties of China came the rise of the People’s Republic of China (1949 CE - to the present) which saw a rebirth of various historical cuisines from different regions such as Hangzhou, Yangzhou, and Kaifeng who in turn created Tang and Song style Cuisines. In the Present day Chinese Cuisine is broken up into four major cuisines, Su cuisine (Popular along Yangtze river characterized by sweetness.), Chuan cuisine (Sichuan characterized by it’s spicy flavorings), Lu cuisine (Eastern Shandong Peninsula characterized by milky soup and preparation of seafood.), and Cantonese cuisine (as described above, Westernized Chinese food). After 4,000 years of war, political upheaval, and change Chinese cuisine has a shifted, adapted, and morphed into the colorful, diverse palate we know today, and has come to touch customers across the world, growing a big market in the Western World. .
WORK CITED
http://www.newcastlediggers.com.au/short-history-chinese-cuisine/
https://www.topchinatravel.com/china-guide/history-of-chinese-cuisine.htm
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-13017877
http://www.chinatravelpage.com/four-major-chinese-cuisines
http://www.china.org.cn/english/imperial/25995.htm
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