History of Chinese cuisine

The History of Chinese cuisine in China can be traced back to the Peking Man and his use of fire and the invention of "''cuisine''" some 400,000 years ago. Some other accounts of the history of Chinese cuisine takes the beginning back to the stone age, where the cultivation of rice and the production of noodles, both typical representations of Chinese cuisine as we know it today, are known from archeological findings.

Practices

Over the centuries, as new food sources and techniques were invented, the Chinese cuisine as we know it gradually evolved, with the use of chopsticks made from all sorts of materials as eating utensils, another one of the hallmarks of Chinese cuisine, going back at least to the Zhou Dynasty; dishes became popular during the Tang Dynasty. The stir-fry method of cooking was invented as a necessity to conserve expensive and scarce fuel.

Chinese cuisine classifications

Not long after the expansion of the Chinese Empire during the Qin Dynasty and Han Dynasty, Chinese writers noted the great differences in culinary practices between people from different parts of the realm. These differences, following to a great extent the varying climate and availability of food sources in China, could be very local in nature but were early on systematized in lists of Chinese cuisines, they are:

North and South

The North and South cuisines, the earliest distinction, and one that is still much used today even as the food culture of and South China of course have developed much since the distinction was first made.

Traditional Four schools classifications

Chinese cuisines belong to one of the Four Schools. The School of Lu , is the largest due to its history, which is also the longest among all. The Four Schools, being , , and . Often translated as the cuisines of Shandong, Sichuan, Jiangsu and Guangdong.

Eight schools classification

The Eight Schools include the four major branch of the "Four schools" and add the following to the above , , and .

Ten schools classification

The Ten Schools, adding to the eight above the cuisines of and .

History

Early dynastic times

There has always been a major class difference between the royalties and the regular citizens living outside the imperial quarters. It should be noted that Beijing was . In fact the geography of the far northeastern corner of China with its long, harsh winters with limited agricultural possibilities, has always posed serious water and food supply problems.

Qing dynasty

The records of the Imperial Banqueting Court published in the late Qing period showed there were 6 levels of Manchu banquets and 5 of banquets . The royal Manchu Han Imperial Feast is one that combined both traditions.

1950s - 1980s

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the nation have suffered from a series of major food supply problems under the Communist Party of China. Countryside poor provinces like Henan and Gansu experienced the worst. By January 1959 the food supply for residents in Beijing was reduced to 1 cabbage per household per day. Many peasants suffered from malnutrition, and at the same time increasing the amount they handed over to the state. Beginning in 1960, the Great Chinese Famine contributed to more problems due to bad government policies. During this time there was little to no advancement in the culinary tradition. Many fled to neighbouring Hong Kong and Taiwan to avoid starvation.

{|class="wikitable"
! width=20% | Year
! width=40% | Percent of grain handed over
to the Communist party In February 1994 the Wall street journal wrote an article about Retro-Maoist cuisine being a hit in China. Owners of a CR-style restaurants said "We're not nostalgic for Mao, per se. We're nostalgic for our youth." This is well above the national salary average at the time.

Famous quotes

Chinese cuisine quote - original version

A common saying in Chinese cuisine has been around in Chinese culture for some time. Its exact origin is unknown, though it attempts to summarize the entire cuisine in one sentence. The order of the directions can vary within local culture. For example, East may not necessarily come first.

Chinese cuisine quote - popular online version

It should be noted Chinese cuisine have gone through numerous transformations through the different dynasties all the way up to modern times. Many different versions of the quote exist on the internet today. One of the most common version under google's search result suggest an overwhelmingly different version in Simplified Chinese.

One can compare the original and pseudo version. For example, the original phrase suggest South is salty. This fits Cantonese cuisine and Hakka cuisine since both southern styles are largely dominated by salty tastes. But the more popular internet quote suggests south is sweet instead. This may be true because sweet tong sui is the major export from the southern region as seen from the mainland perspective. Also, in modern times the western styles of and cuisines are widely renowned for their spicy dishes, more so then that of northern China. Both quotes can be debated literally down to the individual dish. Likely neither will ever emerge as the definitive quote.

This popular phrase summarises Cantonese cuisine from Guangzhou as the standout in Chinese cuisine. The best wood is in Liuzhou, which is suitable for death and coffins. The most beautiful women is in Suzhou, and the most comfortable scenery for living is in Hangzhou. There are different variations of the quote available online. Cantonese cuisine is widely regarded as the one to eat within the ideal life.