Chinese cuisine 

includes styles originating from the diverse regions of

China, plus styles of Chinese people in other parts of the world.

BRIEF HISTORY

 The history of Chinese cuisine in China stretches back for

thousands of years and has changed from period to period and in
each region according to climate, imperial fashions, and local
preferences.
 Over time, techniques and ingredients from the cuisines of other
cultures were integrated into the cuisine of the Chinese people
due both to imperial expansion and from the trade with nearby
regions in pre-modern times as well as from Europe and the New
World in the modern period.
 Styles and tastes also varied by class, region, and ethnic
background. This led to an unparalleled range of ingredients,
techniques, dishes and eating styles in what could be called
Chinese food, leading Chinese to pride themselves on eating a
wide variety of foods while remaining true to the spirit and
traditions of Chinese food culture.
 The history of Chinese cuisine goes deep into history and is
marked by both variety and change. The archeologist and
scholar K.C. Chang says “Chinese people are especially
preoccupied with food” and “food is at the center of, or at least it
accompanies or symbolizes, many social interactions.” Over the
course of history, he says, "continuity vastly outweighs change."
He explains basic organizing principles which go back to earliest
times and give a continuity to the food tradition, principally that a
normal meal is made up of fan (grains and other starches)
and cai(vegetable or meat dishes)
 ECONOMY

CUSTOMS & TRADITIONS

 Chinese New Year (or Spring Festival) is

the most important festival in the calendar
celebrated all over the country. It's hard to
miss the good fortune or happiness messages
hung in red from every doorway and the smell
of feasts being cooked as families gather at
this time. As many people return from the
cities to their hometowns, train tickets are
near impossible to acquire-make sure you
book well in advance or be prepared to
celebrate where you are!

 As one of the planet's oldest civilizations,

many aspects of traditional Chinese culture
form part of modern life. Chinese writing is a
prime example of this. Most travelers are
aware of Chinese characters, if very few can
make sense of them. Dating back over 3,000
years, characters were originally pictures representing their meaning and have evolved into
the language used today. It's said that one needs a vocabulary of roughly 3,500 characters in
order to read a newspaper but tourists can get by just by recognizing a few basics. 女(ladies)
and 男 (gents) are particularly useful.

 One of the most

important cultures in
China which is
famous around the
world is the food.
From roast duck in
Beijing, hot pot
in Chengdu and dim
sum in Hong Kong,
the Chinese people
do not like to go
 hungry. It's not uncommon to hear people greeting each other by asking "Have you eaten
yet?". Many travellers are aware but unsure of all the etiquette traditions but most locals
will be tolerant of the odd mistake; a smile and following what your fellow diners do will
get you through.

TABLE MANNERS

A multitude of etiquette considerations occur also when dinning in China. There are

some special differences from manners in western countries.

a. A round dining table is more popular than a rectangular or square one. As many
people who can be seated comfortably around it conveniently face one another. The
guest of honor is always seated to the right of the host; the next in line will sit on his
left. Guests should be seated after the host's invitation, and it is discourteous to seat
guests at the place where the dishes are served.
b. Dinning may only begin once the host and all his guests are seated. The host should
actively take care of all his guests, inviting them to enjoy their meal.
c. On a typical Chinese dinning table there are always a cup, a bowl on a small dish,
together with the chopsticks and spoons. Dishes are always presented in the center of
the table.
d. Apart from soup, all dishes should be eaten with chopsticks. The Chinese are
particular about the use of chopsticks. There are many no-no's such as twiddling
with chopsticks, licking chopsticks, or using them to stir up the food, gesture with
them or point them at others. Never stick chopsticks in the center of rice, as this is
the way to sacrifice and is therefore considered to be inauspicious.
e. Keep your dining pace accorded with other people. Never smoke when dining.
f. A formal dinning is always accompanied by tea, beer or distilled spirit. The one who
sit closest to the teapot or wine bottle should pour them for others from the senior
and superior to the junior and inferior. And when other people fill your cup or glass,
you should express your thanks. Guests can not pour tea or wine themselves.
g. A toast to others is a characteristic Chinese dinning. When all people are seated and
all cups are filled, the host should toast others first, together with some simple
 prologue to let the dinning start. During the dining after the senior's toast, you can
toast anyone from superior to inferior at their convenience. When someone toasts
you, you should immediately stop eating and drinking to accept and toast in
response. If you are far from someone you want to toast, then you can use your cup
or glass to rap on the table to attract attention rather than raise your voice. However,
it is impolite to urge others to drink.
h. Conventionally, if you are invited to a formal banquet, all the dishes should not be
eaten up completely, or you will give the host the impression that he has not provided
a good banquets and the food was insufficient. After dining, guests should leave once
the host has left the table.

HERBS & SPICES

Star Anise 八角 
 This herb is in the shape of star and is the seed pod of an evergreen tree found in
southwestern China and Japan. It has 8 segments and is in dark brown rust color.
Fennel Seed 茴香籽 
 Fennel seed came from fennel plant which are used in herbal medicines and act as spices
in Chinese cooking. It has a fragrant odor and taste. It can be found in various forms
such as seed, oil or capsules. Pregnant women should not consume fennel seed.
Clove 丁香 
 Cloves aroma is extremely strong, pundent and sweet. It can be in a whole or in a grounded
form and also oil. Cloves are dried, unopened flower buds of the myrtle tree. It will add to
the spiciness of the dish when used from oil.
Cinnamon 桂皮
  It is a spice that found from the inner bark of Cinnamon tree. The bark is peeled, dried
and rolled into quills. It is very thin with light-yellowish brown color and a highly
fragrant aroma. It tastes sweet too. It is a very important ingredient for Chinese cooking
especially in braised dishes. It can be found in 2 forms: powder and sticks. You can
ground the cinnamon sticks into powder yourself or you may just get the cinnamon
powder directly from the supermarket.
Five Spice Powder 五香粉 
 Though it was called as five spices powder but the ingredient of making this powder are
more than 5. It is a mixture of 10 different spices: cinnamon, cardamom, fennel, star
anise, cloves, coriander seed, nutmeg seed, lime skin, pepper and rice.
 It is used to spice up and season a lot of Chinese food. It usually comes in powder form
and common used in Asian cooking.
Ginger 姜
 Fresh ginger is used commonly among Chinese dishes especially when cooking seafood.
It was used to get rid of the fishy smell of the seafood. Ginger produces hot and fragrant
spice. Mature ginger have more flavors and heat compare to the fresh ginger. It was used
in soups, stews, marinades, pickled in vinegar for sweet and sour dressings. Some
Chinese cooking dishes used it to stir fry together with ginger.
White Peppercorns 白胡椒
 White pepper powder is originated from white peppercorn. It gives spicy taste and
commonly used for soups. It helps in reducing headaches and it also helps in digestive
problem too.
Bird’s Eye Chili 鸟眼/小辣椒
 It is the smallest version of chili. The
smaller the chili, the spicier it can be. This
chili is considered the spiciest! Chinese
loves spicy food. Sometimes, bird’s eye
chili is used as a dipping sauce.
Kaffir Lime Leaf 柠檬
Fresh Turmeric (yellow ginger) 姜黄
 Turmeric is a type of ginger which is
yellowish and if you cooked the dish with
turmeric, the dish will be in yellow color.
Turmeric brings a lot of health benefits such as reduce cancer and natural liver detoxified.
Chinese has treated turmeric as medicine for
the depression.
FOOD SYMBOLISM

10. Fried Shrimps with Cashews

（腰果虾仁）
 Fried Shrimp and Cashews is said to
protect the cardio-cerebral-vascular system
and prevent cardiovascular disease. The
shrimp is usually soft and easily digestible
and accented by the cashews. 

9 . Chow Mein （炒面）

 Chow Mein is a rich source of nutrition and has many health benefits including

improving digestion, anemia and immunity. Extremely popular in China and all over the
world, this stir-fried noodle dish comes in many varieties. Cantonese Chow Mein is the most
famous in Western countries.
8. Peking Duck （北京烤鸭）

 Now considered to be one of

China's National Foods, the Peking Duck is
prized for its eloquent taste and stunning
presentation. This famous dish can be found
at restaurants all around Beijing. The
Quanjude Restaurant, one of the largest roast
duck restaurants in Beijing,

7. Won Ton Soup (馄饨)

 Won Ton Soup, called "Hun

Dun" in Mandarin, is a highly
welcoming dish in China. Since China
is a nation of diverse ethnic
groups and different cultures, each
region has their own shapes for won
tons. Won tons are usually boiled and
served in soup, but they can also be
deep-fried. 

6. Dumplings (饺子)

 During the Spring Festival,

Chinese families will get together
and have dumpling parties. It is said
that the dish was invented by Zhang
Zhongjing, one of the finest Chinese
physicians in history. Dumplings
have a 1,800 year long history which
 is why it is one of the most popular
traditional foods in China and
extremely popular in Western
countries. They may be cooked by
boiling, steaming, simmering, frying
or baking. 
 Dumplings feature thin skin,
soft stuffing, and unique shapes.
Dumpling stuffings are various,
including pork, beef, cabbage, carrots,
and/or onions among others. Deep
cultural meanings are usually
associated with this dish, for example
dumplings stuffed with celery is called
"qin cai jiao" in Chinese, which is a
homophone for the phrase that means
"hard working and lots of wealth."

5. Spicy Tofu (Mapo doufu)( 麻婆豆腐)

 Spicy Tofu, known in Chinese as "mapo doufu", is one of the most famous dishes from
Sichuan cuisine. The dish features the trademark "hot" spiciness along with the
characteristically tongue-numbing nature of Sichuan's flavorful food.
4. Egg-fried rice (炒饭)

 Originally from China's ancient

western regions, egg-fried rice has now become
part of Chinesepeople's daily cuisine. Famous
for its aromatic smells, soft textures and
handsome presentation, one can easily find this
popular dish anywhere in China, from high
class hotels to family-run restaurants on the
street

3. Spring Rolls (春卷)

 Spring rolls are an appetizer, eaten either

fresh or fried.They are usually eaten
during the Spring Festival in China,
hence the name. The dish bears very
auspicious meanings as it resembles gold
bars and people tend to link them with
ideas of wealth. Of course, they also taste
good.

2. Kung Pao (Gong Bao) Chicken

（宫保鸡丁）

 Kung Pao Chicken is the most famous

dish of Guizhou cuisine. It is popular
among both Chinese and foreigners.
Ask a foreigner to name some of
Chinese dishes, Kung Pao Chicken
will be one of them.
 The dish is named after Ding Baozhen, a late Qing Dynasty official. Born in Guizhou,
Ding served as the head of Shandong province and later as the governor of Sichuan
province. His title, Gong Bao, or palatial guardian, is where the name Kung Pao chicken
derives.

1.Sweet and Sour Pork/Chicken  (糖醋里脊)

 Sweet and Sour Pork is a Chinese dish that is particularly popular
in Cantonese cuisine and can also be found in Zhejiang cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, and
Shandong cuisine. The dish is now popular all over the world. With its great look and
taste, Sweet and Sour Pork takes the cake among foreigners' favorite Chinese dishes.