I. The stories behind foods:
Eating is the most important part of life. (民以食为天) Confucius
Chine culture is food-oriented. (Have you had your meal? As a way of greeting)
Origin of Baozi
In the Wei and the Jin dynasties, baozi (stuffed bun) appeared. But at that time it was called mantou (steamed bun). According to Chapter 91 of The Romance of Three Kingdoms, when Zhuge Liang was on the punitive expedition to southern aboriginals, he ordered the chefs to slay oxen and hors, knead dough into head-shaped pieces and stuff them with beef and mutton, (唤行厨宰杀牛马，和面为剂，塑成人头，内以牛羊等肉代之，名曰“馒头”。) hence its name mantou (tou means head). It was not until the Song Dynasty that people began to call it baozi.
Origin of Noodle
The predecessor of noodle was soup pancake (汤饼). It was different from baked or steamed pancakes, and boiled in water.
Soup pancakes originated in the Han Dynasty. Its shape differed from that of today’s noodle---- flat pieces rather than long and narrow pieces, similar to jiaozi wrapper in shape.
Soup pancakes originated in the Han Dynasty. It was made by stretching the dough with hands to certain length and boiling in hot water. In the Tang Dynasty, chopping board, knife and rolling pin(擀面杖) were ud instead of mere hands to roll dough and cut pieces.
Vegetables
Chine Leek (韭菜), cultivated in Han Dynasty, popular by Song Dynasty.
Eggplant（killerman茄子）, first recorded in the Jin Dynasty, of Indian and Thai origin.
Cucumber（黄瓜）, also of Indian origin, introduced to China a little later than the eggplant.
Carrot, native to northern Europe, introduced into China from Iran in the Yuan Dynasty.
Tomato entered China through Western Europe as an ornamental plant in the early 18th century. It was not until the mid 19th century that it was cultivated as vegetable.
II. Features of Chine Food
1. Colour, Aroma, and Taste
Colourylf refers not only backup是什么color of food, but also rendipitylayout and design.
Aroma refers to the fragrant and appetizing smell of the dishes claimed
Taste is not only tasting the food itlf, but also the appreciation of asonings and texture（口感）.
2. Cooking Methods
Time and temperature play an important role in cooking.
They include boiling (煮), stewing (煲scol/炖), braising (烧/焖/烩), frying (煎), stir-frying (炒), quick-frying (爆), deep-frying (炸), frying and simmering (扒), sautéing (快煎), simmering (煨), smoking (熏), roasting or barbecuing (烤), baking (烘), steaming (蒸) and scalding (白灼).
3. Seasonings
Taste mainly depends on the asonings.
sour (vinegar),
sweet (sugar, honey),
bitter (dried tangerine 陈皮, bitter apricot kernel 苦杏仁).
pungent (chili, ginger批评与自我批评发言稿简短姜, scallion 葱)
salty (salt, soy sauce),
fragrant (same oil香油, coriander 香菜, wine),
prickled (麻cnki翻译助手) (prickly ash 花椒)
tangy (味道浓烈的) (monosodium glutamate / MSG 大学预科班什么意思味精)
4. Yin-yang Principle
Each food has its own characteristics of yin or yang.
Yin foods are thin (清淡), cooling and low in calories.
Yang foods are rich, spicy, warming and high in calories.
Boiling food makes them yin; frying them makes them yang.
Yin Foods:Bean sprout（豆芽）, Cabbage, Crab, Cucumber, Carrot, Duck, Tofu, Water
Yang Foods: Bamboo shoot竹笋, Beef, Chicken, Egg, Ginger, Glutinous rice糯米, Mushroom, Sesame oil, Wine
5. Medicinal Function
In China, people believe that a food tonic (食补) is much better than a medicine in building one's health.
medicinal cuisine combines strictly procesd traditional Chine medicine with traditional culinary materials to produce delicious food with health-restoring qualities.
Summer foods such as salads, cucumbers, and melons are ideal for hot weather.
Converly,meats, root vegetables, hot soups, and stews炖菜are most nourishing in winter.
III. Eight Regional Cuisines
Chuan, Xiang, Yue, Lu, Zhe, Hui, Min, Su
Foods vary from north to south.
Tastes also differ regionally becau of the climatic differences.
“sweet in the south, salty in the north, sour in the west and spicy in the east”.
Lu Cai
famous for its qualities of freshness, clear colours, dedication to fragrance and pure tastes.
Dezhou Braid Chicken (德州扒鸡 ) Yellow River Common Carp in Sweet and Sour Sauce（糖醋黄河鲤鱼） Twisted Large Intestine(九转大肠）
Chuan Cai
Especially for its hot and pungent flavoring.
Famous for its many flavors. Almost every dish has its own unique taste.
Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐旅游胜地英文 ) Fuqi Ox Lung Slice(夫妻肺片)，Spicy Diced Chicken with Peanuts(宫保鸡丁 ) Fish-Flavored Pork Thread(鱼香肉丝 )
