china food essay

CHN/ITAL370W Noodle Narratives- Summer 2019

A CULTURAL EXPLORATION OF CHINA AND ITALY

The Chinese food culture from regional cuisines and its impact on the American food culture

Hong Li and Christine Ristaino

August 09, 2019

The exotic yet such a pleasant scent welcomed me as I opened the door of the restaurant. As I expected from the two Chinese characters “金 佛” on the door, the intense red everywhere inside and the oriental painting on the surface of a wall exuded an atmosphere of the authentic China. The first impression of this Chinese restaurant, Golden Buddha was mostly the same with the image that came to my mind when thinking of a typical Chinese restaurant. However, as I looked around the inside for a moment, I could identify that the customers were from all different countries not just Asians. Since Golden Buddha is a Chinese restaurant, I initially thought that there would be more of Asians than Americans in the restaurant. What is this a new phenomenon? What are the effects that the Chinse food culture had on the American food culture? Based on these two questions, I decided to write my final research paper about ‘The Chinese food culture from regional cuisines and its impact on the American food culture’. The Chinese food culture is manifested itself in the different regional cuisines that have their own unique taste and style. This distinctive food culture of China has fascinated the American people playing a crucial role in shaping the identity of the American food culture.

China is the world’s number one country for its vast territory and huge population. It has twenty-three provinces in total and each region has its own style of living and culture. There is nothing but food that can show the unique style that differs from region to region as it is the only cultural artifact that solely becomes who we are. Then, why are the cuisines different from region to region? What are some of the factors that make such regional differences? To gratify such curiosities, I scrutinized both primary and secondary sources about Chinese regional cuisines and could figure out the four main dividing factors that distinguish from one region to another: Agriculture, climate, palate, geographical isolation, and religion.  

The agriculture is one of the biggest distinguishing factors that affects the regional cuisine. The ingredients that chefs use in making food are dependent on the agriculture and wildlife of that region. This idea can be clearly shown by comparing the Northern and Southern china. In Northern china, where what cultivation is suitable, wheat flour is the staple food for people in that area, so the Northern Chinese people enjoy eating noodles and dumplings. On the other hand, in Southern China, where rice cultivation is suitable due to warm and rainy weather, they eat rice as their staple food.

Another dividing factor is the climate. The climate in China is different regionally and the central and south china are humid. Because of the humidity, the central and south Chinese people usually eat spicy food in the belief that chili peppers in those foods help to move internal dampness and cold.  In ‘Shark’s fin and Sichuan pepper’, the memoir written by Fuchsia Dunlop, she claims that Xie Laoban’s Dan Dan noodles were a potent pick-me-up, a cure for hangover or headache, and the perfect antidote to the grey humidity of the Chengdu climate (Fuchsia 2019).

  The palate is the third aspect of causing difference in regional cuisines. Most of the Chinese people enjoy eating spicy food as their palate is accustomed to it. However, Cantonese cuisine shows that those in the southeast like sweet food, in contrast to a mostly savory palate in the rest of China (Annie 2018).

Geographical isolation specifically indicates why Taiwan food is different from that of other regions. As Taiwan is isolated from China, it has developed its own mixed cuisine blending some cooking styles from Fujian and Guangdong.

Lastly, religion also played a role in making a difference in regional cuisines. The main religious food is the halal food restrictions adhered to by Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in China’s northwest (Annie 2018). These factors ultimately led to the difference in the taste of Chinese cuisine regionally and divided China into five different regions based on the flavor and cooking style: Northern, Eastern, Western, Central, and Southern minority cuisine.  

The Northern China food is most characterized to be salty and simple with less vegetables. The districts that belong to Northern part of China are Shandong, Beijing, and Inner Mongolia. Shandong cuisine is mostly famous for seafood due to its Northeast location along the coast. The Shandong chefs try their best to keep the original flavor of fresh seafood only with simple ingredients and braising. They are also known for making both clear broth and creamy soup. The staple food for Shandong people is wheat, so they serve much more dishes made of wheat compared to other regions resulting in the more consumption of noodles. One of the famous dishes in Shandong is ‘Jyoh-jwan daa-chang’ which is braised pork intestines in brown sauce. It might sound not appealing to people who have never heard about or tried this food before, but the dish is in fact very appetizing as the Shandong chefs skillfully harmonize all the different flavors through a series of cooking techniques. Another Northern district is Beijing, the capital city of China. I am sure that everybody has heard about the dish called ‘Peking roast duck’. This famous roast duck is from Beijing and Beijing cuisine is mostly influenced by Shandong and Inner Mongolia. It is known for its imperial cuisine with strong seasonings like vinegar and garlic. Inner Mongolia cuisine also belongs to Northern China food and as the name suggests, it originates from traditional Mongolian culture. Inner Mongolia cuisine mainly includes dairy products and all kinds of red meat and the representative foods are ‘roasted whole sheep’ and ‘roast leg of lamb’.

The Eastern China cuisine is sweet and light with a lot of fish and seafood dishes. Cantonese and Fujian are the main regions of the Eastern China. Cantonese cuisine that originated from Guangdong province is the most popular style of Chinese cuisine around the world especially in America. It is characterized for mild and sweet taste with less spices focusing more on freshness and natural flavor of ingredients. The dishes from Guangdong are diverse in its kind such as fine seafood dishes, rice dishes, soup, and dim sum. One of the most famous Cantonese cuisine is ‘Slow-boiled soup’, a clear broth made by simmering meat and other ingredients over a low heat for several hours (Annie 2018). Since Chinese herbs and medicines are used as the main ingredients in making the soup, Chinese people believe that a bowl of this soup has the power to heal and strengthen their health. Fujian cuisine is noted for its use of exotic ingredients from mountain and sea. This unusual mixture of various ingredients yields a unique flavor that differentiates Fujian cuisine from other Chinese regional cuisines. The most well-known dish of Fujian is ‘Shark Fin Soup’ that needs a preparation of about three days. It is known for its marine taste and usage of about thirty mostly high-class ingredients, such as abalone, shark’s fin, scallops, and sea cucumber (Annie 2018). 

The Western China cuisine is known for Muslim food from Xinjiang cuisine and Tibetan food from Tibetan cuisine. As many of the inhabitants in Xinjiang are people from Uyghur, the cuisine is mostly based on halal foods as Xinjiang people are Muslims. Tibetan cuisine features a mix of flavors of Nepalese, Indian, and Sichuan cuisines due to its geographical position and its original dishes influenced by the harsh climate.

The Central China cuisine is hot and spicy along with strong seasonings. The regions that are in the Central China are Sichuan and Hunan. When people are asked to name one of the spicy Chinese foods, many of them first think of dishes from Sichuan. Sichuan cuisine is famous for its spicy and numbing flavor arises from the use of Sichuan pepper and Chili peppers. Kung pao Chicken is a traditional Sichuan dish made with chicken, chili, Sichuan peppers, peanuts, and vegetables (Annie 2018). The level of spiciness can vary depending on how much peppers are put in, but the soft texture of chicken does not change. Hunan cuisine is also famous for its spicy flavor, but it can be even spicier than Sichuan cuisine. The high agricultural output of the regions enables the use of diverse ingredients when making food. A typical Hunan dish is a numbing spicy chicken made with red chili peppers and spicy ingredients.

The Southern minority cuisine includes many preserved foods as people in this area are mountain farmers who usually preserve foods that they cannot eat immediately. This regional aspect determines the type of cuisine of that area such as picked vegetables and tofu that have sour flavor.

These diverse regional cuisines from Northern China to Southern minority all come together to form the distinctive Chinese food culture. Being acknowledged for its versatility, the Chinese food culture had impact on the food culture of other countries especially in the United States. The influence of the Chinese food culture on the American food culture dates back when the Chinese people first moved to the San Francisco Bay. In 1849, the rumors of gold nuggets that drew thousands of East Coast get-rich-quick hopefuls out of California during the Gold Rush also resonated across the Pacific with the merchants of Canton in South China (Rude 2016). The Chinese merchants, who had good feelings of success of their business in America, became the first immigrants to provide services for the miners in the San Francisco Bay. This first wave of immigration fueled later waves of Chinese immigrants who buckled down to work as pioneer agricultural laborers to manage their American life. All of these workers were undoubtedly also hungry for good Chinese cooking that reminded them of land they have left behind (Rude 2016). To satisfy their yearning for home food, the Chinese immigrants became the restaurant owners by impressing the patrons with cleanliness and professionalism. The restaurants owned by Chinese people became popular not only for the appetizing dishes they served, but also for the cheap price. Nevertheless, the relationship between Americans and Chinese people was not in a good shape as both wages and job opportunities declined due to the depletion of gold resources. The animosity towards Chinese people grew bigger and bigger and eventually became law. In 1882, “The Chinese Exclusion Act” was passed banning all Chinese workers entering the United States. This law continued until 1943.

Despite the social turmoil, the Americans were still captivated by the Chinese food. However, the food was mostly derived from only Cantonese cuisine. The liberalization of American immigration policy in 1965 brought new arrivals from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Mainland, who in turn brought with them the foods they had enjoyed in areas like Hunan, Sichuan, Taipei and Shanghai (Rude 2016).

President Richard Nixon’s famous visit to China brought a big culinary impact on the United States. At that time, the Americans had not much knowledge about the authentic Chinese food, but only knew about Chinese dishes like chop suey, chow mein, and egg rolls and paid no more attention to them. However, after witnessing their president eating Pecking duck, the traditional dish of Beijing on a live broadcast, they became curious about the authentic Chinese food. The Americans went exploring in Chinatowns and fell in love with the flavor that they have never experienced before. The Chinese restaurants thrived in the United States than ever before.

Today, according to the Chinese American restaurant association, there are over 45,000 Chinese restaurants currently in operation across the United States. This number is greater than all the McDonald’s, KFCs, Pizza Huts, Taco Bells and Wendy’s combined (Rude 2016). The investigation demonstrates that the Chinese food culture is forming an ever-greater part of the American food culture.

The anthropological study about ‘Golden Buddha’, the Chinese restaurant in the United States further illustrates what is the impact of the Chinese food culture on the American society. In the interview with the restaurant manager, Steve, he claimed that his restaurant has two main kinds of foods: the Americanized Chinese food and the Korean style Chinse food. These two types of cuisines are the identity of not only this particular restaurant, but also the American food culture as they were made from the taste of the American people. As shown in the one of the popular Chinese restaurants in the United States, the Chinese cuisines are a big part of the American food industry and they are not the authentic Chinese cuisines, but the Americanized Chinese dishes that captivated the customers in America who are from all different countries.

In conclusion, the Chinese food culture of today is comprised of the different regional cuisines that come from agriculture, climate, palate, geographical isolation, and religion. Each region has its own unique flavor and cooking style that distinguishes itself from others. Since early times, the Chinese food culture had impact on the American food culture and its influence has increased recently due to brisk cultural exchanges from the globalization. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Chinse food culture shaped the identity of the American food culture as the most hip food that the most Americans enjoy eating is the Americanized Chinese food. The big boom of Chinese food in America will still go on and more and more younger generations will fall in love with this amazing cuisine just like their parents did.

Works Cited

DUNLOP, FUCHSIA. SHARK’S FIN AND SICHUAN PEPPER: a Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China . W W NORTON, 2019.

Crowther, Gillian. Eating Culture: an Anthropological Guide to Food . University of Toronto Press, 2018.

Eric Fish, Asia Society. “How Chinese Food Got Hip in America.” The Atlantic , Atlantic Media Company, 9 Mar. 2016, www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/03/chinese-food-hip-america/472983/.

Hinsbergh, Gavin Van. “China’s 8 Great Cuisines – Best 8 Culinary Classics.” China Highlights , 9 Aug. 2018, www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-food/eight-cuisine.htm.

Liu, Junru. Chinese Food . Cambridge University Press, 2011.

Rude, Emelyn. “Chinese Food in America: A Very Brief History.” Time , Time, 8 Feb. 2016, time.com/4211871/chinese-food-history/.

Wei, Clarissa. “An Illustrated History of Americanized Chinese Food.” First We Feast , First We Feast, 20 Oct. 2016, firstwefeast.com/eat/2015/03/illustrated-history-of-americanized-chinese-food.

Wu, Annie. “China’s Regional Cuisines – Chinese Food Types North–South.” China Highlights , 8 Aug. 2018, www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-food/regional-cuisines.htm.

Wu, Annie. “Discover China’s Regional Food Through 10 Dishes.” China Highlights , 23 May 2018, www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-food/discover-china-regional-food.htm.

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Food, Eating Behavior, and Culture in Chinese Society Essay

Lee’s book investigates the origins of Chinese restaurants and food delivery services as well as fortune cookies. Both are very common and are a part of the American lifestyle for many people in the modern day. However, as the author explains the origins of them are more complicated than might appear at first. The majority of the food and the cookies were not an actual part of the Chinese cuisine. The Chinese immigrants in the US came up with many recipes and made them familiar. The diffusion of Chinese culture through food is demonstrated as the number of places where one can try it outnumbers popular fast food chains.

The diffusion and transformation are illustrated by the example of General Tso’s Chicken. The concept of globalization through transculturation is demonstrated through presenting the story of Chinese immigrants that opened these restaurants, bringing part of their culture to the US. The issue of the origin of the fortune cookies demonstrates the global intersections. Thus, the book shows different globalization factors such as diffusion, transformation, transculturation, and global interconnections through which different cultures merge and change one another.

The cultural differences in the Asia and Pacific rim area that are based on distinct floodways are varied in nature. As Lee described in her book, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese, when the Chinese immigrants came to America they have encountered opposition from the citizens. One of the examples is the China Exclusion Act (56). In the modern day, such laws are regarded as discrimination. However, at that time, the justification for the actions was described as “Chinamen love rats as Western people love poultry” (Lee 50). In addition, other differences in food habits were described. “Chinamen live on rice, and, sir, they eat it with sticks!”‘ (Lee 54). It is clear from these statements that the food habits of people in China differ significantly from those in America.

In the Asian and Pacific region, the importance of trade, social class, and cultural diffusion can be demonstrated through food. Guansheng stated that the Chinese have a special attitude to food (195). For example, they offer food to people when they are trying to make new friends or contacts. In addition, to represent the social status people in China eat expensive foods. Furthermore, the author states that when moving to other countries these people maintain their eating habits, which is an example of cultural diffusion (Guansheng 196). The trade is an essential aspect of the region. Due to the fact that food is valued, the purchasing process becomes complex as the freshness and quality of the ingredients are critical (Guansheng 196).

The concept of diffusion, in this case, refers to the spread of beliefs and activities between different groups of people. In addition, the transformation of culture is an aspect of the concept. In the book, the author shares how Chinese food was modified into being the most popular eating choice in America (Lee 56). Therefore, American and Chinese cultures have merged and changed each other in the case. According to Lee, “there are some forty thousand Chinese restaurants in the United States –more than the number of McDonalds’, Burger Kings, and KFCs combined” (9). It can be argued that the fact that there are large number of these restaurants across the country contributes to the diffusion of the culture. In addition, it does transform itself to suit the local tastes. For example, General Tso’s Chicken, although existed as a recipe in China, differs significantly from what is served under the name in the US. Lee traveled to Hunan Province – the birthplace of the General to find out the origins of the dish (56). The diffusion, in this case, is demonstrated as the Chinese restaurants have taken a part of their culture – the recipe and the name of General Tso and transformed it into one of the most popular dishes in America.

The diffusion and transformation are demonstrated by Lee through the example of General Tso’s Chicken and chop suey. The concept’s focus is the spread of a specific food within a culture and how it is transformed over time. As was previously mentioned, General Tso’s Chicken does exist in Chinese cuisine. However, it is not as standard, and the recipe differs significantly, it is more spicy and more fitting for the eating habits of the locals. Chop suey is another example of diffusion and transformation. Lee described the dish as “the biggest culinary prank that one culture has ever played on another.” (49). It is due to the fact that the Americans used to believe that chop suey was a national dish in China. In reality, the name translates from Cantonese as “odds and ends” (Lee 49). The dish was created to suit the tastes of Americans. To do so, no extra spices, unusual flavors or ingredients were used. The streets of New York, Washington, and other cities had a line of people waiting to taste the dish (Lee 58). The way the traditional Chinese cuisine was transformed and gained popularity in the US is an example of diffusion and transformation.

Globalization and transculturation refer to the merging of different cultures. In the book, the process is demonstrated by how Chinese immigrants used the notion of Chinese food to create the restaurants in America. In addition, they used the fortune cookies that originated in Japan as part of the menu. Similarly to diffusion, the example of globalization is General Tso’s Chicken. However, an essential aspect of the issue is the process through which the Chinese immigrants went through to make their cuisine widespread in the country. “Our benchmark for America is apple pie. But ask yourself: How often do you eat apple pie? How often do you eat Chinese food?” (Lee 26). The author’s idea is that the actual American food is the one that is more common; therefore, it is the Chinese. The merger of cultures and traditions examined in the book is an excellent illustration of globalization.

Global interconnections are illustrated through the issue of the origin of the famous fortune cookies. Although it is easy to believe that they were invented in China, as they are sold in Chinese restaurants, it is not the case. In fact, the cookies were created in Japan, but then gained popularity in America. In addition, there is an American company that specializes in writing texts for those cookies (Lee 90). However, the topic has been discussed by many, “the critical 1983 debate: Who invented the fortune cookie, and where?” (Lee 90). Therefore, this is an example of global interconnections.

Overall, the Chinese culture brought by the immigrants that opened restaurants have merged with the American, resulting in the now widely beloved Chinese food. Although many believe that the dishes are a part of traditional Chinese cuisine, many of them were created in order to suit the tastes of Americans. The provided examples are a representation of globalization through diffusion, transformation, transculturation, and global interconnections.

Lee, Jenifer. The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food. Twelve, 2009.

Ma, Guansheng. “Food, Eating Behavior, and Culture in Chinese Society.” Journal of Ethnic Foods, vol. 2, no. 4, 2015, pp. 195-199.

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IvyPanda. (2021, June 22). Food, Eating Behavior, and Culture in Chinese Society. https://ivypanda.com/essays/food-eating-behavior-and-culture-in-chinese-society/

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IvyPanda . (2021) 'Food, Eating Behavior, and Culture in Chinese Society'. 22 June.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Food, Eating Behavior, and Culture in Chinese Society." June 22, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/food-eating-behavior-and-culture-in-chinese-society/.

1. IvyPanda . "Food, Eating Behavior, and Culture in Chinese Society." June 22, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/food-eating-behavior-and-culture-in-chinese-society/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Food, Eating Behavior, and Culture in Chinese Society." June 22, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/food-eating-behavior-and-culture-in-chinese-society/.

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Chinese Food And Chinese Culture Essay Samples

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Food , China , Tea , Kong , Hong Kong , Hong , Chang , Herbal Tea

Words: 3500

Published: 03/08/2023

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Food is a fundamental necessity of life and therefore becomes a rich conveyor of cultural traditions and norms and attracts patterns of symbolic significance much like a magnet, for example, who is entitled to eat with whom, and when, and how food is to be shared. The cultural understandings surrounding the sharing of food illuminates social dynamics by distinguishing cohesive social units and social distance. Indeed, it can be said that a culture is encoded in the expectations of behavior associated with the communal act of dining. The purpose of this paper is to examine the historical continuity of symbol systems that structure Chinese society and how the structure is embedded in how the Chinese think about food and in the behavior surrounding the consumption of food. Most anthropological research on food has been in the area of food insecurity, ritual and eating, and how identity can be demonstrated by food patterns (Mintz and Du Bois 99). This paper examines the symbolism, ritual and identity encoded in the consumption of food in the Chinese cultural heritage. To lay the ground work, first the types of foods eaten and the symbol system applied to food in the ancient China will be reviewed. Foods prepared and eaten from the prehistoric Yangshao era to the Chou period set the basic pattern that informs Chinese cuisine and symbol systems today. Second, an examination of the rise and fall of herbal tea shops in Hong Kong is used to discuss the ways that food can carry cultural identity and adapt to accommodate political and economic changes. The consumption of herbal tea is a way of consolidating a cultural identity and a way of transitioning to a new identity. Finally, the regulations surrounding table manners in Hong Kong are examined in terms of how they can delineate private and public space and determine social relationships. In the description of current table etiquette practiced in Hong Kong, the reader can see how the structure set up in ancient China is continued to the present day. 1. Ancient China Later styles of Chinese food preferences and food management were formulated in Ancient China from the Yangshao Period (5000 – 3200 BC) to the Chou Period (200 BC) (Chang 25). Information on the types of food eaten during the early periods is obtained from archeological evidence and later in preserved literature, primarily poetry. As for style, the only information available from the archeological record is the type of food and whether or not the food was consumed in a raw or cooked form. Textual information begins in the Shang (1850 BC) and Chou civilizations (Chang 25). The staple starch in ancient northern China was types of millet, but wheat, hemp, barley and rice were also eaten. By the Late Chou period, rice was regarded as the preferred and more expensive grain (Chang 26-27). The chief legume was the soybean. There is mixed evidence as to when peanuts, sesames, and broad beans arrived in China. Velvet and red beans were common in Ancient Northern China. Taro and Chinese yam were found in southern China and may have been a more important form of starch than rice in southern China (Chang 28). Many different vegetables were available most of which were gathered wild. The following vegetables occur in texts, but there is little archaeological evidence for them: malva, melon, gourd, turnip, Chinese leek, lettuce, field sowthistle, common cattail, smart weeds, wormwood grasses, ferns, wild beans, lotus roots, Chinese cabbage, mustard greens, garlic, spring onion, amaranth, Chinese water chestnuts and bamboo shoots (Chang 28). As for animal foods, archeological remains of dogs and pigs have been the most commonly found mammals and have been found from as early as the Yangshao civilization right through to the Chou period (Chang 29). Occasionally, remains of cattle, sheep and goats are also found at Yangshao sites but were probably not domesticated until the Langshan period (2000 BC) (Chang 29). There is no evidence that milk or their products were consumed in ancient China. Evidence from oracle bones indicates that sheep and cattle were used in a sacrificial context, but were also probably consumed as part of the secular diet. Many wild animals were part of the early diet, most notably deer and rabbit, but were not as important a part of the diet as dogs and pigs. Bones of exotic animals such as whale, elephant, tapir and bear were found, which suggested that some rare foods might have been imported. Chicken occurs frequently in texts, but other birds such as partridge and pheasant were eaten. Carp was the most common fish eaten, but mullet was also consumed. Other edible species were bees, cicadas, turtles, frogs and snails. Much evidence exists for the uses of alcoholic beverages, mostly made from grain, at feasts and other ceremonies. Information from the Chou Period show that food was prepared by boiling, steaming, frying, salting, pickling, drying, steeping and smoking (Chang 29-31). Chang demonstrated that cultural significance of food, its preparation, and how it is consumed in ancient China is preserved in Chou poetry and onwards (36-39). Descriptions of meals in Chinese poetry only record food consumed by the upper classes. There does not appear to be any descriptions of simple vegetable dishes that presumably the lower classes consumed. The amount of food one is entitled to consume is regulated by rank and age. Each person is said to require four bowls of grain to fill his stomach. However, a high ranking minister was entitled to eight additional non-grain dishes, and a low ranking minister was entitled to six additional non-grain dishes. A man of sixty is entitled to three non-grain dishes, a man of seventy, four, and a man of eighty, five, and a man of ninety, six (Chang 37). Chang makes no mention of women or children and stated that it is not known if poor people were subject to the same strict rules. Did poor people necessarily eat like lone boors? Did they not also have their own rules in their own company? They must have, but, alas, their rules are not preserved in the available records. (Chang 39) Even greater detail accompanies the spatial arrangement of the food. Chang describes the intricate and precise placement of dishes before the diner, for example, what types of meat and how they were folded dictated that they must be placed to the right of the diner, whereas other types of meat folded in different ways must be placed to the left of the diner. The rules regarding the presentation of food indicated that cultural symbols were encoded into the process of eating (37-38). Highly formalized procedures that integrated the recognition of rank also characterized table manners when eating with others, and children were instructed on eating etiquette from an early age (Chang 38-39). The ritualization of spatial arrangements and other regulations surrounding the taking of meals suggests a great attention was paid to social stratification. Chang posits that the duality of yin and yang that informs Chinese civilization today can be found in ancient China in the food, food serving ware, and rituals surrounding food (46). For example, sustenance was divided into drink (yang) and food (yin). Food was further divided into grain/rice (fan) and dishes (ts’ai). Dishes were vegetables other than grain, and meat, and could be classified as either yang or yin. The basic meal consists of drink (water) and fan. This division is so fundamental that alcohol is regarded as fan.on the basis that it is made from grain. A more elaborate meal included ts’ai. Chang described a hierarchy with fan at the bottom and ts’ai at the top that included a guide as to the portions of each class of food that one must eat, specifically, more fan should be consumed than ts’ai (Chang 40-41). As will be discussed below, this symbolic division of food into types developed in ancient China remains the framework of cultural understandings of food and its consumption, including the hierarchy and strict proportions, and structures table manners in Hong Kong today. As Chang stated: This arrangement of food classes and the beliefs and rules associated with them, is in my opinion is the structural essence of the Chinese way of eating, and it has not changed from at least the Chou period to today. In the ancient texts wherever enumerations of things to eat and drink appear, the same hierarchy of food-drink contrasts is shown. (40) 2. Food and Chinese Identity in herbal tea shops in Hong Kong Sea Ling Cheng chronicles the rise and fall of herbal tea shops in terms of the political and economic changes that occurred in Hong Kong in the period leading up to Hong Kong’s return to China in 1997 (1997). Cheng suggested that the political changes taking place in Hong Kong fostered feelings of insecurity and the residents sought to re-affirm cultural identity in the traditions of the herbal tea shop. Cheng also demonstrates how the tea shops stayed afloat in economic downturns by maintaining their function as a social gathering place. The health benefits of herbal tea described by Cheng echo the dichotomies found in Chang’s review of ancient Chinese foods (Chang 48) and the need to balance the opposing factors. Cheng describes a health belief system composed of the dichotomies hot/cold and wet/dry that, if unbalanced in results in bodily discomfort (Cheng 52). Different effects are associated with the various herbal teas – chrysanthemum tea and five-flower tea are assumed to be mildly cooling, while sesame drink, sugarcane juice and sour plum juice are good for promoting digestion, and since their effects are mild, they can also be simply taken as a drink. Twenty-four-herb tea is generally perceived as strongly cooling and good for curing “hot” diseases like flu and fevers. (52)

Cooling teas were thought to counteract the hot and humid Hong Kong climate, particularly during the summer.

Traditionally, herbal teas were dispensed for free or inexpensively at Taoist temples to people who could not afford other medicines. The Chinese residents of Hong Kong were poor and eagerly accepted herbal teas as a folk remedy (Cheng 53). Wong Lo Kat was the first herbal tea shop registered in Hong Kong in 1897. Wong Lo Kat is the name of a man who was reputed to have discovered a combination of herbal ingredients that cured all illnesses. During the dire conditions of the Japanese occupation, the poor Chinese escaped their squalid living conditions in the comfort and sociality of the herbal tea shops (Cheng 53-54). The lack of reasonable housing drove people out of their “homes” but recreational facilities were also inadequate. So, for those economically less advantaged people, herbal tea shops provided a channel of escape from their humdrum lives by creating an easily accessible and comfortable public place that connected them with each other and the world at large. In this way, herbal teach shops played a socially integrating role (Cheng 56). In the 1950s, the types of drinks available at the shop expanded beyond herbal teas to other health promoting drinks such as almond drinks, five-flower tea, chrysanthemum tea, and sesame drink. Further, people came to the shops to enjoy the electric fan and to listen to the radio. For the price of a 10-cent drink, patrons could listen to the popular plays, stories and music broadcast by Rediffusion (Hong Kong) Limited (Cheng 57). As different technologies emerged, they were installed in tea shops to attract a range of customers. In the 1950s jukeboxes in some herbal tea shops were a major attraction for the younger generations. Many local Cantonese films produced in this period featured trendy young people (men with a slick-back hair style, folded-up shirt collars and women typically in mini-skirts) socializing and dancing to western music from the jukeboxes in the herbal tea shops (Cheng 57) . With the arrival of television, Hong Kong residents now had glimpses of the rest of the world. As Hong Kong’s economy grew and accommodations improved, local Hong Kong and western lifestyles became the models to follow. Identification with the Chinese mainland fell off, as did the patronage of herbal tea shops (Cheng 58-59). The social functions of the herbal tea shops that had been so prominent in the past decades were progressively taken over by the family or other entertainment establishments. More importantly, its “traditional roots” led to its marginalization in the march towards a metropolitan identity (Cheng 58-59). McDonald’s, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken, with their American look and immaculate facilities, filled the vacuum left by the herbal tea shops as gathering places. The practice of eating out became a mark of personal economic success and modernity. The consumption of food outside the home reflected the prospering economy and the changing self- image of Hong Kong residents (Cheng 59). Other indications that the residents of Hong Kong were distinguishing themselves from mainland China and Taiwan were the rise in popularity of Cantonese pop songs with lyrics that depicted the local lifestyle and aspirations over the Mandarin pop songs (Cheng 60). In the herbal tea shops, ‘To retain its “traditional” image, Wong Lo Kat continues with its old practice of giving sweet preserved plums to those who have had the bitter taste of twenty-four herb tea’ (Cheng 61). Cheng refers to this fashion and the return of traditionally decorated Hong Kong eating establishments during this time as “nostalgic eating” (66). An increased identification with traditional Chinese décor accompanied the lead up to Hong Kong’s return to China, and according to Cheng, was the result of an “identify discontinuity” (68). 3. Table Etiquette Cooper begins his description of table manners in Hong Kong with a brief overview of the anthropological literature of food and its importance in adapting a population as to what is good or not good to eat, and how the symbolic ordering of the culture is reflected in the preparation and eating of food. As Cooper points out, table manners are so ingrained and at such an early age that deviations from the cultural norm evoke disgust and identify the individual as either a child or a barbarian (179). The categorization set out by the Chou period in China is clearly identifiable in Hong Kong food categories today. If fan (grain or rice) is not included, it is not a meal. Rice is generally not eaten at breakfast, therefore it not regarded as a proper meal but rather a snack to get you through to lunch time (Cooper 180). Chang describes the rules regarding the spatial arrangement of food set before a person (37-38). According to Cooper, the recognition of a need to spatially organize a meal exists in Honk Kong today. Each person has his or her own bowl of fan, which is placed in front of the individual. However, ts’ai dishes are shared and are placed in the middle of the table (Cooper 180). Further spatial distinctions are made with regard to eating utensils. Before each person is the personal bowl of fan, chopsticks, a spoon, and a saucer. Chopsticks are used to take a piece from the communal ts’ai and place it on top of the fan. The bowl is raised to the mouth and the fan and ts’ai are placed into the mouth with the chopsticks. To eat with the bowl remaining on the table indicates a disinterest in the food and is regarded as an insult to the host (Cooper 180). The rules that can be extracted from the use of bowls, dishes and chopsticks are a division of private and public space with the bowl being private, the ts’ai dish as public, and the chopsticks as mediating between the two (Cooper 180). Anything that touches the mouth, i.e. the bowl of fan, is classified as private space and kept within the immediate vicinity of the person to whom it belongs. When one has finished the rice in one’s bowl, one does not continue to eat of the communal ts’ai dishes. To eat ts’ai without rice in one’s bowl is to appear a glutton interested only in ts’ai, of which one must consume a great deal to get full without rice. (181) At formal occasions such as weddings and New Years’ banquets, the proportions of fan and ts’ai are reversed in order to emphasize the sumptuousness of the meal. rice is not served until last. Thus at a banquet, one may eat ts’ai without rice in one’s bowl, and one is expected to fill up on ts’ai such that when the rice is finally served, one can only take a token portion, which is to say, this has been a real feast. (Cooper 183) Cooper describes the overriding rule of communal eating as one of “deference to others” (181). Beyond deference, social status is embedded in the rules of dining as a group. In order of eating, adults take precedence over children, and a guest of honor must be the last to leave the table. When dining out, paying for the check for all the guests marks the payer’s status over the other guests. Among equals, paying the check is done in the expectation of eventual reciprocity. However, if the status between two diners is considerable, it is impolite for the one of lower status to take the check. Cooper describes a refinement of status jockeying. Of course the wider social context must also be taken into consideration. One may be desirous of seeking a favor of an important person, in which case paying the check may be a mild form of pressure in which the obligation of reciprocity is finessed, enjoining one’s fellow diner to comply with one’s request. Food events are first and foremost social events. (183) In his description of table etiquette in Hong Kong, Cooper demonstrates the persistence of the ancient Chinese fan and ts’ai distinctions dictating what and relatively how much you eat, the cultural value of deference, and the carefully observed social structure played out in the microcosm of the dining table. Cheng demonstrated how spaces in which food is consumed serve as public gathering places where people can socialize and acquire information. In fact, the herbal tea shops in Hong Kong were instrumental in facilitating change by revealing new western lifestyles and disseminating news from the rest of the world, which was particularly important at a time of political unrest. The waxing and waning of the popularity of the herbal tea shops and the types of food served in the tea shops indexed the changing cultural affiliations and anxiety as the residents of Hong Kong moved toward reunion with mainland China. Chinese medicine in the form of herbal tea was resurrected as a meaningful symbol of a desirable life. In conclusion, Cooper is correct when he states you are how you eat (179) in Hong Kong. In the case of Hong Kong’s herbal tea shops, you are where you drink tea. The dichotomized worldview of yin and yang is repeated throughout the centuries by being encoded in the classification of edibles into fan and ts’ai. It could be argued that the entire traditional cosmology is embedded in the food consumption patterns because of the critical role food plays in maintaining life. Chinese food traditions have a strong structure that has endured over centuries. Within the culture, patterns of behavior surrounding the consumption of food defined the social strata. To affiliate or deviate from the structure is a way the Chinese, notably in Hong Kong, expressed their evolving cultural identity.

Works Cited

Chang, Kwang-chih. “1: Ancient China,” Food in Chinese Culture: Anthropological and Historical Perspectives. Ed. Kwang-chih Chang. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1977, 23-52. Print. Cheng, Sea Ling. “Back to the Future: Herbal Tea Shops in Hong Kong,” Hong Kong: Anthropological Essays on a Chinese Metropolis. Eds. Grant Evans and Marie Tam. Oxon, UK: Cruzon Press, 1997, 51-73. Print. Cooper, Eugene. “Chinese Table Manners: You Are How You Eat.” Human Organization 45.2 (1986) : 179-184. Print. Mintz, Sidney, W. and Du Bois, Christine, M. “The Anthropology of Food and Eating.” Annual Review of Anthropology 31 (2002) : 99-119. Print.

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The 15 Most Popular Chinese Dishes, Tasty Chinese Food

With a long history, unique features, numerous styles, and exquisite cooking, Chinese cuisine is one of the important constituent parts of Chinese culture. Chinese traditional dishes are famous for their color, aroma, taste, meanings, and appearance.

As China is a huge country, there are many regional differences in cuisine due to differing climates, history, local ingredients, dining customs, etc.

According to the cooking styles and regional flavors, Chinese cuisines can be divided into eight Chinse cuisines , which include Sichuan Cuisine, Hunan Cuisine, Shandong Cuisine, Zhejiang Cuisine, Fujian Cuisine, Anhui Cuisine, Cantonese Cuisine, and Jiangsu Cuisine. Each cuisine has its popular dishes.

1. Peking Roasted Duck

Peking duck (北京烤鸭 Běijīng kǎoyā) is a famous dish from Beijing , enjoying world fame, and considered as one of China national dishes. Peking duck is savored for its thin and crispy skin. Sliced Peking duck is often eaten with pancakes, sweet bean sauce, or soy sauce with mashed garlic. It is a must-taste dish in Beijing!

As "the first dish to taste in China", Beijing Roast Duck used to be a royal dish in medieval China. It has been a "national dish of diplomacy" since the 1970s, when it was first used for the reception of foreign guests by Premier Zhou Enlai (the first Premier of the People's Republic of China). It is highly praised by heads of state, government officials, and domestic and foreign tourists.

2. Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken (宫保鸡丁 gōngbào jīdīng) is a famous Sichuan-style specialty, popular with both Chinese and foreigners. The major ingredients are diced chicken, dried chili, cucumber, and fried peanuts (or cashews).

People (Chinese takeaways) in Western countries have created a Western-style kung pao chicken, for which the diced chicken is covered with cornstarch, and vegetables, sweet and sour sauce, and mashed garlic are added. 

3. Sweet and Sour Pork

Sweet and sour pork (糖醋里脊 tángcù lǐjǐ) has a bright orange-red color, and a delicious sweet and sour taste. At the very beginning there was only sweet and sour pork, but to meet demands, there have been some developments on this dish. Now, the pork can be substituted with other ingredients like chicken, beef, or pork ribs.

Hot pot, or hotpot (火锅 huǒguō), is one of the most popular dishes in China, especially in Sichuan Province or Chongqing . People cook in and eat from a simmering pot of soup stock (broth) on a gas/induction hob in the middle of the dining table with foodstuffs and condiments around the pot. People can add and cook whatever they like in the broth. The secret of whether a hot pot is good or not lies in the broth, which all the meat slices and vegetables take their flavor from.

Chinese people are very fond of hot pot. In the past hot pot used to be favored only in winter, but nowadays hot pot has been appearing on tables all year round. It is a great way to socialize with friends and relatives. People gather around the pot to eat while chatting, eating, drinking, and having fun.

Dim sum (点心 diǎnxin) is one of the most popular Cantonese cuisine dishes. It contains a large range of small dishes, including dumplings, rolls, cakes, and meat, seafood, dessert, and vegetable preparations. There are more than one thousand dim sum dishes in existence today.

Dim sum originated in Guangzhou city. People of Guangdong are fond of drinking tea in the morning or lunch. So, they often eat dim sum during their tea parties for breakfast and lunch. It is a popular way to get together with friends and relatives or have social gatherings. Read more about Dim sum .

6. Dumplings

Dumplings (饺子 jiǎozi) are a traditional food type that is widely popular, especially in North China. Chinese dumplings consist of minced meat and/or chopped vegetables wrapped in a thin dough skin. Popular fillings are minced pork, diced shrimp, ground chicken, beef, and vegetables. Dumplings can be cooked by boiling, steaming, or frying.

Dumplings are also a traditional dish eaten on Chinese New Year's Eve. As they look like Chinese silver ingots (Chinese money in old times), it is believed that the more dumplings you eat during the New Year celebrations, the more money you will make in the New Year. Making dumplings is a good way to interact with your friends and relatives. You will see a busy kitchens with Chinese families making dumplings during Chinese New Year . Read more abou Dumplings .

7. Ma Po Tofu

Ma Po tofu (麻婆豆腐 Mápó dòufǔ 'Pockmarked Granny beancurd') is one of the most famous dishes in Chuan Cuisine (Sichuan food) with a history of more than 100 years. It consists of beancurd along with some minced meat (pork or beef) in a spicy sauce. The sauce is made from fermented black beans and chili paste (douban/douchi).

The inventor of Ma Po tofu was from Chengdu , Sichuan province . She was a grandma whose surname was Chen. It is said that Chen's face was very pockmarked. In Chinese, ma means 'pockmarked' and 'po' means grandma, and so people called the dish she made Ma Po ('Pockmarked Granny') tofu. Her spicy and fragrant dish later became a highly popular item. It was introduced to Japan and also became a popular dish there.

8. Char Siu

In Cantonese, char means 'fork' and siu means 'to roast', so char sui (叉烧 chāshāo) means "fork roasted". It is a kind of Cantonese roast pork. It is eaten with rice or noodles. It is also used as a filling in baozi (a kind of steamed stuffed bun).

9. Chow Mein

Chow mein is the Cantonese pronunciation of the Mandarin chǎomiàn (炒面), which means 'stir-fried noodles'. This stir-fried dish consists of noodles, meat (usually chicken, beef, shrimp, or pork), onions, and celery.

For making chow mein, the noodles need to be cooked in boiling water for a while. After they cool comes the step of stir-frying.

There is an interesting story about the origin of chow mein. It is said that chow mein was invented by a woman called Shan Gu in Jiangsu Province. She was making food for workers who were building a great dam to prevent flooding of the Yellow River. She found that food went bad easily and fast in the hot weather. So, she invented chow mein, which can be kept for a longer time and is easily reheated and eaten. Since then, stir-frying has become a popular way of cooking noodles.

10. Fried Rice

Fried rice (炒饭 chǎofàn) is a dish made from fried cooked rice and other ingredients, often including eggs, vegetables, seafood, or meat. Fried rice is one of the most common Chinese foods. It is easy to make fried rice at home using leftover rice and other meat or vegetables from the last meal.

It was said that an important diplomatic official in the late Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), Li Hongzhang, ordered his chef to cook a dish that both Chinese people and foreigners would like. The chef made fried rice, which was enjoyed by both the foreign guests and officials.

The most famous fried rice in China is Yangzhou fried rice. Typical Yangzhou fried rice ingredients include shrimp, eggs, and barbecued pork.

11. Twice-Cooked Pork Slices

Twice-cooked pork or double-cooked pork (回锅肉 huíguōròu) is one of the most famous Sichuan pork dishes. Its Chinese name is huiguorou, which means 'returned-to-the-pot meat'. Pork is boiled in the pot first. Then it is cooked again with other ingredients, including broad bean paste (doubanjiang), fermented black soybeans (douchi), garlic, ginger, and so on.

It was said that the dish was created by a Chinese poet called Su Dongpo (a.k.a. Su Shi) in the Song Dynasty era (960–1279).

Su made a delicious pork dish for his friends one day. He was boiling pork in a pot and walked out of the house and forgot about it. After he returned, he found the simmering pork had turned very soft. He tasted the pork sizzling in its fat and found the pork had become softer and more delicious than with his previous boiling method. So, he returned it to the pot with the other ingredients and impressed his friends with it.

Due to its origin story and its taste, 'twice-cooked pork' has become very popular.

12. Sichuan Pork

Sichuan pork, or 'poached pork slices' (水煮肉片 shuǐzhǔ ròupiàn), is a famous Sichuan cuisine dish. Pork, with a coating made from egg-white and starch to preserve its freshness and tenderness, is boiled in broth. The meaty broth is typical Sichuan cuisine, featuring a peppery and spicy taste. When eating, you'll find each piece of meat contains abundant juices with a fresh and fragrant spicy aroma.

Poached beef slices is a popular version of this dish that we have a recipe for.

13. Xiaolongbao

Xiǎolóngbāo (小笼包 'small basket buns') are a kind of baozi (Chinese steamed bun). They are popular in Jiangsu and Shanghai. Xiaolongbao are traditionally cooked in a small bamboo basket, which gives them their name. The most common xiaolongbao filling is pork. Other ingredients can include beef, crab meat, shrimp, seafood, and vegetable fillings.

There is a special way to eat the broth-filled Shanghai steamed-pork xiaolongbao (Shanghai soup buns): you can nibble off a small corner of dough and suck out the delicious soup. Or you can use a straw to suck the soup then eat the fillings and dough.

14. Zhajiangmian

Zhajiangmian (炸酱面 /jaa-jyang-myen/ 'fried sauce noodles') is one of the most popular Shandong Cuisine dishes. It is a thick wheat noodle dish topped with zhajiang sauce. The sauce is made by simmering pork or beef with salty fermented soybean paste. In Chinese, zhajiang means 'fried sauce', while mian means 'noodles'. It is also a well-known small meal or snack in Beijing .

Originating in Shandong, zhajiangmian was introduced to Beijing by Qing Dynasty Emperor Guangxu (r. 1871–1908) and Empress Dowager Cixi during a trip from Beijing to Xi'an. They went into a restaurant and ordered a bowl of zhajiangmian. Both found it so tasty that they had to eat another bowl. Then, Empress Dowager Cixi brought the chef who made the 'fried sauce noodles' to the palace in Beijing. From then on, zhajiangmian became more and more popular in Beijing and around China.

15. Wonton Soup

Wontons (馄炖 húndùn) are a kind of Chinese dumpling. Different from jiaozi, wontons have less filling and are wrapped in much thinner dough wrappers. The shapes of wontons can be different depending on how they're made. Some of them look like silver ingots, making them an auspicious 'wealth-invoking' dish.

Wonton fillings are most often minced pork or diced shrimp. Wontons are commonly boiled and served in a soup (broth), but sometimes deep-fried.

Authentic Chinese Food Tours for Gourmets

Unlike some tours that serve the same food menu all through a China trip, our private tours allow you to try different local dishes at each place. Our local guides know which restaurants are favored by locals and are willing to arrange them into your itinerary. See our recommended tours below for inspiration.

• 8-Day Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai Tour — The Golden Triangle
• 12-Day Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, and Hong Kong Cuisine Tour — A Broad Taste of China

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• 11-Day China Classic Tour
• 3-Week Must-See Places China Tour Including Holy Tibet
• 8-Day Beijing–Xi'an–Shanghai Private Tour
• How to Plan Your First Trip to China 2024/2025 — 7 Easy Steps
• 15 Best Places to Visit in China (2024)
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• How to Plan a 10-Day Itinerary in China (Best 5 Options)
• China Weather in January 2024: Enjoy Less-Crowded Traveling
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• China Weather in April 2024: Where to Go (Smart Pre-Season Pick)
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• China Weather in June 2024: How to Benefit from the Rainy Season
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• China Weather in August 2024: Weather Tips & Where to Go
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• China Weather in October 2024: Where to Go, Crowds, and Costs
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Chinese Table Manners - 15 Do's and Don'ts

The Chinese have developed an exquisite cuisine and regard food as being the most important thing in their life. They do not greet each other with “How are you?” but instead they ask, “Have you eaten?”

As part of Chinese culinary culture, Chinese table manners are still observed today.

Seating- Take the Right Seat

The seat that is given to the “guest of honor” or the oldest person in the family gives the best view of the room. The “seat of honor” is usually the one facing the entrance of the room or the one in the center facing east of the room, if there is no seat facing the entrance.

The next rule that governs the seating plan is linked with the “social ranking” of a person. This rule will be applied even if the dinner is of family get-together. That is, the person with a higher rank gets a closer seat to the “guest of honor” .

As for the host, he may take the least prominent seat, usually the one nearest the kitchen or service door. It is better to be seated after the senior or the guest of honor sit down. Guests should wait for the host to invite them to get seated.

Order Dishes - Do It Properly

Ordering Food

If time permits, the menu can be circulated among the people in attendance and the host will make the final decision. But whether the dishes are ordered by the host or the guests, here are some basic rules that require attention:

• Ask everyone’s opinions : vegetarians, religious taboos, food allergies, or favorite food.
• Prioritize the local specialty dishes such as Roast Duck in Beijing, Braised “Lion’s Head” Meatballs in Shanghai, Dim Sum in Guangzhou, and Water Boiled Meat in Chengdu. 
• Balance the portion of meat dishes and vegetable dishes and try to avoid ordering food that needs to be handled by hand, like crabs and snails.

Eating - Important Etiquette to Learn

Chinese people like sharing food together and all the dishes are usually placed in the center of a round table with a Lazy Susan, rather than a rectangular table like in the West.

A Lazy Susan is a round rotating disc in the center of the dining table, that ensures all the diners have equal access to the served meal and to makes everybody feel respected.

Here is a complete guide on eating etiquette in China: 

1. Don't start eating until the host gives a sign to start.

2. When the dishes are served, you need to wait for the elders, leaders, and guests to try the dishes first.  

3. Try to choose dishes that are close to you , and don't flip the dishes back and forth. If someone else is serving the food, don't put your hand over that person's hand to pick up the food.   

4. You should not rotate the Lazy Susan for yourself when someone else on the table is serving himself from the main bowl. It is recommended to wait until he gets a sufficient quantity of the dish.

5. Wait until the dish takes a complete round when you want to have something a second time so that everyone gets his due share.

6. Never fill your plate to the maximum, and always serve yourself with a small quantity.  Rotating the Lazy Susan counterclockwise is yet another bad habit that should be avoided.

7. Despite the facility of the Lazy Susan, it is expected of the host to offer the special dish to all the members present before he takes a share for himself, using a pair of serving or “public” chopsticks of course, which is a simple gesture of showing concern and respect for others. Guests can politely decline or leave the food on the plate if they don’t want to eat something.

8. Concentrate on the meal and the people in attendance. It is considered ill-mannered to fiddle with your phone during dining.

Etiquette in Using Chopstick

The use of chopsticks is a must in Chinese cuisine, accompanied by some always taboos that you must have at least a basic idea:

1. Chopsticks should not be inserted into the rice and should be placed flat on the bowl.

2. Don't play with your chopsticks such as using the chopsticks to beating your bowls or wave your chopsticks around in the air. 

3. Don't use your chopsticks to flip the food , if you need to do so, try to use a shovel. 

 4. Pointing at people with your chopsticks is considered to be very impolite. Try to avoid so. If you accidentally do so, you must apologize in time.

6. Pick up the bowl of rice and lift the rice into your mouth with the chopsticks. Do not make any noise when chewing the food.

7. The spoon should not be used at the same time as the chopsticks.

Chinese Drinking Etiquette

In China, at the beginning of a banquet or a formal dinner, the host must first toast the guests to show his hospitality. Wine, beer, or even soda can be used to toast.

If you wish to take a drink of wine at a formal dinner, you must first toast another dinner guest regardless of whether he or she responds by drinking. If you are toasted and don’t want to drink, simply touch your lips to the edge of the wine glass to acknowledge the courtesy.

Normally, your glass will be refilled immediately following a toast in preparation for the next one. So… Good luck!

Do you want to taste the world-famous Mapo Tofu and Kung Pao Chicken? Try our Chengdu Night View & Food Tour !

Etiquette for Serving Tea

Sipping Tea

Tea always plays an important role at a Chinese dinner. It is usually served by a waiter or waitress as soon as you have a seat in a restaurant.

Whenever tea is served you should say “thank you” or make a gesture of thanks – tap the table with your first two fingers twice. The host should naturally refill the empty teacups and never point the mouth of the teapot to others .

Leaving the Table

Offering the Final Toast

Chinese banquets commonly last for about two hours, but the dinner is over when the host stands up and offers the final toast. Then you should immediately leave after expressing your thanks to the host for his hospitality. In some cases, you can invite the host to your own future banquet.

If you want to leave in the middle of the banquet, explain the reason to your host and appreciate his hospitality. Remember: do not invite other guests to leave with you , otherwise, the banquet will be over in advance.

These etiquette rules also apply to normal Chinese meals in restaurants.

You Might Like to Read

• How to Order Food at Chinese Restaurants
• 8 Most Famous Local Cuisine You Should Try When in China 

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Essay on China

Students are often asked to write an essay on China in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

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100 Words Essay on China

Geography of china.

China, located in East Asia, is the world’s third-largest country. It has diverse landscapes, including mountains, deserts, and rivers. The highest point is Mount Everest.

Population and Culture

China has the largest population globally. Its culture is rich and diverse, with a long history that includes inventions like paper and compass.

Chinese Economy

China is a global economic powerhouse, known for manufacturing and exporting goods. It also has a growing technology industry.

Chinese Cuisine

Chinese food is popular worldwide. It varies by region, with famous dishes like Peking Duck and Dim Sum.

Chinese Festivals

China is known for its colorful festivals, such as Chinese New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival, both filled with traditional customs and celebrations.

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250 Words Essay on China

Introduction.

China, officially known as the People’s Republic of China, is the world’s most populous country, with a rich history that stretches back thousands of years. It has a unique blend of ancient traditions and modern innovation, shaping its global influence.

Historical Significance

China’s history is marked by dynastic rule, beginning with the semi-mythical Xia around 2100 BCE. The Great Wall, Terracotta Army, and the Forbidden City testify to the grandeur of these eras. The last dynasty, the Qing, gave way to a republic in 1912, marking a significant shift in China’s political landscape.

Modern China

Modern China is characterized by its rapid economic growth since the late 20th century. China’s economic reforms have transformed it into the world’s second-largest economy. This economic boom has brought significant changes in its socio-economic structure and global standing.

Global Influence

China’s global influence is undeniable. It’s a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a significant player in global trade. However, its rise has also sparked debates on issues such as human rights, territorial claims, and trade practices.

China’s journey from an ancient civilization to a modern powerhouse is a testament to its resilience and adaptability. Despite challenges, it continues to shape the world stage, making it a fascinating subject of study. Understanding China’s past and present is crucial for deciphering its future trajectory.

500 Words Essay on China

China, officially known as the People’s Republic of China, is a country located in East Asia. It is the world’s most populous country, boasting a population of over 1.4 billion. China’s rich history, diverse culture, and rapid economic growth have made it a global powerhouse.

Historical Overview

China’s history spans over five millennia, making it one of the world’s oldest civilizations. The country has seen the rise and fall of powerful dynasties, each leaving an indelible mark on its culture and society. China’s last imperial dynasty, the Qing, ended in 1911, paving the way for the Republic of China. However, civil unrest and power struggles culminated in the Chinese Communist Party’s victory in 1949, establishing the People’s Republic of China.

Economic Growth

China’s economic transformation in recent decades is nothing short of remarkable. The country has transitioned from a centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented one. China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has grown at an unprecedented rate, lifting millions out of poverty and turning China into the world’s second-largest economy. This economic boom is largely attributed to the “Reform and Opening-up” policy initiated by Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s.

Culture and Society

Chinese culture is a fusion of numerous ethnic traditions, deeply influenced by Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The Chinese language, cuisine, martial arts, and traditional Chinese medicine are significant cultural exports. China’s societal structure has evolved over time, with the traditional emphasis on collectivism giving way to an increasing individualism, particularly among the younger generation.

Political System

China is a socialist state under the people’s democratic dictatorship led by the working class and based on the alliance of workers and peasants. The Chinese Communist Party holds the ultimate authority, with the President serving as the state head. The political structure has been criticized for its lack of transparency and suppression of dissent, posing challenges for human rights.

China’s Global Influence

China’s rapid growth has significantly increased its global influence, both economically and politically. It is a major player in international trade, technology, and infrastructure development. However, its assertive foreign policy, territorial disputes, and alleged human rights abuses have generated controversy and tension with other nations.

China’s journey from an ancient civilization to a modern global superpower is truly fascinating. Its complex history, dynamic economy, rich culture, and evolving political landscape make it a critical player in shaping the 21st century. As China continues to evolve, it will undoubtedly remain a significant entity on the global stage, presenting both opportunities and challenges for the international community.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Importance of Girl Child
• Essay on Importance of Child Rights
• Essay on Violent Video Games Affect Children Negatively

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Defying China’s Censors to Urge Beijing to Denounce Russia’s War

A persistent minority of Chinese scholars, journalists and citizens is warning Beijing against the risks of supporting the invasion of Ukraine.

• Share full article

By Chris Buckley

• Published March 18, 2022 Updated March 21, 2022

When Hu Wei, a politically well-connected scholar in Shanghai, warned that China risked becoming a pariah if it didn’t denounce Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he ignited a war of words on China’s internet.

Some readers praised Mr. Hu’s article, which spread online last week, seeing its gloomy prognosis about China becoming isolated behind a new Iron Curtain of hostility from Western countries as a welcome challenge to official Chinese soft-pedaling of President Vladimir V. Putin’s aggression. Many others denounced him as a stooge of Washington, unduly critical of Russia’s war aims and prospects. Chinese authorities blocked the website of U.S.-China Perception Monitor, where his article first appeared , and tried to censor it on social media .

Inside China, the war in Ukraine “has ignited enormous disagreements, setting supporters and opponents at polar extremes,” Mr. Hu wrote. His own stance was clear: “China should not be yoked to Putin and must sever itself from him as soon as it can.”

Mr. Hu’s article has been the most striking instance of rising opposition to Russia’s assault on an independent neighbor, and rebukes of Beijing for its reluctance to criticize Moscow.

The criticism at home comes as Beijing faces increasing pressure abroad from the United States and European governments to use its influence over Russia to help stop the war. On Friday, China’s leader, Xi Jinping, spoke with President Biden, a call in which the American leader warned Mr. Xi that supporting Russia’s aggression would have unspecified “implications and consequences.”

In China, where the authorities tightly police and punish speech both online and offline, public opinion appears largely sympathetic to Mr. Putin.

Yet despite the risks, some citizens have been voicing criticisms — in quips on social media ridiculing Mr. Putin and his nationalist devotees in China; in scathing online comments responding to official statements; and in essays laying out the moral, political and economic costs of the war not just for Russia, but for its partner, China.

“We have never had any commentary that attracted so much attention,” said Yawei Liu, the editor of the U.S.-China Perception Monitor, referring to Mr. Hu’s article. The Chinese version of the article attracted 300,000 views on the Monitor’s website, and millions more from being shared on Chinese social media, Mr. Liu said in a telephone interview from Atlanta, where the online journal is based.

“There is overwhelming support for the China-Russia partnership, and overwhelming support for Putin’s war against Ukraine,” he said of Chinese opinion. “But the political, academic and economic elite are different. There is this real worry.”

Chinese critics of the war include academics with a foothold in the political establishment, like Mr. Hu, who are usually shielded from the worst pressure. He is a professor in Shanghai’s school for Communist Party officials, and a vice president of a public policy center under the State Council, the Chinese cabinet of government ministers. He declined to be interviewed.

Chinese censors have tried to snuff out the sharpest criticisms. People have also come under pressure from the authorities for expressing their opposition to the war.

In recent days, Chinese officials warned many among some 130 alumni of Chinese universities who had signed a petition against the war, said Lu Nan, a retired businessman in New York who helped organize the campaign. The petition, also signed by alumni living abroad, had declared that Russia’s invasion was an “affront to the bottom line of human conscience.”

“Every single one was taken for tea,” Mr. Lu said in a telephone interview, using a common euphemism referring to being questioned by the police. The Chinese government was nervous, he said, because “it’s tied to Russia’s war chariot, and knows that this is very dangerous.”

Still, critics continue to speak out, suggesting that a significant minority is so alarmed by the war that they are willing to defy the censors. Despite the censorship, plenty of dissenting views have been kept alive by readers on social media platforms like Weibo and WeChat. Most of those speaking out are political liberals also opposed to China’s deepening authoritarianism and nationalism under Mr. Xi.

Other Chinese opponents of the war are near its frontline. Some Chinese residents in Ukraine are trying to break through the censorship back home to give their compatriots an unvarnished chronicle of life under fighting.

Wang Jixian, one of the most popular of these video chroniclers , posts regular dispatches from his apartment or the streets in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odessa, where he lives. His posts often start with air raid sirens, a howling reminder of how the attacks put civilians’ lives in danger.

Mr. Wang said he spent hours every day debating Chinese supporters of the war who see him on WeChat and other social media platforms. (By Friday, his WeChat video channel was erased.)

“I tell them I didn’t start this war, and if you feel it’s a righteous cause, why not come here?” Mr. Wang said in a telephone interview from his apartment. “Why don’t you just come on over and give your life for Putin?”

Mr. Wang hoped that over time his commentaries would turn some Chinese people against the increasingly brutal Russian invasion.

But Zhao Rui, another Chinese video blogger in Ukraine, said opinion in China appeared hard to shift. Many Chinese people see Russia as a robust ally against what they say is American efforts to contain China’s rise. China’s leader, Mr. Xi, has invested his prestige in a close relationship with Mr. Putin.

“China has always treated Ukraine as a failure, a reject,” Mr. Zhao said in a telephone interview. “Even now, the great majority still strongly supports Putin.”

Of half a million comments on Ukraine over the past two months on Weibo, a Chinese social media service, about half blamed the war on Ukraine, the United States or “the West” in general, according to research by Jennifer Pan, a political scientist at Stanford University, and other researchers from Stanford and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

About one-tenth blamed Russia or Mr. Putin.

That critical minority in China, though, includes academics and professionals whose views carry more weight. Opposition from the elite may eventually seep into government policy deliberations, encouraging Beijing to shift away from Mr. Putin, especially if Russia’s assault suffers more setbacks.

“When I talk to Chinese scholars, they are very critical of Putin, they’re critical of Russia, they’re critical of the invasion,” said Paul Haenle , a former director for China on the National Security Council in both the Bush and Obama administrations, who is now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

China, Mr. Haenle said, “can’t move maybe as quickly as they would like. But many of them say they’re going to distance themselves over time.”

Five historians issued an open letter denouncing the war. Lu Xiaoyu, an international relations academic in Beijing, wrote online that Russia’s war was “imperialist expansionism, not national self-defense.” Qin Hui and Jin Yan, two other widely respected historians in Beijing, have given online lectures on the background of the crisis.

“The situation now is not a Cold War, but it may be even more dangerous than one,” Ms. Jin wrote in a recent essay about Russia. “The world order may again divide into two camps over its stance on Russia.”

Still, Mr. Xi appears committed to staying close to Russia, even as China has sought to dissociate itself from the attack on Ukraine. The increasingly centralized decision-making process in Beijing has meant that even prominent scholars do not have the same access as under previous leaders.

If Russia’s war and the ensuing Western sanctions drag down China’s economic growth, leaders in Beijing could become more receptive to the warnings from Chinese scholars, Mr. Liu from the U.S.-China Perception Monitor said.

“To hang yourself on the Russian tree, I think that’s like committing suicide,” he said, “at least economic suicide.”

Joy Dong and Liu Yi contributed research.

Chris Buckley is chief China correspondent and has lived in China for most of the past 30 years after growing up in Sydney, Australia. Before joining The Times in 2012, he was a correspondent in Beijing for Reuters. More about Chris Buckley

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

News and Analysis

U.S. and allied intelligence officials are tracking an increase in low-level sabotage operations in Europe  that they say are part of a Russian campaign to undermine support for Ukraine’s war effort.

Some American-made, precision-guided weapons supplied to Ukraine have proved ineffective on the battlefield , their accuracy badly diminished by Russian jamming efforts.

Ukraine has begun releasing prisoners to serve in its army , part of a wider effort to rebuild a military that has been depleted by more than two years of war and is strained by relentless Russian assaults.

Striking a Chord: A play based on a classic 19th-century novel, “The Witch of Konotop,” is a smash hit among Ukrainians who see cultural and historical echoes  in the story of what they face after two years of war.

Europe’s Defense Industry: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine jolted Europe out of complacency about military spending. But the challenges are about more than just money .

Putin’s Victory Narrative: The Russian leader’s message to his country appears to be taking hold : that Russia is fighting against the whole Western world — and winning.

How We Verify Our Reporting

Our team of visual journalists analyzes satellite images, photographs , videos and radio transmissions  to independently confirm troop movements and other details.

We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin claims West provoked Kharkiv offensive

The Russian president has said the West provoked the Kremlin's latest offensive into Ukraine's Kharkiv region by ignoring warnings not to allow Kyiv to strike the Russian region of Belgorod.

Tuesday 28 May 2024 18:50, UK

• Russian forces capture two villages in eastern Ukraine
• Putin claims West provoked Kharkiv offensive
• NATO comments open door to allowing Ukraine to strike Russia with Western weapons
• Your questions answered:  When will F-16s arrive in Ukraine?
• The big picture : What you need to know about the war right now
• Eyewitness: Russia producing shells three times faster than Ukraine's allies
• Live reporting by Samuel Osborne

We're pausing our coverage of the Ukraine war for the moment.

Scroll through the blog below to catch up on today's developments.

By Sean Bell , military analyst

President Putin knows that his critical vulnerability is Western military capability, and that should the West become directly involved in the defence of Ukraine, Russia's objectives would no longer be achievable.

As a result, Russia continues to augment its military strategy in Ukraine with targeted rhetoric and information operations designed to deter Western governments from increasing military support to Ukraine.

As Mr Putin's concerns have mounted, the rhetoric has become more inflammatory, leading to more regular rattling of the nuclear sabre.  

You can listen more about this on  Bell's RedMatrix podcast

However, Mr Putin is also well aware that a nuclear war would have no winners; the concept has been described as MAD - Mutually Assured Destruction. 

If the strategy succeeds and the West is deterred from protecting a nation from Russian aggression, where does that leave Russia's wider "empire" ambitions - and China's too?

This past week, Russia chose to remind the world that it had developed the most powerful and longest-range intercontinental ballistic missile - called SATAN II - which can deliver nuclear weapons to almost any point on the Earth's surface. 

Russia routinely uses the threat of escalation as a weapon of war.  No civilised country wants to go to war, and reminding nations of the potential consequences of an escalation is a powerful deterrent.

However, history shows that there are times when people need to make choices if they are to preserve their way of life and the values they cherish. 

A utopian world where all nations live in peace might have enduring appeal, but the harsh reality is that there are always those that will seek to capitalise, to build empires, and provoke major conflicts. 

The omnipresent challenge is when to confront such tyrants, and history suggests the earlier, the better.

Mr Putin knows that his battle-worn forces would be no match for Western air and land power, so is using all the tools at his disposal to deter greater Western engagement. And, that strategy appears to be working. 

However, if the West decides not to call Mr Putin's bluff and accepts Russia's aggressive expansion, where next? 

Russia should stand its ground and keep on with what it calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine in response to the West's military fervour, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

Mr Peskov said at the same time the West had no unanimity of opinion regarding the Ukrainian army's strikes on Russian territory using Western weapons.

NATO's Parliamentary Assembly has called for member states to support Ukraine's "international right" to defend itself by lifting "some restrictions" on Kyiv's use of Western weapons in Russia (see 10.57am post).

Vladimir Putin has said the West provoked the Kremlin's latest offensive into Ukraine's Kharkiv region by ignoring warnings not to allow Kyiv to strike the Russian region of Belgorod.

Giving a speech earlier today, the Russian president said strikes on Belgorod this month were carried out using weapons provided by the West and were only possible with the help of specialists from Western countries. 

"[The] West should understand what it is playing with," Mr Putin warned, adding that any escalation could lead to "serious consequences". 

Kharkiv remains a major focus after Russia opened a new front on the northeastern border.

Over the weekend, Moscow's defence ministry claimed it had taken the settlement of Ivanivka, but victory in the Kharkiv region has been the subject of conflicting reports, with Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying Ukraine had secured "combat control".

Ukraine 'rejected' peace talks

When questioned about potential peace talks with Ukraine, Mr Putin blamed Kyiv for refusing negotiations.

He said Russia had never abandoned peace talks and was ready to return to them, but claimed Ukraine was instead focusing on its fortunes on the battlefield.

"That's Ukraine that rejected the peace talks," Mr Putin said. 

"They do not want to agree, but are trying to change the situation on the battlefield. In that case, there will be more Ukrainian losses."

These pictures show a Ukrainian drone squad attaching a grenade to a drone before flying it over the positions of Russian troops.

The 95th Separate Air Assault Brigade is on the frontline in the eastern Donbas region.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for Joe Biden to attend a peace summit organised by Kyiv in Switzerland next month.

The Ukrainian president said if the US president missed the event it would be like a standing ovation for Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine hopes to host as many countries as possible in an effort to unite opinion on how to halt the war and heap pressure on Russia, which has seized almost a fifth of Ukraine's territory.

"I know that the US supports the summit but we don't know at what level," Mr Zelenskyy said in Brussels at a joint press conference with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.

"[The] peace summit needs President Biden and so do the other leaders who look at the reaction of the United States.

"His absence would be an applause to Putin, a personal standing applause to Putin." 

On Sunday Mr Zelenskyy urged both Mr Biden and his Chinese counterpart and Mr Putin's close ally, Xi Jinping, to attend the summit .

Russia has said it sees no point in the conference.

These pictures show Russian volunteers posing before handing over equipment to an informal military unit consisting of Russians fighting in the armed forces of Ukraine in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The funds are from voluntary donations from Russian citizens and ethnic Russians living in Bulgaria.

More than 1,400 Russian troops have been injured since last Friday, according to Ukraine's Ministry of Defence.

Moscow also lost 21 tanks and 40 armoured combat vehicles, it said.

Although Western estimates of Russian losses differ from Ukraine's, it is nonetheless a sign of the staggering human cost of the war for Moscow.

Russia does not routinely publish numbers of casualties or losses of equipment. Ukraine provides some figures - but infrequently.

In February, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that 31,000 of his troops had been killed in two years of war.

Poland should not rule out sending troops to Ukraine, foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski said in comments published today.

It comes as Kyiv struggles to repel Russian advances in eastern Ukraine.

Mr Sikorski did not specify what role Polish troops would play in the conflict.

Ukraine's NATO allies have vowed to supply the beleaguered nation with weapons and money for as long as it takes to fend off Russia's invasion, but they have generally ruled out the possibility of sending soldiers.

Asked in an interview whether Poland was ready to send troops to Ukraine, Mr Sikorski said: "We shouldn't rule it out. We should leave Putin guessing as to our intentions".

The interview was published in Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza, Italy's La Repubblica and Spain's El Pais.

Previously, French President Emmanuel Macron suggested Western troops could help with the training of Ukrainians in Ukraine.

It comes after Ukraine's top military commander said he had signed paperwork allowing French military instructors to visit Ukrainian training centres soon.

As Russia opens a new front on Ukraine's northeastern border, the war has entered an important phase.

Readers have been sending in their questions to our senior correspondents and military experts for their take on the changing battlefield environment.

Today, Tali-IhanTala asks: 

When will F-16s arrive? I truly believe they will mark a turning point in the War.

Military analyst Sean Bell  had this to say:

Although there is growing expectation that the initial tranche of F-16 fighter jets being donated to Ukraine could arrive as soon as early July, it is not clear whether the other ingredients of this powerful air power capability will be in place by that time.

Providing a credible and effective Ukrainian combat air capability requires suitably trained and experienced pilots, ground crew, weapons, defensive aids and radar. All these components need to be in place before the Ukrainian Air Force will be ready to go into battle with the Russian military.  

Once the F-16s are place, the challenge facing Ukraine will be when and where to use these valuable resources - and how to avoid them being destroyed before they can contribute to the Ukrainian defensive effort.

They will provide Ukraine with an invaluable - albeit scarce - resource. The F-16s could be used to support the frontline, but they will be very vulnerable in that dynamic and hostile air environment. 

They could also be used to conduct strikes against key military targets inside Russian territory, which would certainly force a change in Moscow's tactics. Or, if Ukraine wanted to threaten Crimea, the F-16s could be used in a coordinated attack in support of a wider campaign.

Regardless, with Russia on the front foot in the Donbas, Ukraine needs all the help it can to reverse Russian momentum on the battlefield.

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