Home > Chinese Culture > Food

Chinese Food

Ask Question

Braised Fish in Brown Sauce
Braised Fish in Brown Sauce
Food is an important part of Chinese traditional culture, and the history of Chinese food traced back to about 500,000 years ago when Beijing Man first learned to cook his food over fire. To the Chinese people, having three meals a day transcends the nutritional needs of hunger and thirst. Daily meals involve the very philosophies of existence. For example, when a child is born, his relatives will eat eggs, which symbolize the continuation of lives; during the Spring Festival, Chinese people will eat rice cake named 'niangao', representing a higher level of life; on the Mid-autumn Day, they will eat moon cakes to celebrate the birthday of the moon. Meanwhile, food is also a medium of emotional communication that implies certain kinds of distinct social activities. The Chinese are quite comfortable in engaging in numerous pursuits while eating, ranging from doing business and interviews, exchanging ideas, making friends and entertaining guests, even adjusting attitudes and resolving disputes.   

 Chinese Food Features:      
The eating habits in China vary in different areas. A widely-know saying is "South Rice and North Noodle", which means that people in south part of China prefer rice while those live in north of China like to eat noodles. As for their preference to tastes, the people in the south of China are fond of sweat, people in the north part prefer salty food, those in the east part like the acidtiy of vinegar, and the people in the west are fond of spicy food. Due to geological and climatic differences, the productions of the diferent areas are also distinct from eath other, so cuisine of different ares are usually made from local products. Based on the differences on tastes and ingredients, the Chinese food can be divided into many flaours, and the Eight Cuisines in China are the most famous. 

Chopsticks are the major tablewares to the Chinese people. They prefer those made of bamboo and wooden. 

A Tea Pot
A Tea Pot
 Tea: Helping to transmit Chinese culture to the world, enjoyed a more than 4,000 years history, in accordance with Luyu, the writer of the book Tea Classics in the Tang Dynasty. As the home country of tea, China has had thousands of years' experience of tea production and tea drinking. Nowadays, enjoying drinking tea and treating guests to tea have been elegant entertainment and communication activities for Chinese people.

 Alcohol is part of Chinese folklore. It still appears in almost all social activities, and the most common circumstances are birthday party for seniors, wedding feast and sacrifice ceremony in which it must be the main drink to show happiness or respect.

Questions & Answers on Chinese Food
  • i'm traveling to Beijing and Guangzhou, can you please suggest the India restaurants in Beijing and guangzhou, thanks.

    Asked By Nina (India) | Jul. 23, 2012 04:38
    1 AnswerAnswer Question
  • Asked By mjvawter | Oct. 26, 2011 14:26
    1 AnswerAnswer Question
  • Where do i eat Sichuan Cuisine in Beijing? I stayed at Beijing for a whole year. And i hired a scanny from the Verymaids which is a professional service team with standardized file of working flow, her hometown is Chongqing, she always cookes Sichuan Cuisine. I do businesses in Beijing now, so i want to taste Sichuan Cuisine again.

    Asked By Brun (Canada) | Jan. 14, 2011 21:24
    1 AnswerAnswer Question
  • What are the most famous Chinese Cuisine?

    Asked By Sam (Ghana) | Dec. 14, 2010 02:59
    1 AnswerAnswer Question
  • Recently with the price rise within China, Mcdonald's China has raised prices of partial food by CNY 0.5-1.5. It is said that they had raised prices in the last October.
    Its competitor - KFC has still no such action.

    Asked By Ellen (CN) | Feb. 22, 2008 09:16
    2 AnswersAnswer Question
Ask a Question about Chinese Food
Back Go Top