The Chinese love food! Food preparation and presentation in China is known as the ninth art. Chefs combining sight, smell, touch, and taste in their presentation are highly respected.
A large variety of Chinese cuisine can be enjoyed throughout the vast country. Eight major schools of cuisine exist and have led to the development of unique dishes in varying regions.
These schools include: Shandong, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Cantonese, Sichuan, Hunan, and Anhui. While the various schools vary a great deal in method and ingredients, they all share in common a deep respect for ingredients, very little of the animal is wasted, and freshness is highly valued. In some restaurants, especially seafood establishments, live fish or shellfish may be kept in tanks to ensure freshness before cooking. Modern dining etiquette, however, no longer involves spitting bones on the floor, this is an outdated practice and not seen in contemporary restaurants. In most restaurants the meal is served family style, with everyone sharing from the same larger dishes that are passed around.
According to Chinese tradition, Confucian philosophy valued refinement and etiquette at the dining table, which may have encouraged the preference for chopsticks and bite-sized food. Historically, chopsticks were already in use long before Confucius, but his teachings reinforced the ideals of harmony and politeness in dining.
China travel allows you to experience the cuisines found in different regions: hot and spicy chili dishes from Sichuan, the northern style cuisine using steamed bread and pancakes instead of rice, pickled and preserved vegetables used during freezing winters, and southern style cooking involving light stir-fry including ingredients such as pork, seafood, and chicken. The
Cantonese culinary art, dim sum, initially started out as a snack to accompany teatime, or “yum cha”. Most dim sum foods are pastries, steamed or fried stuffed dumplings, or noodles. Also sweet pastries, vegetables, and meats may be included. All portions are bite-sized and are served in small quantities so that diners may try a variety of selections. If you are looking for a romantic dining atmosphere during your China tour, then a dim sum dining experience is probably not the best choice. These establishments are often filled with bustling guests requesting different varieties, and an eager wait staff will constantly offer you new choices.
Variety of dim sum steamed in traditional bamboo containers
The idea of balancing the five traditional flavors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and spicy, has ancient roots in Chinese cooking philosophy and traditional medicine. While not a strict “rule” from the Han dynasty, this concept continues to influence chefs who aim for harmony in taste, color, and texture. Chinese meals today still aim to balance a variety of tastes, colors, and textures to create a more enjoyable experience. For this purpose, common Chinese meals consist of multiple dishes, and all travelers are encouraged to test and try the amazing variety Chinese cuisine has to offer on your tour of China.
Brief overview of some well-known dishes:
Mongolian hotpot is a dish served in the north predominantly and is similar to a fondue with meat and vegetables in a simmering pot, Peking duck (or Beijing duck) is another familiar dish for Westerners. Seafood is central to eastern and southern coastal cuisines, especially in provinces like Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong. Autumn remains peak season for delicacies such as hairy crab, but seafood dishes are available year-round thanks to modern supply chains.
