Text A History of Chinese Imperial Food
导 读
从特质看，中国饮食文化突出养助益充的营卫论（素食为主，重视药膳和进补），并且讲究“色、香、味”俱全，五味调和的境界说（风味鲜明，适口者珍，有“舌头菜”之誉），奇正互变的烹调法（厨规为本，灵活变通），畅神怡情的美食观（文质彬彬，寓教于食）4大属性，有着不同于海外各国饮食文化的天生丽质。中国的饮食文化除了讲究菜肴的色彩搭配要明媚如画外，还要搭配用餐的氛围产生的一种情趣，它是中华民族的个性与传统，更是中华民族传统礼仪的凸显方式。
A Brief Introduction to the Chinese Imperial Food
Chinese imperial food dates back to slave society.Ever since there were emperors and palaces,there had been imperial food,which was served mainly to the emperors,their wives and concubines,and the royal families.Emperors used their power to collect the best delicacies and called upon the best cooks to make delicious food for them.Imperial food represented a dynasty’s best cuisine.
Imperial foods often were improved dishes invented by the common people.The inventors were not princes,dukes,or ministers,but cooks and commoners.The original model for a dish might have been similar to a dish you once prepared for yourself.
Development of the Chinese Imperial food
Chinese imperial food originated around the Zhou Dynasty (11th century B.C.—256 B.C.).Although China’s dietetic culture developed and grew prior to the Zhou Dynasty,it truly flourished during the Zhou,Qin,and Han dynasties.
The Spring and Autumn Period witnessed an unprecedented development in the history of Chinese thinking.Theories from different schools of thought touched upon the universe,society and life.Pragmatic thinkers studied how food and drink related to the everyday life of the people.As medical science developed,the idea of dietotherapy arose and attention was given to dietetic hygiene.
Chinese eating and drinking habits differ greatly from those in the West.Westerners eat more meat while Chinese eat more vegetables,especially the traditional cereals.(Cereals are said to have been discovered by Shennong,the chief of the ancestors of remote antiquity.) China began growing the five cereals as food crops during the Zhou Dynasty.
The Zhou Dynasty was the most prosperous period of the slave society,and during this time politics,economics and culture advanced greatly.It was the strongest of the three slave dynasties: Xia,Shang and Zhou.
The imperial cuisine of the Zhou Dynasty was a great improvement over the cuisines of the Xia and Shang dynasties.Beginning with the construction of the Xia Dynasty palace and the establishment of the imperial court,an organization was set up to prepare and serve food to the emperor and empress.Officials were appointed,royalty began seeking pleasures,and an imperial kitchen system was conceived.
The Shang Dynasty imperial cuisine was even better than the cuisine of the Xia Dynasty.The foods for the emperors,princes,and dukes were stratified,and a system of stratified foods for the nobility was developed,however,a system for managing imperial food was still lacking.
During the Zhou Dynasty,such a complete system was developed.It included procurement,diets and preparation as well as staffing,supervising the imperial food,and developing grades for the emperor,princes and dukes.Everything was done in a fixed order according to the “eating rites”.The Zhou Dynasty imperial food was of a higher standard than the imperial food of the Xia and Shang dynasties,and famous dishes,feasts and banquets appeared one after another.During the Zhou Dynasty,Chinese imperial cuisine took shape.Staple and non-staple foods were plentiful and many imperial and famous dishes were developed.
The fairly advanced economy in the Western Zhou Dynasty resulted in abundant cereals,vegetables and meats.The cereals available included rice,corn,millet and beans.The Book of Songs states there were in excess of 130 plants,which included more than 30 kinds of common vegetables.Fruits and nuts included peach,plum,apricot,date,wild jujube (Chinese date),chestnut,hazelnut,pear,sweet crabapple,persimmon,melons,cherry,orange,tangerine and shaddock (a fruit similar to grapefruit).
The imperial cuisine used abundant meats,fish,fowl,cereals,fresh fruits and vegetables,and nuts as well as vegetables pickled in vinegar and soy sauce.
The Diet System
Under the rules described in the Rites of the Zhou Dynasty,when the emperor took a meal,there were 12 deep bowls with legs and 12 plates.Music was played to urge him to eat.This was the custom during the Shang Dynasty.The Western Zhou Dynasty continued the custom in its early years but later made adjustments.The rites indicate the foods served at the emperor’s three daily meals were beef,mutton,pork,fish,cured meat,intestine,stomachs,small pieces of cooked meat,fish,and fresh cured meat.
Words & Expressions
1.imperial[im'piəriəl] adj.帝国的；皇帝的；至高无上的；威严的
2.concubine['kɔnkjubain] n.妾；情妇；姘妇
3.culinary['kʌlinəri] adj.厨房的；烹调用的
4.heritage['heritidʒ] n.遗产；传统；继承物；继承权
5.prosperous['prɔspərəs] adj.繁荣的；兴旺的
6.hazelnut['heizəlnʌt] n.榛子；榛树
7.melon['melən] n.瓜；甜瓜；大肚子；圆鼓鼓像瓜似的东西
8.millet['milit] n.小米；粟；稷；黍的籽实
Notes
The Spring and Autumn Period（春秋时期）：The Spring and Autumn Period was a period in Chinese history that roughly corresponds to the first half of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty，which is reckoned to have existed from 770 B.C.until 476 B.C.（or，by some authorities，until 403 B.C.） in the alluvial plain of the Yellow River，the Shandong Peninsula and the river valleys of the Huai and Han.Its name comes from the Spring and Autumn Annals，a chronicle of the state of Lu between 722 B.C.and 479 B.C.，whose tradition associates with Confucius.
Exercises
I.Decide whether each of the following statements is true (T) or false (F) according to the passage.
1.Chinese imperial food dates back to slave society.( )
2.Imperial food represented a dynasty’s best cuisine.( )
3.Emperors in ancient times didn’t cherish excellent cooks.( )
4.Pragmatic thinkers studied how food and drink related to the everyday life of the people.( )
II.Match each of the words on the left with its meaning on the right.
1.imperial a.large,impressive or expensive
2.lavish b.a large meal where a lot of people celebrate a special occasion
3.feast c.relating to an empire or to the person who rules it
4.rite d.a formal dinner for many people on an important occasion
5.chief e.a thing such as a knife,spoon etc that you use when you are cooking
6.assistant f.highest in rank
7.banquet g.a ceremony that is always performed in the same way,usually for religious purposes
8.utensil h.to develop well and be successful
9.flourish i.a tall tropical plant with hollow stems that is used for making furniture
10.bamboo j.someone who helps someone else in their work,especially by doing the less important jobs
III.Translate the following sentences into Chinese.
1.Imperial foods often were improved dishes invented by the common people.
2.Food preparation is impossible without cooks,so emperors in ancient times cherished excellent cooks.
3.The imperial dishes of the Sui and Tang Dynasties (581—907) had far greater variety than the dishes of previous dynasties,and more attention was paid to their flavor,taste,color,presentation and naming.
4.Because of cultural exchanges between China and other countries,foods which were not native to China,such as corns,sweet potatoes,peanuts,and hot peppers,gradually entered the daily lives of the Chinese people.
5.Scholars also became interested and involved in cooking during this period by recording the cooks’ knowledge,creativity,processes,and recipes for later generations.