Chopsticks are distinctively Chinese utensils that have at least 5000 years of history. Besides its role in dining, a pair of chopsticks also carries many connotations that made it part of the Chinese culture.
The Types of Chopsticks And Their Usage
Chopsticks are made from various kinds of materials, such as wood, ivory, jade, gold, and silver. Different materials impart different characteristics to the chopsticks. For example, jade chopstick don’t conduct heat and ivory chopsticks cool the food. Chopsticks are suitable for all kinds of dishes, whether hot or cold, fried, roasted, or deep-fried. It can also be used to pick up food in slices, small cubes, big chunks, or small pieces.
Types:
PlasticUsage:
Why Chopsticks
Although spoons, forks and knives were discovered in archaeological digs, Chinese didn't develop any habit of eating with their bare fingers, or forks and knives. China is an agricultural society. Since the old days grains like millet and husked rice cooked into rice or porridge have always been the staple food of the people. Using chopsticks to rake the rice or porridge is easier than using a spoon. Chinese like to eat hot food. That’s why they always say, 'Please eat while it's still ho'. It's inconvenient to take hot, oily or soupy food with bare fingers. Furthermore, Chinese cuisine emphasises aesthetics, and bars the use of forks and knives in certain circumstances. That’s why the nimble chopsticks were used instead. The rice bowl is the basic Chinese crockery used to serve dishes and rice. It is not as big as a plate, and is not suitable for forks and knives. A pair of chopsticks, therefore, is a better match for a rice bowl.
Development of Chopsticks
The primitive forms of chopsticks were bamboo sticks and twigs. By chance, people found that they could use the sticks to pick up food, and modified them for use. In time, the sticks evolved into today's chopsticks. Chinese started using chopsticks as early as 5000 years ago. However, in the beginning, spoons were used more often, and chopsticks were only used to pick up food items from the soup. It was not until the 14th century, during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, that the chopsticks became popular. Chopsticks were once called zhu. It was said that during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the southern boat dwelled were averse to words that were inauspicious to sailing. Zhu sounded like zhu (stop), which suggested the ships would not move. So they renamed chopsticks kuai zi. Kuai is a homophone of kuai (fast), which connoted the ships would sail fast.
Legend: Tong Yu taught her people to roast meat. However, they had a hard time when they wanted to turn the meat over or to remove the meat from the hot stone. People tried using sticks to turn the food, but it was not effective. So Tong Yu cut bamboo into slim sticks. At first they used one separate bamboo stick one each hand to handle the food. But she later told them that using one hand was easier. The bamboo sticks became the chopsticks that we know today.
Legend: Long ago, before the invention of chopsticks, people ate rice with hands, cut food with knives, and served dishes with ladles. At the west bank of Hu'erhan River lived a pair of sisters from the Man tribe. They were skilled at cooking. One day, one of the sisters realised that when they cooked the wulielie dish, it would smell so good, but when they ate it with the ladle with tasted like swill. The sister replied that she had a dream the night before that an old lady with white hair told her to travel 5000 miles south, and look for a tall, hollow plant with constant diameter, called bamboo. Coincidentally the other sister had the dream. The old lady said that if they used the slender sticks to pick up food, it would preserve the flavour. She also said that if they had any trouble while picking the bamboo, they should call out 'ya'er hu' three times, and she would come to their rescue. So the two sister travelled a long distance, and eventually found the bamboo forest. They were picking bamboo when suddenly, monsters come out and began to attack them. Remembering what the old lady said, they yelled for help. A few big birds flew from the sky to their aid and told them to run without looking back. They were running when they heard the old ladies voice call out for them to wait for her. When they turned around, a huge ball of fire hurled towards them and killed them in an instant. The bodies of the two sisters turned into small bamboo plants. The birds picked up the bamboo and brought them back to the village. When the villagers woke up the next they, they had all had the same dream, that an old lady told them to make chopsticks from the bamboo. When the villagers ate wulielie with chopsticks it no longer tasted bad.
Legend: Jiang Zi Ya was only discovered by King Zhou Wen at the age of eighty. Before that, he lived a life of poverty with his wife. One day, the wife felt that she had had enough. She had married him because she thought he had talent and would have established himself. That afternoon, when it came time to eat, Zi Ya was about the grab a piece of meat when a bird flew into the room and pecked him in the hand. He chased the bird into the woods. When the bird landed on a bamboo plant, it spoke to Zi Ya telling him not to use his hands to hold the meat, instead use the bamboo. When he returned, he used the bamboo stems to pick up the meat. At once, the bamboo stems produced some green smoke. Jiang Zi Ya understood the bamboo stems could test for poison and used them to eat his meals. His neighbours followed his example and soon, more people emulated him. Eating with chopsticks began a practice handed down to each generation.
Legend: Confucius once had a dream that he was brought to visit hell and heaven. He was first brought to hell. There he saw a huge dining hall where the souls were seated and given food to eat. The twist was that, the only way they would be allowed to eat is if they used a pair of 5 feet long chopsticks. Never once was a soul in hell able to figure out how they could eat, so they all starved. Then he was brought to heaven, and there he saw the exact same dining hall where everyone had 5 feet long chopsticks. The only difference was that they fed each other.
The Correct Way of Holding Chopsticks
It's said that using chopsticks promotes the development of one's intelligence. This is because chopsticks involves over 30 joint and 50 muscles in the fingers, wrist, arm, and shoulder, as well as thousands of nerves. The arms are more closely connected to the brains than the other organs. The repetitive motions in using the chopsticks stimulate the mind, and promote the full development of intelligence.
The Art of Chopsticks
Colour, scent and taste have always been important in Chinese cuisine. Excellent food, therefore, must be accompanied by beautiful crockery. As the main utensil, it's no surprise that more and more artistic chopsticks are made. They are usually decorated with drawings of flowers, birds, insects, fish, animals and human figures, or carving of dragon, phoenixes, unicorns, and lion heads. Sometimes precious metals or stones, such as gold, silver, or pearls, are also used to adorn the sticks.
How The Use of Chopsticks Was Handed Down
Chopsticks were first used in China, and later in Korea, Japan, and other countries. The Korean peninsula started dining with chopsticks over 1000 years ago, making it the first country outside China to use the utensil. When a Korean girl gets married, the dowry must include a pair of chopsticks and silver spoons. When a child is born, the mother's parents must send as a gift a set of small chopsticks and spoons engraved with the baby's name. Japan has its own unique chopstick culture. Not only do Japanese emphasise the workmanship of the chopsticks, they are also particular about the choice of chopsticks for different occasions. Bamboo chopsticks are used during grand banquets and state ceremonies at peacetime. Willow wood chopsticks are for birthdays and first meals of young children. Dining while admiring the full moon is an occasion for lespenza wood chopsticks. For offerings, clean wooden chopsticks are the choice. In certain regions, new chopsticks are used during sowing, transplanting of rice seedlings, and harvesting as a way of celebration. There is even a thanksgiving ceremony in which appreciation is expressed to the chopsticks for their contributions in dining, and to bless the trees and bamboo that have been cut down to make chopsticks. Japan has also designated 4th of August every year as Chopstick Day. Japanese chopsticks are shorter than Chinese chopsticks, This is because in Japanese meals, each person has his own set of dishes. However, Chinese share the dishes at the same table, and therefore need longer chopsticks to pick up the food. In Mongolia, chopsticks are used as dancing instruments in the once famous Chopstick Dance. In the dance, Mongolian ladies hold a bundle of red chopsticks in each hand, and use them to hit against the shoulders, waists, legs, feet, the ground, or the other bundle. The rhythms creates are crisp, clear, strong, and lively.
Communal Chopsticks
Emperor Gao Zhong of the Tang Dynasty always used two sets of chopsticks and spoons when he dined; one set for taking the dishes from the plates, and the other for eating. This is because he was normally served more dishes than he could eat, with the leftovers given to the maids and eunuchs. Emperor Gao Zhong, therefore, used two sets of cutlery to preserve the cleanliness of the food, and pioneered the use of communal chopsticks for common use.
Chopsticks And Social Status
In the olden days, only the rich would be able to offered chopstick that are made of gold, silver, jade, and ivory. The commoners would either use bamboo or wooden chopsticks. When serving a guest, the guest would be given the use of the family's finest chopstick. It is said that silver chopsticks would turn black in the presence of poison, therefore the royal family uses silver chopsticks to prevent assassinations. The way someone holds his chopstick would reflect his fate. Those who hold with three fingers are free-spirited, those who hold with four have good lives, and those with five are destined for prosperity. Not only that, it is said that the higher a girl holds the chopsticks, the further away she’ll be married to, and vice versa.
Chopsticks And Sacrificial Offerings
When making offerings to the Gods, chopsticks are put on the urn. This is called fu li. After the death of a person, an extra set of chopsticks and rice bowl are set for the next three years to show that they have not forgotten the person and that they are sharing the meal together. When making offerings on the grave, the chopsticks and food are to make sure that the deceased would not go hungry in the netherworld.
Chopsticks And Marriage
When someone offers a pair of chopsticks together with other gifts as dowry for a marriage, it is to symbolise that the couple would always be together like a pair of chopsticks. Usually, these chopsticks are given in eight pairs. The eight (ba) pairs represent fa (wealth), so that the bride would bring prosperity to the in-laws. The chopsticks (kuai zi) mean to give birth soon (kuai sheng gui zi). In some regions, there would be people tossing gold chopsticks to the front and silver ones to the back of a sedan to symbolise 'may a child be born and bring joy to the family'.
Customs On The Use of Chopsticks
Chopstick Riddles and Chopstick Proverbs
Chopstick riddles: Two sister of the same height, moving in and out of the kitchen together. Sweet, sour, bitter, or spicy, they are always the first to taste. Two brothers of the same height, they eat fish and meat but they never grow any fatter.
Chopstick proverbs:
You can break a single chopstick, but not a bundle. (Strength in unity)
Two-part allegorical sayings. Build a bridge with slender chopsticks - nan guo (literally means 'hard to pass', but actually means ‘feeling miserable)
Hit the bell with a chopstick - not a sound is heard.
Chopstick Songs
Two little chopsticks make a good pair; one was lost in the Yangtze River. The lonely chopstick, longing for its missing lover to return - Yearning, a Yunnan love song.
Brothers, please listen to me. Brothers, please listen to me. Brothers are like a pair of chopsticks, brothers are like a pair of bamboo strings - Longing For Dear Ones, Lisu tribe.
We have to part even though we don't wish to; you have to leave me even though you don't want to. The pain is cutting open my heart; the pain is tearing out my liver. I send you off with tears running down my cheeks. We are like a pair of chopsticks torn apart; we are like a pair of small chicks separated - Mother Sending Off The Bride, Lisu tribe.
Legend: Song Jing was the Prime Minister during the rule of Emperor Xuan Zong in the Tang Dynasty. He was an able man who was well loved by the court as well as the people. One day, the emperor threw a banquet for his officials. He was presented with a pair of gold chopsticks by the emperor meaning he is as straight as a pair of chopsticks.
Legend: There lived a man named Zhao Da during the Three Kingdoms Period. One day, he paid a visit to his friend, Mr. Lee. Mr. Lee did not actually welcomed him, so he told Zhao Da that he had ran out of food and drinks. Zhao Da then picked up a pair of chopsticks and started divining for food. He told Mr. Lee that he still had some food in the eastern chamber. So Mr. Lee had no choice but to give him some food.
The Don'ts of Cooking
|
Food |
Food That Should Not Be Consumed Together |
|
Chicken |
Glutinous rice, plum, prawn. The heads of aged chicken are toxic and should be avoided. |
|
Chicken egg |
Persimmon. Balut (half-hatched duck egg) has germs and should be avoided. |
|
Duck meat |
Tree fungi, walnut. |
|
Pork meat |
Prawn, crucian carp, soya bean, croton seed. |
|
Pork liver |
Soya bean, bean curd, fish. |
|
Pork brain |
Alcohol, salt. Should be avoided by those with high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, nephritis, arteriosclerosis. |
|
Beef |
Honey, corn, chestnut. Avoid cooking it together with fish. |
|
Milk |
Chocolate, egg, calcium powder. |
|
Mutton |
Pumpkin, soya milk, cheese, preserved vegetables. |
|
Prawn |
Chicken, pork, sugar, vitamin C. |
|
Eel |
Green eels are poisonous; yellow ones are safe. |
|
Crab |
Food with tannin. |
|
Cucumber |
Avoid cooking it together with vegetables with high vitamin C content. |
|
Bamboo shoot |
Bean curd, sugar. |
|
Radish |
Persimmon, ginseng, knotweed tuber. |
|
Carrot |
Radish, chilli, guava, papaya, tomato. Best served on its own or with meat. |
|
Chinese chive |
Spinach. |
|
Eggplant |
Cuttlefish, crab. Avoid overripe eggplants as they are poisonous. |
|
Bean curd |
Milk, egg. Do not cook it together with spinach. |
|
Soya milk |
Milk, egg. Do not cook it together with spinach. |
|
Apple, papaya |
Seafood. |
|
Guava, grape |
Seafood. |
|
Tangerine |
Radish, milk. |
|
Mango |
Garlic. |
|
Red bean |
Do not cook it together with rice. Should be avoided by those with diuresis. |
|
Onion |
Honey, red date, red bayberry. |
|
Garlic |
Tonic. |
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Honey |
Onion, garlic, Chinese chive. |
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Alcohol |
Coffee, soft drinks. |
|
Tea |
Do not serve it with tonics. |
Food To Consume And Avoid For Common Ailments
|
Ailment |
Food To Take |
Food To Avoid |
|
Influenza |
Watery gruel, rice water, noodle, fresh vegetables, fruits, soya milk, milk, fruit juices. |
Fried food, chilli, sweet or sour food. |
|
Cough |
Vegetables, fruits, radish, loquat, honey, Job's tears. |
Hot and oily food, alcohol, seafood. |
|
Constipation |
Vegetables, fruits, vegetable soups, soya milk, fruit juices, honey, sesame oil. Soya bean, green bean. |
Hot and spicy food, alcohol, coffee, black tea. |
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Insomnia |
Vegetables, chicken, lean meat, lotus seed soup, lily soup. |
Oily and fried food. |
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Headache |
Fruits, chicken, pig liver, egg. |
Hot and spicy food, crab, prawn. |
|
Asthma |
Radish, towel gourd, pear, tangerine, loquat, honey, fig, white gourd, black sesame, water melon, red date, carp. |
Alcohol, crab, prawn, chilli, soft drinks, soya bean, mustard leaf, pumpkin, fat meat, egg, sweet, salty or cold food. |
|
Diabetes |
Soya bean, black soya bean, lean meat, fish, Chinese cabbage, white gourd, pumpkin, bitter gourd, radish, egg. |
Sugar, sugar cane, fruits, sweet potato, yam. |
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High blood pressure |
Celery, spinach, banana, haw, bamboo shoots, honey, green bean, kelp. |
Alcohol, black tea, coffee, chilli, innards, ovary and digestive glands of crabs, egg yolk. |
|
Chicken pox |
Fresh vegetables. |
Seafood, hot and spicy food. |
|
Athlete’s foot |
Oat, millet, groundnut, broad bean, pig kidney, carp, onion, garlic, pepper, Job's tears soup. |
Raw and cold fruits, oily or salty food, seafood. |
Inedible Food
Chinese cuisine is known the world over, and there are Chinese restraints in numerous countries, bringing its rich and distinctive flavours to all. It can be divided into eight main regional branches.
Famous Dishes In China
There are thousands of dishes in Chinese cuisine. They are normally prepared from not just one ingredient, but a combination of them. This allows the flavours to suppress and complement one another, creating new unique aromas. There are eight main branches of cuisine, each special in its own way.
Sichuan food is known to be rich and fiery hot, with heavy use of oil and various flavourings. Dishes from Chengdu and Chongqin are most representative of this style. Gongbao chicken (spicy diced chicken with peanuts), pockmarked lady's bean curd (bean curd with spicy pork), twice-cooked pork, and chafing dish with ox stomach and assorted meat and vegetables, are some of the famous dishes.
Shandong dishes are very particular in their ingredients. High-grade ingredients such as bird’s nest, shark’s fin, and ginseng are used to prepare dishes by quick frying, stir frying, roasting, or deep frying. Well known dishes include sweet and sour carp, Dezhou braised chicken, and crispy roasted duck.
Suzhou dishes are distinctively delicate and crispy. The ingredients are chosen strictly, and emphasis is placed on the colour combination and design of the dish. Favourite cooking methods include stewing, braising, frying, stir frying, and shao (stewing and then frying). Local dishes from Suzhou, Yangzhou, Hangzhou, and Nanjing make up the cuisine. Renowned dishes include steamed crucian carp, carp in lotus leaves, chicken in tremella, and Nanjing pressed salted duck.
Cantonese cuisine is delicate, crispy, and sweet. It has five flavours - fragrant, soft, pengent, fat, and rich; and six tastes - soft, sweet, bitter, hot, salty, and delicious.Cooking techniques include frying, baking, roasting, boiling, and hui (frying and then braising with corn flour paste). It’s especially well known for cooking exotic animals such as snakes, monkeys, cats, mice, and pangolin. Famous dishes include roast suckling pig and longhudou (a dish with snake and leopard cat meat).
Fujian dishes are light, fresh, sweet, sour, salty, fragrant, and come in beautiful colours. Cooking styles include stir frying, liu (sauté with corn flour paste), frying, and simmering. Main condiments are sugar, vinegar, and shrimp sauce. The cuisine is made up of local dishes in Fuzhou, Quanzhou, and Xiamen. Celebrated dishes include Buddha Jumps Over The Wall, snowflake chicken, and fried taiji prawns.
Zhejiang dishes pat attention to the knife skills. The dishes are fresh, crisp, soft, and smooth; and they maintain the original tastes of the ingredients. This cuisine’s spciality is in cooking seafood, river catch, and livestock. Centres of this cusine are Hangzhou, Ningbo, and Shaoxing. Famous dishes include West Lake carp in vinegar sauce, beggar chicken, and quick-fried prawn crackers.
Huizhou cuisine features delicacies from the land and the sea. It emphasises the sue of oil, the colour combination of the dish, and huo hou (control of fire). Cooking methods include shao, steaming and braising. Yanjiang, Yanhuai, Huizhou are where the dishes originate from. Well known dishes are braised masked civet, pheasant braised in snow vegetable, and stewed mandarin fish.
Hunan dishes are heavy in oil and rich in colour, and use plenty of cured meat. Favourite cooking techniques include steaming, simmering, and stewing. The dishes are fragrant, delicious, sour, hot, soft, and tender. The cuisine consists of local dishes from Xiang River, Dongting Lake, and the mountainous regions of Xiangxi. Famous dishes include shark fin in soya sauce, spicy chicken, and steamed soft-shelled turtle.
Dining In The Palace
The emperors in the history of China were all particular about their meals. This gave rise to the court meal, a unique meal that has a long history and a very high standard. During the Qing Dynasty, there were countless dinig chambers in the palace. The biggest of these was called the Royal Dining Chamber, and it was used exclusively by the emperor. This chamber was divided into five departments that handled meat, vegetables, rice, desserts, and roasting. Each department was further divided into section with different responsibilities. The ingredients used in the Royal Dining Chamber were exotic delicacies from all over the country. The chefs were also the best of their kind. The emperor’s meals had to be prepared according to the menu with strictly no alterations. Before each meal, the menu had to first be submitted. It would list the time, venue, names of the dishes, and even details like the types of vessels and table. The emperor took two meals (which was later changed to three) and two snacks everyday.
Each famous dish is the product of the skills and creativity of generations of chefs, and many whimsical and amusing stories surround their origins. An understanding of their backgrounds will add meaning and savour to these dishes.
Buddha Jumps Over The Wall
Buddha Jumps Over The Wall, also called Consummation of Happiness and Longevity, always heads the list of famous Fujian dishes. Besides its unique name, it is also known for its well-chosen ingredients, special way of cooking and delicious taste. Its ingredients include a large variety of delicacies. Cooked for long hours over a low charcoal fire, the ingredients, saturated with a rich and delicious sauce, are soft and pleasing to the palate. Since its creation during the Qing Dynasty, the dish has been very popular among domestic and foreign gourmets. Hence, it is considered the major attraction of many Chinese restaurants.
Legend: (Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province. During the reign of Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty.) A banker was, one day, thinking of inviting the governor over for dinner so he would look after the interest of the bank. He asked his wife to help prepare a special dish. So she decided to cook win-jug stew. That evening during the dinner, the governor was overjoyed because the dish was so delicious he couldn't bear putting down his chopsticks. He even decided to add the dish to his family menu. When he got home, he asked for chef Zheng Chufa. He asked chef Zheng to try to prepare the dish according to his description. First, he poured half kg water into a jug that was used to store Shaoxing rice wine before placing it on a charcoal burner. When the water boiled, he poured it out and put a bamboo grid at the bottom of the jug. On the grid he placed cured pieces of chicken, duck, mutton leg, and pork tripe. Atop the meats, he added shark's fin, abalone, dried scallops and ham, all wrapped in a piece of gauze. Also added were mushrooms, bamboo shoots and turnips. Some stock was poured into the jug. Covering the ingredients with a lotus leaf, he put on the lid and left the jug to simmer over a slow fire for two hours. Next, he added sea cucumber, pork tendons and fish maw. Then he sealed the jug and cooked it for eight more hours. When the dish was ready to be served, he garnished it with boiled pigeon eggs. The governor was very pleased when he tasted the dish as it tasted exactly like the one he had previously. Some time later, Zheng Chufa left the governor's house and opened a restaurant next to a Buddhist temple. One day while the abbot was meditating, he smelt the aroma of the wine-jug stew from next door. He was very distracted by the smell. As some of the customers were enjoying the dish, there was a sudden loud thud and shout from outside. It turned out to be the abbot from next door. When asked why he had jumped over the wall, he answered that he smelt something really good. He was then asked to join the customers for a taste. One of the customers later asked a waiter what the name of the dish was. The customer said that the name was too common and direct. As the smell of the dish made the abbot break his concentration and jump over the wall, he suggested that it'd be called Buddha Jumps Over The Wall. The abbot was later banished from the temple because the broke his vow of abstinence.
Peking Roast Duck
The world-famous Peking Roast Duck has a crispy reddish-brown skin. The meat is juicy and delicious. It is a must for everyone who visits Beijing (Peking).
Legend: The Peking Roast Duck originated in the Northern Song Dynasty. The original roast duck was created in Bianjing (capital city of the Northern Song Dynasty in Henan Province). Later, the capital was moved to Lin'an and the period was called Southern Song Dynasty. When Lin'an was captured by Mongolian General Bo Yan and the Yuan Dynasty was founded, the general ordered that artisans and craftsmen of all trades be taken to Dadu, which is present-day Beijing. In the early years of the 15th century, Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty moved his capital to Beijing. The roast duck then became a delicacy in the Ming Court. By the time the Qing Dynasty was established, the Manchu rulers, from Emperor Qianlong to Empress Cixi, were all fond of the roast duck. So a special section was set up in the imperial kitchen to prepare delicacies like roast duck and other usually served with wine. A duck farm was set up to provide ducks exclusively for the royal kitchen. Roast duck also became a welcome present Manchu nobles gave each other. Starting from the time of Qinalong, many roast duck restaurants catering to the general public opened. Quanjude, the largest one with branches in China and also many foreign countries, opened in 1864. At first it was frequented mostly by young Manchu aristocrats. Roast duck was also popular with members of foreign legations and tourists abroad. Preparing the Peking roast duck needs a special skill. First, air is blown into the duck so that its skin becomes tightly stretched. Then the innards are taken out and then the inside is rinsed. Boiling water is then poured over the duck. It is ready to be roasted when the skin is dry. Before roasting, diluted malt sugar is applied over the duck’s body. The duck's anus is stuffed with a short piece of sorghum stalk before putting the duck into the oven. Some boiling water is poured into the duck's body so that when it is being roasted, it's inside will be steamed and the meat will be done. Generally, the roasting takes about 40 minutes in winter and 30 minutes in summer. Carving the duck also requires special skills. A skilled person can finish carving a duck within five or six minutes, and can slice 100 to 120 pieces from the duck. The duck skin is reddish-brown with a lining of pink-coloured white meat. Roast duck is usually wrapped in a thin pancake with spring onion or mashed garlic and then dipped in sweet flour sauce or sugar. Sometimes cold roast duck meat is served as a dish to go with wine.
Excerpt: (The Miser Buys A Hostile Creditor, Zheng Tingyu of the Yuan Dynasty). One day Squire Jia was dying to have a taste of roast duck but had not money to do so. As the store owner was busy, he quickly rubbed his hands on a duck to collect some duck fat. When he got home that day, the had one bowl of rice for each finger he sucked. However he left one finger for later that day. As he was full, he decided to take a nap. While napping a dog came passing him by but stopped when it smelt something and then started licking Squire Jia's hand. When he woke up, he realised that the duck fat was gone. He was devastated. In a fit of anger, Squire Jia fell seriously ill.
Roast Suckling Pig
Roast Suckling Pig is the main course in a sumptuous banquet consisting of the most famous Manchu-and-Han-style dishes. The suckling pig is roasted whole. With a light-brown crispy skin stretched over a succulent meat, the dish is tasty but not greasy. Being palatable and digestible, it is popular with Chinese at home and overseas. It is a must especially for banquets in Guangdong Province.
Legend: In ancient times, primitive Chinese people had not learnt the use of fire. They ate the raw meat of birds and beasts. One day, the tribesmen were going to go hunt. One of them told his son to take care of the sucklings the had. When he was feeding the sucklings, he noticed that they were playing with some. He picked it up, but it turned out to be only a pebble. So he tossed it to a side. But as it landed it struck another stone and created a spark. He was very intrigued. He picked up the pebble again and started hitting it on a rock. However, as he did so he started a fire in his pigsty. He ran out but did not manage to save any of his sucklings. He the fire stopped he ran back to check on the pigs but instead he smelt something really good. It was coming from a pig. He tore off a piece of flesh to taste it. When his father got home, he offered some to his father and the use of fire began to spread. After that the boy often set their newly-built pigsties on fire so he and his father could have roast pigs. When he grew up, he was apparently healthier and more intelligent than children of his age who lived on raw meat. Later he found out there was no need to set his pigsties on fire, instead he roasted the pigs on twigs. This tradition has been handed down to later generations. Today, a more sophisticated method is used. Fine skills have been developed and many more ingredients are used. Roast suckling pig also has its place in the rituals of the land. According to tradition in Guangdong, when a bride pays her first visit to her parents after her wedding, her in-laws must send a roast suckling pig as a present to the bride's parents. The absence of such a present is taken as an indication that the bride is not a good woman and she has been rejected by her husband. Therefore, roast suckling pig is indispensable on festive occasions in Guangdong.
Pockmarked Lady's Bean Curd
Pockmarked Lady's Bean Curd was originally a very common home-cooked dish, not a delicacy. But today it is not only a fine specimen of Sichuan cooking but also ranks among the best-known dishes in the world. People often use seven Chinese words to describe the dish. The bean curd is very tender (1), the sauce is seasoned with chilli and brown peppercorn (2) so it tastes hot (3) and numbing (4), which is a taste peculiar to Sichuan dishes. It is always served piping hot (5). It smells good (6) and tastes delicious (7). An interesting story is often told in Sichuan about the origin of this dish.
Legend: During the years of Tongzhi of the Qing Dynasty, Wanfu Bridge outside the North gate of Chengdu (the capital of Sichuan Province) was a bustling business area. It was the centre of the timber trade. Traders and coolies often gathered there to take a break and have their meals. One day, there was a fanfare all over town. It was the wedding day of Chen Desen, son of the timber shop owner and Wen Qiaoqiao, daughter of the pickle shop owner. Wen Qiaoqiao was very pretty and her beauty was enhanced by the few pockmarks she had on her face. After their marriage, Desen stopped going to the shop to help his father. There was gossip going around the house that Qiaoqiao was a fox spirit. So the newlyweds fled the Chen household. Chen Desen and his wife began a new life. Desen went to work in an oil mill nearby and Qiaoqiao stayed home doing embroidery and sewing. Two years passed, when one day Desen's youngest sister, Dehua, showed up at their home. When asked why she left home, she explained that the eldest and second sisters have been ill treating her. So the couple asked her to stay. After that Dehua lived with her brother and sister-in-law. The traders at the oil mill often rested in front of their house. Qiaoqiao and Dehua would offer them hot water and tea. They got along very well. But their good life did not last long. Four years later, Desen died. Dehua and her sister-in-law managed to make a living by taking in sewing, but life became more and more difficult. Then one day, the workers decided to help out. They suggested that since they were often eating at their place, they would help open a restaurant for the two sisters. With the help of the traders, the Chen Family Restaurant opened. To attract customers, Qiaoqiao put different varieties of dishes on the menu that are reasonably-priced. As she was walking through the market, she was struck by an idea. Qiaoqiao bought some beef and bean curd. She copped the beef and boiled the diced bean curd in hot water and drained it. Then she heated oil in a wok over a blazing fire, and stir-fried the minced beef with hot bean paste and chilli sauce. Next, she added the bean curd and some stock and brought it to the boil for a few minutes. A little starch mixed with water was added to thicken the sauce. Then as garnish, she sprinkled some brown peppercorn on the dish. But she accidentally added too much peppercorn. However, when the customers tasted it, they loved the peppery and piping hot taste of the dish. As its unique feature is the numbing taste, and also because it is created by a woman who has a few pockmarks on her face, people jokingly called the dish Pockmarked Lady's Bean Curd. As the dish gained fame, they renamed their restaurant to the Pockmarked Lady Chen's Bean Curd Shop. A hundred years on, business was still booming. After that, Qiaoqiao and Dehua made the dish a speciality of their restaurant. With improvements made during the past century, the dish has earned worldwide fame and is served in almost all Chinese restaurants the world over.
Gongbao Diced Chicken
Gongbao Diced Chicken was named after its creator Ding Baozhen, who was a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination during the time of Emperor Xianfeng of the Qing Dynasty. He was the governor of Shandong Province during the reign of Emperor Tongzhi and the governor-general of Sichuan Province during the reign of Emperor Guangxu. The emperor conferred on him the honorary title Taizi Shabao, meaning 'royal Tutor to the Crown Prince'. Therefore, he was addressed as Ding Gongbao. The dish is cooked in lots of oil but is not greasy. It is peppery but not too hot. It is tender and crispy and has bright appetizing colours. It is a good dish to go with wine or rice and it suits the taste of both old and young.
Legend: (During the reign of Emperor Tongzhi of the Qing Dynasty). One day, there was news that Ding Baozhen, the governor of Shandong, had killed An Dehai an eunuch, the favourite servant of Empress Dowager Cixi. Ding Baozhen only killed An Dehai because he had broken the rule that eunuchs could only leave the palace for official business when he went to Shandong Province without any reason. An Dehai was an arrogant and despotic person, so the common people rejoiced when he was killed by Governor Ding. The event also brought Ding nationwide fame. He also earned a very good reputation by taking effective measures to harness the Yellow River, consolidating coastal defence along Bohai Sea, and setting up the Shandong provincial bureau of machine manufacture. In the second year of the reign of Emperor uangxu, Ding was promoted to be the governor-general of Sichuan. During this time a rebellion broke out amongst the Miao nationality in the southwest against the central government. The rebellion took place soon after Ding took office in Sichuan. He sent troops and successfully put down the revolt. Later he bestowed the title of 'Royal Tutor to the Crown Prince'. In 1885, the 11th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu to invade Tibet of China. Ding was in charge of the defence of China's south-western border. Ding earned the emperor's commendation for the good job he did and also won the respect of the whole country. It was said that one day, Governor Ding came home after a long business trip. After the long trip, he told his cook to prepare dinner quickly. However, by the worst of luck, they had ran out of supplies. Thankfully there was a piece of chicken breast left. He diced the chicken breast and added some peanuts and dried red pepper to it. While stir-frying the diced chicken, sugar, vinegar, sweet flour sauce, and spices such as spring onion, garlic and ginger were added. The governor enjoyed the dish very much and complemented the cook. He even told the cook to add it to the menu of the governor's residence. When Ding was promoted to be governor-general in 1876, he took the cook to Sichuan with him. But in Sichuan there was no sweet flour sauce, so he had to replaced it with hot broad bean sauce which can be found easily. News about the dish spread all over Chengdu. With restaurants in the city vying to imitate the dish, Gongbao Diced Chicken became widely popular with the general public. After Ding Baozhen's death in 1886, the restaurateurs finally got hold of the recipe. After that, dishes like Gongbao Diced Pork and Gongbao Diced Kidney also attracted people to Sichuan restaurants. As the dish goes well with both wine and rice, it is well-liked by young and old people. This, as well as its interesting origin and the fame of Ding Gongbao, makes it widely known not only throughout China but also throughout the world.
Chicken Roasted In Salt
Chicken Roasted in Salt, also called Dong'an Roast Chicken, is a Cantonese dish famous for its special flavour. Cooked in a unique way, the chicken has golden crispy skin and succulent meat, while the chicken bones, which can be eaten, are brittle and tasty. They are considered to be the choice parts by many people. The dish is also known as the Unique Dish from Dong'an.
Legend: During the reign of Emperors Shunzhi and Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, Guangdong Province was the main salt producing area in China. Labourers always took enough food for several days when they went down to the saltworks. They sometimes wrapped up boiled chicken and buried them in the salt to keep them from going bad. Chicken thus preserved could be eaten readily. Moreover, they tasted very good and went well with both rice and wine. The salt industry later flourished around Guishan (capital of Dongjiang Prefecture in Guangdong). Many restaurants were opened near the saltworks. Chicken Roasted in Salt became a very popular dish offered by those restaurants. First, fine salt mixed with shredded ginger and Chinese onion is rubbed on a dressed chicken. Then wrap the chicken in three layers of oil paper. An amount of salt is heated in a wok till the salt becomes very hot. Then, the wrapped chicken is buried in the hot salt and leave it to cool off. The chicken is roasted on the spot and then chopped into pieces ad served. At first the chicken was served in pieces. Later, the prefect of Huizhou threw a banquet for the governor of the province. To please the guest, who was an old man, the chef decided to take out the bones of the chicken. And then he arranged the chicken meat in its original shape. The chicken not only tasted good, the taste was further enhanced by the pleasing colour and shape. And each guest could choose the meat he liked best from various parts of the chicken.
Beggar's Chicken
Beggar's Chicken, also called Roast Chicken Clad in Mud, is a popular dish in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. It is a chicken wrapped in a lotus leaf and roasted directly over flames with mud smeared all over it. When done, the chicken is cream-coloured and tender to the point of almost melting in the mouth. It also has the mild fragrance of the lotus leaf. It is an ideal dish to go with wine or as a main dish. There is an interesting story about this dish.
Legend: It is said that once, a beggar lived in Changsu, Jiangsu Province, during the reign of Emperor Chongzhen at the end f the Ming Dynasty. On one very windy day, he walked around to find a suitable place for shelter. He was walking when he came across a shall hut and he decided to shelter inside. It turned out that there was a chicken inside the hut. So he held it tight for warmth. He tried to sleep but his stomach was growling. He looked at the chicken and was in a dilemma whether or not to eat the chicken. Finally he decided to go ahead. The took the chicken and some straw to a small corner in the town where he smeared the whole chicken with mud. Then he buried the mud-coated chicken in a pit he had dug and lit a fire to roast it. A man who was setting up his stall nearby smelt something delicious and decided to check it out. He looked at the beggar and thought that even though the beggar was in rags, he managed to cook a delicious chicken without any utensils or spices. He had to be very skilled. The man offered the beggar a joint venture to open a restaurant. After that, the beggar started selling chicken roasted in mud. The chicken tasted very good and the method of cooking was unheard of, so a lot of customers were drawn to it. He soon found out that in Suzhou, people steam pork wrapped in lotus leaf in a similar method to his, so he did the same. The 'beggar' dressed a chicken and wrapped it in lotus leaf. He smeared mud over the leaf. He then threw the whole thing into a wood fire. Later he broke the mud crust and discarded the lotus leaf when the chicken was served. The cream-coloured chicken looks very appetizing. Besides the chicken’s aroma, there's the mild fragrance of the lotus leaf. After that, Beggar’s Chicken became known in the are and its fame gradually spread to other parts of the country.
Sizzling Rice with Shrimps
Sizzling Rice with Shrimp is sometimes called Number One Dish in the World. The dish is cooked with fresh shrimps in a thick, rich sauce. When the shrimps are poured over fried rice crust at the table, they make a pleasant sizzling sound. This special feature makes it a gourmet’s delight.
Legend: It is said that during the years of Zhengde of the Ming Dynasty, a high-ranking official named Gu Dingchen was sent by the emperor to Jiangsu Province to investigate the tax-collecting situation. To make sure the common people do not keep avoiding him, he travelled incognito. Although is was a good idea, he was not provided with meals as he would have if he travelled as a high-ranking official. One day, the sun was scorching and he had no place to rest. When he saw a woman walk by he stopped her to ask where he could get some food. As she thought he was a decent man, she told him that it was the Lin Family Village in Kunshan County and that it was nearly impossible to find a restaurant in the remote place. So she offered him to have a meal at her place. The she introduced herself as the wife of a scholar by the name of Lin Ziwen and that her maiden name was Lu. He thought fo a moment and finally agreed. She made a vegetable dish and a bean curd dish. Then she thought there should at least be a soup. However, she couldn't find anything else to make the soup except for some rice crust. Suddenly she was struck by an idea. Madam Lu put a wok over high heat and poured in cooking oil. She broke the rice crust into small pieces and fried them until golden. She made a broad bean sauce and poured it over the rice crust. When she served it, Gu Dingchen was curious s to what the dish was as he had never seem it before. As Madam Lu did not want to be embarrassed she told him that since he was the first one ever to try the dish, it should be called Number One Dish in the World. He loved the dish. After he returned home, Gu Dingchen constantly though about the delicious Number One Dish in the World. He told his cook how to prepare it, not only for himself but also to entertain guests. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the dish was introduced from Kunshan to Suzhou. Later, some restaurants also had the dish on their menu. In the autumn of 1934, the governor of Jiangsu suggested holding an exhibition of the province's produce. The suggested that the exhibition should display selected dishes that represent Jiangsu cooking alongside other famous dishes of special flavours. Following the governor's instruction, many dishes were selected. More than 30 dishes had been selected including shark's fin from Nantong, ham from ugao, stewed tendons of Fengjing, and meat balls of Yangzhou, which were called Lion's Heads. Also listened were beggar's chicken of Changsu, pressed salted duck of Nanjing, dried meat floss of Taicang, eels of Huaiyin, watermelon chicken of Suzhou, spareribs of Wuxi and prawns of Taihu. When the list was presented to the governor, he was surprised that the Number One Dish in the World was not on it. The committee member explained that it was considered common. However, the governor explained that since it has a special flavour it should be included. He also suggested the flavour be improved by high-quality ingredients. The chefs used chicken broth, tomato juice, MSG and Shaoxing rice wine. When the soup was brought to the boil, they added shelled shrimps and shredded chicken breast. Then the soup was thickened with corn starch and poured over the golden friend rice crust. This dish has beautiful colour, smell, taste and also sound. Much improved, the Number One Dish in the World became popular not only in China but also the world over. Now, besides sizzling rice with shrimps, restaurants also offer sizzling rice with shredded chicken, sliced pork and squid.
Dongpo Pork
Dongpo Pork is a dish known to almost every household in China. Everyone knows that it was created by the great literary figure Su Shi of the Song Dynasty, whose courtesy name was Dongpo. The story about its creation and rising popularity across the whole country begins with the misfortune of Su Dongpo in his official career.
Legend: In the second year of Yuanfeng during the Northern Song Dynasty, Prime Minister Wang Anshi introduced reforms and initiated new policies. At the time Su Shi was the prefect of Huzhou. Jealous of Su Shi's talents, court officials He Zhengcheng, Shu Tan and Li Yizhi submitted a report to the emperor, accusing Su Shi of opposing the reform and ridiculing the court and the emperor. This caused Su Shi to be demoted and banished to Huangzhou. In the new position, Su Dongpo's talents were wasted. There was not much for him to do. So he decided to pass the time by cooking. He took some pork that he had and boiled it in water. And then he added some seasoning. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Su Shi covered the wok and went to answer the door. When he answered the door, it was an old man who came to play a game of chess with Su Shi. So they played chess for quite sometime, when the old man exclaimed that he could smell something very appetizing. Su Shi ran to the kitchen thinking that the pork must have been burnt into charcoal. However when he checked the pork, it was not burnt at all. It was bright red and smelt great. He had never tasted anything as good as it before. The meat melted in his mouth and it was not greasy. He invited the old man to have the pork and some wine with him. After that, Su Dongpo often treated his friends to this dish. His friends suggested that the dish be named Dongpo Pork, after Su Shi. After the death of Emperor Shnezong, Su Shi was recalled and appointed Prefect of Hangzhou. When he arrived at Hangzhou, the famous scenic West Lake was half filled with waterweeds. He sent out orders to organize the masses to dredge the waterway and start water conservancy projects. Tens of thousands of labourers worked on the projects. They built irrigation channels and the lake was again filled with clean water. They also built a long dyke and some bridges on the lake. Thus the West Lake regained its former beauty and the dyke has been called Su Dyke ever since. As a sign of gratitude, the common people kept on sending him pork till there was too much. So he decided to use it to repay the people. Su Dongpo ordered his servants to cut the pork into cubes. He put Chinese onion and ginger at the bottom of a wok and then arranged the pork cubes on top of them. He added a little water, some wine, soy sauce, and other spices. When the water boiled, he turned down the fire and let the ingredients simmer for many hours. After the meat was done, he put it in a large jar. He sent the jar to the labourers working at the lake. After that, the reputation of Dongpo Pork spread from Huangzhou and Hangzhou to other parts of the country.
Taibai Steamed Duck
It is said that this dish was created by the famous Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai, whose assumed name was Taibai. The succulent, cream-coloured duck is served in a rich and delicious sauce. The dish has an appetizing smell and is also considered to be very nutritious.
Legend: One day news of Li Bai's arrival in Chang'an spread. He Zhizhang went to meet Li Bai. Li Bai wa known as a tippler and a good poet, writing 100 poems while drinking a decalitre of wine. He went with his father to live in Qinglian Township in Jiangyou County, Sichuan Province, when he was little. At the age of 25, he left Sichuan and roamed from place to place. He had been to the capital before to take the imperial examination, in hope to win an official rank, but he left Chang'an disappointed. Soon, Emperor Xuanzong Li Longji learned about Li Bai and appointed him a member of the Imperial Academy. Li Bai's poems were widely read. One day, the emperor was out walking in the imperial gardens with his favourite concubine. She saw some beautiful peonies and asked the emperor to ask Li Bai to write a poem on them. By order of the emperor, Li Bai immediately wrote three poems to the tune of Qingping. Li Bai was disappointed that all he did was to praise peace and beauty to please the emperor. He wondered when he would be able to realise his aspiration to use his talents to serve the common people. So he decided to express his political ideas in a roundabout way. He used a dish he once had in Sichuan called Steamed Duck as his medium. First he took a tender duck. The dusk was rubbed with a mixture of salt and pepper. A cup of vintage rice wine was rubbed on and then Chinese wolfberry and sanqi, a kind of Chinese medicine called pseudo-ginseng, was added. The duck was then placed in a deep earthen pot and stock was added as well as a few slices of spring onion and ginger. The opening of the pot was sealed with tough paper and the pot was put in a steamer and steamed over a high heat for three hours. He presented the Steamed Duck to the emperor. When asked what was the secret to the dish. He said: Your Majesty, the key to preparing this dish is like running he country and providing the nation with peace and security. Governors of outlying prefectures have set up separatist regimes, endangering the security of the nation. However, he was dismissed by the emperor. All the emperor did was bestowed the name of Taibai Steamed Duck on the dish and complemented Li Bai on his great cooking skills. After that Gao Lishi, the emperor's trusted eunuch, told Lady Yang about the incident. Gao Lishi took advantage of the opportunity and told Lady Yang that in Li Bai's poem he compared her to Zhao Feiyan of the Han Dynasty, which was an insult to her. The solanderous talk gradually led the emperor to look upon the poet with dislike. Soon, the emperor sent Li Bai out of Chang'an, calling it 'bestowing gold and letting him return to his native land'. However, the dish Taibai Steamed Duck has earned its place in the culinary tradition of China. Together with the story about its creation, the dish has been handed down from generation to generation.
Leather Strip Eels
Leather Strip Eels, also called Bamboo Joint Eels, look like creased leather strips. The shiny golden exterior is crispy, while the meat inside is tender and juicy. The dish has a sweet, delicious taste.
Legend: Taiwan is known to have an abundance of eels over since ancient times. But up till the early years of the 19th century, the people in Taiwan did not know that eels were edible. One day, some of the villagers started fighting again. They accused one another for damaging each other's ridge. So they decided to get Magistrate Zhu to evaluate the situation. Zhu Caizhe, the new magistrate of Yilan County, was also referred to as Justice Zhu. After investigating the ridges he realised what had been causing the damage. He told one of his man to ask the plaintiffs to catch some gongjie worms (eels) and meet him at the court. When the villagers reached the court, they found that there were tables laid out for a feast. Magistrate Zhu told they all to have a seat and ask them to help themselves to the food. They soon realised that all the dishes were made of gongjie fish and that they were edible. They asked the magistrate what the dish was called and he told them it was Leather Strip Eels. He then showed them how to cook it. First, the eels were cut into three-inch strips. The pieces were then cured with some salt and starch and then the eels were deep-fried in oil. The eels were taken out once they were golden-brown. The sauce was made by mixing vinegar, sugar, chopped Chinese onion and ginger. Then the sauce was brought to the boil. When it is done, the eels are poured into the sauce and stirred well. Some rice wine was added and the dish was done. The villagers were pleased with food but they were still confused about the damage done to their ridges. Magistrate Zhu explained that the gongjie fish were the ones causing the damage all awhile. After that, residents in Taiwan learnt to eat eels, and their fields were hence protected.
Phoenix Wrapped in Green
Phoenix Wrapped in Green, also called Watermelon Chicken, is a famous dish from Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. It is a chicken steamed in watermelon shell. The chicken is very juicy and tender, the soup is clear and delicious, and the dark green melon shell that serves as a bowl delights the eye as well as the palate.
Legend: In a restaurant in Suzhou, a man enjoyed his meal of winter-melon bowl so much that he told the chef he wanted treat his friends to a banquet there. On the day of the banquet, the restaurant was very busy. So the owner's wife told her servant to help out in the kitchen. The chef however thought that she was in the way. He told her to put the melon into the steamer angrily. The girl accidentally bumped into the chef and the melon fell onto the ground. The owner's wife came into the kitchen and saw what had happened. She apologised to the chef and asked him to make some more.She then sent her servant to the market to get more winter-melon. She walked all around but could not find any winter-melon, however there was a man selling watermelons. She had no choice but to buy watermelons instead. When she got back, the chef was furious and refused to cook. He told her to cook it instead. So the servant girl took over the cooking. Despite the strange combination, it was a big hit with the consumers. When the chef was asked what the name of the dish was, he explained that it was not he who had made it. Instead it was the servant girl. The man decided that since the winter-melon bowl was called Jewel Hidden in White Jade, the watermelon bowl should be called Phoenix Wrapped in Green. After that, the fame of Jewel Hidden in White Jade and Phoenix Wrapped in Green spread far and wide. They became two best known Suzhou dishes in the summer season.
Match of Dragon and Phoenix
Match of Dragon and Phoenix is a historically famous dish. With its shiny golden colour, delicious sweet-and-sour taste as well as its crispy outside and succulent inside, this dish is among the top offerings of Chinese cuisine. Its close relationship with a romantic episode in the literary classic Romance of The Three Kingdoms also lends the dish additional charm.
Excerpt: A famous episode in this classic relates the alliance by marriage between Kingdoms Shu and Wu against Kingdom Wei under Cao Cao. After the wedding, the bridegroom, Liu Bei of Shu, stayed at the Wu palace. Sun Quan, who was Duke of Wu, and now Liu Bei's brother-in-law, was waiting for a chance to get rid of Liu. Meanwhile, the Shu general Zhao Yun was stationed outside the city with 500 Shu troops, drilling and hunting everyday. When it came to winter, the general's men asked him when they were going home. He then remembered that adviser Zhuge Liang had given him an embroidered bag and told him to open it when winter came. Zhuge Liang had already anticipated that Liu Bei would have forgotten about his home and had a plan worked out in the bag. Zhao Yun went to seek audience with Liu Bei telling him he had urgent news. He told Liu Bei that 200 00 men from Cao Cao's army have been dispatched to attack Jingzhou. Afraid that he would lose his foothold, Liu Bei hurried back. The next day, Liu Bei left the Wu palace under the pretext of holding a memorial service for his ancestors. Sun Quan got wind of the couple's departure. He then sent Ding Feng and Xu Sheng to urge them back. General Zhao reported the situation and Liu Bei's wife told the general to go ahead without her. When the two men reached Madam Sun, she told them that since she was married to Liu Bei it was only natural that she went back to Jingzhou with him. The two men did not want to offend her, so they had no choice but to return to Sun Quan and report to him. On the way back, they met with the Wu Commander-in-chief, Zhou Yu. He told them to go after Liu Bei with him. When they reached the riverbank, Liu Bei and Madam Sun had already sailed off in the ship sent over by Zhuge Liang. Refusing to admit failure, Zou Yu continued the chase. On the way, he was ambushed by the troops deployed by Guan Yu and Zhangfei, Liu Bei's generals, and lost a large number of men and horses. Back in Kingdom Shu, Zhuge Liang told the chef to prepare dishes with Jingzhou flavours that embody the idea of celebration and good fortune. The cook thought hard and then began to get the ingredients ready. He presented the dish to Zhuge Liang first. He used live eel, a Jingzhou speciality, and chicken with phoenix crown, also a Jingzhou speciality. Zhuge Liang then named the dish Match of Dragon and Phoenix, with the eels representing the dragon and chicken representing the phoenix. At the banquet, Liu Bei and Madam Sun were greatly please with the dish. They praised it highly, not only for the palatable taste but also for the ingenuity of its creator.
West Lake Sweet-and Sour Fish
West Lake Sweet-and-Sour Fish, also called the DelicacyCreated by a Sister-in-law for Her Brother, is a well-known dish from Hangzhou, where the beautiful West Lake is located. This fish in sweet-and-sour sauce tastes like crabmeat and is one of the main attractions of Zhejiang restaurants.
Legend: Many years ago, two brothers named Song lived by the West Lake. Both were scholars. Not interested in seeking official positions, they made their living by fishing on he lake. The elder brother's wife, whom people called Sister Song, was an intelligent, kind-hearted, virtuous and prudent woman. One day, the brothers went out fishing. Sister Song went to the riverside to wash some clothes. At that time, a man was walking by. He was attracted by her beauty and asked his men what her name was. They told him that she was Sister Song and that if he was interested in her, they would have to get rid of her husband. Squire Zhao plotted to have the elder Song killed. When the younger Song brother found out it was Squire Zhao's doing, he decided to go to court with reliable evidence in his hands. However, as the magistrate had already been bought over by the wealthy squire, the younger Song was beaten up the magistrate office. After that they decided to leave the place. The younger Song decided that when he became an official, he would take revenge. They settled down in another place. Several years passed. The Song brother was finally going to the capital to take the imperial examination. Since he was going to be away from home for some time, Sister Song made cooked some fish to bid him farewell. At that moment, he was not in the mood for a hearty meal but the smell of the fish was just too enticing. The fish however was not cooked in away special way, just that she added more sugar and vinegar to the fish as a sign of all the good and bad times they went through together. As his sister-in-law had expected, the younger Song succeeded in the imperial examination and later returned to his home town after he had acquired wealth and honour. He had his revenge by punishing Squire Zhao and the corrupt magistrate. But he had lost track of the whereabouts of his sister-in-law. One day, he came to a restaurant in Hangzhou. He was thinking about where he could find his sister-in-law when suddenly he saw a dish being placed on the next table. He asked the waiter what the name of the dish was and he answered, West Lake Sweet-and-Sour Fish. He asked to meet the chef and it turned out to be his sister-in-law. Song and his sister-in-law were finally reunited. That’s why the sweet-and-sour fish is also called the Delicacy Created by a Sister-in-law for Her Brother.
The Emperors' Dishes
Legend: During the final years of the Song Dynasty, the country was invaded by the Jin. Emperor Song Shao, the last emperor of the dynasty, escaped to Chao Zhou and hid inside a temple. He was hungry and thirsty, so a monk took some sweet potato leaves, removed the botter taste, and made them into a soup. The emperor loved the delicate fragrance and the soft and delicious leaves. So he made the dish State Protector Dish.
Legend: It is said that during the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Jia Jing went to visit his old teacher before his coronation. The teacher asked his chef what dish should be prepared and the chef said that the emperor's crowning is like a dragon rising to the sky. So he suggested that they made a dish in the shape of a dragon. The chef steamed some minced meat and eggs, and sliced them to form a dragon. They made the dish Coiling Dragon Dish to specially commemorate the coronation. Emperor Jia Jing liked the dish very much, and made it a court delicacy in the Ming Dynasty.
Chinese banquets are diverse and colourful affairs, and the most famous of them all would probably be the Man-Han Banquet. Apart from the choice and quality of the dishes served, Chinese banquets are also much concerned with ambiance, as can be seen in the scenic Jiangnan Cruise Banquet and the open-air Crab Feast.
The Man-Han Banquet
The Man-Han Banquet is a grand feast that combines the best delicacies of the Man (Manchurian) and The Han (Chinese) people. It’s the pinnacle of Chinese cuisine, and is world famous for its scale, complexity, and the numerous and exotic dishes. When the Manchurians established the Qing Dynasty, the palace kitchen was staffed not only by Man chefs, but Han chefs from the previous administration as well. After the dynasties of Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong, the two cuisines were already well integrated. Furthermore, during the mid Qing Dynasty, throwing banquets became a trendy affair among the Man and Han officials. Hence the banquet that married the best of the Man and the Han cuisines was born. The main dishes in the banquet are roasted meat like roasted pig and suckling pig. Other exotic dishes include bird’s nest, shark's fin, bear's paw, camel's hump, monkey's head, and deer's tail. There are also chafing dishes, instantly boiled dishes, and shou dishes. Desserts include sweetmeat, and dried and fresh fruits. Together they form the colourful banquet of eight big and eight small dishes, four cold and four hot meat, four double hors d'oeuvres, and 32 platters.
Jiangnan Cruise Banquet
Jiangnan is a famous river village where most people are used to holding dinners on boats. This is a mobile banquet (though some boats remain stationary) where the boat cruises down the river while guests enjoy the food and scenery. Seafood dishes hold fort here and the dim sum served are quite dainty.
Crab Feast
Chinese are some of the earliest people who took up eating crabs. As early as two thousand years ago crabs have appeared in our ancestor's menu. During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, crab eating has become a leisurely cultural experience. The Double Ninth Festival (the ninth day of the ninth lunar month) autumn crabs are meaty and juicy. During this season people would gather to admire the flowers, eat crabs, drink wine, and recite poems. This custom was later developed into crab feasts where friends and relatives come together. Various tools are used in eating crabs - chopsticks, mallets, knocking boards, pliers, spoons, scissors, and bamboo knives. Sometimes people also use crab shells as wine cups and drink from them.