Ancient China's food culture has a long history, and has gone through a long process of time and evolution. Since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, people have begun to pay attention to the quality and taste of food. Confucius's "never get tired of eating, never get tired of fineness" reflects the ancient people's pursuit of food refinement. After the Tang Dynasty, the study of cooking and food reached a new height, such as Sun Simiao's dietary viewpoint in "A Thousand Golden Recipes: Food Treatment", which emphasized the importance of food for health.
However, despite the continuous development of culinary arts, the limitations of technology and equipment have made ancient cooking methods relatively backward. It was not until the Song Dynasty that the advent of stir-fry techniques enriched the cuisine. In ancient times, the diet of the people was mainly based on grains, and meat was relatively scarce. With the application of stone grinding tools, people's diets began to diversify. By the Zhou Dynasty, meat was carefully cooked in large celebrations. Spicy cooking techniques and a variety of seasoning techniques emerged during this period. During the Qin Dynasty, with the popularity of the five common vegetables, the dishes became more colorful. However, for the general population, the diet is still very simple, mainly based on multicereals, and meat and delicate dishes rarely appear on their tables.
In order to be able to better understand the dietary life of ordinary people in ancient times, we need to understand some historical background and cultural characteristics. Ancient societies were very hierarchical, and the standard of living of ordinary people was relatively low, and their main task was to work to make ends meet. As a result, the food they can enjoy in their daily lives is very limited.
Although ancient foods developed in terms of variety and cooking techniques, these rich foods did not often appear on the tables of ordinary people. The diet of ordinary people in ancient times consisted mainly of simple whole grains, and meat and delicate foods were extremely rare. The famine was even more difficult in times of famine, when people lived in poverty and had very simple diets. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, most families lived below the poverty line, and their diet depended mainly on their own farmland and rented fields. In bad harvest years, people even need to dig wild vegetables, gnaw tree bark, or eat Guanyin soil to make a living.
Due to the large gap between the rich and the poor in ancient society, the diet level of ordinary people has always been relatively low. They rarely had the opportunity to taste lavish feasts and expensive ingredients. Coarse grains have become their main food**, such as rice, millet, corn, etc. Whereas, meat is a luxury for ordinary people and is usually only tasted on special festivals or celebrations. Vegetables and fruits were also not very common in the diet in ancient times, mainly because of the inconvenient transportation and seasonal climate restrictions.
In addition, for the ancient literati, despite their relatively high standard of living, they also focused on vegetarianism and calorie restraint. For example, Wei Jiyang, a literati in the Tang Dynasty, proposed the dietary method of "five days and nights with one meat", which showed the literati's concept of health preservation.
Over time, China's food culture has undergone tremendous changes. In the Tang Dynasty, there were many restaurants and delicacies from all over the country, forming a unique food culture. During the Northern Song Dynasty, there were obvious differences in diet between regions, and marine resources began to be utilized. However, the eating Xi of the general population remained stable for a long time without much change.
However, the mass famine that occurred in the last and early years of the Ming Dynasty exposed the food security problems of ancient societies. The famine led to the deaths of millions of people and made people reflect on the issue of food. With the development of science and technology and agriculture, as well as social and economic progress, China's food culture has gradually changed. The application of modern agricultural technology has made food more abundant and diverse, and people have more opportunities to taste a variety of cuisines.
Modern Chinese food culture is no longer just about satisfying basic survival needs, but has become a manifestation of enjoyment and culture. The emergence of various delicacies such as Peking duck, Sichuan hot pot, and Cantonese dim sum has allowed people to enjoy the deliciousness of different regions and cuisines.
This change not only reflects the improvement of technology and living standards, but also reflects people's pursuit of quality of life. Modern food culture has incorporated international elements, and various Western, Japanese, and Korean foods have become more and more popular in China.
Although ancient food may seem rudimentary at the time, it has laid the foundation for today's food culture, allowing us to understand and appreciate China's long-standing food culture more deeply. At the same time, modern food culture is constantly evolving and developing. We can find traces of ancient recipes in modern cuisine, while also incorporating modern innovations and international elements.
From a single coarse grain in ancient times to exquisite cuisine in modern times, the development of Chinese food culture is not only a change in technology and materials, but also a change in lifestyle and cultural identity. It not only reflects people's pursuit of quality of life, but also shows the depth and breadth of Chinese culture.
In the process, we have learned to appreciate and appreciate our food culture more, and at the same time, we have realized the importance of preserving and passing on this cultural heritage. By learning Xi and understanding ancient diets, we can better understand Chinese history and culture, and at the same time, we can make more scientific choices and judgments about modern diets. I hope that we can enjoy the food while also preserving and passing on this precious food culture.