Three minutes to talk about culture
When looking at the food culture of ancient China, we may be surprised to learn that some of the common ingredients on our tables today, such as tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers, were introduced later. So, what did the ancient people eat?It's a fascinating question that leads us to explore ancient Chinese food culture and how it communicates and blends with the world's food culture.
1. "Local" ingredients in ancient China
Agricultural production in ancient China provided a rich material basis for its food culture. The staple food is mainly composed of rice, wheat, barley, millet, millet, millet, soybean, etc., among which, rice is particularly widely cultivated, not only in the south, but also in the north. The combination and variation of these staple foods formed the backbone of ancient Chinese food culture.
In terms of vegetables, although there are not some of the ingredients we know now, there are still a lot of vegetables in ancient China. For example, there are more than 20 kinds of vegetables mentioned in the Book of Songs, including sunflower, leek, leaf, camellia, alfalfa, gourd, calamus, winter melon, gourd, lettuce, etc. These are all native Chinese vegetables, which add rich colors to the ancient food culture.
Second, the introduction and integration of foreign ingredients
Although the food culture of ancient China was dominated by local ingredients, there were also some foreign ingredients that were introduced and incorporated into it. For example, after Zhang Qian went to the Western Regions, he introduced walnuts, flax, beans, carrots, cucumbers, garlic (garlic), coriander (coriander), etcDuring the Ming Dynasty, corn, sweet potatoes (sweet potatoes), tobacco, peanuts, etc. were introducedThe Qing Dynasty introduced guava, custard, onion, etc. These foreign ingredients not only increase the diversity of Chinese food culture, but also reflect the exchange and integration between ancient China and the outside world to a certain extent.
3. Characteristics of ancient Chinese food culture
The characteristics of ancient Chinese food culture can be summarized as follows:
1.Emphasizing the idea of the unity of nature and man, that is, the diet should adapt to the changes of the four seasons and the geographical environment;
2.Pay attention to the harmony and unity of color, aroma, taste and shape of food;Thirdly, it advocates eating modestly, that is, eating in moderation and not excessively;
3.Emphasis is placed on the health function of diet, i.e., food that should not only be delicious but also beneficial to the body.
To sum up, the ancient Chinese food culture is a culture based on local ingredients, while constantly absorbing and integrating foreign ingredients. The formation and development of this culture not only reflects the characteristics of agricultural production and the differences in the regional environment in ancient China, but also reflects the love and pursuit of food by the ancient Chinese people. At the same time, it is also an important part of ancient Chinese civilization, providing an important perspective and basis for us to understand and evaluate ancient Chinese history and culture.
In modern society, our diet has become more and more global, and all kinds of ingredients can be found in the market. However, looking back and understanding ancient Chinese food culture can help us better understand our food** and history, and it can also make us more valuable and respectful of our cultural heritage.