A precious moment in Chinese history, the literary style of the Wei and Jin dynasties was at its peak, and the food culture skillfully evolved, building a treasure of Chinese civilization.
Since ancient times, China has regarded itself as a country of "eating", and Chinese food has always stood on top of the world in terms of the variety of dishes and the richness of ingredients. Even during the turbulent period of the late Qing Dynasty, the two major characteristics of Chinese civilization, the rich food culture and the implicit literary tradition, continued to shine after the vicissitudes of life.
In ancient China, eating was crucial. This is the reason why ancient Chinese literati and ink writers, even though they lived a humble life, still left behind a valuable cultural heritage. Looking back at the Wei and Jin dynasties, what kind of tests did the people of the Central Plains face who experienced wars, plagues, and man-made disasters?
China's eight major cuisines are famous all over the world, however, the food of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and ** is even more fascinating. This stems from the influx of Western culture, which brought fresh, interesting and delicious food to the people of the Central Plains. Prior to this, the Western Regions and the Central Plains were frequent, but the food culture of the Central Plains was not changed. Why did people in the Wei and Jin dynasties emerge with such a diversity of colors in their lives hundreds of years later?
In ancient times, the staple food of the Han nationality was "five grains for nourishment, five fruits for help, five animals for benefit, and five vegetables for filling", and meat was a luxury for ordinary people. Unlike the Central Plains, ethnic minorities in the northern part of the West eat meat and dairy products as their staple food, and use unique cooking methods such as roasting and stewing. The collision of the two cultures has made the Central Plains culture more rich and diverse.
Zhang Qian's trip to the Western Regions brought a variety of new vegetables and cooking techniques to the Central Plains, and after hundreds of years of evolution, more vegetables entered the Central Plains. There are more than 30 kinds of vegetables recorded in the "Qi Min Yao Shu", including the well-known eggplant and grapes. Eggplant has been popularized in China since the Han Dynasty, and Eggplant Pu is named because of its abundance. The introduction of these ingredients has injected new vitality into the Central Plains culture.
Although the war has brought suffering to the people, it has also promoted the movement of people. The wars of the Wei and Jin dynasties led to the southward migration of the Central Plains people as a historical trend, and the combination with the southerners deepened cultural exchanges. The food culture of the people of the North and the South merges and there are still similarities to this day, which stems from the difficult times that they once experienced together.
Buddhism was introduced to China in the early days without strict dietary requirements, but with the spread of the canon, some meat began to be restricted. Emperor Wu of Liang promulgated the "Text on Breaking Wine and Meat" to promote the concept of prohibiting alcohol and meat. This idea influenced later generations, and those who practiced Buddhism followed it.
In the history of Chinese culture, the Tang and Song dynasties and the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period were two periods of ideological blowouts. During the Wei and Jin dynasties, the literary style was at its peak and the world was turbulent. Why has literature been able to reach such heights in these dark times?
Literature has always been constrained by dogma, emphasizing the edification of sentient beings and the emancipation of the mind. The Seven Sons of Jian'an were representative figures of this period, who liberated literature from dogma and emphasized the expression of individuality. Cao Zhi's poems embody strong personal emotions and lay the foundation for later literary development.
Humanism rose in the midst of war during the Wei and Jin dynasties, and this kind of emancipatory literature laid the foundation for later personalized literature such as Tang and Song poems.
The Wei and Jin dynasties were a period of ideological agitation, and the three schools of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism penetrated each other. Social upheaval led to a greater appreciation of ideas that could be escapist, which led to a deeper exchange of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The lifting of the ban on ideas laid the foundation for more discourse to circulate.
The pastoral school founded by Tao Yuanming has become a model for almost all literature lovers. In this faction, people were no longer troubled by society, and Tao Yuanming, with his far-reaching philosophy and indifferent literary style, became a literary model of this period.
It's a difficult time, but it's also a time of hope. In this forgotten corner of history, the pace of change is quietly accumulating. China absorbed the advanced ideas of ethnic minorities from the agrarian civilization of the Central Plains, tore down the walls of the old era, and opened a new chapter. During the Wei and Jin dynasties, as an era that connected the past and the next, the reform of the ideological trend injected new vitality into the Chinese civilization and left a rich and colorful cultural heritage.
Civilization and food culture changes in the Wei and Jin dynasties were a period of creativity and ideological collision in Chinese history, and this article describes in detail and vividly the important changes in food culture, thought and literature during this period.
First of all, the article profoundly points out the role of war in promoting food culture. During the turbulent Wei and Jin dynasties, there was a massive movement of population, and the blending of different regions and cultures brought about major changes in diet. The introduction of the Western Regions culture, especially the collision of meat and pasta, made the food Xi habits of the Central Plains civilization more diversified and rich. During this period, the variety of food, such as the various new vegetables and cooking techniques brought back by Zhang Qiantong to the Western Regions, injected new elements into the table of the Central Plains civilization. This transformation is not only an innovation in taste, but also a manifestation of intercultural exchange.
Secondly, the article gives a profound explanation of the alternating development of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. During the Wei and Jin dynasties, Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism penetrated each other, and the agitation of ideas provided a rich soil for the development of literature. The lifting of the ban on the ideology of literati such as the Seven Sons of Jian'an made literature no longer subject to dogma and paid attention to the expression of individuality. Confucian realism and the spiritual practice of Buddhism blended with each other to form a rich and diverse literary style. This pluralism of thought had a positive impact on the flourishing of literature, allowing literati to express their emotions and thoughts more freely.
In addition, the article also provides an in-depth discussion of the rise of pastoral school. The pastoral school founded by Tao Yuanming became a longed-for literary style during this period. In the context of social turmoil and frequent wars, people's yearning for a quiet and indifferent life has been fully expressed through the pastoral school. The profound philosophy incorporated into Tao Yuanming's poems has made the pastoral school a model for all literature lovers. This expression played a positive role in the pacification of the society at that time, and also provided a reference for the development of later literature.
In general, the civilization and food culture changes of the Wei and Jin dynasties had a profound and positive impact on the development of Chinese civilization. The treasures of this period not only enriched China's food culture, but also laid the foundation for the flourishing of literature in the future. The article profoundly reveals the characteristics of civilization in this period, so that readers have a more comprehensive understanding of this period of history.
Disclaimer: The above content information is ** on the Internet, and the author of this article does not intend to target or insinuate any real country, political system, organization, race, or individual. The above content does not mean that the author of this article agrees with the laws, rules, opinions, behaviors in the article and is responsible for the authenticity of the relevant information. The author of this article is not responsible for any issues arising from the above or related issues, and does not assume any direct or indirect legal liability.
If the content of the article involves the content of the work, copyright**, infringement, rumors or other issues, please contact us to delete it. Finally, if you have any different thoughts about this event, please leave a message in the comment area to discuss!