In China, cooking is considered an art form and they consider eating to be an important component of life.  It has been suggested that the Chinese have at least 80,000 distinctly different dishes.  The Chinese do not eat one entree or one dish at a time as we do in the western world.  Chinese tables are typically set with a variety of dishes served simultaneously.  Everything is placed in the center of the table and each diner samples a little bit of all.  The palate is treated to a variety of flavors and textures.  Chinese ranks with French cooking as one of the most influential cuisines of the world.  Many of the most popular foods such as rice, soybeans and tea are native to Asia.  Other foods came to China through trade.  These include ingredients such as pork and wheat from the Middle East and potatoes, tomatoes, corn and chili peppers from the Americas.  The most important basic food in China is rice.  It is a fundamental part of most every meal.  There are many varieties of rice; each has a distinct flavor and texture.  China is a very large country and each region has its own distinctive cuisine.

Cantonese cuisine is from the province of Canton in the south of China.  The warm climate in Canton supports the growth of a wide variety of vegetables.  The long seacoast provides ample seafood.  The primary Cantonese method of cooking is stir-frying, which leaves vegetables crisp and meat tender.  Cantonese food is also known for its delicately seasoned thick sauces.  The primary ingredients are soy sauce, rice wine, ginger root, and garlic fermented black beans.  The basic cooking utensils in Canton are the wok, the cleaver and chopsticks.  Cantonese cooking is the most common type of Chinese cuisine found abroad.

Honan is the northernmost region in China and its cuisine relies on wheat rather than rice as a staple starch.  Noodles, steamed breads and dumplings are common items.  Garlic is used frequently and Honanese food is known for its very light and subtle flavors.  The Honanese are fond of lamb which is not used much in other parts of China.  A Honanese specialty is the Mongolian fire pot.

Fukien is a coastal province in China.  It is known for its seafood and mushroom dishes and for the production of soy sauce.  Fukienese cooking is known as Hung-shu in Chinese.  It refers to a browning of food in soy sauce, either by first sautéing the food in a wok or by braising it in a covered pot.  The color of the food changes to deep red, almost brown.  The sauce in which the food has been cooked is saved and can be used time and time again.  Soups are the primary item of a Fukienese meal and several soups may occur throughout the meal.  Most Fukien dishes are subtly seasoned and the emphasis is on bringing out the food’s natural flavors.  Paper-wrapped foods and egg rolls are believed to have originated in Fukien.

Szechuan, Hunan and Yunnan cuisines are known for their highly spiced food.  This is due to extensive use of Szechuan peppercorn (fagara).  A typical treat or a snack would be peanuts boiled with salt and fagara.  Szechuan cuisine is known for its use of chili peppers, fresh ginger, garlic and fagara peppers.

The Hunan cuisine is similar to Szechuan cuisine, but sweet and sour dishes made with freshwater fish are common.  Furthermore, sesame oils, fermented black beans, black pepper and scallions are prominent.  Yunnan cuisine is similar to Szechuan and Hunan cuisines, but yogurt and fresh cheese are used in many dishes.

Meal Patterns

The Chinese usually eat three meals a day, plus snacks.  Grains, which they refer to as san, are considered the primary component of the diet and everything else, meat, fish and vegetables are considered accompaniments.  The Chinese term for them is cài.  In the south of China, breakfast often includes conge (rice porridge) served with meat or fish.  Steamed bread, dumplings or noodles are also typical breakfast items.  Lunch and dinner would include soup, rice and accompaniments of meat, poultry, fish or vegetables.  The number of dishes that are served at a given meal depends somewhat on the number of guests at the table.  Dessert is not a common item but when it is served, it is usually fresh or preserved fruit.

At a meal, soup is typically served first.  After the soup, the grain items are served, typically to each individual, and then the primary food items (the accompaniments) are placed in the middle of the table.  The composition of both the individual dishes and the meal as a whole is very important.  Textures, colors and flavors should be varied; hot dishes are balanced with cold dishes; seasoned dishes are balanced with bland dishes; sweet dishes are balanced with salted dishes.  Yin foods are bland or cool foods including vegetables while yang foods are hot, rich or spicy foods.  What is classified as yin or yang food may vary from region to region and nuts, small cakes and savories are often consumed.  Dim sum was created in the teahouses of the tenth century.  Dim sums are bite-sized dumplings made from a mixture of wheat, starch and tapioca flour, stuffed with force meats, fish, meat or vegetables and sometimes fruits.  They can be steamed, deep-fried or baked, and are served as a snack, or with a meal.

Etiquette and Mealtime Behavior

It is appropriate to drink soup directly from the bowl in which it is served or to use a porcelain spoon.  Chopsticks are prominent although forks may be used.  Knives are considered a barbaric implement and should not be used at the table.  Westerners are often surprised how quickly meals are eaten.  Chinese tables are round or square rather than oval or oblong allowing diners to sit equidistant from the cài.  Food, when passed, must be received with two hands, as receiving or passing foods with one hand is a sign of disrespect or indifference.  Cài is never sampled before rice is served; that would indicate that you are greedy and selfish.  The host will indicate when it is appropriate to begin the meal by lifting the chopsticks and saying “ch’ing”.  It is not appropriate to eat cài directly from its bowl; rather it should first be transferred to your rice bowl, or plate if used.  It is impolite to “fish around” in your food; rather you should eat whatever you prod.  It is proper to lift the rice bowl with some cài in your left hand and transfer the food to your mouth with the chopsticks in your right hand.  In China, silence is often common once the food is served, as it is considered appropriate to “talk first, then eat.”  Bones may be sucked with closed lips and lips are smacked to indicate dining pleasure.  It is important to indicate that the meal was enjoyable.  When full diners may lay their chopsticks across their rice bowl.  The final morsel during a Chinese meal is often the fortune cookie.  A note or letter of thanks regarding a meeting or meal is a common courtesy.  Gifts are not expected.  It is particularly important to avoid white flowers, as they signify death; white is the color of funerals.

The Chinese Approach

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Last Updated: February 17, 2006