1.

INTRODUCTION

China Location

The region of China is lying within latitudes 18 and 54 North and longitudes 73 and
135 East. The entire country is located in Eastern Asia. Fourteen countries share their
boundaries with China. The country has a land boundary of 13,743 miles (22,117 km).
If where is China is the question that is puzzling you, then you need to use a location map of
China to find the correct answer. With a population of over 1.3 billion residents, The People's
Republic of China is situated in Eastern Asia. It is the most densely populated state in the
world.
China consists of 22 provinces, four municipalities, five autonomous regions, and two
specially administered regions. The capital of the country is Beijing.
The total area covered by the country is 3,704,427 sq miles or 9,640,821 km2. The country
shares its borders with India, Nepal, Russia, and various other countries of Central Asia.
The country features a shoreline, which extends for approximately 9,000 miles (14,500 km).
This shoreline is the 11th most extensive shoreline in the world. The country is bordered by
the South China Sea to the southeast and by the East China Sea towards the east, outside
which Korea, Taiwan, and Japan are situated.
In terms of land area, the People's Republic of China is the second biggest country in the
world and in terms of total area, the country is the fourth biggest country in the world.

Fourteen nations share their boundaries with China and the names of the countries are as
follows:

Laos

Vietnam

India

Burma

Nepal

Bhutan

Afghanistan

Pakistan

Kyrgyzstan

Tajikistan

Russia

Kazakhstan

North Korea

Mongolia

Furthermore, the boundary amid the PRC and the Republic of China is lying in water bodies.
The land boundary of the country stretches for 13,743 miles (22,117 km), which is the
longest in the world.
The region of China is situated within latitudes 18 and 54 North, and longitudes 73 and
135 East.

CHINESE CUISINE
With a time-honored history, Chinese cuisine culture is extensive and profound.
According to records, as early as in the Shang and Zhou dynasties over 3,000
years ago, a fairly complete culinary system was formed. Thanks to the constant
development and improvement in the past several thousand years, Chinese
cuisine has become a complete culture system with unique characteristics, and
has given birth to tea culture, wine culture and other cultures. Both meticulously
prepared imperial dishes and local snacks reflect the Chinese people's pursuit for
delicacies and the country's deep cultural ins and outs of the Chinese nation.
China is a world-renowned "Culinary Kingdom." As one of the six important
elements of tourism. i.e., transport, sightseeing, accommodation, food, shopping
and entertainment, "food" is one of the most important component parts of
China's abundant tourism resources. Delicious Chinese food attracts thousands
upon thousands of foreign tourists to China. While visiting scenic Chinese tourist
attractions. tourists can also taste various kinds of delicious food.

China has a vast territory and a large number of ethnic groups. Thanks to the great differences
in the climate, geographical environment, and historical and cultural development of different
regions, various styles of cuisine have been formed, each having its own distinct
characteristics. The cooking techniques and different styles of cuisine reflect the quintessence
of unique Chinese cooking techniques, and represent the level of Chinese culinary.

China has local cuisine, imperial dishes, dishes of ethnic minorities, Islamic dishes with a
strong religious flavor and vegetarian dishes. At the beginning China had only four styles of
cuisine. i.e., Sichuan, Shandong, Guangdong and Huaiyang cuisine, which later developed
into eight major styles of cuisine, then 10 main styles of cuisine, special styles of dishes of
ethnic minorities such as Mongolian dishes, Tibetan dishes, Manchu dishes, Zhuang dishes
and so on. Each ethnic minority dishes displays its unique ethnic customs. Dishes in the style
of the ancients, includes Dishes of the Confucius Mansion. Tan Family Dishes, and Imitated
"Dream of Red Mansions" Dishes, in addition to various kinds of local snacks, such as
Beijing, Guangzhou, Jinan and Chengdu snacks. These styles of cuisine reflect China's rich
and colorful catering culture in an all-round way.

Foods prepared by varied places are quite different in tastes, showing strong regional
features. The people of northwest China love sour food; those of southwest China are fond of
spicy food; and those from south and east China prefer sweet food. The people of north China
mainly eat cooked wheaten food, such as steamed bread, steamed twisted rolls, pancakes and
noodles; and the people of south China take rice as staple food.

The Chinese people have always maintained: "One does not object to the finest food." In
Chin, cooking is a special skill, as well as an art, with profound contents and varied forms.
Chinese cooking techniques feature time-honored history and consummate skills, and attach
great importance to the combination of beautiful shapes and delicious tastes. Chinese food is
known for bright colors, beautiful forms, tempting smell and various tastes.

With a long history, remarkable characteristics and rich connotations. Chinese cooking
techniques are spread far and wide, and Chinese food is loved by the people all over the
world. China, France and Turkey enjoy the highest reputation in the world for their culinary
cultures, known as the "three major culinary schools." Chinese culinary art has made great
contributions to human civilization. Now Chinese restaurants are spread all over the world.
Many foreigners have got to know China and Chinese catering culture through tasting
Chinese food.

The Chinese people have always attached great importance to their food and beverages. An
old Chinese saying goes: "People regard food as their prime want." Along with the
improvement of the people's livelihood, the people all over the world are paying more and
more attention to catering culture. Tasting delicious Chinese food in different places of China
is one of the reasons why foreign tourists come to China. Eating delicious food after (loin"
sightseeing will make their trip to China more satisfactory. The saying of "eating in China" is
universally accepted.

In China delicious food is often linked with festivals and celebrations. For instance, Jiaozi
(dumpling with meat and vegetable stuffing) eaten during the Spring Festival. Zongzi (a
pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves) eaten
during the Dragon Boat Festival, and moon cakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival have become
indispensable parts in the life of the Chinese people. At the Nadam Grassland Fair of the
Mongolian ethnic minority, the Corban Festival of the Huis, the Water Sprinkling Festival of
the Dais. and the game of "Maidens Chasing Her Lover" of Uygurs, tourists from all over the
country may taste mutton and rice eaten with fingers, fried pastry and other delicious food. To
enrich the cultural life of the people and promote the development of Chinese tourism,
various kinds of delicacy festivals and celebrations are held every year in different regions of
China, such as Guangzhou International Delicacy Festival, Ordos Delicacy Festival of the

Inner Mongolia
Autonomous Region. Shandong Qilu Tourism Delicacy Festival, Chengdu Delicacy and Hot
Pot Festival, etc. These festivals and celebrations have played and will continue to play an
important role in promoting the development of tourism, the improvement and dissemination
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of cooking techniques, enriching China's tourism resources and products, and propelling the
Chinese delicacy culture.

2. HISTORY OF CHINESE CUISINE

The Cuisine of China spreads both around the world and deep into history and is marked by
both variety and change. The archeologist and scholar K.C. Chang says Chinese people are
especially preoccupied with food and food is at the center of, or at least it accompanies or
symbolizes, many social interactions. Over the course of history, he says, "continuity vastly
outweighs change." He posits basic organizing principles which go back to earliest times and
give a continuity to the food tradition, principally that a normal meal is made up of fan
(grains and other starches) and cai (vegetable or meat dishes). Others see a succession of
changes and development which bring incremental but basic change. Endymion Wilkinson
offers four keys to the richness of ever-changing Chinese cuisine:

Huge and expanding geographical area, with climate zones from the subarctic to the
tropical, each providing new ingredients and cultures with cooking traditions of their
own.

An elaborate tradition of dietary and medicinal cooking which saw food as the basis
of good health: Food was medicine and medicine, food.

Demands from different patrons or groups for their own specialized cuisines, for
example, the imperial courts, rich households, and scholar-gourmands. By the later
empire, there were enough businessmen and scholar-officials living away from home
to support restaurants catering to their desire to eat the cuisine they were familiar
with.

The continuous absorption of all sorts of foreign influences, including the ingredients,
cooking methods, and recipes from the people of the steppe as well as from the rest of
Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Japan.

Practices
Over the centuries, as new food sources and techniques were invented, the Chinese cuisine as
we know it gradually evolved. The "Silk road" is the conventional term for the routes through
Central Asia linking the Iranian plateau with western China; along this trade route passed
exotic foodstuffs that greatly enlarged the potential for Chinese cuisines, only some of which
preserve their foreign origin in the ideogram for "foreign" that remains in their name: "it
would surprise many Chinese cooks to know that some of their basic ingredients were
originally foreign imports," Frances Wood observes: sesame, peas, onions, coriander from
Bactria, and cucumber were all introduced into China from the West during the Han dynasty".
Chopsticks, which are made from all sorts of materials and which are one of the hallmarks of
the Chinese table, have been used as eating utensils at least as far back as the Zhou Dynasty.
Stir-fried dishes became popular during the Tang Dynasty. The stir-fry method of cooking
was invented out of necessity, in order to conserve expensive and scarce fuel.

CHINESE CUISINE CLASSIFICATIONS

Not long after the expansion of the Chinese Empire during the Qin Dynasty and Han
Dynasty, Chinese writers noted the great differences in culinary practices among people from
different parts of the realm. These differences followed to a great extent the varying climate
and availability of foodstuffs in China. Different ethnic groups might occupy only small
areas, but early on, their cuisines were included in systematic lists of Chinese cuisines.
China's cuisines are classified as follows:

North and south

The difference between northern and southern cuisines was one of the earliest distinctions
that was noted, and one that is still observed today even as the food cultures of North and
South China have evolved greatly since the distinction was first made. Northerners generally
eat wheat-based foods, southerners eat rice-based foods.

Traditional Four Schools classifications

Most Chinese cuisines belong to one of the Four Schools: Lu, Yang (named after Jiangsu's
major style, Huaiyang cuisine), Chuan and Yue. These are often translated as the cuisines of
Shandong, Sichuan, Jiangsu and Guangdong. The School of Lu (Shandong) is the largest
because it is the oldest.
.

3. FOOD IN CHINA
Introduction

Starfish

As anyone that has traveled to China would know, one of the most enjoyable aspects of the
country is its food. The variety and the depth of food you could find in China is mind
boggling. What makes it great is also the fact that the types of foods also vary greatly
between regions and provinces, depending on the local climate and produce.
Most people would find the food in China gives "Chinese food" a new definition, vastly
different from the stuff you'd get from local Chinese takeaways, the "real Chinese food"
could be a real eye opener. Some of it you'd love, some of it you won't like, and some you'd
just hesitate to even try. But be brave, like a real traveler would, because food in China could
truly put the completeness into your experience.

Street Foods of China

A food stall in china. Steamed corn, grilled chestnuts and dduk (white rice cake),
dried persimmons, cuttlefish, squid, octopus and filefish.

Street food is ready-to-eat food or drink sold in a street or other public place, such as a
market or fair, by a hawker or vendor, often from a portable stall. While some street foods are
regional, many are not, having spread beyond their region of origin. Most street food are both
finger and fast food. Street food costs less than a restaurant meal. According to the Food and
Agriculture Organization, 2.5 billion people eat street food every day.
Street food is intimately connected with take-out, junk food, snacks, and fast food; it
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is distinguished by its local flavour and by being purchased on the street, without
entering any building. Both take-out and fast food are often sold from counters
inside buildings.

Health and safety

Concerns of cleanliness and freshness often discourage people from eating street food. With
the increasing pace of globalization and tourism, the safety of street food has become one of
the major concerns of public health, and a focus for governments and scientists to raise public
awarenesses. In the United Kingdom, the FSA provides comprehensive guidances of food
safety for the vendors, traders and retailers of the street food sector.Other effective ways of
enhancing the safety of street foods are through mystery shopping programs, through training
and rewarding programs to vendors, through regulatory governing and membership
management programs, or through technical testing programs.
Night Markets

More common in western China and in smaller towns night markets can be some of the best
places to eat. The dishes change according to the region ranging from meat kebabs to
scorpion on a stick. In general at night markets follow the rule of eating were other people are
eating and eat it quick.

Food Stalls
Lamian Noodle Stalls

Lamian stalls can found in every city in China. They are almost always run by Muslim
immigrants from Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai. It is easy to spot these restaurants because of
the large arabic characters outside and the muslim men in skull caps making the famous fresh
pulled noodles in the front. These noodles are made by pulling out the dough then slamming
it down on the counter.
Usually these restaurants are family operations and you can see the women helping out
wearing traditional Islamic scarves. In general these places are clean, efficient and cheap with
a bowl of noodle's ranging from 6 rmb to 9 rmb. Therefore if your in a new town and need
something to eat quick and cheap just look for some lamian stall.

Lamian Is the standard pulled noodles and comes in a chicken broth with a
little bit of dried lamb.

Huimian Is a longer and wider noodle usually served in a chicken broth

with tomatoes, mushrooms and onions. Although this changes depending
on the restaurant and time of year.

Hot Pot
Hot Pot or Huoguo is what many people call Chinese fondue. Always eaten by a group of
people a boiling pot of broth is put in the centre of a table. People take raw veggies and meat
and cook them in the broth. The broth can change a lot depending on the region of the
country. Usually a split bowl is served that has spicy broth in one half and non spicy broth in
the other half. When ordering hot pot it is best to walk around with the restaurant with the
waitress pointing at what you want to eat. Here is a list of common things eaten with hot pot:

4. CHINESE CULTURE
Chinese culture

is one of the world's oldest and most complex The area in

which the culture is dominant covers a large geographical region in eastern Asia with customs
and traditions varying greatly between towns, cities and provinces. Important components of
Chinese culture includes literature, music, visual arts, martial arts, cuisine,

People in the culture

People in imperial China during silk production - Qing dynasty

Identity
Today there are 56 distinct recognized ethnic groups in China.[3] In terms of
numbers however, the pre-eminent ethnic group is the Han Chinese. Throughout
history, many groups have been assimilated into neighboring ethnicities or
disappeared without a trace. At the same time, many within the Han identity
have maintained distinct linguistic and regional cultural traditions. The term
Zhonghua Minzu has been used to describe the notion of Chinese nationalism in
general. Much of the traditional identity within the community has to do with
distinguishing the family name.

Regional
Traditional Chinese Culture covers large geographical territories, where each
region is usually divided into distinct sub-cultures. Each region is often
represented by three ancestral items. For example Guangdong is represented by
chenpi, aged ginger and hay.[4][5] Others include ancient cities like Lin'an
(Hangzhou), which include tea leaf, bamboo shoot trunk and hickory nut.[6] Such
distinctions give rise to the old Chinese proverb: literally "the wind varies within
ten li, customs vary within a hundred li.

Society
Gold detailing on a throne used by the Qianlong Emperor. The Chinese dragon
was a symbol reserved for the Emperor of China or high level imperial families
during the Qing Dynasty
Structure

Since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period, some form of Chinese monarch has
been the main ruler above all. Different periods of history have different names for the
various positions within society. Conceptually each imperial or feudal period are similar, with
the government and military officials ranking high in the hierarchy, and the rest of the
population under regular Chinese law. From the late Zhou Dynasty (1046256 BCE)
onwards, traditional Chinese society was organized into a hierarchic system of socioeconomic classes known as the four occupations.
However, this system did not cover all social groups while the distinctions between all groups
became blurred ever since the commercialization of Chinese culture in the Song Dynasty
(9601279 CE). Ancient Chinese education also has a long history; ever since the Sui
Dynasty (581618 CE) educated candidates prepared for the Imperial examinations which
drafted exam graduates into government as scholar-bureaucrats.
This led to the creation of a meritocracy, although success was available only to males who
could afford test preparation. Imperial examinations required applicants to write essays and
demonstrate mastery of the Confucian classics. Those who passed the highest level of the
exam became elite scholar-officials known as jinshi, a highly esteemed socio-economic
position. Trades and crafts were usually taught by a shifu. The female historian Ban Zhao
wrote the Lessons for Women in the Han Dynasty and outlined the four virtues women must
abide to, while scholars such as Zhu Xi and Cheng Yi would expand upon this. Chinese
marriage and Taoist sexual practices are some of the customs and rituals found in society.
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Values
Most social values are derived from Confucianism and Taoism. The subject of which school
was the most influential is always debated as many concepts such as Neo-Confucianism,
Buddhism and many others have come about. Reincarnation and other rebirth concept is a
reminder of the connection between real-life and the after-life. In Chinese business culture,
the concept of guanxi, indicating the primacy of relations over rules, has been well
documented.
Confucianism was the official philosophy throughout most of Imperial China's history, and
mastery of Confucian texts was the primary criterion for entry into the imperial bureaucracy.
A number of more authoritarian strains of thought have also been influential, such as
Legalism.
There was often conflict between the philosophies, e.g. the Song Dynasty Neo-Confucians
believed Legalism departed from the original spirit of Confucianism. Examinations and a
culture of merit remain greatly valued in China today. In recent years, a number of New
Confucians (not to be confused with Neo-Confucianism) have advocated that democratic
ideals and human rights are quite compatible with traditional Confucian "Asian values,
With the rise of European economic and military power beginning in the mid-19th century,
non-Chinese systems of social and political organization gained adherents in China. Some of
these would-be reformers totally rejected China's cultural legacy, while others sought to
combine the strengths of Chinese and European cultures. In essence, the history of 20thcentury China is one of experimentation with new systems of social, political, and economic
organization that would allow for the reintegration of the nation in the wake of dynastic
collapse.

Language

Chinese calligraphy written by Song Dynasty (1051-1108 CE) poet Mi Fu

Main articles: Chinese language and History of Mandarin

The ancient written standard was Classical Chinese. It was used for thousands of years, but
was mostly reserved for scholars and intellectuals which forms the "top" class of the society
called "shi da fu alligraphy later became commercialized, and works by famous artists
became prized possessions. Chinese literature has a long past; the earliest classic work in
Chinese, the I Ching or "Book of Changes" dates to around 1000 BC. A flourishing of
philosophy during the Warring States Period produced such noteworthy works as Confucius's
Analects and Laozi's Tao Te Ching. (See also: the Chinese classics.) Dynastic histories were

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often written, beginning with Sima Qian's seminal Records of the Grand Historian, which
was written from 109 BC to 91 BC.
The Tang Dynasty witnessed a poetic flowering, while the Four Great Classical Novels of
Chinese literature were written during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Printmaking in the form
of movable type was developed during the Song Dynasty. Academies of scholars sponsored
by the empire were formed to comment on the classics in both printed and handwritten form.
Royalty frequently participated in these discussions as well. Chinese philosophers, writers
and poets were highly respected and played key roles in preserving and promoting the culture
of the empire. Some classical scholars, however, were noted for their daring depictions of the
lives of the common people, often to the displeasure of authorities.
By the 20th century, millions of citizens, especially those outside of the "shi da fu" social
class were still illiterate. Only after the May 4th Movement did the push for written
vernacular Chinese begin. This allowed common citizens to read since it was modeled after
the linguistics and phonology of the standard spoken language. Nowadays there are many
different dialects among different regions. These dialects are just like "local codes". People
could not understand each other if they are not from related areas.
Chinese religion was originally oriented to worshipping the supreme god Shang Di during the
Xia and Shang dynasties, with the king and diviners acting as priests and using oracle bones.
The Zhou dynasty oriented it to worshipping the broader concept of heaven. A large part of
Chinese culture is based on the notion that a spiritual world exists. Countless methods of
divination have helped answer questions, even serving as an alternate to medicine. Folklores
have helped fill the gap for things that cannot be explained. There is often a blurred line
between myth, religion and unexplained phenomenon.
While many deities are part of the tradition, some of the most recognized holy figures include
Guan Yin, Jade Emperor and Buddha. Many of the stories have since evolved into traditional
Chinese holidays. Other concepts have extended to outside of mythology into spiritual
symbols such as Door god and the Imperial guardian lions. Along with the belief of the holy,
there is also the evil. Practices such as Taoist exorcism fighting mogwai and jiang shi with
peach wood swords are just some of the concepts passed down from generations. A few
Chinese fortune telling rituals are still in use today after thousands of years of refinement.
.

Architecture
Chinese architecture, examples for which can be found from over 2,000 years ago, has long
been a hallmark of the culture. There are certain features common to Chinese architecture,
regardless of specific region or use. The most important is its emphasis on width, as the wide
halls of the Forbidden City serve as an example. In contrast, Western architecture emphasize
on height, though there are exceptions such as pagodas.
Another important feature is symmetry, which connotes a sense of grandeur as it applies to
everything from palaces to farmhouses. One notable exception is in the design of gardens,
which tends to be as asymmetrical as possible. Like Chinese scroll paintings, the principle
underlying the garden's composition is to create enduring flow, to let the patron wander and
enjoy the garden without prescription, as in nature herself. Feng shui has played an important
part in structural development.

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Cuisine

Chinese meal in Suzhou with rice, shrimp, eggplant, fermented tofu, vegetable
stir-fry, vegetarian duck with meat and bamboo

The overwhelmingly large variety of Chinese cuisine comes mainly from the practice of
dynastic period, when emperors would host banquets with 100 dishes per meal. A countless
number of imperial kitchen staff and concubines were involved in the food preparation
process. Over time, many dishes became part of the everyday-citizen culture. Some of the
highest quality restaurants with recipes close to the dynastic periods include Fangshan
restaurant in Beihai Park Beijing and the Oriole Pavilion. Arguably all branches of Hong
Kong eastern style or even American Chinese food are in some ways rooted from the original
dynastic cuisines.

5.
Hakka - An important element of
Chinese culture
Who are the Hakkas?
The Hakkas are a unique ethnic group of "Han" Chinese originally active
around the Yellow River area. They are thought to be one of the earliest
"Han" settlers in China. One theory has it that many of the early Hakkas
were affiliated with the "royal bloods". The truth may be more complicated
than that. It is highly likely that while Hakka may be a stronghold of Han
culture, Hakka people also have married other ethnic groups and adopted
their cultures during the long migration history of 2000 years. Due to the
infusion of other ethnic groups from the northwest, north and northeast,
these original settlers gradually migrated south and settled in Jiangxi,
Fujian, and Guangdong. They were called Hakka by the locals when they
first settled in. This term has been used since by non-Hakka and Hakka
people, and in international publications. The spelling "Hakka" is derived
from the pronunciation in Hakka dialect ( pronounced as "haagga" in
Hakka and "kejia" in Mandarin).
13

During the last hundred years or so, Hakka people migrated to South East
Asia, East Africa, Europe (Holland, United Kingdom, France, Germany..),
South America (Brazil, Trinidad...) Canada, US. About 7% of the 1.2 billion
Chinese clearly state their Hakka origin or heritage. However, the actual
number may be more as many Hakka Han who settled along the path of
migration assimilate with the local people. The Hakka identity is gradually
lost.
Hakka people are noted for their preservation of certain cultural
characteristics that could be traced to pre-Qin period (about 2200 years
ago) as expressed in the custom, foods, spoken language, etc.
Hakka people are also known to be very adamant in defending their
cultural heritage, which was the reason for their migration to flee from the
"northern" influence at that time.
As a late comer to places initially occupied by locals, Hakkas usually had
to struggle and survive on the less desirable lands. Thus, Hakka people
are well-known for their perseverance even in the most adverse
environment.
Among all the Chinese people, Hakkas are among the most conservative
in keeping the traditions. Yet, many are willing to take risks and seek new
opportunities elsewhere to establish themselves. The migratory tradition
results in the distribution of Hakka in the most remote part of the world.
An anecdote has it that the north-most restaurant in the world close to the
Arctic is in fact a Chinese restaurant run by a Hakka. :)
The Hakka people, paradoxically conservative and endeavoring, hardworking and enduring, is reflective of the spirit of Chinese culture.

Who are the Hakkas?

The Hakkas are a unique ethnic group of "Han" Chinese originally active
around the Yellow River area. They are thought to be one of the earliest
"Han" settlers in China. One theory has it that many of the early Hakkas
were affiliated with the "royal bloods". The truth may be more complicated
than that. It is highly likely that while Hakka may be a stronghold of Han
culture, Hakka people also have married other ethnic groups and adopted
their cultures during the long migration history of 2000 years. Due to the
infusion of other ethnic groups from the northwest, north and northeast,
these original settlers gradually migrated south and settled in Jiangxi,
Fujian, and Guangdong. They were called Hakka by the locals when they
first settled in. This term has been used since by non-Hakka and Hakka
people, and in international publications. The spelling "Hakka" is derived
from the pronunciation in Hakka dialect ( pronounced as "haagga" in
Hakka and "kejia" in Mandarin).
During the last hundred years or so, Hakka people migrated to South East
Asia, East Africa, Europe (Holland, United Kingdom, France, Germany..),
South America (Brazil, Trinidad...) Canada, US. About 7% of the 1.2 billion
14

Chinese clearly state their Hakka origin or heritage. However, the actual
number may be more as many Hakka Han who settled along the path of
migration assimilate with the local people. The Hakka identity is gradually
lost.
Hakka people are noted for their preservation of certain cultural
characteristics that could be traced to pre-Qin period (about 2200 years
ago) as expressed in the custom, foods, spoken language, etc.
Hakka people are also known to be very adamant in defending their
cultural heritage, which was the reason for their migration to flee from the
"northern" influence at that time.
As a late comer to places initially occupied by locals, Hakkas usually had
to struggle and survive on the less desirable lands. Thus, Hakka people
are well-known for their perseverance even in the most adverse
environment.
Among all the Chinese people, Hakkas are among the most conservative
in keeping the traditions. Yet, many are willing to take risks and seek new
opportunities elsewhere to establish themselves. The migratory tradition
results in the distribution of Hakka in the most remote part of the world.
An anecdote has it that the north-most restaurant in the world close to the
Arctic is in fact a Chinese restaurant run by a Hakka. :)
The Hakka people, paradoxically conservative and endeavoring, hardworking and enduring, is reflective of the spirit of Chinese culture.

6. Eight Culinary Traditions of China

Chinese dishes may be categorized as one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of China, also
called the "Eight Regional Cuisines" and the "Eight Cuisines of China". They are as follows:

Hui: Anhui

Yue (Cantonese): Guangdong

Min: Fujian

Xiang: Hunan (Can include Xiangjiang Region, Dongting Lake and

Xiangxi styles)

Su (aka Huaiyang Cuisine): Jiangsu

Lu: Shandong (Include Jinan, Jiaodong styles, etc.)

Chuan: Sichuan

Zhe: Zhejiang (Can include Hangzhou, Ningbo, and Shaoxing styles)

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Regional cuisines

Beef noodle soup

Chinese fried rice

A number of different styles contribute to Chinese cuisine, but perhaps the best known and
most influential are Guangdong (Cantonese) cuisine, Shandong cuisine, Jiangsu cuisine and
Sichuan cuisine. These styles are distinctive from one another due to factors such as available
resources, climate, geography, history, cooking techniques and lifestyle. One style may
favour the use of lots of garlic and shallots over lots of chilli and spices, while another may
favour preparing seafood over other meats and fowl. Jiangsu cuisine favours cooking
techniques such as braising and stewing, while Sichuan cuisine employs baking, just to name
a few. Hairy crab is a highly sought after local delicacy in Shanghai, as it can be found in
lakes within the region. Beijing Roast Duck (otherwise known as 'Peking Duck') is another
popular dish well known outside of China. Based on the raw materials and ingredients used,
the method of preparation and cultural differences, a variety of foods with different flavours
and textures are prepared in different regions of the country. Many traditional regional
16

cuisines rely on basic methods of preservation such as drying, salting, pickling and
fermentation.

Chuan (Sichuan)
Szechuan cuisine, also called Sichuan cuisine, is a style of Chinese cuisine originating in the
Sichuan Province of southwestern China famed for bold flavors, particularly the pungency
and spiciness resulting from liberal use of garlic and chili peppers, as well as the unique
flavor of the Sichuan peppercorn and zhitianjiao.Peanuts, sesame paste and ginger are also
prominent ingredients in Szechuan cooking.

Hui (Anhui)
Anhui cuisine (Chinese or nhuci) is one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of China. It is
derived from the native cooking styles of the Huangshan Mountains region in China and is
similar to Jiangsu cuisine. But it emphasizes less on seafood and more on a wide variety of
local herbs and vegetables. Anhui province is particularly endowed with fresh bamboo and
mushroom crops.

Lu (Shandong)
Shandong Cuisine is commonly and simply known as Lu cuisine. With a long history,
Shandong Cuisine once formed an important part of the imperial cuisine and was widely
promoted in North China. However, it isn't so popular in South China and even in the allembracing Shanghai.
Shandong Cuisine is featured by a variety of cooking techniques and seafood. The typical
dishes on local menu are braised abalone, braised trepang, sweet and sour carp, Jiuzhuan
Dachang and Dezhou Chicken. Various Shandong snacks are also worth trying.

Min (Fujian)

A bowl of Fujian thick soup, or geng

Fujian cuisine is a traditional Chinese cuisine Many diverse seafoods are used, including
hundreds of types of fish, shellfish and turtles, provided by the Fujian coastal
regionWoodland delicacies such as edible mushrooms and bamboo shoots are also utilized
Slicing techniques are valued in the cuisine and utilized to enhance the flavor, aroma and

17

texture of seafood and other foods. Fujian cuisine is often served in a broth or soup, with
cooking techniques including braising, stewing, steaming and boiling.

Su (Jiangsu, Huaiyang cuisine)

Jiangsu cuisine, also known as Su (Cai) Cuisine for short, is one of the major components of
Chinese cuisine, which consists of the styles of Yangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou and Zhenjiang
dishes. It is very famous all over the world for its distinctive style and taste. It is especially
popular in the lower reach of the Yangtze River.
Typical courses of Jiangsu cuisine are Jinling salted dried duck (Nanjing's most famous dish),
crystal meat (pork heels in a bright, brown sauce), clear crab shell meatballs (pork meatballs
in crab shell powder, fatty, yet fresh), Yangzhou steamed Jerky strips (dried tofu, chicken,
ham and pea leaves), triple combo duck, dried duck, and Farewell My Concubine (softshelled turtle stewed with many other ingredients such as chicken, mushrooms and wine).

Yue (Hong Kong and Guangdong)

Dim sum, literally "touch your heart", is a Cantonese term for small hearty dishes. These bitesized portions are prepared using traditional cooking methods such as frying, steaming,
stewing and baking. It is designed so that one person may taste a variety of different dishes.
Some of these may include rice rolls, lotus leaf rice, turnip cakes, buns, shui Jiao-style
dumplings, stir-fried green vegetables, congee porridge, soups, etc. The Cantonese style of
dining, yum cha, combines the variety of dim sum dishes with the drinking of tea. Yum cha
literally means 'drink tea'. Cantonese style is the unique and charm dishes, which enjoy a long
history and a good reputation both at home and abroad. It is common with other parts of the
diet and cuisine in Chinese food culture. Back in ancient times, and the Central Plains on
Lingnan Yue Chu family has close contacts. With the changes of dynasty historically, many
people escaped the war and crossed the Central Plains, the increasing integration of the two
communities. Central Plains culture gradually moved to the south. As a result, their food
production techniques, cookware, utensils and property turned into a rich combination of
Agriculture, which is the origin of Cantonese food. Cantonese cuisine originated in the Han.

Xiang (Hunan)
Hunan cuisine is well known for its hot spicy flavor,fresh aroma and deep color. Common
cooking techniques include stewing, frying, pot-roasting, braising, and smoking. Due to the
high agricultural output of the region, there are varied ingredients for Hunan dishes.

Xinjiang
The cuisine of Xinjiang reflects the region's many ethnic groups and refers particularly to Uyghur
cuisine. Signature ingredients include roasted mutton, kebabs, roasted fish and rice Because of the
Islamic population, the food is predominantly halal.

Zhe (Zhejiang)
Zhejiang cuisine (Chinese: or Zhjingci), one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of China,
derives from the native cooking styles of the Zhejiang region. The dishes are not greasy,
having but instead a fresh, soft flavor with a mellow fragrance.
The cuisine consists of at least three styles, each of which originates from different cities in
the province:
18

Hangzhou style, characterized by rich variations and the use of bamboo

shoots

Shaoxing style, specializing in poultry and freshwater fish

Ningbo style, specializing in seafood

Other
Many other regions with unique dishes and styles are represented in China, including the
cuisine of Macau and Hainan.

Rice
Rice is a major staple food for people from rice farming areas in southern China. It is most
commonly eaten in the form of steamed rice. Rice is also used to produce beers, wines and
vinegars.

Noodles

Misua noodle making in Lukang, Taiwan

Chinese noodles come dry or fresh in a variety of sizes, shapes and textures and are often
served in soups or fried as toppings. Some varieties, such as Shou Mian , literally noodles of
longevity, are symbolic of long life and good health according to Chinese tradition.

Soybeans
Tofu is made of soybeans and is another popular product that supplies protein.

Wheat
In wheat farming areas in Northern China, people largely rely on flour based food such as
noodles, breads, dumplings and steamed buns.

19

Vegetables
Some common vegetables used in Chinese cuisine include bok choy (Chinese cabbage),
Chinese Spinach (dao-mieu), On Choy, Yu Choy, and gailan (guy-lahn).

Seasonings
When it comes to sauces, China is home to soy sauce, which is made from fermented soya
beans and wheat. Oyster sauce, transparent rice vinegar, Chinkiang black rice vinegar, fish
sauce and fermented tofu (furu) are also widely used. A number of sauces are based on
fermented soybeans, including Hoisin sauce, ground bean sauce and yellow bean sauce.
Spices and seasonings such as fresh root ginger, garlic, spring onion, white pepper, sesame
oil are widely used in many regional cuisines. Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon,
fennel, cloves. To provide extra flavors to dishes, many Chinese cuisines also contain dried
Chinese mushrooms, dried baby shrimps, dried tangerine peel. dried Sichuan chillies as well.

Desserts
Panfried water chestnut cake, a type of Chinese gao dessert

Chinese desserts are sweet foods and dishes that are served with tea, along with meals or at
the end of meals in Chinese cuisine. Bings are baked wheat flour based confections, and
include moon cake Red bean paste pancake and sun cakes. Chinese candies and sweets,
called tngare usually made with cane sugar, malt sugar, honey, nuts and fruit. Gao or Guo
are rice based snacks that are typically steamed and may be made from glutinous or normal
rice. Ice cream is commonly available throughout China. Another cold dessert is called
baobing, which is shaved ice with sweet syrup. Chinese jellies are known collectively in the
language as ices. Many jelly desserts are traditionally set with agar and are flavored with
fruits, though gelatin based jellies are also common in contemporary desserts. Chinese dessert
soups typically consist of sweet and usually hot soups and custards.

Beverages
Tea

Longjing tea, also known as Dragon Well tea, is a variety of roasted green tea
from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, where it is produced mostly by hand
and has been renowned for its high quality, earning the China Famous Tea title.

As well as with dim sum, many Chinese drink their tea with snacks such as nuts, plums, dried
fruit (in particular jujube), small sweets, melon seeds, and waxberry. China was the earliest
20

country to cultivate and drink tea which is enjoyed by people from all social classes. Tea
processing began after the Qin and Han Dynasties. Chinese tea is often classified into several
different categories according to the species of plant from which it is sourced, the region in
which it is grown, and the method of production used. Some of these are green tea, oolong
tea, black tea, scented tea, white tea, and compressed tea. There are four major tea plantation
regions in China. They are Jiangbei, Jiangnan, Huanan and the southwestern region. Well
known types of green tea include Longjing, Huangshan, Mao Feng, Bilochun, Putuofeng
Cha, and Liu'an Guapian. China is the worlds largest exporter of green tea. One of the most
ubiquitous accessories in modern China, after a wallet or purse and an umbrella, is a doublewalled insulated glass thermos with tea leaves in the top behind a strainer.

Liquor
Yellow wine has a long history in China, where the unique beverage is produced from rice
and ranges between 1015% alcohol content. The most popular brands include Shaoxing Lao
Jiu, Shaoxing Hua Diao and Te Jia Fan. Wheat, corn and rice are used to produce Chinese
liquor which is clear and aromatic, containing approximately 60% alcohol. This also has a
long history in China, with production believed to date back to the Song Dynasty. Some
popular brands of liquor include Er guo tou, Du Kang, Mao Tai, Lu Zhou Te Qu and Wu
Liang Ye.

Herbal drinks
Chinese herb tea, also known as medicinal herbal tea, is a kind of tea-soup made from purely
Chinese medicinal herbs.

Milk
Chinese in earlier dynasties evidently drank milk and ate dairy products, although not
necessarily from cows, but perhaps koumiss (fermented mare's milk). After the Tang dynasty
there emerged a line dividing eastern Asia into two groups, those who depend on milk
products (India, Tibet, Central Asians) and those who reject those foods. Chinese depend on
soy, as more efficient way of supporting density, and to differentiate themselves from border
nomads. Most Chinese until recently have avoided milk, partly because pasturage for milk
producers in a monsoon rice ecology is not economic, partly because milk products became
negatively associated with horse riding, milk drinking nomadic tribes. There may even be a
biological bias. A certain number of people in any ethnic group are lactose intolerant. In
addition, human beings, like other mammals, after they are weaned, stop producing lactase
enzymes (needed to digest milk) unless they drink milk. Lactose intolerance is then partly
cultural, partly biological.
Beginning in the early 20th century Shanghai, Western food, and in particular identifiably
nourishing items like milk, became a symbol of a neo-traditional Chinese notion of family.

Styles
In most dishes in Chinese cuisine, food is prepared in bite-sized pieces, ready for direct
picking up and eating. In traditional Chinese cultures, chopsticks are used at the table.
Traditional Chinese cuisine is also based on opposites, whereby hot balances cold, pickled
balances fresh and spicy balances mild.

21

7. Chinese Cooking Techniques

Chinese cooking techniques vary widely in form, with stir-fryingbeing one of the
better known methods in the West

Chinese cooking techniques are a set of methods and techniques traditionally used
in Chinese cuisine.The cooking techniques can either be grouped into ones that use a single
cooking method or a combination of wet and dry cooking methods.

Single
Many cooking technique involve a singular type of heated cooking or
action.

Wet
Steamed sea bass in the Cantonese style

22

Wet-heat, immersion-based cooking methods are the predominate class of cooking techniques
in Chinese cuisine and are usually referred to as fact the ter is commonly used to denote
cooking in general.

Quick
Fast wet-heat based cooking methods include:
English
Equivalen Chinese
t

Pinyin Description
Braising ingredients over medium heat in a small
amount of sauce or broth and simmering for a
Sho short period of time until completion. Known as
hong-shao lit. red cooked) when the sauce or broth
is soy sauce based.
Adding ingredients and seasonings to boiling
Dn or water or broth and immediately serving the dish
Zh
with the cooking liquid when everything has
come back to a boil.

Braising

simplified
Chinese:
traditional
Chinese:

Quick
Boiling

or

Scalding

or simplified
Cho
Chinese:
or
traditional
Tng
Chinese

Par cooking through quick immersion of raw

ingredients in boiling water or broth sometimes
followed by immersion in cold water.

Prolonged
Prolonged wet-heat based cooking methods include:
English
Equivale Chinese
nt

Pinyi
Description
n

Bake
stewing

Wi

Slowly cooking a ceramic vessel of broth and other

ingredients by placing it in or close to hot embers.

Dn

Adding ingredients to cold water along with

seasonings and allowing the contents to slowly come
to a prolonged simmering boil. This is known in
English as double steaming due to the vessels
commonly used for this cooking method. The term is
also used in the Chinese languages to describe the
Western cooking technique of stewing and brewing
herbal remedies of Traditional Chinese medicine.

Cooking over prolonged and constant heat with the

ingredients completely immersed in a strongly
flavoured soy sauce based broth. This technique,
along with hong-shao is known in English as red
cooking.

simplified
Gradual
Chinese:;
simmering traditional
Chinese:

simplified
Slow
red Chinese:
cooking
traditional
Chinese:

23

Steaming

Zhng
Steaming food to completion over boiling water.
or Xn

or

Decoction

Cooking slowly to extract nutrients into the

simmering liquid, used to describe the brewing
process in Chinese herbology with the intention of
using only the decocted brew.

Dry
Air-based

Zhangcha duck is a dish whose preparation involves steaming , smoking ,and

deep frying .

Food preparation in hot dry vessels such as an oven or a heated empty wok includes:
English
Equivalent
Baking
Roasting
Smoking

Chine Pinyi
Description
se
n
or

Ko

Cooking by hot air through convection or broiling in an

enclosed space

Xn

Cooking in direct heat with Smoke. The source of the

smoke is typically sugar or tea.

24

Oil-based

Stir frying is a Chinese cooking technique involving relatively large amounts of

oil.

Oil-based cooking methods are one of the most common in Chinese cuisine and include:
English
Equivalent

Chine Pinyi
Description
se
n

Deep frying or

Frying

Zh

Full or partial immersion cooking in hot oil or fat

Pan frying

Jan

Cooking in a pan with a light coating of oil or liquid and

allowing to food to brown.

Stir frying or
high
heat
Sauting

Cooking ingredients at hot oil and stirring quickly to

completion. This technique and bao are commonly known in
Cho
English as stir frying. This technique uses higher heat
than that of Sauting.

High heat Stir

frying

Cooking with large amounts hot oil (or broth) at very high
heat and tossing the ingredients in the wok to
completion.

Bo

Without heat
Food preparation techniques not involving the heating of ingredients include:
25

Raw methods
English
Equivalent

Chine Pinyi
Description
se
n

Dressing

Bn

Mixing raw or unflavoured cooked ingredients with

seasonings and served immediately. Similar to tossing a
dressing into salad.

Marinating or

pickling

Yn

To pickle or marinade ingredients in salt, soy sauce or

soy pastes. Use for making pickles or preparing
ingredients for addition cooking.

Combination
The chicken in General Tso's chicken has been fried and lightly braised in sauce
(Liu)

Several techniques in Chinese involve more than one stage of cooking and have their own
terms to describe the process. They include:

Dng: The technique is used for making aspic but also used to describe
making of various gelatin desserts

Simmering meat for a prolonged period in a broth (Lu) or (Dun)

Chilling the resulting meat and broth until the mixture gels

Hi : The dishes made using this technique is usually finished by

thickening with starch

Quick precooking in hot water (Tang)

Finished by stir-frying or Shao

Li (This technique is commonly used for meat and fish. Pre-fried tofu is
made expressly for this purpose.

Deep frying (Zha) the ingredients until partially cooked

Finishing the ingredients lightly braising (Shao) it to acquired a soft

"skin"

Mn:

Stir-frying the ingredients until partially cooked

Cover and simmer (Shao, ) with broth until broth is fully reduced
and ingredients are fully cooked.

8. Chinese Food Culture

Interested in knowing about the culture that surrounds Chinese food? Get
an insight into the Chinese way of cooking.

Amongst the many interesting aspects to have originated from China is the culture that
revolves around the cuisine of the region. The food culture of the country is as rich as its art
heritage if not more. There is plenty of regional diversity in the countrys cuisine and plenty
of customs and traditions associated with the preparing and consumption of food.
26

The break up of Chinese food

In general Chinese cuisine can be divided into two distinct styles, the Northern and the
Southern. Northern cuisine is characterized by its extensive use of oil but the food itself is not
cloyed. The Northern foods make abundant use of vinegar and garlic. There are many
Northern Chinese dishes that revolve around pasta. Other popular Northern dishes include
ravioli-dumplings, noodles, steamed stuffed buns, steamed bread and fried meat dumplings.
The areas of Tientsin and Shantung are the regions that are known for making use of
Northern style cooking.
Southern style cooking is known for its abundant use of Chili peppers and the food in general
is known to possess tenderness and freshness. There is a lot of variety in Southern style
cooking which tends to have a sweet taste to it. Rice dishes are very popular amongst
Southern style cooking with some of the popular items being rice cakes, noodles and congee.
One of the unique aspects of Chinese food is the importance of color and aroma. These two
elements share equal importance with the taste of the food item in Chinese cooking. Chinese
food tends to be very colorful. Every dish features at least three to five different colors. The
most popular colors found in Chinese food include yellow, green, red, black, white and
caramel.
The aroma plays a special role in increasing the appetite of the individual. Scallions, chili
peppers, garlic, wine, star anise, pepper, cinnamon and sesame oil are some of the ingredients
that contribute to the special mouthwatering aroma that rise from Chinese food.
The Chinese make all possible efforts to maintaining the freshness in their food. There is lot
of emphasis on retaining the natural flavor of the ingredients. They compliment this by
making all possible attempts to remove any undesirable odor from the food.
A typical well prepared Chinese dish strikes the optimum balance between strong flavors and
bland food plus sweetness and sourness. A dish that manages to capture all these tastes in due
proportion is considered to be true to the traditional Chinese taste.
The Chinese have been known to be a people that are highly conscious about their health. As
much as they pay emphasis on the presentation, smell and taste of the food the same amount
of attention is paid to the nutrition value of what they consume. In fact nutrition takes
precedence over the rest of the elements found in Chinese food.
There is in fact an ancient theory of harmonization of foods that sought to identify the five
different flavors of sweetness, sourness, bitterness, piquant, saltiness as the bodys basic
nutritional needs in relation to the five major organs of the body.

9. Chinese Food Habits Characteristic

In the skill of cooking of China, it is nearly reach the limit that Chinese
seek the delicious food, the delicious Chinese food is well known in the
world. The Chinese food has its unique glamour, the key lies in its flavor.
Chinese have been seeking the supreme state of the cooking all the time.
The Chinese food can be said to be The color, fragrance, flavor, shape,
tableware perfect unify. The Chinese food pays attention to the nutrition
matching of the vegetable with meat. According to investigation of the

27

plant scholar of America and Europe, there are more than 600 kinds of
vegetables that Chinese eat.
The Chinese food habits has unique characteristic. Because Chinese like
all people sharing the cooked food, most dining-table of China are round,
but isnt Occidents rectangle dining-table. In China, any feast, no matter
what purpose it is, only have a kind of form, everybody sit around the
round dining-table. This dietetic habit causes a kind of solidarity and
jollification atmosphere. The delicious food is put in the centre of diningtable. People through taste the delicious food and chat, thus promote
friendship. People propose a toast each other, this reflect mutual respect
and comity. This accord with Chinese people happy reunion general
psychology.
The biggest characteristic of Chinese food habits is: use the chopsticks,
besides soup, Chinese take the food using the chopsticks. Different from
Occident, Chinese like eating dishes first, and then eat soup. It has a
characteristic too that Chinese treat, because of Chinese use the round
dining table, the hosts identity isnt recognized through his seat. Guests
should wait for hosts invitation, and then sit down. The host must notice
that cant let guests sit close to the seat that serve food, or else is
impolite. The host must propose a toast to guests first, the host should
add the wine to the wine cup for guests first, and then add the wine to the
wine cup for oneself, and must add to the almost full of wine cup, thus
conform the Chinese etiquette, in order to express that respect the guest
and each others friendship (Generally speaking, Chinese drink white
liquor, do not drink the grape wine, so use flat cup, dont use the grape
wine cup. In addition, Chinese white liquor was made by the grain, the
alcohol degree of Chinese white liquor is between 38 to 65 degree
generally, it is much higher than the grape wine). If you do not want to
drink, should make clear while beginning in banquet, avoid the
embarrassed scene. This is very big difference between China and
Occident.
Through the Chinese food habits characteristic, everybody can find out
the Chinese personality characteristic: Hospitable, solidarity, attach
importance to the friendship, like making friends, etc. So, if Chinese feast
you, you must know these Chinese food habits, avoid the embarrassed
scene. In addition, the thing that you should to do is to enjoy the delicious
Chinese food.

10. Chinese Food Ingredients and Staples

28

Fresh Chinese Ingredients

used for Flavor and Seasoning
Garlic
Garlic has been used in China for over 5,000 years. Not
only in the kitchen but also in Chinese Traditional Medicine
as it is considered to have medicinal properties. You will
find that Garlic is used throughout Chinese cooking, one of
the most common uses is with stir-fries.

Ginger
Ginger is along with garlic the most common Chinese Food
ingredient used for flavoring. Ginger is popular with
Cantonese dishes as well as the more spicy Szechuan
recipes. Besides fresh ginger, you can also find it ground
and pickled.

29

Green Onions
Green Onions or Spring Onions are used liberally either
cooked to add flavor or raw as garnishings. A staple in
most stir-fry dishes.

Chilies
Fresh Chilies can be added chopped, sliced, crushed or
whole for that extra zing! There are many kinds of chilies,
some are hotter than others. Also can be found dried and
they are just as hot.

Cilantro or Chinese Parsley

A very popular herb with a strong flavor, also known as
Coriander. It is popular in Chinese cooking with sauces,
soups, dim sums and as garnish.

Chinese Sauces and Condiments

Soy Sauce
There is a light soy sauce and a dark soy sauce, make sure
you use the kind your recipe calls for. We normally use the
dark sauce for cooking and season meats. The light soy
sauce can be served on the table for dipping spring rolls
or dim sum for example.

Oyster Sauce
Oysters and soy sauce are the main ingredients. The
brown sauce, although made from oysters, it doesn't have
a strong fishy taste, its taste is rather mild and is used for
cooking meats and vegetables and very popular in
Cantonese dishes. There is also a "vegetarian" version
made with mushrooms.

30

Sesame Oil
Sesame Oil is a dark, aromatic and very flavorful
ingredient. There are several kinds, the one used for
Chinese cooking is usually heavier and darker and it is not
used for frying but rather as a marinade, sprinkled at the
end just for flavor, or added to dipping sauces.

Five Spice Powder

What is in Five Spice Powder? It is made of ground
peppercorns, star anise, cloves, fennel and cinnamon and
sometimes coriander seeds. It is a mix of flavors, from
sweet to hot, fragrant, salty and pungent and used to
condiment meats, fish, poultry and vegetables.

Chili Sauce
Made from chili peppers, it is used for dipping and
stirfrying. Can be served on the table to sprinkle over food
as desired.

Chili Paste
Made from chili peppers and soybeans, it's a staple in
Szechuan and Hunan spicy dishes. Fragrant when cooked,
a tiny bit goes a long way.

Rice Vinegar or Chinkiang Vinegar

Very popular for its strong smoky flavor. This dark rice
vinegar is made of glutinous rice and can be added to
soups, dipping sauces and braised dishes.

31

Plum Sauce
This is a sweet and sour sauce usually served for dipping
deep-fried foods: pieces of meat/duck/chicken, spring
rolls, fried wontons, etc. Made of plums, sometimes also
peaches, and vinegar, ginger and chilies.

Black Bean Sauce

Made of fermented beans, garlic, peppers, vinegar and
soy sauce. This flavorful sauce is added to stir-fries and
steamed dishes.

Chinese Vegetables
Bok Choy
Also known as Chinese Mustard has meaty white stems
with dark green leaves. There is also Baby Bok Choy, with
both stems and leaves a lighter green color. Used in
soups, stir-fried with noodles, steamed...

Chinese Eggplant
It is the same as regular eggplant but long and skinny.
Used in stir-fries or steamed. One of our favorites is Spicy
Beef with Eggplant in Garlic and Black Bean Sauce. If you
can't find the long and skinny kind, regular eggplant does
the job.

Chinese Cabbage
A leafy vegetable also known as snow cabagge, is very
common and can be found at the supermarket. Great stirfried with your choice of sauce and condiment, in salads
or pickled.

32

Gai Lan or Chinese Broccoli

A green leafy vegetable from the kale and broccoli family,
the taste is similar to broccoli, perhaps a bit sweeter. Very
popular dish served stir-fried with garlic or steamed with
oyster sauce. You can find Gai Lan at your local asian
grocer.

Soy Bean Sprouts

A common vegetable in Chinese cooking, soy bean
sprouts are rich in vitamins A, B and C. They can be eaten
raw in salads, also popular in stir-fried dishes.

Snow Peas
Sweet and crisp, don't overcook or they become soggy.
Very common in stir-fries, they are popular and easy to
find at your local supermarket.

White Radish
They look more like carrots than the little round red
radishes. Rich in calcium and vitamin C, they are used in
stir-fries, added to soups or in turnip cake.

Chinese Mushrooms
(Dried)
Chinese mushrooms have a somewhat stronger flavor and
they need to be soaked in warm water for at least half an
hour to soften them before use.

33

Bamboo Shoots
Can be easily found canned or in jars in the asian/ethnic
food aisle at your supermarket. They are very popular as
an add on to stir-fries.

Other Staples in our Chinese Shelf

Chinese Sausages
Chinese Sausages are made of pork and have a smoky,
sweet taste. There are variations with chicken liver also
available. Great to add to fried noodles or rice. You find
them also rolled and steamed in Dim Sums. Buy at your
local Asian Grocer.

Spring Roll Wrappers

Spring Roll Wrappers used in Chinese cooking are normally
made of wheat flour and water. Roll-in your filling, deepfry them and serve with your favorite sauce. You can find
them in the frozen food section at your store.

Bean Curd or Tofu

Tofu is made from soymilk and resembles the consistency
of cheesecake. It is a very nutritious ingredient, rich in
minerals and an excellent source of protein. It is served in
soups, salads, stir-fried dishes. Mapo Tofu with the spicy
sauce is our favorite.

EggorWheatNoodles
A basic of Chinese staples. Chinese love their noodles.
Wheat noodles are generally used in soups, wheat and
egg noodles can be stir-fried.

34

RiceNoodles
Thin and transparent, rice noodles should be soaked in hot
water to soften them before use. They are used in soups,
salads, stir-fries and spring rolls.

Rice
While I was growing up, I can't remember a meal being
served without rice. Rice is at the core of every Chinese
meal.

Chinese Tea
Chinese Tea is more than a beverage. For Chinese, tea is a
medicine, tea is an art, tea is their Culture.

35

11. Chinese Cooking Utensils

Among the many Chinese Cooking Utensils that make preparing a
Chinese meal a breeze, these are some of our favorites we keep in our
kitchen:
A Wok
Chinese Cleaver, Chopping knife and Boards
Ladles, Frying Spoons, Long Chopsticks

Metal or Bamboo steamers

Cooking with a Wok - the most versatil of Chinese Cooking

Utensils

Almost any Chinese dish can be prepared using your normal pots and pans, but if I were to
pick one utensil from a whole selection of Chinese cooking equipment, the Wok would
certainly be up on the list. Why? What makes cooking with a wok so special? The tall thiner
walls provide the quick intense heat necessary for frying and the round bottom shape keep
the ingredients at the center where the heat is higher. Also it is much easier to toss and turn
the food without it falling all over the place, and it uses minimal amounts of oil for frying.
That makes it the preferred Chinese cooking utensil for any recipe that calls for the stir-frying
technique which is often used in Chinese cuisine.

Cooking with a Wok with gas or electricity?

The original wok is designed with a round bottom, and a Chinese kitchen has a
bench with holes where the woks would fit. Below the bench is the fireplace
where wood is burned to provide the heat.
36

In a Western kitchen, a wok is best used with gas because the flame will heat up the entire
wok quickly and evenly. The rounded bottom is not great for the flat stove tops but you can
get a wok ring that keeps it in place.
Depending on the size of the wok, the ring can also be used
upside down to get that flame to cover as much of the bottom of
the wok.
You can also get a wok with a flat bottom, this is probably best
for electric stoves as well because it maximizes the contact
surface. We have an electric stove and can achieve excellent
results with a flat bottom wok, just turn on the burner on to high
and place the wok directly on it.

Buying a Wok: Steel or Iron? One long handle or two short

ones? What size Wok is best?
Nowadays there are many kinds of woks available in the market: stainless steel,
cast iron, teflon, one long handle, two short ones, rounded bottom, flat bottom...
so what should you get?

When shopping around, you will find that wok prices range from the inexpensive to the super
deluxe gourmet models. We have tried several different types and have achieved great results
without spending a bundle. A carbon steel wok is probably one of the best choices available,
they heat up quickly and evenly, not only are they economical, they will also last a long time
if used and maintained properly.
Regardless of the type, keep in mind that most woks have to be seasoned or "prepared" before
its first use. The woks come with a protective coating applied by the manufacturers which
must be removed before use. You should follow the manufacturer's instructions to do this as
the procedures vary depending on the type of wok you purchase.

What about handles? Some woks come with two twin handles on the side, or one long handle
with a side helper handle. We prefer the long handle since it makes it easier to move, toss,
and tilt when stir-frying.
How big should it be? That will depend on your personal needs, will you be cooking large or
small quantities of food? Keep in mind that cooking a small portion of food in a large wok is
not a problem unlike a regular skillet where the small quantities would get lost in the flat
surface. We find that a 12-14 inch (30-35 cm.) wok is most useful. It can be used to fit a
steamer as well. With the right size, your wok can become an indispensable chinese cooking
utensil that can be used to prepare every day healthy meals.

Care and maintenance of your Wok

Caring for your wok is quite simple. Washing it after each use with a sponge and
detergent like you would a regular skillet is about it. You can pre-soak in warm
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water to soften any "stuck" food, and make sure you dry it thoroughly to avoid
rust in some cases. It is best to read the manufacturer's instructions since there
are so many different types out in the market.

Chinese Cleavers, Chopping Knives and Boards

These choppers may seem a bit big and awkward but once
you become used to one, it's hard to go back to your regular kitchen knife.

Choppers are excellent for cutting, dicing, slicing, and shredding, anything from vegetables to
meats.
You can also use the wide blade to carry the ingredients from the chopping board to the wok
or cooking pot.
Cleavers have thicker blades than choppers, they are heavier and can handle tasks like
chopping through bones.
Sometimes these Chinese knives have wholes on the front which are used to hang and store.
Use a solid wooden chopping board to avoid a slippery surface.

Spatulas, Frying Spoons, Long Chopsticks

Chinese spatulas are frequently used for cooking and

scooping in a hot wok, you can toss all the ingredients quickly and efficiently with
these shovel-like utensils.

Frying spoons are great for lifting items from oil, for example a whole fish or chicken pieces.
They are also used frequently for straining or skimming, lifting boiling dumplings or won
tons.
The long cooking chopsticks are great for stir frying, beating eggs, stirring noodles and
mixing ingredients.
These Chinese cooking utensils are not strictly essential since you probably have something
in your kitchen that can be used for these purposes.

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Steamers
Chinese use bamboo or aluminum steamers quite often for steaming dumplings

and buns, fish, meats or vegetables.

Steaming is a very healthy way to cook and the different kinds of steamers are a widely used
Chinese cooking equipment.
In Western countries vegetables are mostly used for steaming, whereas in Chinese cooking,
vegetables are usually stir fried or blanched. Chinese steam meats, fish and seafood quite
frequently. Some very popular steamed dishes include steamed fish, steamed crabs and of
course steamed dim sums.
Traditional Chinese steamers are made of bamboo. The baskets can be stacked on top of each
other, covered by a lid at the top. The bottom of the baskets woven like a grid, let the steam
pass through to the whole stack of baskets which sits on a wok. The rounded bottom of the
wok is filled with the boiling water.
A whole meal can be prepared at one go, each dish stacked up on a separate basket and
cooked all at once very efficiently.
Bamboo steamers are preferable to aluminum steamers when steaming buns and dumplings
because the bamboo lid lets the excess steam through instead of condensing and droping back
on to the food, which could make the buns or dumplings soggy.
Besides being one of the favorite Chinese cooking utensils, bamboo steamers can be used in
your Western kitchen for your every day steaming needs.
Buy Chinese Cooking Utensils from China Family Adventure Stores!

Eight Cuisines of China

Chinese cuisine has a number of different genres, but the most influential and
typical known by the public are the 'Eight Cuisines'. These are as follows:
Shandong Cuisine, Guangdong Cuisine, Sichuan Cuisine, Hunan Cuisine, Jiangsu
Cuisine, Zhejiang Cuisine, Fujian Cuisine and Anhui Cuisine . The essential factors
that establish the form of a genre are complex and include history, cooking
features, geography, climate, resources and life styles. Cuisines from different
regions are so distinctive that sometimes despite the fact that two areas are
geographical neighbors their styles are completely alien.

Shandong Cuisine
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This is the local flavor of Jinan City and Jiaodong peninsula derived from the use of shallots
and garlic. Both restaurant chefs and those in families are expert in cooking
seafood, soups, meat and offal. The recipes are those that once delighted the
royal court and were served to the emperor. The typical menu can include many
delicate dishes such as:

Braised abalone - smooth, delicate, fresh and savory

Sweet and Sour Carp - with crisp exterior and tender fish interior, a little sweet and sour
Bree with a complex - clear, mild and fresh
'Eight Immortals Crossing Sea teasing Arhats' - This is a starter before a celebration feast. It
is luxurious and traditionally uses as its eight main ingredients: fin, sea pumpkin, abalone,
asparagus, prawns and ham. The stock is flavored with fish's swimming bladder and fish
bones. These symbolize the eight immortals and the Arhats [Buddhist saints] are symbolized
by the inclusion of chicken breast.

Guangdong Cuisine Guangdong Cuisine takes fine and rare ingredients and is
cooked with polished skills and in a dainty style. It emphasizes a flavor which is clear but not
light, refreshing but not common, tender but not crude. In summer and autumn it pursues
clarity and in winter and spring, a little more substance. The sauteed dishes always rely upon
exquisite presentat ion involving cutting and carving skills. Typical menu here can ultimately
embody these characteristics:
Chrysanthemum fish - chefs with adept cutting techniques shape the fish like
chrysanthemums, each individual morsel being convenient to enjoy with either chopsticks or
forks.
Braised Snake porridge - choose rare meat of cobra, grimalkin, and pullet, braised
elaborately, also called 'Dragon and phoenix contending' (Long Feng Dou).
Roast suckling pig - a famed dish with rather long history, golden and crisp
exterior, and tender meat, with dense aroma.

Sichuan Cuisine
This combines the cuisines from Chengdu and Chongqing. From as early as the
Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911), books had systematically recorded a total of 38
cooking methods like to scald, wrap, bake, mix, stew, and adhere, etc. it features
pungent seasonings which were famed as 'Three Peppers' (Chinese prickly ash,
pepper and hot pepper), 'three aroma' (shallot, ginger, and garlic), 'Seven Tastes'
(sweet, sour, tingling, spicy, bitter, piquant, and salty), and 'eight flavors' (fishflavored, sour with spice, pepper-tingling, odd flavor, tingling with spice, red
spicy oily, ginger sauce, and home cooking).

Delicious dishes menu:

Stir-fried Tofu with Minced Beef in Spicy Bean Sauce - A real feast of tender bean curd,
minced beef, pepper and bean sauce. It is said that it was made by a pock-marked but
ingenious woman, thus the name Ma Po Tofu (pock-marked woman's bean curd). Lampshadow Beef - with larruping techniques, the beef is cut in very thin sheet. When a piece is
carried, it looks like translucent paper, slippery and reddish. When put under the lamp or
light, a red shadow will appear.
40

Lung Pieces by Couple - a quite popular in Chengdu. It got the name because the dish was
ever sold be a couple and today it remains the original savor, tender meat, tingling and spicy.
Gong Bao Ji Ding - in Chinese it is called Gong Bao Ji Ding. This is a tender chicken dish,
tender as the meat is quickly fried. Flavored with peanuts, this is tasty and very popular.

Hunan Cuisine
Hunan cuisine lays a stress on the use of oil, dense color, and techniques that
produce crispness, softness and tenderness as well as the savory flavors and
spices. Stewed fins, fried fresh cabbage with chestnuts, Dong Anzi chicken,
immortal chicken with five elements, are of the highest reputation. Chairman
Mao, together with other leaders praised the Hunan cuisine in 1958.

Stewed fins - had been famous during the Qing Dynasty. Choice fins, chickens, pork are
stewed in chicken soup and sauce, tasting really fresh and mellow.
Immortal chicken with five elements - means to put five elements, litchi, longan, red dates,
lotus seeds, and medlar, into the body of a chicken, then to braise. The taste is rather peculiar
but it is said to have the effect of strengthening the constitution.

Jiangsu Cuisine
Jiangsu Cuisine developed from the local recipes of Yangzhou, Suzhou and
Nanjing. Its main cooking techniques are braising and stewing, thereby
enhancing the original flavor and sauce. The elegant color, novel sculpts, with
salt and sweet taste will soothe your stomach. The Jiangsu cuisine has several
branches, including Shanghai cuisine, Nanjing cuisine is known for its duck
recipes, Suxi cuisine with flowery hue, etc. the most highly recommended
courses are:

Three sets of ducks - an interlinking dish, that is to put pigeon into wild duck, then put the
wild duck into a fowl duck. When stewed, the fowl duck is tender, the wild one crisp, and the
little pigeon delicate!
Boiled dry thread of Tofu - thanks to the exquisite skill of the chefs, the Tofu can
be cut into very thin threads which have chances to absorb the savor of soup.
When chicken pieces added to the soup, the dish is called 'chicken dry thread';
likewise, when shrimp added, it makes 'shrimp dry thread'.

Lion's head braised with crab-powder - there is a metaphor in the dish name. In actual fact the
Lion's head is a conglomeration of meat that is shaped like a sunflower and resembles a lion's
head. It can be braised in a clear soup, or be red-cooked in a dense soup. A seasoning of crab
powder
enhances
the
flavor.

Zhejiang Cuisine
As Zhejiang cuisine consists of hundreds of small delicacies from its main cities,
it takes in Hangzhou's fineness and diversification, Ningbo's softness and
originality, and Shaoxing's pastoral interests. Hangzhou, once the capital of the
Southern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279), it is customary to endow cuisine with
dainty place-names. The chief techniques of cooking lie in the methods used
41

such as frying, quick-fry, stir-fry, braising, and steaming thus rendering the
dishes both salubrious and savory.

West-lake braised fish in vinegar - is a traditional delicacy in Hangzhou. It is said that there
was once a boy who made his living by fishing. When he fell ill, his sister-in-law fished for
him and braised the fish she caught with a marinade of vinegar and sugar. He was said to
have made an immediate recovery after eating it. The boy's story aroused the attention of the
emperor and the recipe has been used ever since.
Shelled shrimps cooked in Longjing tea - as the Longjing tea is taken from the
best tea in Hangzhou, which is recognized for greenness, fragrance, pure taste
and elegant looks, when the living shrimps are stir-fried in the Long tea, the dish
sends an artistic aroma and is quite delicious.

Fujian Cuisine
Fujian cuisine has four distinctive features, that is, fine cutting techniques, alternative soups,
unique seasonings, and exquisite cooking. Chefs can always cut the thin jellyfish into three
pieces and into very thin thread. And thanks to the abundant resources of marine products, the
soup of this cuisine genre has its freshness and keeps its own savor with ease. The seasonings
add sweet and sour flavors to the dishes. To add to its appeal the food is served in or on
elegant bowls or plates.
Appealing dishes are countless, so we can only exemplify some of them:
Fried golden bamboo shoot with chicken mince - every 100g of winter bamboo shoots will be
cut into 500 - 600 strips with the same length and breadth. Then they can blend with the very
small pieces of chicken.
Buddha jumping over the wall - the most famous and classical dish, which has a long history
since the Qing Dynasty.
Dongbi dragon pearl - it chooses materials from the rare longan trees of thousand year's
history in Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou, the delicate scent is rather catching.
'Fried Xi Shi's tongue'is made from the locally produced Fujian mussel. According to legend
the concubine Xi Shi of the king of Wu state was thrown in the sea tied to a huge stone by the
wife of Gou Jian, the king of Yue who destroyed Wu, to prevent her husband being seduced
by her beauty. In the area of the sea where she sank, a special breed of mussel appeared and
this
was
said
to
be
Xi
Shi's
tongue.

Anhui Cuisine
It is mainly composed of local flavors of Huizhou and other areas along the
Yangtze River and the Huai River. Among the dishes on the Ahhui cuisine menu,
you will find less fried or quick-fried dishes than those that are braised. People
here are inclined to add ham as seasoning and sugar candy to enrich the
freshness and are quite accomplished in the art of cooking.

Among these delicacies, some of the traditional ones are outstanding:

'Braised turtle with ham' - the oldest dish using the special 'Mati turtle'. The delightful taste of
this dish has inspired poets.

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'Fuliji Grilled chicken' - the cooking technique was derived from Dezhou braised chicken of
Shandong Province, with improvement of the technique by the Fuliji chef. The grilled
chicken is golden and tempting, and the meat is so well cooked that it falls easily from the
bone.

12. Chinese herbology

Chinese herbology (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin:
zhngyo xu) is the theory of traditional Chinese herbal therapy, which accounts for the
majority of treatments in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
The term herbology is misleading in so far as plant elements are by far the most commonly,
but not solely used substances; animal, human, and mineral products are also utilized. Thus,
the term "medicinal" (instead of herb) is usually preferred as a translation for (pinyin:
yo).

Dried herbs and plant portions for Chinese herbology at a Xi'an market

Ready to drink macerated medicinal liquor with goji berry, tokay gecko, and
ginseng, for sale at a traditional medicine market in Xi'an, China.
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Chinese pharmacopoeia

Chinese herbs have been used for centuries. Among the earliest literature are lists of
prescriptions for specific ailments, exemplified by the manuscript "Recipes for 52 Ailments",
found in the Mawangdui tombs which were sealed in 168 BC.
The first traditionally recognized herbalist is Shnnng ( , lit. "Divine Farmer"), a
mythical god-like figure, who is said to have lived around 2800 BCHe allegedly tasted
hundreds of herbs and imparted his knowledge of medicinal and poisonous plants to farmers.
His Shnnng Bn Co Jng (, Shennong's Materia Medica) is considered as the
oldest book on Chinese herbal medicine. It classifies 365 species of roots, grass, woods, furs,
animals and stones into three categories of herbal medicine:

The "superior" category, which includes herbs effective for multiple

diseases and are mostly responsible for maintaining and restoring the
body balance. They have almost no unfavorable side-effects.

A category comprising tonics and boosters, whose consumption must not

be prolonged.

A category of substances which must usually be taken in small doses, and

for the treatment of specific diseases only.

The original text of Shennong's Materia Medica has been lost; however, there are extant
translations. The true date of origin is believed to fall into the late Western Han dynasty (i.e.,
the first century BC).
The Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders and Miscellaneous Illnesses was collated by Zhang
Zhongjing, also sometime at the end of the Han dynasty, between 196 and 220 CE. Focusing
on drug prescriptionsit was the first medical work to combine Yinyang and the Five Phases
with drug therapy. This formulary was also the earliest Chinese medical text to group
symptoms into clinically useful "patterns" (zheng ) that could serve as targets for therapy.
Having gone through numerous changes over time, it now circulates as two distinct books:
the Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders and the Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Casket,
which were edited separately in the eleventh century, under the Song dynasty.[6]
Succeeding generations augmented these works, as in the Yaoxing Lun (simplified Chinese:
; traditional Chinese: ; literally "Treatise on the Nature of Medicinal Herbs"), a
7th century Tang Dynasty Chinese treatise on herbal medicine.

44

Arguably the most important of these later works is the Compendium of Materia Medica
(Bencao Gangmu) compiled during the Ming dynasty by Li Shizhen, which is still used today
for consultation and reference.

Raw materials
There are roughly 13,000 medicinals used in China and over 100,000 medicinal recipes
recorded in the ancient literature. Plant elements and extracts are by far the most common
elements used. In the classic Handbook of Traditional Drugs from 1941, 517 drugs were
listed - out of these, only 45 were animal parts, and 30 were minerals. For many plants used
as medicinals, detailed instructions have been handed down not only regarding the locations
and areas where they grow best, but also regarding the best timing of planting and harvesting
them.
Some animal parts used as medicinals can be considered rather strange such as cows'
gallstones. In general, Chinese traditional medicine emphasizes the penis of animals as
therapeutic. Snake oil, which is used traditionally for joint pain as a liniment, is the most
widely known Chinese medicine in the west, due to extensive marketing in the west in the
late 1800s and early 1900s, and wild claims of its efficacy to treat many maladies; however,
there is no clinical evidence that it is effective.
Traditional Chinese Medicine also includes some human parts: the classic Materia medica
(Bencao Gangmu) describes the use of 35 human body parts and excreta in medicines,
including bones, fingernail, hairs, dandruff, earwax, impurities on the teeth, feces, urine,
sweat, and organs, but most are no longer in use.

Preparation

Characteristic little black pills of Chinese patent medicine

Each herbal medicine prescription is a cocktail of many substances, usually tailored to the
individual patient.
Decoction

Typically, one batch of medicinals is prepared as a decoction, which includes one or two main
ingredients that target the illness. Then other ingredients are added to adjust the formula to
the patient's individual disease pattern. Ingredients are also added in order to cancel out
toxicity or side-effects of the main ingredients; on top of that, some medicinals require the
use of other substances as catalysts. Overall, the balance and interaction of all the ingredients
are considered more important than the effect of a single ingredients.
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Chinese Patent Medicine

Chinese patent medicine (traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , pinyin:

zhngchng yo) is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine. They are standardized herbal
formulas. From ancient times, pills were formed by combining several herbs and other
ingredients, which were dried and ground into a powder. They were then mixed with a binder
and formed into pills by hand. The binder was traditionally honey. Modern teapills, however,
are extracted in stainless steel extractors to create either a water decoction or water-alcohol
decoction, depending on the herbs used. They are extracted at a low temperature (below 100
degrees Celsius) to preserve essential ingredients. The extracted liquid is then further
condensed, and some raw herb powder from one of the herbal ingredients is mixed in to form
an herbal dough. This dough is then machine cut into tiny pieces, a small amount of
excipients are added for a smooth and consistent exterior, and they are spun into pills.
Teapills are characteristically little round black pills.
Chinese patent medicines are easy and convenient. They are not easy to customize on a
patient-by-patient basis, however. They are often used when a patient's condition is not severe
and the medicine can be taken as a long-term treatment.
These medicines are not patented in the traditional sense of the word. No one has exclusive
rights to the formula. Instead, "patent" refers to the standardization of the formula. In China,
all Chinese patent medicines of the same name will have the same proportions of ingredients,
and manufactured in accordance with the PRC Pharmacopoeia, which is mandated by law.
However, in western countries there may be variations in the proportions of ingredients in
patent medicines of the same name, and even different ingredients altogether
Several producers of Chinese herbal medicines are pursuing FDA clinical trials to market
their products as drugs in U.S. and European markets.
Chinese Herbal Extracts

Chinese herbal extracts are herbal decoctions that have been condensed into a granular or
powdered form. Herbal extracts, similar to patent medicines, are easier and more convenient
for patients to take. The industry extraction standard is 5:1, meaning for every five pounds of
raw materials, one pound of herbal extract is derived.

Categorization
There are several different methods to classify traditional Chinese medicinals:

The Four Natures (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ;

pinyin: sq)

The Five Flavors (Chinese: ; pinyin: wwi)

The meridians (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin:

jnglu)

The specific function.

Four Natures

The Four Natures are: hot, warm, cool, or cold (or, neutral in terms of temperature). Hot and
warm herbs are used to treat cold diseases, while cool and cold herbs are used to treat heat
diseases.

46

Five Flavors

The Five Flavors, sometimes also translated as Five Tastes, are: acrid, sweet, bitter, sour, and
salty Substances may also have more than one flavor, or none (i.e., a "bland" flavor). Each of
the Five Flavors corresponds to one of the zng organs, which in turn corresponds to one of
the Five Phases: A flavor implies certain properties and therapeutic actions of a substance:
saltiness "drains downward and softens hard masses"; sweetness is "supplementing,
harmonizing, and moistening";pungent substances are thought to induce sweat and act on qi
and blood; bitterness "drains heat, purges the bowels, and eliminates dampness".
Meridians

This classification refers not just to the meridian, but also to the meridian-associated zngorgan, which can be expected to be primarily affected by a given medicinal (there are 12
standard meridians in the body a medicinal can act upon). For example, traditional beliefs
hold that menthol is pungent and cool and goes to the Lung and the Liver channels. The
Traditional Chinese concept of the Lungs includes the function of protecting the body from
colds, and menthol is thought to cool the Lungs and purge heat toxins caused by wind-heat
invasion (one of the patterns of common cold).
Specific function

These categories mainly include:

exterior-releasing or exterior-resolving

heat-clearing[

downward-draining or precipitating

wind-damp-dispelling.

dampness-transforming[

promoting the movement of water and percolating dampness [21] or

dampness-percolating.

interior-warming.

qi-regulating or qi-rectifying

dispersing food accumulation[ or food-dispersing

worm-expelling

stopping bleeding or blood-stanching

quickening the Blood and dispelling stasis[21] or blood-quickening] or Bloodmoving.

transforming phlegm, stopping coughing and calming wheezing or

phlegm-transforming and cough- and panting-suppressing [

Spirit-quieting or Shen-calming.

calming the Liver and expelling wind[ or Liver-calming and windextinguishing

orifice-opening[

supplementing or tonifying: this includes

nourishing, yin-enriching, and yang-fortifying.

astriction-promoting[ or securing and astringing

vomiting-inducing
47

qi-supplementing,

blood-

substances for external application[

Toxicity
From the earliest records regarding the use of medicinals to today, the toxicity of certain
substances has been described in all Chinese materiae medicae. The toxicity in some cases
could be confirmed by modern research (i.e., in scorpion); in some cases it couldn't (i.e., in
curculigo).
Substances known to be potentially dangerous include aconite, secretions from the Asiatic
toad powdered centipede, the Chinese beetle (Mylabris phalerata, Ban mao), and certain
fungi. Further, ingredients may have different names in different locales or in historical texts,
and different preparations may have similar names for the same reason, which can create
inconsistencies and confusion in the creation of medicinalswith the possible danger of
poisoning.[38][39][40]

Efficacy
Regarding Traditional Chinese herbal therapy, only few trials exist that are considered to be
of adequate methodology by modern western medical researchers, and its effectiveness
therefore is considered poorly documented.[41] For example, a 2007 Cochrane review found
promising evidence for the use of Chinese herbal medicine in relieving painful menstruation,
compared to conventional medicine such as NSAIDs and the oral contraceptive pill, but the
findings have to be interpreted with caution due to the generally low methodological quality
of the included studies (as, amongst others, data for placebo control could not be obtained).

Herbs in use
There are over three hundred herbs that are commonly being used today. Some of the most
commonly used herbs are Ginseng (, , rnshn), wolfberry (), Dong Quai
(Angelica sinensis, , , dnggu), astragalus (, , hungq), atractylodes (
, , bizh), bupleurum (, chih), cinnamon (cinnamon twigs (, guzh) and
cinnamon bark (, rugu)), coptis (, , hunglin), ginger (, , jing), hoelen
(, flng), licorice (, gnco), ephedra sinica (, , mhung), peony (white:
, bisho and reddish: , chsho), rehmannia (, , dhung), rhubarb (,
, dhung), and salvia (, , dnshn). These are just a few of the herbs.

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Ginseng

Chinese red ginseng roots

The use of ginseng () is well over two thousand years old in Chinese medicine. Ginseng
contains ginsenosides. The amount of ginsenosides in ginseng depends on how the plant was
cultivated and the age of the root. Wild ginseng is rare and commands the highest prices on
the market, but most ginseng on the market today is a reasonable price. Red Panax ginseng is
the most popular form of ginseng and it is usually packaged as a liquid or tea. Ginseng comes
in two kinds, red and white. The color of the ginseng depends on how it is processed. White
ginseng is unprocessed and dries naturally. Red ginseng is processed with steam and is
believed to be more effective. Native Americans have used American ginseng for dry coughs,
constipation, and fevers.
TCM Information: Species: Panax ginseng. Pinyin: Ren Shen. Common Name: Chinese
Ginseng. Quality: Sweet, Bitter, Warm. Meridians: Lung, Spleen, Heart. Actions: Tonifies
yuan qi to treat collapse of qi, tonifies spleen and lung, generates fluids, mildly tonifies heart
qi.
Species: Elutherococcus senticosus. Pinyin: Ci Wu Jia. Common Name: Siberian Ginseng.
Quality: Pungent (Acrid), Slightly bitter, Warm. Meridians: Spleen, Heart, Kidney. Actions:
Tonifies spleen and kidney, mildly tonifies heart qi, promote blood circulation, calms shen.
Species: Panax quinquefolius. Pinyin: Xi Yang Shen. Common Name: American Ginseng.
Quality: Sweet, Slightly bitter, Cold. Meridians: Heart, Kidney, Lung. Actions: Tonifies lung
and spleen qi, tonifies lung yin, cools fire from lung yin deficiency, generates fluids.
Mushrooms
Main article: Medicinal mushrooms

Mushrooms have long been used as a medicinal food and as a tea in Chinese herbology.
Clinical, animal, and cellular research has shown some mushrooms may be able to up-

49

regulate aspects of the immune system.. Notable mushrooms used in Chinese herbology
include Reishi and Shiitake
Wolfberry

Wolfberry () is grown in the Far East and is grown from shrubs with long vines. The
shrubs are covered with small trumpet-shaped flowers, which turn into small, bright red
berries. The berries are usually fresh and sometimes used when dried.[citation needed]
TCM Information: Species: Lycium barbarum. Pinyin: Gou Qi Zi. Common Name: Chinese
Wolfberry. Quality: Sweet, Neutral. Meridians: Liver, Lung, Kidney. Actions: Tonifies kidney
and lung yin, tonifies liver blood, tonifies jing, improves vision.
Dang Gui

Dang Gui ( , Angelica sinensis or "female ginseng") is an aromatic herb that grows in
China, Korea, and Japan.
TCM Information: Species: Angelica sinensis. Pinyin: Dang Gui. Common Name: Chinese
Angelica Root. Quality: Sweet, Pungent(Acrid), Warm. Meridians: Liver, Heart, Spleen.
Actions: Tonify blood, invigorate blood, regulate menstruation, relieve pain, unblock bowels
by moistening intestine.
Astragalus

Astragalus () is a root used for immune deficiencies and allergies.

TCM Information: Species: Astragalus membranaceus. Pinyin: Huang Qi. Common Name:
Astragalus Root, Milkvetch Root. Quality: Sweet, Slightly warm. Meridians: Lung, Spleen.
Actions: Raise yang qi to treat prolapse, tonify spleen and lung qi, tonify wei qi, increases
urination, promotes drainage of pus, generates flesh.
Atractylodes

Atractylodes ( ) is believed to be important in the treatment of digestive disorders and

problems of moisture accumulation.
TCM Information: Species: Atractylodes lancea. Pinyin: Cang Zhu. Common Name:
Atractylodes Rhizome. Quality: Pungent(Acrid), Bitter, Warm. Meridians: Spleen, Stomach.
Actions: Strong to dry dampness, strengthens the spleen, induce sweating, expel wind-cold,
clears damp-heat from lower jiao, improves vision.
Bupleurum

Bupleurum () is believed to be useful for the treatment of liver diseases, skin ailments,
arthritis, menopausal syndrome, withdrawal from corticosteroid use, nephritis, stress-induced
ulcers, and mental disorders.
TCM Information: Species: Bupleurnum chinense. Pinyin: Chai Hu. Common Name: Hare's
Ear Root. Quality: Bitter, Pungent(Acrid), Cool. Meridians: Gallbladder, Liver, Pericardium,
San Jiao. Actions: Treats alternating chills and fever, clears lesser yang disorders, relieves
liver qi stagnation, raises yang qi to treat prolapse, treats certain menstrual disorders.
Cinnamon

Cinnamon (, ), mostly gui zhi and rou gui, are twigs and bark from large tropical
trees.

50

Studies show that cinnamon reduces serum glucose, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total
cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes, and the findings suggest that the inclusion of
cinnamon in the diet of people with type 2 diabetes will reduce risk factors associated with
diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
TCM Information: Species: Cinnamomum cassia. Pinyin: Gui Zhi. Common Name:
Cinnamon Twig. Quality: Pungent (Acrid), Sweet, Warm. Meridians: Heart, Lung, Bladder.
Actions: Induce sweating, warms and unblocks channels, unblocks yang qi of the chest, treats
dysmenorrhea.
Species: Cinnamomum cassia. Pinyin: Rou Gui. Common Name: Cinnamon Bark. Quality:
Pungent (Acrid), Sweet, Hot. Meridians: Heart, Kidney, Liver, Spleen. Actions: Tonifies
kidney yang, leads fire back to its source, disperses cold, encourages generation of qi and
blood, promotes blood circulation, alleviates pain due to cold, dysmenorrhea.
Coptis chinensis

Coptis chinensis ( ) is a rhizome that is one of the bitterest herbs used in Chinese
medicine.TCM Information: Species: Coptis chinensis. Pinyin: Huang Lian. Common Name:
Coptis Rhizome. Qualities: Bitter, Cold. Meridians: Heart, Large Intestine, Liver, Stomach.
Actions: Clears heat and drains damp, drains fire(especially from heart and stomach),
eliminates toxicity.
Ginger

Ginger is consumed in China as food and as medicine.

Ginger (, ) is a herb and a spice that is used in Chinese cuisine. Commonly used to
treat nausea.
TCM Information: Species: Zingiber officinalis. Pinyin: Sheng Jiang. Common Name: Fresh
Ginger Rhizome. Quality: Pungent(Acrid), Slightly warm. Meridians: Lung, Spleen,
Stomach. Actions: Release the exterior, expel cold, warm the middle jiao, relieve nausea,
transform phlegm, warm lung to stop coughing, treat toxicity, and moderate the toxicity of
other herbs.
Species: Zingiber officinalis. Pinyin: Gan Jiang. Common Name: Dried Ginger Rhizome.
Quality: Pungent(Acrid), Hot. Meridians: Heart, Lung, Spleen, Stomach. Actions: Warms the
spleen and stomach, restores devastated yang, warms the lung to transform thin mucus,
warms and unblocks channels.
Licorice

The use of licorice() is thought to help treat hepatitis, sore throat, and muscle spasms.
51

TCM Information: Species: Glycyrrhiza inflata or Glycyrrhiza glabra. Pinyin: Gan Cao.
Common Name: Licorice Root. Quality: Sweet, Neutral. Meridians: All 12 channels, but
mainly Heart, Lung, Spleen, Stomach. Actions: Tonify spleen qi, moisten lung for dry cough,
clears heat and fire toxicity, tonifies heart qi to regulate pulse, alleviates spasmodic pain,
antidote for toxicity, moderates the effects of harsh herbs.
Ephedra

Ephedra ()
TCM Information: Species: Ephedra sinica or Ephedra intermedia. Pinyin: Ma Huang.
Common Name: Ephedra Stem. Quality: Pungent(Acrid), Slightly Bitter, Warm. Meridians:
Lung, Bladder. Actions: Induce sweating and release exterior for wind-cold invasion with no
sweating, promotes urination, move lung qi for wheezing, cough or asthma.
Peony

Peony (, ) comes in two varieties: bai shao(white) and chi shao (red), the root of the
plant is used in both varieties.[
TCM Information: Species: Paeonia lactiflora. Pinyin: Bai Shao. Common Name: White
Peony Root. Quality: Bitter, Sour, Cool. Meridians: Liver, Spleen. Actions: Tonify liver
blood, calms liver yang, alleviates flank/abdominal pain from liver qi stagnation or liver and
spleen disharmony, preserves yin and adjusts nutritive and protective levels, regulates menses
for blood deficiency problem
Species: Paeonia lactiflora or Paeonia veitchii. Pinyin: Chi Shao. Common Name: Red Peony
Root. Quality: Sour, Bitter, Cool. Meridians: Liver, Spleen. Actions: Clears heat, cools blood,
invigorates blood and dispel stasis to treat irregular menses, dysmenorrhoea, amenorrhea,
abdominal pain, and fixed abdominal masses.
Rehmannia

Rehmannia () is a root where the dark, moist part of the herb is used
TCM Information: Species: Rehmannia glucinosa. Pinyin: Sheng Di Huang. Common Name:
Chinese Foxglove Root. Qualities: Sweet, Bitter, Cold. Meridians: Heart, Kidney, Liver.
Actions: Clears heat, cools blood, nourishes yin, generates fluids, treats wasting and thirsting
disorder.
Species: Rehmannia glucinosa. Pinyin: Shu Di Huang. Common Name: Chinese Foxglove
Root Prepared with Wine. Qualities: Sweet, Slightly warm. Meridians: Heart, Kidney, Liver.
Actions: Tonifies blood, tonifies liver and kidney yin, treats wasting and thirsting disorder,
nourishes jing.

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Rhubarb

Chinese rhubarb depicted by Micha Boym (1655)

Rhubarb () is a large root and was once one of the first herbs that was imported from
China.
TCM Information: Species: Rheum palmatum, Rheum ranguticum, or Rheum officinale.
Pinyin: Da Huang. Common Name: Rhubarb Root and Rhizome. Quality: Bitter, Cold.
Meridians: Heart, Large Intestine, Liver, Stomach. Actions: Purge accumulation, cool blood,
invigorate blood, drain damp-heat.
Salvia

Salvia () are the deep roots of the Chinese sage plant

TCM Information: Species: Salvia miltiorrhiza. Pinyin: Dan Shen. Common Name: Salvia
Root. Qualities: Bitter, Cool. Meridians: Heart, Pericardium, Liver. Actions: Invigorate blood,
tonify blood, regulate menstruation, clear heat and soothe irritability.

50 Fundamental herbs
In Chinese herbology, there are 50 "fundamental" herbs, as given in the reference
textalthough these herbs are not universally recognized as such in other texts. The herbs are:

53

13. Chinese Meat Recipes

54

If you visited a restaurant in China, and ordered Chow Mein with Meat, what do you think
the meat would be?
Dont worry! In spite of various tales you may have heard about what may be eaten, you
could safely assume that youd be getting pork. Its the most popular meat in China and there
are numerous ways of cooking it.
Weve one pork dish here for you to try, as well as two different ways of cooking chicken to
give you an introduction to meat dishes from China. We were going to include Peking Duck
but as you need a bicycle pump, a fan, and several days, we decided against it!
Char Sui Pork

2 pork tenderloins

cup sesame seeds

Marinade

cup light soy sauce

cup hoisin sauce

cup clear honey

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon grated root ginger

1 clove garlic, crushed

Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl then add the pork, turning to make sure
its all coated. Cover the bowl and leave to marinate overnight.
Pre-heat the oven to 230oC, gas mark 8.
Sprinkle the sesame seeds onto a plate and roll the prok tenderloins in them until well-coated.
Place the meat on a rack in a shallow roasting tray and bake in the centre of the oven for
about 25-30 minutes or until cooked through. Allow the meat to stand, loosely covered, for
another 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Cashew Chicken

4 skinless chicken fillets

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Marinade

teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sherry

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

2 teaspoons grated root ginger

Sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon sugar

1 clove garlic

4 spring onions

cup cashews

About 1 cup of mixed vegetables for stir frying e.g. green pepper, mange
tout, cabbage etc

Oil for frying

Related on Asian Cook...

Classic Chinese Dishes - Main Courses

Japanese Meat Recipes

Vietnamese Meat Dishes

Chinese Pickles

Chinese Soup

Chinese Drinks

Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks. Mix the marinade ingredients and add the chicken.
Leave to marinate for about 20 minutes.
While the chicken is marinating, mix the sauce ingredients together. Finely chop the garlic
and the spring onions. Heat a little oil in a wok and toast the cashews for a few minutes until
lightly browned but keep shaking the pan and try not to burn them!
Remove the nuts and heat 2 tablespoons oil in the wok. Add the chicken, its marinade and the
garlic. Stir fry until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove from the wok.
Add some more oil and stir fry the vegetables for 2-3 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan
and add the sauce. Stir fry over a medium heat until hot. Serve sprinkled with the toasted
cashews and the spring onions.
Lemon Chicken

4 skinned chicken breasts

Marinade

1 grated root ginger

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon sherry

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

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1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Place the chicken breasts in a bowl and pour the marinade over. Leave to marinate for about
20 minutes.
Steam the chicken over water for about 40-45 minutes until cooked through. Heat the
reserved marinade and pour over the chicken before serving.
Serve hot with freshly boiled rice and garnished with lemon wedges and chopped spring
onions.
Even if you dont have a special steamer, you can still make this dish.

You can buy steam racks that convert your wok into a steamer or you can
use a metal colander inside your wok.

If you improvise make sure that the water doesnt touch the food being
cooked, that the steam can circulate freely around the food, and that the
wok has a good lid that will seal in the steam.

CONCLUSION
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I conclude on behalf of this project I would thank the leader for accepting
this project. I hope this project will make a good awareness of this topic
to everyone which interested to me to do this research project. I had
given my ideas and suggestion to this project. I once again take this
opportunity to thank me and all for completing this project successfully

BIBILOGRAPHY
58

THE BOOK AND WEBSITES REFFERED FOR THIS PROJECT WORK

ARE:
BOOKS
THE CHINESE CUISINE
WEB
www.wikipedia .com
www.madatory.com

ANNEXURES
59

60

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