Food & Drink

Chinese Food & Drink

With thousands of years' development, Chinese food and drink are indispensable to its culture, presently enjoying world-wide fame and a positive reputation.
 

 Chinese Food Cooking Class
 

Stir-Fried Celery and Dried Tofu
Stir-Fried Celery and Dried Tofu

During a long period of production and living practice, China has made great contribution to the world on the aspects of food resource exploration, diet treatment, nutrition and health care, dishware design and cuisine aesthetics.  Intellectuals in China have created countless dishes with apt names, aromas, flavors and colors, greatly enhancing the dining experience. During these four or five thousand years of development, Chinese cuisine appears various features in different periods and regions. Generally speaking, people in this country mainly live on the five common cereals and vegetables and added by a small supply of meat. This eating habit is formed by the mode of production which is centered by agriculture. Moreover, Chinese food makes cooked and hot food primary, which is related to the advance of culinary skills and early civilization of the country.
 

Purple Clay Teapot
Purple Clay Teapot
With a profound history of over 4,000 years, Chinese tea is regarded as an exquisite art form that requires sampling. Now it has become the national drink and one of the three soft drinks in the world (the other two are coffee and cocoa). It is from China that the tea planting techniques, processing, drinking methods and  ceremony were directly or indirectly introduced to the world. So China is regarded proudly as the hometown of tea. The land can be divided into four growing regions: South China, Southwestern China, and Yangtze River's north and south banks. These vast planting areas widely grow various kinds of tea trees. Each kind requires unique tea sets to infuse the best flavor. The sets mainly include tea cup, pot and saucer. Their materials differ in porcelain, pottery, lacquer ware, glass, bamboo and wooden fish stone. What's more, tea ceremony is considered to be a good way to cultivate the minds. Through infusing, appreciating and tasting tea, people can nourish their inborn nature and promote friendship among each other.
 
Wine is indispensable to Chinese Wedding.
Wine is indispensable
to wedding ceremonies.
Alcohol may be featured at sumptuous banquets to ease the expression of diners' thoughts and feelings. But in the long process of Chinese history, it is not only an objective existence but also a cultural symbol. China is one of the earliest countries in the world to make alcohol and the history can be traced back to prehistoric times. Since its appearance, it is not just a kind of drink, but is also endowed with spiritual and cultural value which reflects in social political life, literature, aesthetic idea and manner of life. From this point of view, to drink alcohol is actually to taste a culture. According to the historical records, as early as in the Shang Dynasty (16th - 11th century BC), Chinese people began to drink alcohol and use it to worship Gods. All kinds of alcohol except yellow rice wine developed greatly after the Han (206BC-220) and Tang (618-907) dynasties. Chinese alcohols have a wide variety of kinds. By the type of products, they can be divided into yellow rice wine, white wine, medicinal liquor, fruit liquor and beer. By the alcoholic content, they can be grouped into strong alcohol liquor, medium alcohol liquor and low alcohol liquor. In recent years, Chinese wine-making industry is prospering every day. Through thousand years of development, alcohol, as a basic necessity in people's life, has already melted into the resplendent Chinese civilization.

- Last updated on Aug. 08, 2022 -
Questions & Answers on Chinese Food & Drink
Asked by Helen from AUSTRALIA | Apr. 21, 2019 20:45Reply
I am a Coeliac travelling to Beijing and Xi'an next week.
Can you advise me of the work for Coeliac or No Gluten. Is there much gluten free options available except for steamed rice?
Answers (1)
Answered by Betty from USA | Apr. 23, 2019 20:21
00Reply


Hi, except for the steamed rice, you can choose salads or rice noodles.
Asked by esat raza from TURKEY | Apr. 11, 2015 04:10Reply
I am a Turk and would like to know if there are any Turkish food outlets in Xi'an or Beijing?
Thank you
Answers (3)
Answered by Manny from GERMANY | Apr. 11, 2015 21:54
1618Reply


I know this one in Xi’an: Turkish Kababu Restaurant. It is located in New Cultural World, no. 2, South Chang’an Road, Yanta District.
In Beijing, I know this: Dardanelles Turkish Restaurant. It is located in no. 39, Shenlu Street.
Answered by esat raza from TURKEY | Apr. 08, 2016 06:59
109Reply


Yes I love Chinese food..I m chef in Taj hotel of chinese cuisine...pls send recip same few deishs...
Answered by liam jann from USA | Feb. 01, 2017 13:11
27Reply


nice reply!
Asked by Rinky from CANADA | Mar. 01, 2015 08:45Reply
Does anyone know if there are any traditional Ancient Chinese foods?
It's for a project I'm working on.
Answers (7)
Answered by Jenny from UNITED KINGDOM | Mar. 02, 2015 02:12
2517Reply


I know dumplings and sweet dumplings made of glutinous rice flour are traditional Chinese foods.
Answered by Approlla from CHINA | Mar. 09, 2015 02:30
1612Reply


Zongzi or traditional Chinese rice-pudding, dumpling, and so on.
Answered by Holly from WASHINGTON | May. 25, 2017 16:30
71Reply


That's cool 😎
Answered by Happy Face from USA | Oct. 18, 2017 08:11
41Reply


Tea, stinky tofu, and peanut butter chicken are all Chinese foods, do I know their traditional no.
Answered by rungtu from AMERICA | Aug. 14, 2019 19:01
00Reply


hi there, just looking for a trip to bejing, any suggestins of were to go?
Answered by Jessica from CANADA | Aug. 14, 2019 22:48
00Reply


You can consult the experienced friends around you and find the jobs related with your familiar fields. Good luck!
Answered by Evangeline | Mar. 01, 2021 22:39
00Reply


Well, there's a lot. Dumplings, zongzi, tangyuan, tofu, tea, dim sum...
Asked by FRIEDWORLD | Jun. 20, 2014 08:33Reply
Can anyone give me some advice on the Bosphorus Premium restaurant in Guangzhou?
Answers (1)
Answered by Lando from DENMARK | Jun. 21, 2014 02:53
2021Reply


It is a Turkish Restaurant. Its guests are most foreign people, because Chinese people don't like the taste. Barbecue and roast beef are very delicious. However, it charges a little high.
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