Food Is Paramount
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Summary
Editor's review
The book takes time as its vertical axis, tracing a clear trajectory of the evolution of Chinese food culture from the embryonic forms of the pre-Qin era to the height and splendor of the Tang and Song, then to the integration and consolidation of the Ming and Qing, and on to the transformations of the modern and contemporary period. At the same time, it takes space and local produce as its horizontal axis, exploring how regional differences shaped the distinctive flavors of the major cuisines—Sichuan, Cantonese, Huaiyang, and others—and how historical corridors such as the Silk Road and the Grand Canal profoundly influenced the spread of ingredients and cooking techniques. The book's analysis of the relationship between "ritual" and "food," and its interpretation of the philosophy of the unity of heaven and humanity underlying seasonal food customs, move beyond the sensory level to touch the cultural core.
For readers, the value of this book lies in the perspective of "deep tasting" it offers. After reading it, when you face a home-cooked dish or a local snack, you will see not only color, aroma, and taste but may also recall the historical allusions, climate and produce, population migrations, and even the spirit of the age behind it. It is a cultural guide that can genuinely elevate the dimension of culinary understanding and make everyday meals richer and more interesting. Of course, the book contains many classical citations, and some chapters lean toward factual narrative, requiring a degree of patience and interest from the reader.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers with a strong interest in Chinese history and culture who wish to approach it through the lens of everyday life
- Food enthusiasts who are not content with mere tasting and want to understand the cultural origins behind food
- People in culture, tourism, and food-related industries who need knowledge reserves and inspiration
- Readers who enjoy clearly structured, richly documented nonfiction in the social sciences
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking simple recipes or fast-food-style food stories
- Readers impatient with historical detail and textual citations who expect highly entertaining narratives
Reading tips
- Read chapter by chapter to build a historical timeline of food culture's development
- While reading, compare with the food characteristics of your own region to appreciate the regionality discussed in the book
- For a particular dynasty or cuisine of interest, use the book's content as an index for more in-depth thematic reading
About the publisher
Founded in 1982, Modern Press is a Chinese publisher that serves general readers across a diverse range of subjects. Judging from its catalog, its publishing focuses on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, psychological research and application, popular science, and modern poetry, along with history, biography, and children's books. The Book of Songs, the illustrated vernacular edition of the Classic of Mountains and Seas, The Complete Poems of Dai Wangshu, and Buddhism in the Vegetable Roots reflect efforts to make traditional culture and poetry accessible; works by Carl Gustav Jung such as The Development of Personality and Understanding Your Psychological Type, together with titles from the Ivy International Education Alliance, show sustained attention to psychology and educational reading; and Stephen Hawking's works and the illustrated two-volume Brief History of Everything and A Brief History of Time indicate a commitment to popular science. Its authors include figures such as Qu Wanli, Xu Ke, Dai Wangshu, and Jung, and its publishing emphasizes retelling classics and accessible, illustrated presentation. Because public information is limited, this summary is based only on the titles in our catalog.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 序 言
- 食饮在中食国历史
- 上古时期饮食文化的萌芽
- 文明标志的商周时期饮食
- 风味多样的春秋战国时期
- 饮食极为丰富的秦汉时期
- 魏晋时期的美食家与食俗
- 兼收并蓄的唐代饮食风俗
- 雅俗共赏的宋代饮食文化
- 注重文雅养生的明代饮食
- 集历代之大成的清代饮食
- 东筷方文子明文化
- 源于远古煮羹而食的筷子
- 筷子的材质与形态发展
- 蕴涵丰富中国文化的筷子
FAQ
How is this book different from common food essays or gastronomic travelogues?
Is the content too academic and difficult to read?
Is this book suitable as an introductory work for understanding Chinese food culture?
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About the author
Xiao Dongfa (1949–2016), whose ancestral home was Tianjin and who was born in Shenyang, was a professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University, and director of its Institute of Modern Publishing. An important scholar in editing and publishing studies, he focused on the history of Chinese books, publishing history, and yearbook studies. He edited the History of Chinese Editing and Publishing and Chinese Libraries of Book Collecting, and led the National Social Science Fund key project A General History of Chinese Publishing, laying a solid foundation for the organization and narration of Chinese publishing history. Beyond academic writing, he attended to Peking University's institutional history and humanistic traditions, writing works such as Character: From the Imperial University to Old Peking University, Exemplars: Former Residences and Anecdotes of Peking University Notables, and Scenes: Yanyuan Landscapes and Cultural Heritage, which recount campus memories and personal stories with warmth. His works also touch on the four treasures of the study, garden architecture, and academic writing standards. Some 491 of his titles are held in the library, spanning language and culture, biography, and architecture, and combining scholarly rigor with accessible readability.
Qian Jiaxin is an author active in the field of Chinese popular reading materials, though public information about her is limited, with no clear record of her birth year, place of origin, or educational background. Judging from the 46 works held in the library, her writing is aimed mainly at young readers and general audiences, and she excels at turning traditional culture and everyday knowledge into short, accessible stories. Her representative works include Little Stories About Chinese Characters, Little Stories About Allusions, Little Stories About Classics, Little Stories About Riddles, Little Stories About Classical Chinese, Little Stories About Couplets, and Little Stories About Tang Poetry. Most of these use the "little stories" format to introduce language, literature, and historical knowledge in brief, plain language, making them suitable for reading and accumulating knowledge both in and out of class. In addition, Food in China shows that her writing also extends into the field of culinary culture, echoing the "exams" and "food" categories commonly seen in the library. Overall, her works emphasize knowledge popularization and the cultivation of reading interest, and are well suited as supplementary introductory reading on traditional culture.
