Bian Jiang (COURTESY PHOTO)

People all over the world value tasty cuisine, but each country has its own customs and traditions when it comes to food. Experts from China and Africa share their thoughts on epicurean culture with ChinAfrica. 

Bian Jiang

Assistant President of China Cuisine Association

Food plays a very important role in the lives of the Chinese people. China's vast lands and regions offer a variety of different resources, allowing each region to develop its own distinct cuisine while influencing each others' food culture. This diversity of flavors and cuisines lends China a unique gourmet culture.

Chinese food has little foreign influence because historically, China developed its own cuisine behind closed doors. The origins of Chinese cuisine can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618–907). The development of Chinese cuisine grew with the economy, climaxing during a time when China's economy also peaked. 

There is a Chinese saying that "Food is the paramount necessity of the people." In early times, most imperial courts believed that if their people were well-fed, the empire would be stable and peaceful. As time passed, it was no longer necessary to worry about feeding the masses, but gourmet culture had already taken a life of its own. Chinese people became passionate about food and refined cuisine, and cooking delicious food became an art. 

Presentation is important in Chinese cuisine, but aesthetics are not the first priority. China's enormous size means that it has a large variety of ingredients, and Chinese cooks believe it is important to allow the vibrant colors of these ingredients shine. 

Table manners are also important in Chinese culture, starting from the teachings of Confucius and Mencius. Ethnic minority groups have their own traditional manners, but most Chinese people base their manners on those established by Confucius and Mencius. For example, Chinese people prefer round tables for dinner. Chinese people believe that families should sit together for meals, and sitting around the table and sharing food implies a harmonious atmosphere and unity. It is also the Chinese tradition to serve certain dishes whole, such as fish and chicken, and to place dishes in a circle. 

Chinese people use chopsticks instead of forks and knives, and believe they are more versatile and convenient to use. There are different ways to use chopsticks and place them in table settings. Chopsticks have become an integral part of the Chinese table.

Chinese eat animal viscera, which some foreigners find difficult to understand. But because the Chinese suffered poverty for a long time, it became ingrained in Chinese tradition to eat the whole animal and not allow offal to go to waste. In other countries, simple cooking methods are not enough to make animal viscera tasty, but in China, there are over 30 different methods to make offal edible and delicious. Chinese cooks enjoy finding the best ways to cook with challenging ingredients. In Guangdong Province on the South China Sea coast, people even eat snakes and rats during certain seasons; they believe eating these animal will improve their health. In traditional Chinese medicine, practitioners believe that food is also medicine and that our health will be improved when we eat some food. In fact, China's food culture aligns closely with the principles of traditional Chinese medicine.