The history, territory, strength, population, ethnic composition, religious beliefs, the nature of regime and economic structure of a country are different. Therefore, the dietary culture of different countries is different.
Strictly speaking, Chinese food culture lasts for tens of thousands of years (the discovery of pottery and rice varieties in Hunan Province). It is divided into four stages of development: raw food, cooked food, natural cooking and scientific cooking. More than 60,000 traditional dishes, more than 20,000 industrial foods, colorful banquets and brilliant flavor schools have been launched, which has earned the reputation of "cooking kingdom".
In terms of connotation, Chinese catering culture involves the development and utilization of food sources, the use and innovation of utensils, the production and consumption of food, the service and reception of catering, the operation and management of catering and food industry, and the relationship between catering and national security, catering and literature and art, catering and the realm of life.
From the perspective of extension, Chinese catering culture can be classified from the perspectives of times and techniques, region and economy, nationality and religion, food and tableware, consumption and level, folklore and function, showing different cultural tastes, reflecting different use value and splendid appearance.
From the point of view of characteristics, Chinese dietary culture emphasizes the theory of nourishing and enriching (vegetarian diet is the main, medicinal diet and supplement are emphasized), and pays attention to "color, fragrance and taste". The realm of five flavors harmony (distinctive flavor, delicious treasure, known as "tongue dish"), the recipe of strange and positive changes (kitchen rules-based, flexible and flexible), the delightful view of food (gentle, teaching in food) and other four attributes, which are different from the natural beauty of foreign countries'dietary culture. Chinese food culture not only pays attention to the color matching of dishes, but also to the atmosphere of dining. It is the individuality and tradition of the Chinese nation, and it is also the highlight of the traditional etiquette of the Chinese nation.
From the perspective of impact, Chinese dietary culture directly affects Japan, Mongolia, Korea, Thailand, Singapore and other countries, and is the axis of the Eastern dietary culture circle. At the same time, it also indirectly affects Europe, America, Africa and Oceania, such as China's vegetarian culture, tea culture, vinegar, pasta, medicinal meals, ceramic tableware and soybeans, which benefit billions of people all over the world. 。
In a word, Chinese food culture is a long-standing regional culture with broad vision, deep level, multi-angle and high-grade. It is the material wealth and spiritual wealth created, accumulated and influenced by the people of all ethnic groups in the development of food sources, the development of utensils, food conditioning, nutrition and health care, and the aesthetic appreciation of diet in the past 5000 years.