中国八大菜系

When it comes to culinary cuisines in China, they are very rich and diverse, each has its own individual taste and style that differ from region to region. The history of some cuisines can be dated thousand years back. In the beginning, there were only 4 main traditional dishes in China:

• 川菜, also known as 四川菜 from Sichuan province

• 鲁菜, also known as 山东菜 from Shandong province

• 苏菜, also known as 江苏菜 from Jiangsu province

• 粤菜, also known as 广东菜 from Guangdong province

Later, during the late Qing dynasty, 4 more cuisines from 4 different provinces were added:

• 浙菜, also known as 浙江菜 from Zhejiang province

• 闽菜, also known as 福建菜 from Fujian province

• 湘菜, also known as 湖南菜 from Hunan province

• 徽菜, also known as 安徽菜 from Anhui province

Collectively, they are called as 八大菜系(bā dà cài xì) in Chinese, which are 川菜(chuān cài), 鲁菜(lǔ cài), 苏菜(sū cài), 粤菜(yuè cài), 浙菜(zhè cài), 闽菜(mǐn cài), 湘菜(xiāng cài) and lastly 徽菜(huī cài).

In this post, we will cover some factors that lead to the development of these cuisines, as well as introducing some mouth-watering dishes that each cuisine offers.

川菜(chuān cài) from 四川(Sichuan)

This has become the most trendy cuisine in recent years. In oversea countries, restaurants that offer 川菜(chuān cài) is often labelled as "Szechuan". In Singapore, 麻辣火锅(má là huǒ guō, Mala hot pot) and 麻辣香锅(má là xiāng guō, Mala Stir-fry) stalls and restaurants are often patronised by the locals. In addition, thanks to the sensational hot pot restaurant 海底捞(hǎi dǐ lāo), the Sichuan hotpot culture is spreading worldwide.

This cuisine is known for its hot, spicy and mouth-numbing flavour. Most dishes use peppercorn, garlic and chilli as their key ingredients, thus producing this bursting flavour. In Sichuan, the climate tends to be wet and cold. Therefore, eating chilli and peppercorn can help to increase metabolism and make people feel warmer.

Other dishes worth recommending are listed here:

• 夫妻肺片(fū qī fèi piàn)

• 麻婆豆腐(má pó dòu fu)

• 宫保鸡丁(gōng bǎo jī dīng)

鲁菜(lǔ cài) from 山东(Shandong)

Lu cuisine is also known as Shandong cuisine. Shandong is located in the Far East of China, it is also the province where Confucius was from. Lu cuisine is the oldest type of cuisine that can be dated back over 2,500 years ago. Started from the Song Dynasty, it had always been regarded as 宫廷御膳(gōng tíng yù shàn, imperial diet). Hence, Lu cuisine is an important cuisine served in the imperial complex, such as 紫禁城(zǐ jìn chéng, Forbidden City) in Beijing during the Ming and Qing dynasty. Shandong is known as the origin of Northern culture, therefore Lu cuisine has influenced the development of Beijing, Tianjin and Dongbei cuisines as well.

Some main features of Lu cuisine include the freshness of materials and ostentatious dish display. Since Shandong province is located near the coast, seafood is widely available; many dishes use seafood as one of their key ingredients. Soup is also an important aspect of Lu cuisine. The cutting and culinary techniques used are relatively more complicated than other cuisines as well.

Overall, the taste of Lu cuisine inclines towards salty, sweet and sour flavour. Some dishes worth trying are:

• 红烧鲍鱼(hóng shāo bào yú)

• 酸辣鸡汤(suān là jī tāng)

• 九转大肠(jiǔ zhuǎn dà cháng)

苏菜(sū cài) from 江苏(Jiangsu)

Su cuisine is derived from the native cooking styles of Jiangsu province, which is a beautiful province located in Southeastern China. This cuisine made its name because 乾隆皇帝(qián lóng huáng dì, Emperor Qianlong) went to Jiangnan six times, and each time he does, he would visit 苏州(sū zhōu, Suzhou) to eat and to play.

Jiangsu is known as 鱼米之乡(yú mǐ zhī xiāng), a fertile area that is abundant in fish and rice because of its good climatic condition. The food is known for its tenderness, with a soft but not mushy texture. The flavour tends to be mild and balanced, sometimes may even taste bland.

Some dishes to recommend are:

• 盐水鸡(yán shuǐ jī)

• 狮子头(shī zi tóu)

• 松鼠鳜鱼(sōng shǔ guì yú)

粤菜(yuè cài) from 广东(Guangdong)

Guangdong province is located in the far south of China, where people speak Cantonese there. It is in the subtropical region. Therefore, its humid and rainy climate makes it a fertile land to grow agriculture and raise livestock.

When it comes to culinary methods, a lot of braising, stewing and steaming is used. Due to its hot and humid climate, Guangdong is also known for its 煲汤文化(bāo tāng wén huà, soup culture). Various Chinese herbs are used to make different types of soup, which serve to relieve heat and restore health, amongst many other health benefits.

In general, the food in Guangzhou use very light seasoning. Some food worth trying are:

• 白切鸡(bái qiē jī)

• 蜜汁叉烧(mì zhī chā shāo)

• 蒸肠粉(zhēng cháng fěn)

• 木瓜炖雪蛤(mù guā dùn xuě há)

浙菜(zhè cài) from 浙江(Zhejiang)

Zhejiang province is known for a few things. Firstly, it is where the famous tech company 阿里巴巴(Alibaba) was founded in 1999. Secondly, amongst the many 西湖(xī hú, west lakes) in China, the west lake in Zhejiang, Hangzhou city is the most popular one. Thirdly, 温商(wēn shāng, Wenzhou's business people) from 温州(wēn zhōu, Wenzhou city) are known for their capability to conduct profitable businesses. They are a risk-taking, entrepreneurial and innovative group of businesspeople in China.

When it comes to Zhejiang cuisine, there are many dishes that use fish as their key ingredient as the province is located along the East China Sea. The cooking tends to be light and fresh. Depending on the region, the flavour in the south of Zhejiang tends to be salty while the flavour in west side tends to be spicy because it is close to 湖南(hú nán), which is known for its spicy food.

Some dishes from Zhe cuisine are:

• 东坡肉(dōng pō ròu)

• 龙井虾仁(lóng jǐng xiā rén)

• 西湖醋鱼(xī hú cù yú)

闽菜(mǐn cài) from 福建(Fujian)

Min cuisine, also known as the Fujian or Hokkien cuisine, uses a native cooking style of China's Fujian province. Fujian is known for its mountains and mountainous terrain, hence many key food ingredients are grown in the mountainous area, such as mushrooms and bamboo shoots.

The taste for this cuisine is light, non-greasy and flavourful. Similar to Taiwanese cuisine, many dishes found in Taiwan can also be found in the Min cuisine. Some dishes worth trying are:

• 三杯鸡(sān bēi jī)

• 沙茶面(shā chá miàn)

• 梅菜扣肉(méi cài kòu ròu)

• 担仔面(dān zaǐ miàn)

湘菜(xiāng cài) from 湖南(Hunan)

The Xiang cuisine is known for its hot and spicy flavours. The dishes have a fresh aroma and deep bright colours due to the use of red chilli pepper and tons of garlic. Similar to Chuan cuisine, Xiang cuisine is very spicy, but it does not use a numb spicy flavour.

Some dishes worth trying are:

• 剁椒鱼头(duò jiāo yú tóu)

• 麻辣子鸡(má là zǐ jī)

• 毛氏红烧肉(máo shì hóng shāo ròu)

徽菜(huī cài) from 安徽(Anhui)

During the Qing dynasty, many 徽商(huī shāng) from Anhui go to different provinces to conduct business, thus spreading the Hui cuisine to other parts of China and making it famous nationwide.

Hui cuisine is derived from the native cooking styles of the Huangshan region in southern Anhui Province. It is known for its stews and slow-cooked dishes. Almost every dish is made using nutritious, local-grown ingredients, thus its flavour tends to be more natural. Steamed food is Hui cuisine's unique point.

Some dishes to recommend are:

• 徽州毛豆腐(huī zhōu máo dòu fu)

• 黄山炖鸽(huáng shān dùn gē)

• 问政山笋(wèn zhèng shān sǔn)

All in all, apart from these eight traditional cuisines in China, there are other cuisines that are worth knowing but not included in the eight traditional cuisines. For example, 东北菜(dōng běi cài), which is called the Northeastern cuisine, tends to have stronger flavours and bigger serving size. During winter, many northeastern people will eat high calorific food in order to feel warmer. To know more about China dining culture and etiquette, stay tuned to our blog for more information.