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ChineseCuisineOftheworld’stwogreatcuisines,theChineseisasvariedas,and,infact,mucholderintraditionthantheFrench.Peoplemayfiercelydebatewhichnationalcuisineisthebest,butfewwilldenythatChinesetraditionalcookingranksamongtheworld’sbest.Itcertainlypredatesmostofitsrivals.ThebestChinesechefsaremastersatcreatingculinarytriumphsfromoftenmundaneingredients.Indeed,someofthemostprizeddelicaciesaresaidtohavebeenconcoctedduringtimesoffaminefromsubstancesneverbeforeconsiderededible.Themannerofservingeventhesimplestdishesappealsatoncetotheeye,thesenseofsmell,andthepalate.China’ssizeanditssharpcontrastsinclimateandlonghistoryhavegivenrisetodistinctregionalcuisinesoverthecenturies.Ofthem,therearethefourgreatestcuisines:Sichuanfoodcharacterizedbyhotandpungentflavoring,Shandongfoodcharacterizedbyfreshness,tendernessandlightseasoningandJiangsu-ZhejiangCuisinecharacterizedbysweetness.Besides,therearemorethantwentywell-knownstyleswhichincludeBeijingcuisine,Henancuisine,Hubeicuisine,Anhuicuisine,Fujiancuisine,Muslimcuisine,andvegetariancuisine.AtthetimeofConfucius,inthe6thcenturyBC,Galliccuisinewasstillacruderitualofrootsandcarcasses.Confuciusmayormaynothavebeenadedicatedgourmet,buthedidwriteextensivelyaboutsophisticatedfoodpreparation.Sincethen,Chinesecookinghasbecomeanart.QuitedifferentfromWesterncookingwhererecipesarefollowedstrictlylikelaboratoryinstructions,Chinesecookingalwaysallowsforacreativeandstylistictouchtoit.Itisfeaturedby“colorful”,“flavorous”,“delicious”,“shapeable”,“varied”,and“complex”.EarlystylesofChinesecookingdevelopedfromtwoimportantgoverningaspectsoflifeintheMiddleKingdom.Thefirstwasreligion.Daorism,whichtaughtmankindtoseekunionwithnaturalforces,encouragedasimple,vegetarianexistence.TenderyoungvegetablesarestillanintegralpartoftheChinesediet.ThesecondaspectofChinesecuisinewasthecountry’schronicfuelshortage.Stir-fryingsmallchunksoffoodoverahotstoveforshortperiodsoftimeisfarmoreenergy-efficientthanbaking.Chineseculinaryartincludessixaspects:selectionofrawmaterials,combinationofingredients,cuttingskills,cookingtechniques,seasoningandtemperature.Chinesecuisineusesarichvarietyofrawmaterials,suchaschicken,duck,rabbit,fish,pork,beef,seafood,game,eggs,vegetables,soybeanproducts,fruitsandnuts.Chefsareveryparticularabouttheselectionandpreparationoftheingredientsused.Inadditiontoselection,chefsalsopayattentiontothecombinationofmainingredientsandauxiliarymaterials.Theyseetoitthatthecombinationappealstotheeyeaswellastothepalate.Cutting,seasoningandtemperatureareanotherthreeimportantfactorsinChinesecooking.Forinstance,theingredientsofagivendishcanbecutintoslices,strips,shreds,cubes,segments,dices,grains,orminced.Andthenumberofspicesandherbsusedisestimatedatmorethanonehundred;allsortsofsalty,sweet,sour,andpungentflavorscanbecookedoverhigh,moderate,orlowtemperatures.Asforcookingtimesandtemperatures.Asforcookingtechniquesareused,includingdeep-frying,quick-frying,stir-frying,roasting,sautéing,,simmering,braising,smoking,steaming,andstewinginsoysauceandsyrup.Infairness,itshouldbenotedthatChina’scuisineisnottheonlyoneintheworldtohaveenteredadeclineinrecentdecades.And,inequalfairness,mosttravelerscanstillgotoChinawiththeexpectationofbeingservedhealthful,palatable,well-prepareddishes.Theycannotjustmissthem!