introduction
Food culture is a unique cultural form of a country or region, which reflects the characteristics of people's lifestyle, ideological concepts, social forms and cultural inheritance in terms of food.
In Chinese history, the food culture of the Tang Dynasty was an extremely prosperous and diverse period, which had unique characteristics and changes in ingredients, dishes, cooking techniques, etiquette norms, social occasions and other aspects.
This paper will discuss the prosperity and changes of Tang Dynasty food culture from the aspects of development background, characteristics, changes and influence, in order to enlighten and learn from the development of Chinese food culture and the inheritance of history and culture.
The background of the development of food culture in the Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was the heyday of Chinese feudal society, with its economic, political and cultural development reaching unprecedented peaks, and food culture was no exception.
The development background of food culture in the Tang Dynasty can be analyzed from the following aspects.
Political and economic factors
The Tang Dynasty was a period of relative political stability and social prosperity in Chinese history, and the country's political and economic development laid a solid foundation for the prosperity of food culture.
During the Tang Dynasty, the country's agricultural production and handicraft manufacturing industries have developed considerably, which has provided rich material conditions such as ingredients and tableware for food culture.
Cultural exchange factors
The Tang Dynasty was one of the most frequent and extensive periods of cultural exchanges in Chinese history, and its trade and cultural exchanges with Central Asia, India, West Asia and other places also promoted the exchange and integration of food culture.
For example, the trade between the Tang Dynasty and Central Asia promoted the introduction of mutton, walnuts and other ingredients; Cultural exchanges with India have promoted the popularization of Buddhist vegetarianism.
Socio-cultural factors
The society and culture of the Tang Dynasty were very open and diverse, showing diversity and inclusiveness from social class to lifestyle.
This social and cultural atmosphere provides a good environment and soil for the diversification and innovation of food culture.
To sum up, the prosperity and change of food culture in the Tang Dynasty was the result of the interaction of many factors, and was closely related to the politics, economy and culture of the Tang Dynasty.
Characteristics of Tang Dynasty food culture
Tang Dynasty food culture is an important stage in the history of Chinese food culture, and its prosperity and diversity largely reflect the development and changes of Tang Dynasty society.
Here are a few characteristics of Tang Dynasty food culture:
The variety of ingredients
During the Tang Dynasty, China's agricultural production and handicraft manufacturing industry developed considerably, and people's productivity and living standards improved significantly, so the food culture of the Tang Dynasty became richer and more diverse.
During the Tang Dynasty, rice, wheat, soybeans, pork, chicken, duck, fish and other ingredients were widely used, as well as some foreign ingredients, such as mutton, walnuts, grapes, etc., which made the food culture of the Tang Dynasty more colorful.
Innovation and variation of cuisine
The cooking skills of the Tang Dynasty were further improved and developed, and at the same time, people's innovation and change in ingredients and cooking methods were also constantly carried out.
On the table of the Tang Dynasty, in addition to the traditional cooking methods such as roasting, boiling, and stir-frying, new cooking methods such as steaming, smoking, and frying also appeared, which not only increased the diversity of dishes, but also improved the taste and quality of food.
Standardization of dining etiquette
The banquet etiquette of the Tang Dynasty was very exquisite, and there were strict rules on tableware, utensils, seating and other aspects.
In addition, the banquets of the Tang Dynasty also had specific etiquette and rituals, such as pre-banquet music, drinking after the banquet, etc., and these ritual standardized practices made the food culture more solemn and refined.
Diversity of social situations
The social occasions of the Tang Dynasty were very diverse, and different occasions had different food cultures, such as banquets, tea houses, restaurants, restaurants, etc.
In the banquets of the Tang Dynasty, the types and sizes of banquets were also very rich, including court banquets, official banquets, private banquets, etc., and these different occasions and banquet types played an important role in promoting the diversification and innovation of food culture.
Cultural exchange and integration
The Tang Dynasty was an era of cultural exchange and integration, not only the fusion of the Central Plains culture and ethnic minority culture, but also the exchange and integration of Eastern and Western cultures.
In terms of food culture, the Central Plains culture of the Tang Dynasty and the integration of foreign cultures, such as the food culture of the Tang Dynasty, which integrates the food culture of Turkic, Tibetan, Persian, Indian and other countries, the integration of these elements makes the food culture of the Tang Dynasty more diverse and rich.
The literatization of food culture
The Tang Dynasty was the golden age of Chinese literature, and many literary giants wrote literary works related to food, "Yuanfang invaded the ancient road, Qingcui took the deserted city, and sent Wang Sun to it. "Describes the parting feelings of wild game and banquets in Tang Dynasty food culture.
The in-depth discussion of the food culture of the Tang Dynasty not only enriched the connotation of literature and art, but also promoted the development and inheritance of food culture.
Changes in food culture in the Tang Dynasty
In the course of the development of food culture in the Tang Dynasty, it also underwent some changes.
Changes in ingredients
In the food culture of the Tang Dynasty, with the development of agricultural productivity, new ingredients continued to appear, such as the introduction of rice and corn, and the increase of new vegetables, fruits and seafood, and the emergence and popularization of these ingredients made the food culture of the Tang Dynasty more colorful.
Variations of cuisine
The cuisine of the Tang Dynasty was very active in innovation and change, such as the emergence of distinct regional characteristics, such as Sichuan cuisine, Cantonese cuisine, etc.;
There are also new cooking techniques and the use of cooking utensils, such as the use of roasting, frying, stir-frying and other techniques, as well as the wide application of copper pots, porcelain bowls, porcelain plates and other utensils.
Changes in dining etiquette
The dining etiquette of the Tang Dynasty has further developed in terms of standardization, such as the banquet etiquette and seating arrangement is more strict and standardized, and the order of dishes and wine is more orderly and exquisite, these standardized changes reflect the refinement and etiquette of Tang Dynasty society.
Changes in social situations
The social occasions of the Tang Dynasty also underwent some changes, such as the emergence of new social places such as tea houses, restaurants, and tea houses, which became important occasions for people to socialize and promoted the change and development of food culture.
The inheritance of food culture
The food culture of the Tang Dynasty also underwent some changes in terms of inheritance, such as the emphasis and research of the literati on food culture, and they closely combined the inheritance and development of food culture with literature and art, forming a unique way of inheriting food culture.
The influence of Tang dynasty food culture
The influence of Tang Dynasty food culture on future generations is far-reaching, which not only has a positive role in promoting the development of Chinese food culture, but also has a certain impact on the inheritance of Chinese culture and the exchange of international culture.
Influence on Chinese food culture
The rich and colorful food culture of the Tang Dynasty promoted the development and progress of Chinese food culture. For example, the cooking techniques and the use of cooking utensils in the Tang Dynasty had a profound impact on the development of food culture in later generations.
In addition, the dining etiquette and social occasions of the Tang Dynasty also promoted the standardization and refinement of Chinese food culture.
The inheritance of Chinese culture
The food culture of the Tang Dynasty is not only the inheritance of food, but also closely combined with literature and art, forming a unique way of inheriting food culture.
The scholars' research and attention to food culture in the Tang Dynasty promoted the inheritance and development of Chinese culture.
Exchange of international cultures
The Tang Dynasty was an important period of cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, and the food culture of the Tang Dynasty also spread to foreign countries with the promotion of trade and cultural exchanges.
For example, the tea culture and tea art of the Tang Dynasty were spread to Japan and Korea, which had an impact on the tea culture in East Asia.
conclusion
In the Tang Dynasty, food culture has been unprecedentedly prosperous and developed, and the catering industry has also been greatly developed.
The characteristics of food culture in the Tang Dynasty are mainly manifested in diversity, the development of cooking techniques and utensils, the standardization of etiquette and social occasions, and the close integration of literature and art.
At the same time, there were also some changes in the food culture of the Tang Dynasty, such as the popularity of vegetarianism and the waste of court food.
The food culture of the Tang Dynasty has had a positive impact on Chinese food culture, Chinese culture and international culture, promoted the development and progress of Chinese food culture, promoted the inheritance and development of Chinese culture, and laid the foundation for the emergence and development of tea culture in East Asia.
The prosperity and development of food culture in the Tang Dynasty is not only a valuable heritage of Chinese food culture, but also an important part of world food culture, providing important reference and enlightenment for the inheritance and development of food culture in future generations.
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