"Come back to the root of the dish"

Author: Hong Yingming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: "The Vegetarian's Kitchen" can be said to be a remarkable book. Since its publication over four hundred years ago, it has spread rapidly and gained widespread popularity among readers. The breadth of its readership and the longevity of its circulation are noteworthy in the annals of ancient Chinese classics. From the royal aristocracy of the feudal society to the common people of contemporary society, this book has attracted readers. "The Dreams of a Hidden Moon" is an excellent collection of concise sayings that emerged in the early Qing Dynasty. The late Ming Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty can be considered the golden age of this literary form, producing a large number of outstanding works such as Tu Long's "The Serene Pavilion Sayings," Chen Jieru's "The Solitary Window's Quiet Reminiscences," Wu Congxian's "The Solitary Window's Self-Recollections," Lü Kun's "The Whimpers of a Hidden Moon," and Hong Yingming's "The Vegetarian's Kitchen." This book is also a representative work of this genre. Such works generally adopt the form of aphorisms, maxims, and quotes, rich in literary charm and the sentiments of the mountains and rivers, establishing a distinct style apart from the classics, historical records, poetry, and prose.