The Taste of Antiquity (The History and Culture of Chinese Cuisine)

Author: Wang Renxiang
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-04-01
Features: I had visited Hong Kong several times before, but they were just brief encounters, leaving no deep impression, and I didn’t even get a chance to meet my friends and colleagues. This time, I had a slightly more relaxed opportunity to teach archaeology courses at the Extramural Studies College of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, allowing me to stay for a few more days and meet some old friends. When old friends reunited, they occasionally mentioned my research on food archaeology, expressing confusion about how I had gotten entangled in this path. And the students from various industries in Hong Kong, in class, also raised similar questions: How can an archaeologist beed by the flavors of the past? Yes, my food culture works were published by the Chinese University Press in Hong Kong, and my heart was divided—Hong Kong even provided some assistance to this endeavor! There is an old Chinese saying: "Food is the foundation of the people." As one of the cradles of world civilization, the history of Chinese cuisine is almost as long as the history of Chinese civilization. Beyond mere sustenance, people have imbued food with deeper cultural meanings, known today as the so-called "food culture." For a long time, I have been interested in ancient Chinese food culture, and with this book, let us embark on an interesting journey through the food culture of ancient China. The things collected here are mostly the "small blocks" that my peers disdain, scattered across newspapers and magazines in recent years. Thanks to the recommendations and encouragement of some friends, I spent some spare time patching together these pieces. With the kindness of Mr. Chen Xiaodong of Shandong Fine Arts Publishing House, I had the opportunity this time to savor the past, the self, and the friends once again, which left me with a unique taste in my heart. Wang Yucheng of the Song Dynasty described his experience of eating olives as "after a long time, the aftertaste is sweet as honey." For my collection, apart from a faint sweetness, I also felt a stronger bitterness like brine, not daring to savor it closely. Recently, I am working on a multi-episode television series about the history of salt, so it was natural to think of using brine as a metaphor—it is a treasure that cannot be lacking but also cannot be taken in excess. My harvest may just be this inconspicuous pinch of salt, but I hope it can add a memorable taste to people’s lives, and that is all. Throughout history, among the flavors of sour, sweet, bitter, and salty, only a moderate amount of salt is the true taste favored by all. As for the other flavors, people have varying preferences. My collection, apart from a faint saltiness, might have a touch of something different. If someone doesn’t like it, that is perfectly natural. In the end, I still chose "Taste" as the title of the collection, hoping that those who have the opportunity to read this book will feel a sweet aftertaste of the distant historical flavors. It is also a token of my gratitude to those who have enjoyed my writing and helped me. I will remember you, and the "sweet as honey" taste you have given me will always be worth savoring.