How to eat in ancient times

How to prepare food in ancient times: Exploring the food culture from the palace to the people

Food culture is an important part of Chinese civilization. The ancient custom of eating together (eating together) not only reflects the social hierarchy, but also reflects the closeness and distance of interpersonal relationships. This article will reveal ancient food etiquette and anecdotes from three levels: the court, officials, and civilians, combined with hot topics and hot content on the Internet in the past 10 days.

1. Popular food culture topics on the Internet in the past 10 days

2. Court food: a hierarchical system with strict etiquette

The ancient palace's food system was extremely strict. According to the "Book of Rites of Zhou", the emperor used nine tripods and eight guis, the princes used seven tripods and six guis, the officials used five tripods and four guis, and the scholars used three tripods and two guis. This system of "taking the tripod to eat" lasted until the Qin and Han Dynasties. The "Shaowei Banquet" in the Tang Dynasty court took the hierarchical system to the extreme. New scholars were required to host a banquet to entertain their colleagues, with as many as 58 dishes.

3. The relationship between officials and officials: the integration of social interaction and politics

In ancient officialdom, eating was not only a dietary activity, but also an important social occasion. The popular "Qu Shui Shang Shang" during the elegant gatherings of literati in the Song Dynasty and the "Eight Treasures Banquet" among officials in the Ming Dynasty are both the intertwining of power and culture. The recent archaeological discoveries of lacquerware tableware from the Han Dynasty prove that high-ranking officials at that time used sets of exquisite tableware for banquets.

It is worth noting that there were three taboos about food in ancient officialdom: one taboo was to exceed the rules (using tableware that exceeds one's status), the other was to be out of etiquette (not following the order of meals), and the third taboo was to be noisy. Violators may be ridiculed at the least, or have career consequences at worst.

4. Common people’s approach to food: simple dietary wisdom

The food customs of common people are more simple and practical. "Tokyo Menghua Lu" of the Song Dynasty recorded that citizens of Bianjing often "talked over food" in teahouses. The banquets in the market described in "The Plum in the Golden Vase" of the Ming Dynasty were not as luxurious as those in the official government, but they were still very lively. The following are common food scenes among ancient people:

5. Comparison of food culture between ancient and modern times

Through the analysis of related topics on the Internet in the past 10 days, it is found that modern people's attention to ancient food culture mainly focuses on three aspects: first, re-examination of the ancient meal sharing system (related to epidemic prevention and control), second, the revival of traditional banquet etiquette (such as Han-style weddings), and third, the exploration of ancient dietary health (such as medicinal diet culture).

The most important revelation left to us by the ancient food culture is that food not only satisfies physiological needs, but is also an important link in maintaining social relationships. From the strict etiquette of the palace to the simple banquets among the people, they all reflect the Chinese cultural gene of "food is the first priority".

In the current upsurge of reviving traditional culture, the reproduction of food etiquette should not be a mere formality, but should have a deep understanding of the cultural connotation behind it, so that ancient dietary wisdom can rejuvenate in modern society.