Eight Cuisines(八大菜系）China covers a large territory and has many nationalities, hence a variety of Chinese food with different but fantastic and mouthwatering flavor. Since China's local dishes have their own typical characteristics, generally, Chinese food can be roughly divided into eight regional cuisines, which has been widely accepted around. Certainly, there are many other local cuisines that are famous, such as Beijing Cuisine and Shanghai Cuisine.Shandong CuisineConsisting of Jinan cuisine and Jiaodong cuisine, Shandong cuisine, clear, pure and not greasy, is characterized by its emphasis on aroma, freshness, crispness and tenderness. Shallot and garlic are usually used as seasonings so Shangdong dishes tastes pungent usually. Soups are given much emphasis in Shangdong dishes. Thin soup features clear and fresh while creamy soup looks thick and tastes strong. Jinan cuisine is adept at deep-frying, grilling, frying and stir-frying while Jiaodong division is famous for cooking seafood with fresh and light taste.Shandong is the birthplace of many famous ancient scholars such as Confucious and Mencius. And much of Shandong cuisine's history is as old as Confucious himself, making it the oldest existing major cuisine in China. But don't expect to gain more wisdom from a fortune cookie at a Shandong restaurant in the West since fortune cookies aren't even indigenous to China.Shandong is a large peninsula surrounded by the sea to the East and the Yellow River meandering through the center. As a result, seafood is a major component of Shandong cuisine. Shandong's most famous dish is the Sweat and Sour Carp. A truly authentic Sweet and Sour Carp mustcome from the Yellow River. But with the current amount of pollution in the Yellow River, you would be better off if the carp was from elsewhere. Shandong dishes are mainly quick-fried, roasted, stir-fried or deep-fried. The dishes are mainly clear, fresh and fatty, perfect with Shandong's own famous beer, Qingdao BeerSichuan CuisineSichuan Cuisine, known often in the West as Szechuan Cuisine, is one of the most famous Chinese cuisines in the world. Characterized by its spicy and pungent flavor, Sichuan cuisine, prolific of tastes, emphasizes on the use of chili. Pepper and prickly ash also never fail to accompany, producing typical exciting tastes. Besides, garlic, ginger and fermented soybean are also used in the cooking process. Wild vegetables and animals are usually chosen as ingredients, while frying, frying without oil, pickling and braising are applied as basic cooking techniques. It cannot be said that one who does not experience Sichuan food ever reaches China.If you eat Sichuan cuisine and find it too bland, then you are probably not eating authentic Sichuan cuisine. Chili peppers and prickly ash are used in many dishes, giving it a distinctively spicy taste, called ma in Chinese. It often leaves a slight numb sensation in the mouth. However, most peppers were brought to China from the Americas in the 18th century so you can thank global trade for much of Sichuan cuisine's excellence. Sichuan hot pots are perhaps the most famous hotpots in the world, most notably the Y uan Yang (mandarin duck) Hotpot half spicy and half clear.Guangdong CuisineCantonese food originates from Guangdong, the southernmost provincein China. The majority of overseas Chinese people are from Guangdong (Canton) so Cantonese is perhaps the most widely available Chinese regional cuisine outside of China.Cantonese are known to have an adventurous palate, able to eat many different kinds of meats and vegetables. In fact, people in Northern China often say that Cantonese people will eat anything that flies except airplanes, anything that moves on the ground except trains, and anything that moves in the water except boats. This statement is far from the truth, but Cantonese food is easily one of the most diverse and richest cuisines in China. Many vegetables originate from other parts of the world. It doesn't use much spice, bringing out the natural flavor of the vegetables and meats.Tasting clear, light, crisp and fresh, Guangdong cuisine, familiar to Westerners, usually chooses raptors and beasts to produce originative dishes. Its basic cooking techniques include roasting, stir-frying, sauteing, deep-frying, braising, stewing and steaming. Among them steaming and stir-frying are more commonly applied to preserve the natural flavor. Guangdong chefs also pay much attention to the artistic presentation of dishes.Fujian CuisineConsisting of Fuzhou Cuisine, Quanzhou Cuisine and Xiamen Cuisine, Fujian Cuisine is distinguished for its choice seafood, beautiful color and magic taste of sweet, sour, salty and savory. The most distinct features are their "pickled taste".Jiangsu CuisineJiangsu Cuisine, also called Huaiyang Cuisine, is popular in the lower reach of the Yangtze River. Aquatics as the main ingredients, it stresses the freshness of materials. Its carving techniques are delicate, of which the melon carving technique is especially well known. Cooking techniques consist of stewing, braising, roasting, simmering, etc. The flavor of Huaiyang Cuisine is light, fresh and sweet and with delicate elegance. Jiangsu cuisine is well known for its careful selection of ingredients, its meticulous preparation methodology, and its not-too-spicy, not-too-bland taste. Since the seasons vary in climate considerably in Jiangsu, the cuisine also varies throughout the year. If the flavor is strong, it isn't too heavy; if light, not too bland.Zhejiang CuisineComprising local cuisines of Hangzhou, Ningbo and Shaoxing, Zhejiang Cuisine, not greasy, wins its reputation for freshness, tenderness, softness, smoothness of its dishes with mellow fragrance. Hangzhou Cuisine is the most famous one among the three.Hunan cuisineHunan cuisine consists of local Cuisines of Xiangjiang Region, Dongting Lake and Xiangxi coteau. It characterizes itself by thick and pungent flavor. Chili, pepper and shallot are usually necessaries in this division.Anhui CuisineAnhui Cuisine chefs focus much more attention on the temperature in cooking and are good at braising and stewing. Often hams will be added to improve taste and sugar candy addedCharacteristics:•Shandong Cuisine （鲁菜）Major characteristics of Shandong Cuisine:1) Prepared with a wide variety of materials. For example，Jiaodong dishes are mainly made of aquatic products due to its proximity to the Yellow Sea. People in Jinan and Jiving like to prepare cuisine with mountain delicacies and seafood delights, melons, fruits, vegetables and peppers.2) A pure, strong and mellow taste, rather than a mixed taste. Chefs are good at using onions and seasonings.3) Shandong Cuisine is known for its excellent seafood dishes and delicious soup.4) Chefs excel at preparing clear, smell, crisp, tender and delicious dishes by frying, stirring and steaming.Famous dishes: Stir Fried Prawns, Fried Sea Cucumbers with Onions, Sweet and Sour Carp, Large Jiaodong Chicken Wings, Taishan Fish with Red Scales, etc.•Sichuan Cuisine （川菜）The main- characteristics of Sichuan Cuisine:1) Prepared with a wide variety of ingredients.2) Presenting various shapes and tastes, and famous for spicy food,fish-flavored shredded pork and food with odd taste.3) Boasting numerous cooking techniques, such as stir frying, frying, stir-frying before stewing, and braising.Famous dishes: Stir-fried Diced Chicken with Chilli and Peanuts, Stir-fried Bean Curd in Hot Sauce, Fish-flavored Shredded Pork, Rice Crusts and Sliced Pork, Stir-fried Sliced Beef, etc.•Guangdong Cuisine （粤菜）Guangdong Cuisine, one of the main cuisine styles in China, is composed of Guangzhou, Chaozhou and Dongjiang cuisine. With the advantages of all delicacies from all over the country, Guangdong Cuisine has gradually formed its own characteristics - using a wide variety of ingredients, offering food of all tastes, shapes and colors, good at changing, and serving light food in summer and autumn, and strong and mellow food in winter and spring. Guangdong Cuisine features sour, bitter, spicy and delicious tastes with a clear and fragrant smell. Guangdong snacks are peculiar about ingredients, some sweet and some salty, enjoying the reputation of "100 kinds of snacks having 100 tastes and 100 shapes." There is an old saying: "Guangdong serves best food in the country." Now we can say: "Guangdong offers delicacies from all over the world." Famous dishes: Fried Bean Curd and Fresh Shrimps, Baiyun Pig‘s Trotters, Roast Piglet with Crisp Skin, Dongjiang Salted Chicken,Refreshing Beef Balls, Taiye Chicken, Fried Jelly Fish, etc.•Fujian Cuisine （闽菜）Fujian Cuisine have the following characteristics:1) Chefs are skilled in the use of a kitchen knife, full of interest.2) The Fujian people are peculiar about soup, which is full of changes.3) A wide variety of seasonings are used, with unique characteristics.4) Dishes are meticulously prepared, refined and graceful.5) Fujian Cuisine is characterized by clear, refreshing, delicious and light tastes, slightly sweet and sour.Typical famous dishes: Monk Jumps over Wall, sea clams in Chicken Soup, Glossy Ganoderma and Jade Cicadas, Litchi Pulp, Fragrant Sliced Snails with a Faint Smell of Distillers‘ Grains, Jadeite Pearl Abalone, Chicken with Distillers‘ Grains, etc. Famous snacks: Fried Oyster, Lightly Fried Dumpling, Clam Cakes, Thousand Layer Cake, Meat Balls, Taiji Smashed Taro.•Jiangsu Cuisine （苏菜）The main characteristics of Jiangsu cuisine:1) Distinguished for exquisite ingredients, freshness and aliveness.2) High cutting techniques.3) Have a good command of duration and degree of heating and cooking.4) Good at keeping the original taste one particular taste for one dish. All dishes have light, mellow and refreshing tastes. Yangzhou Cuisine is light and elegant; Suzhou Cuisine is slightly sweet; and Wuxi Cuisine is fairly sweet.5) Pay great attention to soup, which is strong but not greasy, and delicious.Famous dishes: Butterfish in Creamy Juice, Santao Duck, Steamed Large Meatballs, Fragrant and Soft Silverfish, Crystal Pig‘s Trotters, Steamed Hilsa Herring, King Bids Farewell to His Consort, etc. Well-known snacks include Dumplings with Juicy Crab Meat Filling, Noodles in Clear Soup, Jadeite Steamed Dumplings with the Dough Gathered at the Top, etc.【•Zhejiang Cuisine （浙菜）】Of a large number local cuisine styles, Zhejiang Cuisine occupies an important position and mainly consists of Hangzhou, Ningbo, Shaoxing and Wenzhou cuisine styles, each having its own local characteristics. Hangzhou Cuisine, the representative of Zhejiang Cuisine, is delicious, light, crisp, elegant and highly finished. Ningbo local dishes are delicious, tender, soft and refreshing. Shaoxing Cuisine, which has the characteristics of the I,md of fish, includes various kinds of local dishes, which are soft and aromatic with original soup ,[lid juice, light oil, and aheavy taste. Chefs are forbidden to use peppers. Wenzhou Cuisine, also I,nown as On Cuisine, is known for delicious seafood and light and delicious dishes.Famous dishes: West Lake Sour Fish, Dongpo Pork, Longjing Shrimp Meat, Jiaohua Young Chickens, Steam Rice Flower and Pork Wrapped by Lotus Leaves, Braised Bamboo Shoots and Whitefish with Fermented Glutinous Rice.•Hunan Cuisine （湘菜）Hunan Cuisine has three characteristics:1) Skilful use of a kitchen knife, a delicious taste and a beautiful shape.2) Known for sour and spicy dishes by adding various kinds of seasonings.3) Adopting a wide variety of techniques.Famous dishes: Spicy Young Chicken, Fried Fish Slices, Steamed Soft-Shell Turtle, Steamed Cured Meat, Huofang Whitebait, Dongting Fat Fish Maw, Jishou Sour Meat, Oily and Spicy Tender Bamboo Shoots, and Chinese Chestnuts and Hearts of Cabbages.•Anhui Cuisine （徽菜）Anhui Cuisine has the following four characteristics:1) Using a wide variety of ingredients.2) Adopting unique techniques.3) Paying great attention to nutritious food.4) Offering various kinds of dishes, some of which are full of local flavor. Famous dishes: Milky Fat Fish King, Stewed Mati Soft-shelled Turtle in Clear Soup, Guest Welcoming Pine, Crucian Carp in Earthen Pot, Fuliji Chicken, Red Bayberry and Glutinous Rice Balls, etc. Local snacks include Butterfly Noodles, White Gourd Dumplings, Frozen Rice Sugar, Tunxi Liquor-saturated Crabs, etc.。
