Chinese culture has grown from the enjoyment of food. Confucius once said that "good cuisine is an enjoyment in life rather than simply a need". Most of the great Chinese gastronomes were also literary figures and it is evident in much of the literature throughout the ages. This collection of essays is a unique perspective on Chinese food and culture by some of China's most well-known writers and cultural critics, like Lin Yutang, Wang Meng and others. Essays run from the purely academic like "Man and his Sense of Taste" to light-hearted essays describing specific dishes and their significance during the Spring Festival. The myriad variety of Chinese food and all its cultural components are represented in this original volume, resulting in a revealing and enlightening appraisal fo what truly lies at the hear of Chinese food and its culture.
By Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House, Paperback, 237 Pages, English, 6.75 x 9.5"
