Cultures practices and beliefs identify people. Some communities have cultures that are more diverse than others depending on their history. Among the most important elements of culture is cuisine. These elements represent the type of food people from a certain community eat. Therefore, due to the differences in culture and geographical location, it is likely that American cuisine is different from that of the Chinese. The Chinese are some of the people who maintain rich cultural practices. As a result, they possess some of the most diverse cuisines in the world. Due to the large geographical area in China as well as the large population, the country has various cuisines divided into eight regions, which portrays some differences.
The first Chinese cuisine is referred to as the Anhui cuisine or the Hui cuisine. The cuisine derives its origin from the cooking styles that were practiced by people living in the Huangshan in the province of Anhui. This traditional cuisine is in many ways similar to the Jiangsu cuisine. The food prepared in this style has many wild herbs that are harvested from the sea and land. The foods have simple preparation methods such as stewing and braising. This cuisine uses less frying of food as used in other traditional Chinese cuisines. The Anhui cuisine comprises of three traditional styles namely; Anhui region, Yangtze River and Huai River region (Cheung & Wu, 2014). The Anhui region possesses large forests and uninhabited lands where most of the wild herbs used in the cuisine are harvested. Some of the notable dishes in the Anhui cuisine include egg dumping usually associated with people living in a rural setup. The eggs are prepared with pork whereby they wrap the pork fillings. The second dish is known as the Li Hongzhang, named after a popular statesman in the province of Anhui. The dish comprises of soup filled with salt, fish, chicken and assorted vegetables.
The second traditional Chinese cuisine is known as the Hunan cuisine or Xiang cuisine. It consists of three main cuisines from Dongting Lake, Xiang River, and Hunan Province. The foods are known for having high amounts of pepper and flavors, deep colors as well as fresh aromas due to the ingredients used (Wu, 2014). Some of the most common ways of preparing Hunan cuisine include smoking, frying, stewing, braising and pot-roasting. The region produces large amounts of agricultural products, making the Hunan cuisine to have numerous dishes. Dating back to the seventeenth century, the cuisine has assimilated many local forms in the region eventually developing to become an independent style. This cuisine is much oilier compared to other traditional Chinese cuisines. The menu normally changes according to seasons as portrayed by the weather. For instance, during the winter season, hot soup is served to warm the body whereas cold dishes may be served during the summer. Among some of the most common dishes include fried chicken. The chicken is eaten with Sichuan spicy sauce.
The third traditional Chinese cuisine is the Zhejiang cuisine. Also known as the Zhe cuisine, the dishes came from the cooking done by people living in the Zhejiang Province, south of Shanghai. The dishes served in this cuisine have fresh and soft flavors and are not greasy. The Zhejiang cuisine comprises of three styles that originated from major towns in the province of Zhejiang. The first style is the Ningbo style that largely concentrates on salty and fresh dishes. Most of the foods served in this style include seafood. The second style is known as the Hangzhou style, characterized by the use of bamboo shoots as well as rich variations in the ingredients used. The foods are normally served in restaurants around major cities in the province (Kim, 2015). Finally, the last style is known as the Shaoxing. The style has more emphasis in the preparation of freshwater fish and poultry dishes. Among some popular dishes include beggar’s chicken that originated from the Hangzhou cuisine. The second dish includes stewed meat and dry vegetables. Mostly, the chefs use pork instead of other types of meat.
The fourth traditional Chinese cuisine is referred to as the Jiangsu cuisine or the Su cuisine. The cuisine originates from the cooking styles adopted by people from the Jiangsu Province (Yang, Yang & Miao, 2017). The foods are normally soft compared to other cuisines. However, the cooks ensure that the tenderness does not exceed a certain point. For instance, the meat can be soft but remains in the bone. Fish as an ingredient is common because most of the people who practice this cuisine live near the sea. However, there is a strict selection process to identify ingredients depending on the season. The ingredients require having matching colors and particular shapes. Soup accompanies the meal in order to improve the flavors. This cuisine comprises of four main styles. The Suzhou style lays more emphasis on the ingredients used. The food normally tastes stronger than those prepared in the Nanjing style. The Nanjing style ensures that the dishes matching colors and even tastes. The food comprises of fish and ducks. The Wuxi style emphasis on the use of fresh water produces due to the proximity of Lake Tai. The final style is the Nantong style that concentrates on maintaining freshness of the ingredients used. Among some of the main dishes include the braised spare ribs that have sweet tastes and melt-in-mouth texture.
The fifth traditional Chinese Cuisine is known as the Fujian cuisine or the Hokkein cuisine. The cuisine originated from the cooking traditions in the province of Fujian. The foods are soft, tender, and flavored. The cooks ensure that the food maintains the original flavors of the ingredients used (Wu, 2014). Most of the dishes compose of woodland and seafood. Additionally, bamboo shoots, as well as mushrooms from the mountainous regions in Fujian, are occasionally used. The Cuisine also considers seasons in the foods served. For instance, during some seasons, fish sauce and shacha sauce may not be present in the menu. The dishes are famous for high-quality soups and stews. The cuisine has three styles which include Fuzhou whereby the dishes are lighter than those found in other styles. The dishes are also sour and have mixed tastes. The Southern Fujian is the second style whereby the tastes are slightly stronger than those found in Fuzhou style dishes. Sugar and spices are used to prepare soups. Finally, foods prepared with Western Fujian style have spicy tastes and pepper. The foods are fried or steamed since most of the ingredients are vegetables and seafood. Notable dishes include the banmian which is composed of soup made from egg noodles.
The sixth traditional Chinese cuisine is known as the Guangdong cuisine or the Cantonese cuisine. This cuisine originated from the cooking practiced by people from the Guangdong Province. The cuisine differs from another Chinese cuisine due to its popularity outside China caused by Chinese immigrants. Furthermore, experts in preparing this cuisine are sought in many restaurants in China and beyond. The foods served under this cuisine are cooked through stewing, braising, and sautéing. As a consequence, the dishes retain their original flavors and remain tender. The foods are also fresh, light and crisp (Zhao et al. 2014). Due to the use of sauces, the dishes retain a characteristic of sweetness that might not found in other dishes. Most of the popular ingredients include sugar, salt, soya beans, rice, spring onions, and sesame oil. In addition, due to the use of indigenous ingredients, it is highly possible to find things such as snakes and anteaters in a plate.
The seventh traditional Chinese cuisine is referred to as the Shandong cuisine. Also known as the Lu cuisine, it originated from the cooking habits of people from the Shandong province in northern China. The cuisine requires a wide selection of ingredients as well as cooking methods (Guo et al. 2017). The ingredients comprise of domestic animals, birds, vegetables, and seafood. Among the most common cooking methods include quick frying, stewing, roasting, and boiling. The Shandong cuisine has two styles namely the Jinan and Jiaodong style. The Jinan style comprises of foods from Jinan, Dezhou and the nearby areas. The style use soups for most of the dishes. The Jiaodong style comprises of foods prepared from seafood. The foods maintain light tastes since few spices and peppers are used. This cuisine has helped develop many Chinese cuisines despite being less available compared to other cuisines. Among the most common dishes include sweet potatoes with a caramelized sugar coating, deep fried golden cicada, and pig's large intestines.
The final traditional Chinese cuisine is known as the Sichuan cuisine or the Szechuan cuisine. The cuisine was adopted from the cooking traditions in Sichuan Province. The food comprises of bold flavors due to the use of garlic and chili peppers. The province of Sichuan produces large amounts of vegetables, rice, mushrooms, and herbs. In this region, people consume more pork than other regions. However, the Sichuan cuisine occasionally includes beef in the dishes more than other traditional cuisines (Mao, Huang & Liu, (2015). The cooks use animal organs such as skin, tongue, intestine, and heads as ingredients. Additionally, the use of rabbit meat is more common in the Sichuan cuisine. The cuisine contains dishes that are preserved through drying, salting, and pickling. The preserved foods are served with a heavy application of chili oils. The Sichuan pepper is one of the most crucial ingredients in the preparation of the Sichuan cuisine. Common preparation techniques involve braising, stir-frying and steaming. Among the most notable dishes includes bon bon chicken, double cooked pork, and braised pork ribs with konjac.
The Chinese people are identified through their firm culture. After immigrating to other countries, the Chinese do not leave their cultural practices behind. In the United States, millions of Chinese immigrated to benefit from education and economic opportunities. Due to their large numbers, numerous restaurants that purport to serve Chinese cuisine are available. However, due to Americanization, the hotels do not offer the actual traditional Chinese dishes. They mix American cuisines and Chinese cuisines to form Chinese-American foods. Therefore, these dishes are not real Chinese dishes. Real Chinese dishes as earlier explained are prepared with specified techniques and ingredients. Due to the geographical and cultural difference, it might be difficult to find all the necessary ingredients in the United States. For instance, finding ingredients such as snakes and anteaters may be strange in the US.
In addition, most of the restaurants are not necessarily created to serve the Chinese only. Therefore, it is not possible to find strict Chinese cuisine due to the mixture of people. The intermarriages and change of culture also make people change their cuisines. As a result, the chefs have to prepare food that has both Chinese and American characteristics. The children born in the US also are brought up in an environment that is different from that in China. As a result, such children do not understand the true Chinese cuisine. In fact, most of these children are Americans of Chinese descent. The cultural practices they learn are those observed by fellow Americans.
Finally, the traditional Chinese cuisines are prepared depending on geographical areas. As a result, people living in one province prepare different dishes from those living in the next region. Therefore, it is challenging to have real traditional Chinese cuisine prepared in the US. For instance, the food prepared in the Sichuan Province differs from that in the Shandong Province. Whenever a Chinese moves to the US, it becomes difficult for him to identify himself with a traditional dish. With the exception of areas such as China town in some American cities, finding actual Chinese dishes is a challenging task. Most of the cuisines in the US are combinations of American and Chinese dishes.
Culture is an important element in the lives of all people. As earlier indicated, people derive their identities through their cultures. For instance, it is possible to identify a Chinese from a Russian due to the distinction in cultural beliefs. The Chinese living in the US and other nations require understanding their culture in order to maintain it for future generations. Without their heritage, people become colonized by other people's values. The Eight traditional Chinese cuisines are important cultural elements that all Chinese require to learn and understand despite their geographical locations. Learning about these cuisines will enable many Chinese to learn how to cook traditional Chinese foods, which will, in turn, boost nationalism and self-acceptance. Additionally, learning the cuisine culture will enable the export of Chinese culture to other parts of the world. A country that has its culture adopted in many other nations is influential in many ways. For instance, the European cultures exported during the 19th and 20th centuries made Europeans very influential in world matters. Millions of people speak the English language despite not originating from the United Kingdom. Similarly, learning Chinese culture will increase the influence of the Chinese people.
People require learning and appreciating the importance of their culture despite the reservations that other people might have. The Chinese cuisine culture is one of the richest, which makes China an interesting place to visit. The preparation of the dishes, as well as the ingredients used, attracts many people to try the dishes. However, the immigration of many Chinese people to foreign countries such as the US dilutes some of these cultural practices. In order to restore the cultures, government and responsible institutions require encouraging the Chinese people to learn and practice their culture.