List of sources of Chinese culinary history facts for kids
This is a list of historical Chinese sources referring to Chinese cuisine. Not long after the expansion of the Chinese Empire during the Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD), Chinese writers noted the great differences in culinary practices among people from different parts of the realm. These differences followed to a great extent the varying climate and availability of foodstuffs in China.
Contents
Pre-Han dynasty
Documents compiled before 206 BC.
| Title | Chinese name | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhouli zhushu (Notes and Commentaries on the Rites of Zhou) | simplified Chinese: 周礼注疏; traditional Chinese: 周禮注疏 | Government officials | An annotated version of the Rites of Zhou | |
| Yili zhushu (Ceremonies and Rites with Commentaries) | 仪礼注疏; 儀禮注疏 | Banquet rites, single food offering rites, secondary food offering rites, and other rites mentioned | ||
| Liji zhengyi (Book of Rites) | 礼记正义; 禮記正義 | Eight different delicacies and others are mentioned. | ||
| Lüshi Chunqiu (Master Lü's Spring and Autumn [Annals]) | 吕氏春秋; 呂氏春秋 | c. 239 BC during the Qin dynasty | Under the patronage of Lü Buwei | An encyclopedic Chinese classic text compilation (Basic Taste) |
| Simin yueling jiaozhu (The Four Groups Practice Calendar) | 四民月令 | mid 2 AD | Eastern Han dynasty Minister Official Que Shi | A book of mainly agricultural practices where food related topics are partially mentioned |
Pre-Sui states
Documents from before the Sui dynasty (581–618).
| Title | Chinese name | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shijing (Classic of Poetry) | simplified Chinese: 诗经; traditional Chinese: 詩經 | 1000–600 BC | Northern Wei dynasty Lu Shi | A collection of poetry from the 11th to 7th centuries BC |
| Nanfang Caomu Zhuang (Plants of the Southern Regions) | 南方草木状; 南方草木狀 | Claims to have been completed in 304 AD. Often considered a Song-era forgery. | Western Jin dynasty scholar and botanist Ji Han (嵇含) | Chinese subtropical flora |
| Qinjing (Book of Birds) | 禽经; 禽經 | The naming of birds with their characteristics and other elements | ||
| Shizhen lu (Food record) | 食珍录; 食珍錄 | Northern and Southern dynasties era | Yu Cong | Recipe book with a focus on southern cuisine |
| Qimin Yaoshu (Essential Methods of the Common People) | 齐民要术; 齊民要術 | 533 and 544 BC | Northern Wei dynasty official Jia Sixie | Ancient Chinese agricultural texts (Section of Volumes 1–7) |
Sui dynasty
Documents compiled during the Sui dynasty (581–618).
| Title | Chinese name | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shijing (Book of Foods) | 食经 | Sui dynasty Xie Feng | ||
| Beitang shuchao (Excerpts of Books in the Northern Hall) | simplified Chinese: 北堂书钞; traditional Chinese: 北堂書鈔 | Yu Shinan, an official and calligrapher | The oldest surviving leishu, which is a kind of Chinese reference book or encyclopedia. Includes a chapter covering beverages and foods. |
Tang dynasty
Documents compiled during the Tang dynasty (618–907).
| Title | Chinese name | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yiwen Leiju (Encyclopedia of Arts and Letters) | 藝文類聚 艺文类聚 |
Ouyang Xun, a calligrapher | А poetic encyclopedia; book 72 covers food. | |
| Beiji qianjin yaofang (Essential Formulas Worth a Thousand Gold) | 備急千金要方 备急千金要方 |
Sun Simiao, known as the King of Medicine | Along with Qian Jin Yi Fang (Supplement to the Formulas Worth a Thousand Gold), both significantly contributed to the development of Chinese medicine. Book 26 refers to food treatments. | |
| Shipu (Recipe Manuals) | 食譜 食谱 |
A generic term to refer to recipe books during the Tang dynasty | ||
| Shiliao bencao (Materia Medica for Successful Dietary Therapy) | 食療本草 食疗本草 |
684 or 701 – 704 and 721–739 |
Meng Shen and Zhang Ding | The earliest complete dietary work. Based on Meng Shen's book Buyang fang (Prescription to Replenish and Nourish), Zhang Ding expanded it and renamed it as such. (Fragment) |
| Chajing (The Classic of Tea) | 茶經 茶经 |
written between 760 and 780 | Lu Yu | The very first monograph on tea in the world that records Chinese methods of tea cultivation and preparation |
| Jiancha shuiji (Note on Brewing Tea) | 煎茶水記 煎茶水记 |
Zhang Youxin (張又新), a tea expert | Discusses the way of tea brewing and suggests a trend towards more study of tea | |
| Shiyi xinjian (A Revised Mirror for the Dietitian) | 食醫心鑑 食医心鉴 |
published in 850 | Unknown | Food therapy |
| Youyang zazu (Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang) | 酉陽雑俎 酉阳杂俎 |
published approximately in 853 | Duan Chengshi | A miscellany of Chinese and foreign legends and hearsay, reports on natural phenomena, short anecdotes, and tales of the wondrous and mundane, as well as notes on such topics as medicinal herbs and tattoos. （酒食） |
| Lingbiao lu yiji (Strange Southern Ways of Men and Things) | 嶺表錄異記 岭表录异记 |
written between 889 and 904 | Liu Xun (劉恂) | (Fragment) |
| Shanfujing shoulu (The Manuscript of the Diet Minister's Classic) | 膳夫經手錄 膳夫经手录 |
856 | Yang Yezhuan | Introduces many formulae for diet therapy |
| Shanfulu (Chef's Manuals) | 膳夫錄 膳夫录 |
Southern Sung | Zheng Wang (鄭望) | Anecdotes |
Song dynasty
Documents compiled during the Song dynasty (960–1279). The population of China doubled in size during the 10th and 11th centuries. This growth came through expanded rice cultivation in central and southern China, the use of early-ripening rice from southeast and southern Asia, and the production of abundant food surpluses.
| Title | Chinese name | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shipu | 食譜 食谱 |
|||
| Qingyilu (Records of the Unworldly and the Strange) | 淸異錄 清异录 |
950 | ||
| Taiping Yulan (Imperial Readings of the Taiping Era) | 太平御覽 太平御览 |
977 to 983 | Li Fang | An encyclopedia (Volumes 843–867 are on diets) |
| Sunpu (Treatise on Bamboo Shoots) | 筍譜 笋谱 |
c. 970 | Zang Ning, a monk | 98 kinds of bamboo |
| Benxinzhai shushipu (Vegetarian Recipes from the Study of the True Heart) | 本心齋蔬食譜 本心斋蔬食谱 |
13th century | Chen Dasou (陳達叟) | Cookery |
| Shanjia qinggong (The Simple Foods of the Mountain Folk) | 山家淸供 山家清供 |
13th century | Lin Hong (林洪), Zhao Xigu a connoisseur | This cookbook introduces food and beverages of hermits in the mountains and usages of sugar in cookery. It also mentions a cultural proverb related to pasta. |
| Rucao jishi | 茹草记事 | Published in 1646 | Lin Hong, Tao Zongyi, Tao Ting | |
| Shidafu shishi wuguan (Five Considerations When Scholar-officials Eat)* | 士大夫食時五觀 士大夫食时五观 |
between 1045 and 1105 | Huang Tingjian, a calligrapher | Deals with five points of etiquette for shidafu (gentlemen or officials) when eating meat |
| Shouqin yanglao xinshu (A New Book on Supporting Parents for Longevity) | 壽親養老新書 寿亲养老新书 |
Zou Xuan | ||
| Beishan jiujing (The Wine Classic of North Mountain) | 北山酒經 北山酒经 |
between 1535 and 1615 | Zhu Gong (朱肱) | The first book extant entirely focused on wine and wine making |
| Yushipi (Jade Pie) | 玉食批 | |||
| Chalu (The Record of Tea) | 茶錄 茶录 |
Cai Xiang | A renowned tea book | |
| Lizhi pu (Note on the Lychee) | 荔枝譜 荔枝谱 |
1059 | Cai Xiang | The first monograph on any fruit tree written by a Chinese writer, in which over 30 varieties of fruit are mentioned including the lychee |
| Dongxi shichalu (Dongxi Tea Tasting Record) | 東溪試茶錄 东溪试茶录 |
|||
| Pincha yaolu (Essentials in Tea Tasting) | 品茶要錄 品茶要录 |
|||
| Jiupu | 食经 | |||
| Julu (Note on Oranges) | 橘錄 橘录 |
1178 | Han Yan | |
| Tangshuang pu (Frosting Recipe) | 糖霜譜 糖霜谱 |
|||
| Xuanhe beiyuan gongcha lu | 宣和北苑貢茶錄 宣和北苑贡茶录 |
|||
| Beizuan bielu | 北苑別錄 北苑别录 |
|||
| Xiepu (Note on Crab) | 蟹譜 蟹谱 |
written about 1059 | Crabs | |
| Xielüe | 蟹略 | |||
| Junpu (Note on Mushrooms) | 菌譜 菌谱 |
|||
| Dongjing Meng Hua Lu | 東京夢華錄箋注 东京梦华录 |
孟元老, Meng Yuanlao fl. 1126–1147 | Journal of daily life in Kaifeng | |
| Ducheng jisheng | 都城紀勝 都城纪胜 |
|||
| Wulin jiu shi | 武林舊事 武林旧事 |
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| Nan Song shisi ji (Records of Marketplaces in the Southern Song Dynasty) | 南宋市肆记 | |||
| Mengliang lu | 夢粱錄 梦粱录 |
|||
| Wushi Zhongkuilu | 吳氏中饋錄 吳氏中馈录 |
Madame Wu | The earliest Chinese cookbook written by a woman and one of the first to mention the use of soy sauce | |
| Fanshenglu or Xihulaoren fanshenglu | 繁胜录 or 西湖老人繁勝錄 | Fragment |
Jin dynasty
Documents compiled during the Jin dynasty (1115–1234).
| Title | Chinese name | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shiwu bencao (Materia Medica on Food) | 食物本草 | Li Gao (李杲), a major medical scholar of the time |
Yuan dynasty
During the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), contacts with the West also brought the introduction to China of a major food crop, sorghum, along with other foreign food products and methods of preparation.
| Title | Chinese name | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nongshu (Agricultural Treatise) | 農書 农书 |
1149 | Chen Fu | Deals with paddy rice farming and sericulture in southern China |
| Riyong bencao (Materia Medica for Daily Use) | 日用本草 | 1367 | Wu Rui, an official medical authority | One of famous works on dietetics written in the Yuan dynasty. It lists of 540 common foods with medicinal properties. |
| Yinshan zhengyao (Orthodox Essentials of Dietetics) | 飮膳正要 饮膳正要 |
Hu Sihui, an imperial dietary physician | The book, that defines essential diets for a healthy person, is regarded as the first systematic document on nutritional principles in China. | |
| Nongsang yishi cuoyao (Fundamentals of Agriculture and Sericulture for Food and Clothes) | 農桑衣食撮要 农桑衣食撮要 |
1314 | Lu Mingshan | Sugarcane and sugar manufacturing |
| Yinshi xuzhi (Must Known for Diet) | 飮食須知 饮食须知 |
Jia Ming | One of the famous works on dietetics written in the Yuan dynasty | |
| Yunlin tang yinshi zhidu ji (The Food and Drink System of Yunlin) | 雲林堂飲食制度集 云林堂饮食制度集 |
Ni Zan, a famous painter | The book, with various recipes for ordinary foods, is said to be the first book of China actually aimed for ordinary households. | |
| Jujia biyong shilei quanji (Collection of Necessary Matters Ordered for the Householder) | 居家必用事類全集 居家必用事类全集 |
1301 | An encyclopedia that became a precursor to encyclopedias of the late Ming, and has a chapter devoted to "foods of the Muslims" (gengji 庚集, jiji 己集) | |
| Zhuanshi | 饌史 馔史 |
Ming dynasty
China during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) became involved in a new global trade of goods, plants, animals, and food crops known as the Columbian Exchange. Although the bulk of imports to China were silver, the Chinese also purchased New World crops from the Spanish Empire. This included sweet potatoes, maize, and peanuts, foods that could be cultivated in lands where traditional Chinese staple crops—wheat, millet, and rice—couldn't grow, hence facilitating population growth. In the Song dynasty (960–1279), rice had become the major staple crop of the poor; after sweet potatoes were introduced to China around 1560, they gradually became the traditional food of the lower classes.
| Title | Chinese name | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yiya yiyi | 易牙遗意 | |||
| Tian chu ju zhenmiao zhuan ji (Heavenly Chefs' Collection of Wonderful Dishes) | 天厨聚珍妙馔集 | |||
| Shenyin or Quxian shenyin shu (The Immortal God's Hidden Book) | 神隐 or 臞仙神隐书 | Fragment | ||
| Jiuhuang Bencao (Materia Medica for the Relief of Famine) | 救荒本草 | Zhu Su | The book newly mentions most edible plants. | |
| Shijian bencao (Food Guide for Materia Medica) | Ning Yuan | Greatly contributed to the development of medical foods | ||
| Bianmin tu zuan (Handbook for People) | 便民图纂 | Volume 15 covers food and other topics. | ||
| Yecai pu (Wild Vegetable Manual) | 野菜谱 | |||
| Songshi yangsheng bu (Song's Health Section) | 宋氏养生部 | |||
| Yunlin yishi | 云林遗事 | |||
| Shiwu bencao (Food Materia Medica) | 食物本草 | Wang Ying | Greatly contributed to the development of medical foods. | |
| Shipin ji (Food Collection) | 食品集 | |||
| Guang junpu (Broad Fungi Manual) | 广菌谱 | |||
| Bencao gangmu (The Compendium of Materia Medica) | 本草纲目 | 1578–1608 | Li Shizhen | А total of 1892 medical substances are addressed in the book, and food items make up a significant portion of them. |
| Mo'e xiaolu | 墨娥小录 | 饮膳集珍及其它 | ||
| Duo neng bi shi | 多能鄙事 | Volumes 1–4 are on diets. | ||
| Rucao bian | 茹草编 | |||
| Jujia bibei (Home Essentials) | 居家必备 | Volume 7 covers drinks. | ||
| Zunsheng bajian | 遵生八笺 | Notes on food and drink | ||
| Yesupin | 野蔌品 | |||
| Haiwei suoyin
(Index of Seafood Products) |
海味索引 | |||
| Minzhong haicuoshu | 闽中海错疏 | |||
| Yecai jian (Wild Vegetable Paper) | 野菜笺 | Section 83 is a food guide or materia medica. | ||
| Shantang sikao | 山堂肆考 | 1595 | Peng Dayi (彭大翼) | There is a section on food and clothing (羽集衣食). |
| Yecai bolu (Extensive Record of Wild Plants) | 野菜博录 | |||
| Shangyi bencao | 上医本草 | |||
| Hangzheng | 觞政 | |||
| Nongzheng quanshu (Encyclopedia of Agriculture) | 农政全书 | Xu Guangqi | Details of agricultural practices with the effects of the climate and landscape | |
| Yangyu yueling | 养余月令 | |||
| Jiushi (Wine History) | 酒史 |
Qing dynasty
Documents compiled during the Qing dynasty (1644–1912).
| Title | Chinese name | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xianqing ouji (Leisure Time) | 闲情偶寄 | Contains a section on food and drink | ||
| Min xiao ji | 闽小记 | |||
| Yinshi xuzhi (Necessary Dietary Information) | 饮食须知 | Zhu Benzhong | Zhu Tailai (朱泰来) | |
| Tiaodingji | 调鼎集 | |||
| Shiwu bencao huizuan | 食物本草会纂 | |||
| Jiangnan yuxianpin | 江南鱼鲜品 | |||
| Gui'eryue | 簋贰约 | |||
| Riyong suzi | 日用俗字 | Has a chapter on diet and one on vegetables | ||
| Shixian hongmi | 食宪鸿秘 | |||
| Fan you shi'er heshuo (Rice Has Twelve Combinations) | 饭有十二合说 | |||
| Yuanjian leihan | 渊鉴类函 | （食物及其它） | ||
| Juchang yinzhuan lu | 居常饮馔录 | |||
| Complete Classics Collection of Ancient China | 古今图书集成 | 1700–1725 | Chen Menglei and Jiang Tingxi | （经济汇编食物典卷257~308饮食部） |
| Xu chajing | 续茶经 | |||
| Gezhi jingyuan | 格致镜原 | Volume 6 covers food and drink. | ||
| Nongpu bianlan | 农圃便览 | (部分) | ||
| Xingyuan lu | 醒园录 | |||
| Zhoupu shuo | 粥谱说 | |||
| Yangsheng suibi | 养生随笔 | |||
| Suiyuan shidan (Recipes from the Garden of Contentment) | simplified Chinese: 随园食单; traditional Chinese: 隨園食單 | 1792 | Yuan Mei | |
| Wu xun pu | 吴蕈谱 | |||
| Yinshi xuzhi (Food Essential) | 饮食须知 | （清•朱本中） | ||
| Jihai pu | 记海错 | |||
| Zhengsuwen | 证俗文 | （卷1 及其它） | ||
| Xilüe | 醯略 | |||
| Yangxiaolu | 养小录 | |||
| Yangzhou huafang lu | 扬州画舫录 | （部分） | ||
| Tiaoji yinshi bian | 调疾饮食辨 | （6卷、卷末1卷） | ||
| Qing jia lu | 清嘉录 | （部分） | ||
| Tongqiao yizhao lu | 桐桥倚棹录 | （卷10市廛） | ||
| Suixiju yinshipu | 随息居饮食谱 | |||
| Yinengpian | 艺能篇 | （治庖） | ||
| Zhongkui lu | 中馈录 | （清•彭崧毓） | ||
| Huya | 湖雅 | （卷8酿造、铒饼） | ||
| Zhongkui lu | 中馈录 | （清•曾懿） | ||
| Zhoupu (Guang Zhoupu) | 粥谱 广粥谱 |
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| Xinbian jiazhengxue (New Home Economics) | 新编家政学 | Part 4, chapter 3 is on diet. | ||
| Chengdu tonglan | 成都通览 | Volume 7 is on food and drink. |
Post-Qing period
Documents compiled after the Qing dynasty.
| Title | Chinese name | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zaoyangfan shu Western Cookbook | 造洋饭书 | 1909 | The earliest western cookbook in China. It is divided into 25 chapters, which introduce the ingredients and cooking methods of western food. | |
| Shipin jiawei beilan Preparing Delicious Meals | 食品佳味备览 | |||
| Qingbai leichao | 清稗类钞 | （第47、48册饮食类） | ||
| Pengren yiban Cooking First Class | 烹饪一斑 | |||
| Jiating shipu Family recipes | 家庭食谱 | |||
| Xican pengren mijue Tips for cooking Western food | 西餐烹饪秘诀 | |||
| Jiating shipu xubian Family Recipes Continued | 家庭食谱续编 | |||
| Jiating shipu sanbian Family Recipes Third | 家庭食谱三编 | |||
| Jiating shipu sibian Family Recipes Four | 家庭食谱四编 | |||
| Sushi pu Vegetarian Manual | 素食谱 | |||
| Jiashi shixi baojian | 家事实习宝鉴 | （第二编饮食论） | ||
| Zhijia quanshu | 治家全书 | （卷10烹饪篇食谱） | ||
| Jiating wanbao quanshu | 家庭万宝全书 | （卷5烹饪学） | ||
| Sushi shenglun | 素食养生论 | |||
| Shanghai kuailan | 上海快览 | （第6篇上海之饮食） | ||
| Shiwu xin bencao (New Materia Medica of Food) | 食物新本草 | |||
| Qinan kuailan | 济南快览 | （衣食、中西餐馆） | ||
| Beiping caipu (Beiping Recipes) | 北平菜谱 | |||
| Minzhong changshi congshu (People's Common Knowledge) | 民众常识丛书 | 烹饪类 | ||
| Jinan daguan Ji'nan Grand View | 济南大观 | （第96章中西餐） | ||
| Yinshi yu jiankang Diet and health | 饮食与健康 | |||
| Beiping fengsu leizheng | 北平风俗类征 | （饮食） | ||
| Feishi shiyang sanzhong | 费氏食养三种 | |||
| Shiyong yinshixue Practical Dietetics | 实用饮食学 | |||
| Xin shipu Latest Recipe | 新食谱 | （第二册普通食物成分表） | ||
| Sushi shuolü | 素食说略 | |||
| Chifan wenti Questions to Eating | 吃饭问题 |
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List of sources of Chinese culinary history Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.