Flowers and cuisine of Qing Dynasty

• Main Authors: Sin-wen Hsu, 許馨文
• Other Authors: Wang Chen-Main
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/99146249598033134951

碩士 === 國立中央大學 === 歷史研究所 === 99 === Flower, with its pleasant, colorful and beautiful appearance, has long been the major ornamental plants of nature. Since ancient times, men of letters expressed their worship and appreciation of flowers by a large amount of literary and artistic works; and also interconnected various growth patterns, shapes and characteristics of flowers, moral development together, that formed normative standards of getting along with people and dealing with things and ideal goal of ancient literati. However, it is also because of stereotypes of the past, ornamental value of flowers has covered their practical value, academic researches rarely focus on performance in daily features and activities of flowers. In this study, concept of the past is considered to be revised through a historical reconstruction and analysis. In the early history of China, people''s understanding of flowers was originally from the practical value "cuisine" and with a long line of development. It went from sacrificial offering to the gods, and gift to contributor rewarded by the imperial, to a common form of cooking of Song Dynasty. To the Qing Dynasty, with flowers made quantity, quality, species of food made of flowers had reached a level of complete maturity. And such results were founded on the development of ages, coupled with inspiration of social atmosphere of flower loving, and promotion of contemporary literati, and also because of this the brilliant flower food culture of Qing Dynasty was able to formed. In addition, the great importance on selection of ingredients, cooking skills in Chinese food culture is also shown in flower cuisine. From the preparation process and principles, it can be found the difference of flower from the other ingredients that it has unique way of cooking; and it also incorporates the tonic concept of traditional medicine, which makes it a very important health food of Qing Dynasty. In addition, the most important thing is the expression of taste of life and aesthetic of flower cuisine, which showed various styles between different groups and social classes in the Qing and also made flower cuisine culture of Qing Dynasty a unique knowledge in history of Chinese cuisine.