Chinese imperial cuisine

Chinese imperial cuisine (simplified Chinese: 御膳 / 宫廷菜; traditional Chinese: 御膳 / 宮廷菜; pinyin: yùshàn / gōngtíng cài) is derived from a variety of cooking styles of the regions in China, mainly from Shandong cuisine and Jiangsu cuisine. The style originated from various Emperors' Kitchen and the Empress Dowagers' Kitchen, and it is similar to Beijing cuisine which it heavily influenced. Imperial cuisine was served mainly to the emperors, their empresses and concubines, and the imperial family. The characteristics of the Chinese imperial cuisine are the elaborate cooking methods and the strict selection of raw materials, which are often extremely expensive, rare, or complicated in preparation. Visual presentation is also very important, so the color and the shape of the dish must be carefully arranged. The most famous Chinese imperial cuisine restaurants are both located in Beijing: Fang Shan (仿膳; fǎngshàn) in Beihai Park and Ting Li Ting (听鹂厅; 聽鸝廳; tīng lí tīng) in the Summer Palace.

Styles and tastes of Chinese imperial cuisine vary from dynasty to dynasty. Every dynasty has its own distinguishing features. The two famous styles of Chinese imperial cuisine are from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Many famous dishes emerged in these dynasties, such as Wensi Tofu and Peking Duck.

In the history of Chinese cuisine, Chinese imperial cuisine experienced a development progress which changed from simple to exquisite. Through the changing of dynasties, Chinese imperial cuisine was continually changing, improving, and self-completing. Chinese imperial food originated around the Zhou dynasty (11th century BC – 476 BC). Emperors used their power to collect best cuisines and best cooks from the whole country. Therefore, from the Chinese people's perspective, imperial cuisine represented a dynasty's best cuisine.

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