Give you a popular science today. What is a Manchu-Chinese banquet? Because many friends don't know what a Manchu banquet is, and we haven't really seen it, An Zi once thought that Manchu banquet was the most delicious and expensive food in the world, and only the emperor could enjoy it. But is this really the case?

What is a Manchu-Chinese banquet?

First of all, let me introduce to you what a Manchu-Chinese banquet is. Man-Han banquet rose in Qing Dynasty, as the name implies, Man and Han sat together. Banquet dishes condensed the local essence and highlighted the special flavor of Manchu-Han banquet. There are at least 108 kinds of dishes, countless cooking skills, assorted meat and vegetables, and all kinds of delicious food, forming a famous court food feast in history.

"Man-Han banquet" was initiated by Zhang Dongguan, a Suzhou citizen. In this way, he was promoted from a commoner in cloth to a royal chef and became a generation of culinary masters. The earliest record of the Manchu-Han banquet is "Painting a Boat in Yangzhou" written by Li Dou during the reign of Qianlong and Shenjia, which consists of 54 southern dishes and 54 northern dishes. Southern cuisine includes Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine 30, Fujian cuisine 12 and Guangdong cuisine 12. Northern cuisine includes 12 Beijing cuisine, 30 Shandong cuisine and 12 Manchu cuisine. There are so many dishes that Anzi's family can't finish them in a week!

The pattern of "Manchu-Han banquet" has gradually taken shape.

There are many popular sayings about the cultural origin of Manchu-Han banquet. Some people say that it was a state banquet hosted by the Qing emperor, while others think that Empress Dowager Cixi did it for luxury. Are these statements true? An Zi is unknown. In fact, before the Qing dynasty entered the customs, there were not many dishes at court banquets. Generally, hot pot is served with stew, pork, beef and mutton, and animal meat, and then everyone sits on the ground to eat. After the Qing dynasty entered the customs, the diet changed greatly because the rulers were stronger and more prosperous. On the basis of the original Manchu traditional diet, they combined the characteristics of the northern and southern cuisines of the Han nationality and established a rich palace diet.

By the middle of the Qing Dynasty, luxurious banquets were all the rage in the palace. Manchu and Han officials often entertain each other. When Manchu officials entertain Han officials, Chinese dishes are served, and when Han officials entertain Manchu officials, the dishes are full. After the Qing Dynasty made Beijing its capital, Manchu and Han lived together, and food culture also communicated imperceptibly, transforming some cooking methods and integrating cultural characteristics, and the pattern of "Manchu and Han banquet" gradually took shape.

The origin of the name "Manchu-Chinese banquet"

The origin of the Manchu-Han banquet is that Zhang Dongguan became the chef of the "Thousand Banquets" after being recalled to the palace, and compiled a set of 108 banquet recipes, which "stewed" the essence of local food in one furnace, thus creating the Manchu-Han banquet. After the "Thousand Banquets", he opened a big restaurant in Beijing and sang the slogan "Cooking for the whole world". It was given the signboard of "Man Han Lou" by Kangxi Imperial Pen, so the Man Han Lou was full of people, and the "Man Han Banquet" spread among the people and gradually became a big feast in the world.

Manchu-Chinese banquet menu

In addition, the Manchu-Han banquet consists of 108 dishes, which are divided into five major parts, namely, a fan banquet, a courtier banquet, a birthday banquet, a thousand banquets and a nine-white banquet. As for the dishes, An Zi will not list them one by one. Anyway, there are all kinds of delicious food. In the material-rich modern times, I believe many friends have already tasted the Manchu-Chinese banquet.