For foreign tourists visiting China for the first time, if you want to truly understand the Chinese people’s food Culture and philosophy of life, do not miss the most down-to-earth scene in the countryside——Chinese rural banquets. Different from the exquisite plating and standardized services of urban restaurants, rural banquets are a deep-rooted food preference of the Chinese people, a carrier of folk customs, a bond of human relationships, and a taste of nostalgia engraved in the memory of every Chinese. This kind of banquet popular in rural areas all over China has no luxurious venues, but the most authentic flavors; no professional chefs, but the most sincere cooking; no cumbersome etiquette, but the most genuine warmth. These are the core reasons why Chinese people love it.
The primary reason why Chinese people love rural banquets is that they carry the unchanging folk heritage and cultural memories of thousands of years. In rural China, a banquet is never just a simple meal, but an important ceremony closely linked to major life events and solar terms celebrations. Whether it is a wedding, funeral, birth of a child, housewarming, birthday celebration, or traditional festivals such as the Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, rural families will hold several or dozens of tables of banquets to entertain relatives, friends and neighbors. This custom has a long history. As early as ancient times, there was a tradition of “treating relatives and neighbors” in the countryside, passing on blessings, resolving estrangement and uniting people through banquets. For the Chinese people, every dish at the banquet has a special meaning: fish symbolizes “surplus year after year”, meatballs symbolize “unity and harmony”, braised pork symbolizes “prosperity”, and dumplings symbolize “good luck”. Each dish is an expectation for a better life, and each banquet is an inheritance of folk Culture. What foreign tourists eat at the banquet is not only authentic rural food, but also the Chinese people’s folk beliefs and cultural genes——the pursuit of reunion, harmony and beauty has long been integrated into the taste of each dish.
Secondly, the authentic flavor and down-to-earth atmosphere of rural banquets are the unique charm that urban catering cannot replace, and also the key reason for Chinese people’s preference. The ingredients for rural banquets are all from the local countryside, fresh, natural and pollution-free: the vegetables picked from the garden in the morning are still covered with dew, the fish and shrimp just caught from the river are lively, the chickens and ducks raised at home are tender, and even the flour and rice are original ecological ingredients produced in the countryside. These ingredients do not need complex processing, and only need the simplest cooking methods to show the most authentic flavor. The chefs of the banquets are mostly “local chefs” in the countryside. They do not have professional cooking certificates, but they have decades of cooking experience and deeply understand the taste preferences of local people. Their skill in cooking “big pot dishes” is superb. Whether it is stewing, boiling, sTeaming, frying, braising, mixing or stir-frying, they can handle it perfectly. The dishes they make are large in quantity, rich in flavor and affordable, which conforms to the Chinese people’s philosophy of “hospitality, generosity and sincerity”. Different from the delicacy and smallness pursued by urban restaurants, the dishes at rural banquets are abundant, and each plate is piled high, reflecting the boldness and sincerity of the Chinese people——the host always wants to take out the best things to make the guests eat to their heart’s content. This kind of down-to-earth atmosphere of “drinking in big bowls and eating meat in big pieces” is the warmth lacking in exquisite urban catering, and also the taste memory that the Chinese people cherish.
Furthermore, rural banquets are an important bond for Chinese people to maintain human relationships and unite neighborhood feelings, which is also the core reason why they are deeply rooted in the hearts of the Chinese people. China is a society based on human relationships, and the concept of “a distant relative is not as good as a nearby neighbor” has long been integrated into the blood of the Chinese people. Rural banquets are an important carrier to maintain this kind of human relationship. In the countryside, it is common for neighbors to help each other. When a family holds a banquet, the whole village will take the initiative to help: some help wash and cut vegetables, some help set tables and serve dishes, some help greet guests, regardless of each other. This scene of mutual help makes the banquet no longer a simple meal, but a bridge to unite neighborhood feelings and narrow the distance between each other. At the banquet, guests sit around, tasting delicious food, chatting about daily life and recent situation, laughing and having a good time. The estrangement and unfamiliarity on weekdays quietly dissolve in the laughter; the kindness and concern on weekdays are passed on in the toasts. For the Chinese people, what they eat at rural banquets is not food, but human feelings, liveliness and a sense of belonging. Especially for Chinese people who are far away from their hometown, every time they go back to the countryside to attend a banquet, they can feel the long-lost warmth and kindness. This emotional comfort cannot be given by any urban catering.
For foreign tourists, experiencing a rural banquet can not only let you taste the most authentic Chinese rural food, but also help you deeply understand the Chinese people’s lifestyle, folk Culture and human relationships. If you have the chance to enter the Chinese countryside and happen to encounter a local banquet, don’t hesitate to take the initiative to participate and feel this unique down-to-earth warmth. You don’t need to be restrained when participating; just follow the simple etiquette of the countryside: take the initiative to congratulate the host, wait for the host’s signal to start eating after taking a seat, boldly praise the food when tasting it, and have a simple conversation with the villagers around you. They will all respond to you warmly. It should be noted that the dishes at rural banquets are large in quantity. You don’t have to finish them; just take as much as you need. This will not be regarded as impolite. In addition, the flavors of banquets vary greatly in different regions. Northern banquets prefer rich and strong flavors, mainly stewed and braised dishes, while southern banquets prefer light and fresh flavors, mainly sTeamed and stir-fried dishes. You may wish to try several kinds to feel the diversity of Chinese food culture.
Chinese people love rural banquets not because of their luxury and delicacy, but because they carry the warmth of folk customs, the depth of human relationships and the memory of taste. It is a microcosm of Chinese food culture, a true portrayal of rural life, and the Chinese people’s eternal pursuit of reunion, harmony and beauty. For foreign tourists, an experience of a rural banquet is better than a thousand words of introduction. It can let you truly understand the Chinese people’s food preferences, the down-to-earth atmosphere of Chinese countryside, and the warmth and sincerity in the bones of the Chinese people.
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