Manchu and Han Complete**
Thread Content
This post was last edited by Dalian Haixin Chemical on 2017-8-1 at 16:26. The Manchu-Han Banquet originated in the Qing Dynasty; it is the most famous Chinese banquet in history, created by combining the best elements of Manchu and Han cuisine. The \"Yangzhou Painting Boats Record\" written by Li Dou during the Jia Shen year of the Qianlong era contains a menu for Manchu-Han banquets, representing the earliest record of such banquets. Manhan Quan* features mainly dishes from the Northeast, Shandong, Beijing, and Jiangsu/Zhejiang regions. Most of the treasures referred to in the secular term “full Han and all others” are specialties (or products) of the Heilongjiang region: such as rhinoceros horn, fish bones, sturgeon roe, monkey head mushrooms, bear paws, toads, deer tails (including tendons, dried meat, tails, etc.), leopard fetuses, and other rare ingredients. Later, dishes from regions such as Fujian and Guangdong also appeared one after another on the giant banquet*. 54 Southern Dishes: 30 Jiangsu-Zhejiang dishes, 12 Fujian dishes, 12 Guangdong dishes. 54 Northern Dishes: 12 Manchu dishes, 12 Beijing dishes, and 30 Shandong dishes. Before the Qing dynasty entered the pass, court banquets were very simple. For ordinary banquets, animal skins are laid out outdoors, and everyone gathers around to eat on the ground. The “Manchu Old Archives” state: “When the beys held banquets, they did not use tables; they all sat on the ground.” ”The dishes usually consist of hot pot accompanied by stewed meat, including pork, beef, mutton, as well as game meat. The imperial banquets organized by the emperor also featured only a dozen or so tables; the food consisted of beef, mutton, pork, and game meat, which was cut into pieces with cutting knives before being eaten. After the Qing entered the pass, the situation changed significantly. Among the Six Ministries and Nine Officials, there was a specifically appointed position of Minister of the Guanglu Temple, responsible for handling matters related to banquets held within the imperial palace as well as those organized during major ceremonies. When the Manchus first entered the Chinese mainland, their dietary habits were not very particular. Yet soon, building on their traditional Manchu eating patterns, they incorporated elements from the southern cuisines of the Central Plains (mainly those from Jiangsu and Zhejiang) as well as the northern cuisine (Shandong cuisine), thus developing a rich variety of court dishes.
Six Types of Banquets * Banquet for Mongolian Relatives – This was an imperial banquet held by the emperors of the Qing dynasty to entertain Mongolian relatives who were married into the royal family. Generally, the banquet is held in the Tianzheng Daguangming Hall, with Manchu ministers of the first and second ranks sitting in attendance. Emperors of past dynasties attached great importance to this banquet, which was held annually as a tradition. The Mongolian relatives who attended the banquet regarded it as a great blessing, and cherished greatly the foods bestowed by the emperor during the feast. The article “Qing Bai Lei Chao* The Mongol Princes Returning Home with Blessings from the Banquet” states: “When Mongol princes and nobles came to the capital and were given rewards in the form of food, they would take it with them, saying that they were returning home with blessings.” If there are no containers, it is wrapped in an outer robe; the robe is adorned with gold embroidery of pythons, and often gets soaked with soup, becoming completely drenched, yet no effort is spared to protect it. The Court Officials’ Banquet is held on the day after the Lantern Festival, that is, on the 16th day of the first month. At that time, the emperor personally selects senior officials and those among the nine ministers who have made notable contributions to attend this banquet; thus, those who are invited to it enjoy great honor. The banquet was held in the Fengsan Wusi Hall, and the rituals followed those used for banquets of the imperial family. High stools are used for everyone; poems are recited and wine is drunk, and this is held annually as per tradition. Mongolian princes and others also participated. The emperor used this as a way to show favor and win over his subjects, and it also served as a symbol of the rewards given to court officials. The Longevity Banquet was a celebration held to mark the birthdays of the emperors of the Qing dynasty, and it was also one of the grand banquets held in the imperial palace. Imperatrices, princes, as well as civil and military officials, all took pride in presenting gifts to celebrate birthdays. There are countless famous dishes and delicacies in between. On the occasion of a birthday celebration, the festivities are even more grand and elaborate, with dedicated personnel assigned to oversee them. Clothing and jewelry, decorations and furnishings, as well as music, dance, and feasts – everything is available. On the 10th day of the 10th month in the 20th year of the Guangxu reign, Empress Cixi celebrated her 60th birthday. An imperial edict was issued as early as the 18th year of Guangxu’s reign, and preparations for the celebrations began more than a month before the birthday itself. Merely the various glazed bowls, dishes, plates and other porcelain items manufactured in Jiangxi in advance and adorned with the inscription \"longevity forever\" as well as auspicious and festive patterns totaled over 29,170 pieces. The entire celebration cost nearly ten million taels of silver, which was unprecedented in Chinese history. The Banquet for a Thousand Elders originated during the Kangxi era and reached its peak under the Qianlong reign. It was the largest and most grand imperial banquet held in the Qing palace, with the greatest number of guests in attendance. In the 52nd year of the Kangxi era, a banquet for a thousand people was held for the first time at Yangchun Garden; Emperor Xuanye composed a poem titled \"Banquet for a Thousand Elders,\" which gave the banquet its name. In the 50th year of the Qianlong reign, a banquet for a thousand elders was held in the Qianqing Palace; three thousand people attended the event, and hundred pairs of verses were composed using the Bai Liang style. In the first month of the first year of the Jiaqing era, another banquet for a thousand elders was held in the Huangji Hall of the Ningshou Palace; 3,560 people attended the banquet, and more than thirty poems were composed on that occasion. Later generations described the Banquet of a Thousand Elders as an act of great kindness and generosity, one that had never been seen before in all of history. Jiubai Banquet: The Jiubai Banquet originated during the Kangxi era. When Emperor Kangxi first established order among the four Mongol tribes such as the Oirat tribe, these tribes, as a sign of their loyalty and submission, paid a tribute of nine white animals each year: one white camel and eight white horses. Take this as proof. After the Mongol tribes presented their tributes, the emperor held a grand banquet to entertain the envoys, which was called the Nine-White Banquet. It happens as usual every year. Later, Emperor Daoguang composed a poem on this subject: Four pairs of silver flowers and a jade camel; the Xiqiang people presented silk to the imperial capital each year. Festival banquets refer to the feasts held in the imperial court of the Qing dynasty according to the fixed seasonal festivals. For example, the New Year’s banquet, the Spring Festival banquet, the Spring Plowing banquet, the Dragon Boat Festival banquet, the Qixi Festival banquet, the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, the Double Ninth Festival banquet, the Winter Solstice banquet, the New Year’s Eve banquet, and so on – all are held in accordance with the traditions specific to each festival. Although the Manchus had their own traditional eating customs, after coming to rule the Central Plains, due to the blending of Manchu and Han cultures as well as the needs of governance, they adopted a large number of Han eating customs. Furthermore, due to the special status of the court, the rules regarding dining customs became highly detailed. Its consumption practices are also closely linked to folk customs and regional traditions; therefore, foods such as Laba congee, yuanxiao, zongzi, ice bowls, realgar wine, Chongyang cakes, Qiqiao cakes, and mooncakes were all available in the Qing palace.
Roasted duck, roasted chicken, roasted goose~
Steamed lamb, steamed bear paws, steamed deer tails, roasted duck, roasted chick, roasted goose
Hehe, talented, truly talented! :lol
I don’t know where to find authentic Manchu-Han cuisine these days, or whether it’s still to the taste of modern people.
I want to eat Harbin’s grilled lamb skewers; they’re tastier than those from Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia
Is that so? I haven’t been to Harbin yet