Let’s go! Let’s eat Sichuan cuisine

Sichuan

There are countless mountain valleys

There are countless birds and beasts

There are countless pavilions and terraces

But if we talk about

The most popular business card

But it belongs to

Sichuan cuisine

It not only "conquered" the country

(Chengdu's diverse cuisine attracts tourists, picture source: Visual China)

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Going global

(In 2010, Chengdu was awarded the title of Asia's first "City of Gastronomy" by UNESCO; the picture below shows foreign friends who love hot pot, the photographer is @李勇)

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Even flying into space

(Sichuan cuisine is served on the Chinese space station and is dubbed by netizens as "the first cuisine in the universe", created by @罗梓涵/Planetary Research Institute, image source @Visual China)

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It has now become

Among the four traditional Chinese cuisines

The highest degree of popularization

The most influential cuisine

Affecting the lives of hundreds of millions of people

(Sichuan cuisine was born in Bashu, including present-day Sichuan and Chongqing; the following figure is the "Distribution Map of 108 Sichuan and Chongqing Foods", please watch it in horizontal mode, drawn by @陈志浩&王申雯&罗梓涵/Planet Research Institute)

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Looking back over the years

The influence of Sichuan cuisine goes far beyond this

It conquered the taste buds of today's people

It also conquered the taste buds of ancient dignitaries

The taste buds of literati

And the taste buds of immigrants from all over the world

Such a powerful strength

Accumulated in the millennium torrent of history

From the history of Sichuan cuisine

“Three Brilliant Eras”

01

The Birth of Sichuan Cuisine

-Classical Sichuan cuisine-

The first era

We need to start from the land of Bashu

Looking down from the air

This land is surrounded by mountains.

High mountains isolated from the outside world

It also blocked the flames of several generations of war.

Since the Qin Dynasty established counties here

After the construction of Dujiangyan Irrigation System to control floods

Countless immigrants flocked to

(Sketch of Sichuan's location and topography, drawn by @Chen Zhihao/Planetary Research Institute)

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In warm climates

And with abundant water resources

The “Land of Abundance” without Famine was born

Not only did it support the great cause of Qin's unification

It also became a grain storage base for disputes in the world.

It has also created a nationally renowned

“Food Paradise”

As early as the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period

A large number of eating utensils were buried underground.

(Sketch of food utensils from the pre-Qin period unearthed in Bashu, drawn by @罗梓涵/星球研究院, photographer @张艳)

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Many Han tombs discovered here

There are also various kitchen pottery figurines on display.

Many unearthed portrait bricks and stones

Even vividly showing the scene of cooking with fire

Records of "foodies" thousands of years ago

Love of food

("Eating" is undoubtedly one of the important things in the lives of the Bashu people; the picture below is a schematic diagram of the "kitchen figurines" and "picture bricks" unearthed in Sichuan, drawn by @罗梓涵/星球研究院, photographers @柳叶氘&徐剑峰)

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Qin and Han Dynasties

The largest city born from this land

Chengdu

It is now a metropolis in the entire southwest region.

Commercial trade is developing rapidly

Many Western food ingredients such as broad beans were introduced

(Sketch of food materials introduced during the Han Dynasty, drawn by @罗梓涵/星球研究院, image source @视觉中国)

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By the Tang and Song Dynasties

Its economic development is stronger

As famous as Yangzhou, it is known as "Yangzhou is the first and Yizhou is the second"

The catering industry has grown rapidly

The distinctive Bashu food style

So far, it has become famous all over the world

(The following is from the Eastern Jin Dynasty, "Huayang Guozhi Shuzhi" by Chang Qu)

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“Great taste, good spicy aroma”

"Flavorful"

It means to pay attention to the enjoyment of food

The dignitaries and scholars who lived here

Or drink wine and tea in pavilions and towers

Or take a boat to enjoy the delicacies

Feasting is very popular

(Today, "watching opera and drinking tea" is still one of the lifestyles of the people in Sichuan and Chongqing, photographer @李琼)

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And "good spicy"

It means to focus on the sensory stimulation of the mouth and tongue

This special preference

Thanks to the great development of local condiments

First of all, salt is the "first of all flavors"

During the Tang Dynasty, there were as many as 500 salt mines in Sichuan.

Well-known for its high production

(Sichuan Zigong enjoys the reputation of "Salt Capital"; the picture below shows workers working in the Zigong salt well, photographer @王寰)

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followed by

Pepper, cornel, ginger, onion, etc.

Extensive use of spicy spices

The peppercorns grown in abundance here were once used as tribute.

People eat "ma" for a unique

(China is rich in Sichuan peppercorns, and their numbing taste is something that countless Chinese people cannot stop eating; the picture below shows Sichuan Hanyuan Sichuan peppercorns, which were once tributes. Photographer: Yang Tao)

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A variety of seasonings

A passionate collision with the rich products of Bashu

Special dishes continue to emerge

Even developed an indissoluble bond with many literati

Legend has it that Li Bai, a great poet of the Tang Dynasty

Made "Taibai Duck" based on local braised duck

(Li Bai lived in Sichuan for about ten years; the picture below is the Sichuan specialty "Mao Roast Duck", which also uses duck as an ingredient, picture source @Huitu.com)

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The local Su Shi

He created "Dongpo Pork" and "Dongpo Elbow"

Famous dishes that have been passed down to this day

("Dongpo Pork" belongs to Zhejiang cuisine and Sichuan cuisine; the picture below is Dongpo Pork from Meishan, Sichuan. Meishan is the hometown of Su Shi. The photographer is @李婕)

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There are Du Fu and Lu You

It can be said that "all dishes can be written into poems"

They describe Sichuan cuisine through many poems and essays

At the same time, Sichuan cuisine became famous

(The following is from the Southern Song Dynasty, Lu You's "A Play on Talking about Sichuan Food with Master Pu'an on a Winter Night", where zhù means chopsticks)

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"I have come to the East and have seen seven years of cold and hot weather, but I have never forgotten my homeland."

Song Dynasty

Sichuan's industrial and commercial development reaches a new peak

Chengdu is full of street restaurants

"Sichuan food restaurants" are all over Kaifeng and Hangzhou

Win the favor of diners

(Hanyuan jar meat, which has a history of thousands of years, can be stored for a year without going bad. It is fat but not greasy and melts in your mouth. Image source: @Huitu.com)

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Many Sichuan delicacies

In such an open and inclusive land

Burst with infinite vitality

People's leisure and comfortable life spirit

Becoming the soil that gave birth to Sichuan cuisine

And passed down to this day

(The "Sichuan food" in the poem, among which "zhì meat" refers to pork, map by @王申雯/Planetary Research Institute)

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From Qin and Han

During the nearly two thousand years from the beginning of the Qing Dynasty

Cuisine created by the people of Bashu

Gradually it became known to the world as an independent system

What was formed during this period was

“Classical Sichuan cuisine”

Unfortunately

Dishes from "Classical Sichuan Cuisine"

Now it basically only remains in poetry and prose.

It makes future generations imagine

Next Steps

Sichuan cuisine will usher in a "makeover"

Big changes

02

Immigration Innovation

-Traditional Sichuan cuisine-

Late Ming and Early Qing

Unrest in government and opposition, frequent wars

The peaceful and prosperous Chengdu Plain was also ravaged

The city walls and houses were completely destroyed.

The population has dropped from millions at its peak

Dropped to tens of thousands

Bashu culture has been passed down for thousands of years

But it suffered a huge impact and broke

Food culture is no exception

And all this is an opportunity to reshape

It's the arrival of immigrants

(Sketch of the immigration route of "Huguang filling Sichuan", drawn by @Chen Zhihao/Planet Research Institute)

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To restore the economy

From Hubei, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, etc.

Hundreds of thousands of people from more than ten provinces

Entering Sichuan with great fanfare

They brought production technology and culture from all over the world

Bringing back the vitality of the fertile land

(Yuantong Ancient Town was one of the settlements of immigrants at that time, photographer @柒哥)

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In just over 100 years

Sichuan's population surged to 40 million

Ranked first in the country

Delicious food from all over the world continues to blend

This has created a food culture

The second great boom

(The food street in Yuantong Ancient Town is crowded with people, photographer @杜宁)

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Arrived first

Chili

Although 9000 years ago

Native Americans began eating wild chili peppers

But it was not until the late 16th century

Chili peppers were introduced to China by Portuguese merchants.

But at the beginning

It is cultivated only as an ornamental plant

About 100 years later

Chili peppers are only grown in salt-deficient areas such as Guizhou.

Becoming a “salt substitute food”

(Erjingtiao pepper is an indispensable ingredient in authentic Sichuan cuisine. The picture below shows the peppers being dried in the sun. Photographer: @周修建)

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Immigrants from these areas

Bringing the habit of eating chili peppers to Sichuan

And gradually evolved into a red oil flavor

Hot and sour, fishy, ​​strange and other spicy flavors

Quickly becoming a favorite

Another

An important condiment that came with immigrants

It is Pi County Douban

(Please watch in horizontal mode. Chengdu Pidu District (formerly known as Pi County) has the world's largest Douban drying field. Photographer: @杨健)

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According to legend, when immigrants entered Sichuan

A young man from Fujian was suffering from food shortage.

The broad beans that they depended on to fill their stomachs

Adding chili peppers makes for a non-perishable bean paste

His descendants inherited the skills

Established a soy sauce factory in Pi County, Sichuan at that time

Gradually develop and flourish

Today, Pixian Douban

It is used in most Sichuan cuisine

A golden partner for creating complex flavors

It is also known as the "Soul of Sichuan Cuisine"

(The production process of Pixian Douban is a national intangible cultural heritage; the figure below is a schematic diagram of the production process of Pixian Douban, drawn by @罗梓涵/星球研究院)

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besides

"Baoning Vinegar" from Hunan immigrants

Tongchuan Douchi (fermented black beans) from Jiangxi immigrants

and "Neijiang Sugarcane" from Fujian immigrants

It is still on people’s dining tables today.

Radiating the glory of the years

Pickled foods

For example, pickles and bacon are good for long-term preservation.

In an era when food was relatively scarce

Shine bright

(Pickled bacon and pickles are part of Sichuan people’s life; the picture below shows Sichuan sausage, bacon and pickles, source: @Visual China & Wang Xiao & Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism)

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at the same time

A variety of cooking methods

In the hands of immigrants

Such as the Jiangxi steamed rice flour method

“Steamed Pork with Rice Flour”

(The rice noodles of the steamed pork with rice flour are oily and fragrant, photographer @樊小喆)

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Made with Hubei braised method

“Braised Pork”

(The braised pork is bright red, sweet and delicious, photographer @汪琮琪)

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And the northern stir-fry method

“Fried Kidney”

(“Kidney” refers to pork kidneys, which need to be stir-fried over high heat. Image source: @Visual China)

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There are many other delicious foods

It is evolved from local dishes.

For example, the "Jiaoshenrou" originated from the Manchu

“Twice-cooked Pork” and “Garlic Pork”

(The Manchus once had a ritual of worshiping gods and ancestors called "Tiaoshenyi". After the sacrifice, they would eat "Tiaoshen meat", which evolved into dishes such as "Garlic Mushroom Pork"; the pictures below are twice-cooked pork and garlic mud pork, pictures from @Visual China & Li Jie)

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There are also some dishes influenced by the northern "liucai"

"Small Crispy Pork"

Improved by Ding Baozhen's family chef who once served as an official in Shandong

“Kung Pao Chicken”

And from the northern customs

“Zhong Dumplings”

They are all engraved with the marks of all corners of the world

(Small Crispy Pork is a special snack that the people of Sichuan and Chongqing love very much. The picture below shows Crispy Pork, Kung Pao Chicken, Zhong Dumplings, and Sweet Shaobai. The picture is from @刘艳晖&徐剑峰&四川省文化和旅游厅&蒋小翼)

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Late 19th century

In the economically developed Chengdu

A number of famous restaurants stand side by side

A group of famous chefs showed off their skills

Among them, the establishment of top-level banquet halls

Guan Zhengxing, the Kanto chef of "Zhengxing Garden"

The story is quite legendary

(Looking at Tianfu Square today, it used to be called "Imperial City Dam", with many restaurants on the street, photographer @廖铁军)

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He was the royal chef.

Following the Eight Banners officials into Sichuan due to the war

Later he went into business and opened a restaurant

It also incorporates Manchu-Han Banquet, Beijing cuisine, Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine and other dishes

Opening up a new trend of Sichuan cuisine that blends the north and south

Lan Guangjian, who was once a disciple at Zhengxing Garden

He founded the "Rongleyuan"

It is also a well-known restaurant in old Chengdu.

(Portraits of famous Sichuan chefs in modern times, among whom Li Jieren is both a gourmet and a famous writer, drawn by @王申雯/Planetary Research Institute)

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Countless "Sichuan chefs"

Made great contributions to the development of Sichuan cuisine

Huang Jinlin, who founded "Guguyan"

The "Camphor Tea Duck" created by him is now famous in Sichuan and Sichuan.

Luo Guorong, a chef at "Guguyan"

The "boiled cabbage" they created was even served at a state banquet.

(The boiled cabbage soup needs to be stewed with many ingredients such as old hen, old duck, ribs, etc., camphor tea duck, picture source @Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism & Visual China)

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To the 1930s and 1940s

Chongqing was also very prosperous as the wartime "temporary capital"

Many restaurants in Chengdu are included in this list.

The "dual city" mode was launched

"Xiaodongtian" founded by Chongqing famous chef Liao Qingting

Developed classic dishes such as "Vinegar Chicken"

It is also famous in Chongqing

(Chongqing was previously part of Sichuan and was not officially established as a municipality until 1997; the picture below shows the appetizing vinegar chicken, picture source: @Huitu.com)

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After a century of development

Sichuan cuisine already has spicy, sweet and sour flavors

There are dozens of flavors including black bean flavor

And hundreds of dishes

There are so many types that people call it

“Each dish has its own style, and each dish has its own taste”

(A table of Sichuan cuisine, mouth-watering, the picture is tagged @王申雯, the photographer is @任玉豪)

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From the middle of the Qing Dynasty to the middle of the 20th century

A total of nearly 200 years

This was the period when “traditional Sichuan cuisine” was finalized.

But this is not the whole picture of the era

Let us turn our attention back to the people

There is a rising force here

Is gushing out

03

Attack of the Chili Peppers

-Traditional Sichuan cuisine-

In this force

Important promoters who must be mentioned

Chili

(Spiciness is not a "taste" but a "pain", which is why the skin can sense "spicy"; the picture below shows the common pepper varieties and spiciness in China, drawn by @罗梓涵/星球研究院)

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When Immigrants Entered Sichuan

Explosive population growth

Allowing a large amount of land to be used for growing staple foods

There are fewer and fewer side dishes

The strong flavor of pepper

It is a cheap choice for ordinary people to eat

(China is currently the world's largest producer and consumer of chili peppers; the following picture shows some common condiments for Sichuan cuisine, the picture is annotated with @王申雯, the picture source is @视觉中国)

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More importantly

Chinese medicine believes that peppers have the effect of resisting cold and removing dampness

Coincident with the climate of Bashu

So its hot taste

Gradually soaking the taste buds of countless immigrants

And traveled the Shu Road for them

The hard life of working hard in a foreign land

Brought a moment of joy

(Because the sunshine time in Sichuan is short, there is a saying that "Shu dogs bark at the sun", which means that when the sun comes out, Sichuan dogs bark excitedly; the picture below is the Sichuan terraced fields shrouded in clouds and mist, picture source @Visual China)

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And with the blessing of pepper

Even with simple ingredients

Can also cook tempting taste

Many classic delicacies first created by the people

The curtain opens

It is said that in 1841

Sichuan Zigong vendor Chen Baobao

Made a smooth noodle

Served with chili oil, minced meat, bean sprouts, etc.

Spicy, fresh and not greasy

In the early days, people carried the goods on their shoulders and hawked them on the streets.

Also known as "Dan Dan Noodles"

Now it is famous among Sichuan noodles.

(Dan Dan noodles, picture source: @图虫创意)

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About 20 years later

Beside Wanfu Bridge at the North Gate of Chengdu

A couple surnamed Chen came here from the countryside to make a living

Rent a thatched hut to open a restaurant

Most of the customers are coolies transporting goods.

So Chen's wife made her own chili powder

Add tofu purchased by customers and make

The finished product is spicy, fresh and hot, delicious and inexpensive

It is said that people are because of the pits on their husbands' faces.

This dish is also called "Mapo Tofu"

("Mapo Tofu" is a household name and can be called the "king" of Sichuan cuisine. Photographer @李婕)

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Around 1930

A couple also makes a living in Chengdu

They use low-cost beef scraps

Add red oil, pepper powder, etc.

Cheap price and unique flavor

Later, he opened a shop named "Fuqi Feipian"

Still famous today

(Because of its bad taste, there is no beef lung in "Fuqi Feipian" nowadays. Image source: @Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism)

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And this kind

Dishes with chili pepper as the main seasoning

In Chongqing

It is bursting with vitality

Looking back at the early 20th century

Chongqing, forced to open its port, is changing with each passing day

Chinese and foreign merchants opened foreign companies and businesses

Urban construction is developing rapidly

(Chongqing Wanzhou Port, photographer @史宗历)

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Under the prosperity

But there are poor boatmen and trackers

Working at the dock

They do physically demanding work

High energy consumption

But they don't have the money to buy expensive fresh meat

Most of them eat "offal"

(“Offal” refers to the internal organs of animals; the pictures below are lasagna, pig liver, duck gizzards, and goose intestines, from @Visual China & Song Peidong)

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And stew with peppers

It can just cover up the fishy smell of these meats

So it was improved by the vendors

The boatmen brought cheap beef and offal

Put it in the pot for boiling

Add lots of strong spices like chili peppers

Became the origin of today's "Chongqing Hotpot"

(Hotpot plays an important role in the diet of Sichuan and Chongqing people, photographer @王进)

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at the same time

The old order disintegrated after the fall of the Qing government

The rise of a new business class

People began to pursue new tastes and new stimulations

Popular dishes are popular all over Sichuan

Cheap and hot spicy

Creating a wave across the land of Bashu

The Yangtze River has

"Yibin Burning Noodles", "Gulin Spicy Chicken", etc.

(Yibin burning noodles are named "burning noodles" because they are heavy in oil and have no water, so they will burn as soon as they are ignited. Image source: @Visual China)

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Located in northern Sichuan are

"Shunqing Lamb Rice Noodles" and "Daxian Dengying Beef"

"Mianyang Cross-River Tofu Pudding" and others

(Da County is now Dachuan District, Dazhou City; the picture below is the beef in the shadow of the lantern, the photographer is @樊小喆)

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In Zigong, Sichuan

Too much spice

It can also form its own style, namely "Salt Cuisine"

Such as "Zigong cold rabbit" and "boiled beef"

"Zizhong Qiuxi silver carp" and others are all spicy

Those who cannot eat spicy food will feel

"Sweating all over, smoke coming out of all seven orifices"

(Since Zigong Salt Industry uses cattle as the power to extract brine, many dishes with beef as ingredients have emerged; the pictures below are boiled beef and spicy rabbit cubes, from @Visual China & Fan Xiaozhe)

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So far

From "Orthodox" to "Folk"

From immigration innovation to continuous improvement

The Historical Aspects of Traditional Sichuan Cuisine

Already in sight

After the founding of New China

Its interior is characterized by distinctive

The "Five Big Gangs"

Well-known to people

(Distribution diagram of the five major sub-cuisines of modern Sichuan cuisine, drawn by @陈志浩&王申雯&罗梓涵/Planet Research Institute)

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But Sichuan cuisine and the attack of chili peppers

It's far from over

They are waiting for the fate of the times.

Collision again

04

A carnival for all

-New Sichuan Cuisine-

1950

Near Renmin South Road, Chengdu

Two magnificent high-end restaurants

Furong Restaurant and Chengdu Restaurant

Rising from the Ground

(Today, Renmin South Road is the southern half of Chengdu’s central axis and is known as Tianfu’s First Road. Photographer: @蒋人可)

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These two restaurants

Almost all the top chefs in Chengdu are gathered here

It caused a sensation in the entire Sichuan food circle

The same 50s

Sichuan cuisine becomes part of state banquets

In addition to receiving foreign guests

It is also used in major domestic celebrations.

Late 1950s

Chefs from "Rongleyuan" fly to foreign countries

Cooking in New York

Home-cooked dishes such as "Zhong dumplings" and "Lai glutinous rice balls"

The Sichuan cuisine craze in the United States

Masters of Sichuan cuisine

Using lifelong learning to win honor for Sichuan cuisine

Sound of the World

(The picture below shows Lai Tangyuan with a creative panda image, picture source: Visual China)

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After the 1980s

The national commodity economy is thriving

The transportation network is constantly improving

The urbanization process has greatly increased

Sichuan cuisine also took advantage of the spring breeze of reform and opening up

The third great prosperity

First is

Popularity of new Sichuan cuisine

This type of dish is often large in portion and heavy in flavor.

A restaurant that serves only one dish

Also known as "one dish stands for three dishes"

(Zhanggongqiao Food Street, Leshan, Sichuan, photographer @唐宇星)

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They are usually stationed in

On the main traffic routes of the city

Such as "spicy chicken" and "boiled fish" and other street shops

Most long-distance passenger and truck drivers

A good place to eat and take a break

(“Spicy Chicken” seems to be looking for chicken in chili peppers, boiled fish, picture source @图虫创意&汇图网)

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followed by

The rise of catering brands in the new era

1990s

Cantonese seafood conquers Chengdu's local market

And many people lament

When the question “Where is Sichuan cuisine heading?” is raised

A company that specializes in Sichuan-style dishes——

"Ba country commoner"

Started the revival of Sichuan cuisine

A new batch of catering enterprises

They have sprung up like mushrooms after rain

Such as Chengdu's "Tianfu Restaurant" and "Huangcheng Laoma Hotpot"

Zigong's "Yanfu Family" and "Shujiangchun"

Taoranju in Chongqing

(There are many Chongqing food brands gathered on Chongqing Hongyadong Commercial Street, photographer @傅鼎)

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Outside the local

New Sichuan cuisine and traditional Sichuan cuisine

It is also slowly becoming popular among the people

Let's zoom out first.

At this time, migrant workers from all over the country

Joining the vigorous modernization construction

Formed the world

The largest population movement

“Migrant Workers Tide”

(Dense crowds at Chengdu Railway Station, photographer @李勇)

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According to relevant statistics

The floating population in China in 1990

At least 60 million people

Sichuan, a province with a large population outflow

The number of migrant workers may reach over 10 million

The large number is also called

"Sichuan Army"

(Sichuan is a populous province in China; the picture below shows a job fair in Chengdu in 2005, with a bustling crowd. Image source: Visual China)

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Many Sichuan chefs

One of these armies

They spread Sichuan cuisine all over the country

And combined with local delicacies

Create new dishes

For example, cooking seafood with fire

"Hot Jellyfish"

There are also people who popularized the method of boiling water.

“Boiled brain”

And the pickles that are incorporated into it

“Kimchi hotpot fish”

Both of them stimulate the vitality of new Sichuan cuisine

(Sour fish, roasted brain, and fried double crisps, photographer @Mr.Bee & Li Junbo & Huitu.com)

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Then

Sichuan cuisine is gaining more and more influence

To adapt to the increasingly fast pace of life

A Sichuan restaurant that stir-fries food

All over the streets and alleys of cities

Satisfying people's taste buds

So far

The prosperity of local and regional food culture

Together we create a new look for Sichuan cuisine

And it will be popular in the new century

Hot pot is the most popular

(Everyone sits together and eats hot pot, having a great time, photographer @君子裕)

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Since 2000

Eating spicy food is becoming more popular among the public

Captured the taste buds of at least 500 million people across the country

Chongqing hotpot-based

Seafood hotpot, fish head hotpot, pickled vegetable hotpot, etc.

Beginning to spread across the country

(The above data comes from "A History of Spicy Food in China" by Cao Yu; the picture below is Chongqing Jiugongge Hotpot, and there are also Yuanyang Hotpot, Stone Pot Fish Hotpot, Miyi Copper Hotpot, Mother-and-child Hotpot, and Chuanchuanxiang Hotpot. The photographer is @李艺爽)

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According to relevant statistics

In recent years, the total number of Sichuan and Chongqing hotpot merchants accounts for about

More than 60% of the country

(Top 10 cities with the most hot pot restaurants in 2020, drawn by @罗梓涵/星球研究院)

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Countless young people

Eating hotpot as a way to socialize

(From Internet buzzwords)

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"There is nothing that can't be solved by a hot pot meal. If there is, then two meals will do."

In Chengdu and Chongqing

Even held several large-scale hot pot festivals

The scene is lively

Attracting countless tourists from thousands of miles away

besides

Noodle shop with Sichuan and Chongqing characteristics

Such as "Yibin Yanmian", "Dandan Noodles", "Chongqing Xiaomian", etc.

Popular in the streets

(Crowds at Chengdu night market, photographer @蒋人可)

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Specialty snacks from Sichuan and Chongqing

Such as "Sichuan Liangfen" and "Juntun Guokui"

And "coated tofu" and so on are everywhere.

(Tofu with paste, roasted pig's trotters, photographer @樊小喆)

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Accumulating

Sichuan cuisine with a history of thousands of years

Finally crossed the triple era

It has become one of the four traditional Chinese cuisines.

The most influential cuisine

If you personally

Coming to today's Bashu land

People's food culture and lifestyle

Building a new era

"Scenery of Tianfu"

(The four major traditional Chinese cuisines also include Shandong cuisine, Cantonese cuisine, and Huaiyang cuisine; the picture below is a Sichuan Baba Banquet, also known as a flowing banquet, where the dishes are mostly based on "three steamed and nine braised dishes", photographer @李荣伟)

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The economy here is booming

Convenient transportation links all over the world

(Chengdu city night view, photographer @柒哥)

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Agriculture is developed here

Sichuan alone has 25 kinds of agricultural products produced

Ranked first in the country

(This is still the "world of river fish". Today, Sichuan's freshwater fish farming area, output and output value rank first in the west; the picture below shows Sichuan fishermen fishing, radish harvest and lettuce harvest. Photographers @Ran Jian & Zhang Xiao & Ding Jiayi)

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There's delicious food everywhere

Chengdu is known as the "City of Gourmet Food"

Chongqing is known as the "hot pot capital"

(Everyone has special skills, they can eat hotpot and play mahjong, photographer @逍遥Francis)

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Here is optimism

No matter how many difficulties we encounter

As long as I can have a taste of my hometown

Then you can "get the board"

(In 2020, Chengdu once again topped the list of "the happiest city"; the picture below is a teahouse in Chengdu, photographer @柒哥)

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Who would have thought

A small delicious

Can travel through thousands of years of time

Contains shapes from all over the world

Contains the ups and downs of the glorious years

It also includes three eras

Legendary Life

(Food is also one of the synonyms of "Bashi Sichuan"; the picture below is the Chengdu Financial City Twin Towers, and the huge light show also has chili elements. The photographer is @何世海)

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This is Sichuan cuisine

The spicy taste hides the joy

Optimism in diversity

And condensed in it

It was born from this land

Thousands of lives

And created by ourselves

Thousands of lives

This article was created by

Written by | Zhou Youzhi

Photo | Pan Chenxia

Map | Chen Zhihao

Design | Luo Zihan & Wang Shenwen

Proofreading | Jiang Shangfan & Quasimodo by the River & Ding Hao & Zheng Yi

Cover Photographer | Chen Chenghui

[Acknowledgments] The pictures in this article were strongly supported by Cao Tie, Chairman of the Chengdu Photographic Artists Association, and the Sichuan National Culture Image Art Association. We would like to express our special thanks.

【References】

[1] Lan Yong. History of Sichuan Cuisine in China[M]. Chengdu: Sichuan Literature and Art Publishing House, 2019.09.

[2] Duan Yu. A Brief History of Sichuan[M]. Chengdu: Sichuan People's Publishing House, August 2019.

[3] Cao Yu. History of Spicy Food in China[M]. Beijing United Publishing Company, 2019.04.

[4] Zhou Xuanyu. Study on the food culture geography of Chengdu and Chongqing in modern times[D]. Southwest University, 2014.05.

[5] Sichuan Folklore Society. Sichuan Cuisine Culture Research Continuation[M]. Chengdu: Sichuan People's Publishing House, 2013.06.

[6] Sichuan Provincial Local Chronicles Compilation Committee. Sichuan Provincial Chronicles: Agricultural Chronicles[M]. Chengdu: Sichuan Dictionary Publishing House, 1996.

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