Well-known around the world, Chinese cuisine took shape in the Shang Dynasty over 3,000 years ago and entered its heyday in the 17th century.

China features a vast area, numerous ethnic groups, different climates and differentiated geographical environments. Even the Han people, the majority in china, have varied customs and dialects due to their different historical and cultural background, and locality. Naturally, the different areas also developed different tastes in food: some preferred sour food while others might have a sweet tooth. Different dishes with local features flourished, evolving into the so-called "four, eight and ten" cuisine styles. These styles refer mainly to the Hannationality. Among them, the top four are Shadong Cuisine, cuisine Cuisine, Huaiyang (Jiangsu Province) Cuisine and Guangdong Cuisine, Shandong Cuisine employs scallions and rich materials and prefers salty flavors, such as Stewed Scallion and Sea Cucumber. cuisine Cuisine is famous for its spicy food, such as Shredded Pork with Chilli and Garlic Sauce. Huaiyang Cuisine attaches importance to soup and has a mild and sweet flavor, as in Steamed Shad. Guangdong Cuisine has fresh, tender and nourishing dishes like Roast Piglet with Crispy Skin.

Apart from the Han, china also has 55 minority ethnic groups whose living and eating habits vary greatly. Living on the grassland and engaging in herding and hunting, the Mongolians are called the "ethnic group on horseback." Their typical food, like Roast Whole Lamb, Roast Lamb Leg, Mutton Eaten with Fingers and Milky Tea, is well known both inside and outside china. The Tibetans dwell on the roof of the world. Due to high altitude, water's boiling point is too low to cook highland barley. So they bake the barley and grind it into flour to make a special staple, known as zanba. The minorities living in muggy zones in southwest China favor sour, bitter and spicy food, such as Roast Fish Wrapped in Lemongrass created by the Dai people. Apart from adding ingredients like ginger and pepper, they wrap the fish with lemongrass and then grill it on a fire. Fish dressed this way is delicious.

The Chinese prefer to combine gourmet food with festivals and occasions. The most interesting part of cuisine culture lies in the feasts offered on various occasions, including festivals, birthday parties, weddings, funerals. During Spring Festival (the lunar Chinese New Year), Han families usually eat jiaozi (dumplings) shaped like gold ingots, symbolizing good luck. Spring Pancake, Eight-Jewel Rive Pudding (steamed glutinous rice with bean paste, lotus seeds, preserved fruits, etc.) and Eight-Jewel Rice Porridge are also served during this period. Theatrical performances and temple fairs are the places where you can find lion dances, acrobatics and various traditional foods. Other ethnic groups also have their distinct recreational activities and festive foods, such as the Baked Cake of the Man people, the Fried Pastry of the Hui people, the pyramid-shaped Glutinous Rice Dumpling Wrapped in Bamboo Leaves of the Zhuang people and the Mutton and Rice Eaten With Fingers of the Uygur people.

Of course, people with different social status and different religious beliefs may have different eating habits. In the ancient Chinese royal palace, the food served for royal members was extremely exquisite and later formed the Palace style of dishes. The many Buddhists in china can be divided into Great Vehicle believers, who are vegetarian, Little Vehicle believers, who can eat meat without doing the killing, and the Tibetan Buddhists, who eschew meat from animals with odd number of toes, poultry with paws and fish.

China also boasts all kinds of snacks favored by tourists from all over the world. Guangdong residents have the habit of drinking morning tea. Tea-drinkers enjoy various snacks with tea, such as Goose Sausage, Steamed Bread with Stewed Sweeten Pork Filling and Fish Fillet Porridge. At Qianmen Hotel in Beijing,k there is Liyuan Theater where you can appreciate Peking Opera while sinking your teeth into snacks like Sweet Corn Cake, Fruit Cake and Sweet Pea Cake.

China is known for its etiquette, and this also is reflected in eating rituals. Usually, cold dishes are served first, then main dishes, and then staples. Soup and desserts are the last to be served. Liquor or wine is almost a must for feasts. Chopsticks are the unique pieces of tableware employed by the Chinese.

Following the four-style cuisine series, it systematically introduces the special dishes and snacks as well as dishes of famous star-rated hotels in the tourist cities around China.