Shennong and the Five Seeds: The History of Chinese Food (Online)

 

"Chinese food" is not just one cuisine; in fact, with dozens of regional cuisines in China, and dozens more in Chinese communities across the world, It's hard to think of a broader topic. Our global culinary landscape would be drastically different without the numberless innovations of Chinese chefs, and the widespread popularity of tea, dumplings, noodles, and other iconic staples.

 

But to fully understand just how vast and important Chinese food is, we have to look at how it has developed over time: from the ancient origins of agriculture along the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, to the rise of Imperial haute cuisine, to the world-spanning trade networks that introduced a pattern of exchange and influence that continues today. 

 

In this class, we will use archaeology, literature, and art to follow the historical development of food in China, from prehistory to the early modern era, when the Chinese food we know and love began to take shape. No prior knowledge required!