Manchu–Han Imperial Feast facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Manchu–Han Imperial Feast |
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Manchu-Han Imperial Feast displayed at Tao Heung Museum of Food Culture
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| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 滿漢全席 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 满汉全席 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Vietnamese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vietnamese alphabet | Mãn Hán toàn tịch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Korean name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hangul | 만한전석 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hanja | 滿漢全席 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Japanese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kanji | 満漢全席 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kana | まんかんぜんせき | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Manchu–Han Imperial Feast (also known as the Comprehensive Manchu–Han Banquet) was a very special and grand meal. It combined the best cooking styles from two main groups in China: the Manchu and the Han Chinese. This amazing feast was created during the Qing dynasty (1644–1912), a time when emperors ruled China.
People still talk about this feast today. Many restaurants in the 20th and 21st centuries have tried to recreate its famous dishes. It was known for having many different foods and being a huge event.
Contents
History of the Grand Feast
How the Feast Began
When the Qing dynasty took control of China in the 1600s, they brought their own Manchu cooks to the palace. These new chefs replaced the old ones from the Ming dynasty. For a while, Manchu food was the main style served to the emperor.
Later, the Qianlong Emperor invited skilled chefs from southern China to join the palace kitchens. This brought new flavors and cooking methods. The new style of cooking mixed Manchu, Shandong, and southern Chinese elements. This blend became known as the "Manchu-Han banquet."
Spreading Across China
Even though this grand banquet wasn't always served at official palace events, it quickly became very popular. By the 1800s, the idea of the Manchu-Han banquet had spread. It became famous in big cities like Canton and Tianjin.
A Legend of Unity
One popular story says that the Kangxi Emperor created the feast to help bring Manchu and Han people together. He supposedly held a huge banquet for his 66th birthday. In Chinese culture, 66 is a very lucky number.
This special banquet featured dishes from both Manchu and Han traditions. Officials from both groups ate together at the same tables. This helped to show unity and friendship between them.
Another Idea About the Feast
Some people believe that the Manchu-Han Imperial Feast might not have been a real event. Instead, they think it was a famous comedy sketch called xiangsheng. This type of comedy often included long, funny lists of many different dishes. This theory suggests the feast might have been more of a story than a true historical meal.
Preparing the Imperial Meal
The original Manchu-Han Imperial Feast was an incredibly long event. It was said to include six banquets spread out over three days. There were more than 300 different dishes served in total.
Records suggest there were 196 main dishes and 124 snack dishes. This made a grand total of 320 dishes enjoyed over the three days. Even if counted differently, there were at least 108 dishes.
The feast had two parts: inner-palace and outer-palace banquets. Only the emperor's family and important officials were invited to the inner-palace banquets. A book from the time of the Qianlong Emperor (1735–1796) describes the feast in great detail. It lists all the dishes and ingredients used.
The Dishes of the Feast
The feast was famous for its "Thirty-Two Delicacies." These were very rare and special ingredients. They included items like camel's hump and bear's paws. There were also "Eight Land Delicacies" which featured rare birds and mushrooms. The "Eight Sea Delicacies" included expensive seafood like dried sea cucumbers and shark's fin.
Some of the famous dishes included:
- Snowy Palm: bear claw with sturgeon fish.
- Golden Eyes and Burning Brain: bean curd cooked in broth made from chicken, duck, and cuckoo.
- Monkey King and Shark: a dish made with goat brain.
- Egg tart
- Wensi Tofu: a very finely cut tofu soup.
- Dezhou braised chicken
- Peking duck
- Shark fin soup
- Edible bird's nest soup
- Dried sea cucumbers
Utensils Used for Dining
The dishes were not the only lavish part of the feast. The eating tools were also very fancy. Most of the utensils were beautiful bronze and porcelainware. They were often shaped like animals. Many were designed to keep the food warm throughout the long meal.
Guests usually ate the Manchu dishes first. After that, they would enjoy the Han Chinese dishes.
Modern Replicas
People have tried to recreate the original Manhan Quanxi since the 1700s. In the late 1980s, one attempt to copy the meal was very expensive. Many of the rare animals used in the original feast are now endangered species. This means they are protected and cannot be used for food today.
See also
