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 (simplified Chinese: 满汉全席; traditional Chinese: 滿漢全席; pinyin: Mǎnhàn quánxí) was a very special and grand banquet. It combined the best of Manchu and Han Chinese cooking styles. This amazing feast was created during the Qing dynasty in China (1644–1912). People still talk about it today, and some restaurants try to recreate it.
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How did the Feast Begin?
When the Qing dynasty took over China in the 1600s, they brought their own Manchu cooks to the palace. These new chefs replaced the old ones from the Ming dynasty. Manchu food was the main style served in the palace for a while.
Later, the Qianlong Emperor invited famous chefs from southern China. These new chefs brought their own cooking traditions. This mix of Manchu, southern, and Shandong cooking created a new style. People called it the "Manchu-Han banquet." It became very popular outside the palace. By the 1800s, it was famous in cities like Canton and Tianjin.
Legends and Theories
One popular story says the Kangxi Emperor created the feast. He wanted to bring Manchu and Han people closer together. So, he held a huge banquet for his 66th birthday. This number was special in Chinese culture. Officials from both groups ate together at this grand meal.
Another idea is that this feast might not have been a real event. Some believe it was a funny xiangsheng (Chinese sketch comedy) act. This act would list many different dishes, making it sound like a huge, imaginary feast.
What was Served at the Feast?
This incredible feast was a huge event. It often lasted for three days and included many banquets. People say there were over 300 different dishes to try. This included about 196 main dishes and 124 snack dishes. Even at the very least, there were more than 100 dishes.
The feast had two parts: inner-palace and outer-palace banquets. Only the emperor's family and important officials could attend the inner-palace meals. A book from the Qianlong Emperor's time describes the feast in great detail. It lists all the dishes and ingredients.
Exotic Ingredients
The feast was famous for using "Thirty-Two Delicacies." These were very rare and special ingredients. For example, the "Eight Mountain Delicacies" included things like camel's hump and bear's paws. The "Eight Land Delicacies" featured rare birds and mushrooms. The "Eight Sea Delicacies" had expensive items like dried sea cucumbers and shark's fin.
Special Dishes
Some of the dishes that might have been served included:
- Snowy Palm: bear claw with sturgeon
- Golden Eyes and Burning Brain: bean curd cooked with chicken, duck and cuckoo brains
- Monkey King and Shark: goat brain
- Egg tart
- Wensi Tofu
- Dezhou braised chicken
- Peking duck
- Shark fin soup
- Edible bird's nest
- Dried sea cucumbers
How were the Dishes Served?
The dishes were not the only fancy part of the feast. The plates and bowls were also very special. Most of them were beautiful bronze or porcelain pieces. They were often shaped like animals. Many even had special parts to keep the food warm during the long meal. Usually, the Manchu dishes were served first, followed by the Han Chinese dishes.
Can We Still Have This Feast Today?
People have tried to recreate the original Manchu–Han Imperial Feast since the 1700s. In the late 1980s, one attempt to make a similar meal cost over a million Japanese yen. However, many of the animals used in the original feast are now endangered species. This makes it very difficult and wrong to use them today.
See also
