how does geography affect food in china
The previous analysis does not provide a complete picture, since geography and climate are strongly correlated; nearby regions are more likely to have similar climates. Except in Qinghai and the Tibetan Plateau and Xinjiang, an extensive rail system links China and is the most common form of long-distance travel. Famous dishes and snacks include peony and swallow vegetable, fried purple In North China wheat is of the greatest importance, while in the central provinces wheat and rice vie with each other for the top place. Tourism is also crucial to Sichuan's economy. The Uighurs, Xinjiang's largest minority, are predominantly Muslim and Turkic in ethnicity and language. Despite the fact that the railroad does not extend very far west into the province, tourism is gaining in this remote region of spectacular scenery with a wealth of archaeological treasures, including Buddhist cave temples, ruined cities and fortresses, petrogylphs, and 4,000-year-old mummies. Because such foods raise the body temperature and cause one to perspire. He found that while seasoning is a useful way of simplifying cooking, it can also be used as a way to explain cuisine, people, and place. Learn about garlic farming in Cangshan District, China, Religious beliefs and social organization, Dynastic authority and the succession of emperors, The Dong (Eastern) Jin (317420) and later dynasties in the south (420589), The Shiliuguo (Sixteen Kingdoms) in the north (303439), The barbarians: Tangut, Khitan, and Juchen, The courts relations with the bureaucracy, Internal solidarity during the decline of the Nan Song, Changes under Kublai Khan and his successors, The antiforeign movement and the second Opium War (Arrow War), Industrialization for self-strengthening, Reformist and revolutionist movements at the end of the dynasty, The development of the republic (191220), The Nationalist government from 1928 to 1937, Conflicts within the international alliance, Phase three: approaching crisis (194445), Reconstruction and consolidation, 194952, New directions in national policy, 195861, Leaders of the Peoples Republic of China since 1949. There is little or no industry other than distinctive indigenous handicrafts. Physical characteristics: China's largest province is a landscape of deserts, mountains, and oases. Mild climates and abundant rainfall mean farmers in this area generally expect to obtain three or more crops every year. With probability cuisine will develop a recipe itself by randomly selecting unique ingredients from the ingredient pool. One of the main conclusions of Lin's studies is that place is one of the most important shapers of cuisine. These took place in Nanxiong, a mountainous, tropical city. yak), dairy and wheat. Smith, Pub., 1988. Chinas East The land of fish and rice. Many maps show both natural and man-made features. developed in the harsh climate and isolated land of Tibet. Clearly, to create political "China," it is still important to tie these different regions together. distinct regional cuisines exist in a land with such variety. Because such foods raise the body temperature and cause one to perspire. However, the industrialized regions around Guangzhou (Canton) and the lower Yangtze region around Shanghai have too little energy, while there is little industry located near major energy resource areas other than in the southern part of the Northeast. barley-flour, sugar, butter and tea mixture rolled and eaten with fingers, Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China, Affiliation: Nevertheless, its basic natural resources of iron ore and coal have made it economically vital to the rest of China. Add new ingredients. etc. Our results indicate that the effect of temperature on the ingredient usage pattern may not exist at all. Basic statistics of the dataset are reported in Table 1. He has a research interest in Chinese cuisine and culinary tourism. This makes it an interesting place to research the sense of identity that the food from this region offers. Physical maps show different landforms and elevations and bodies of water. The dependence of similarities between different regional cuisines on the climate and geography. The kind of food produced and the cooking practices of different areas in China depend on the nature of the geography of each particular region. Mining accounts for a small portion of Chinas overall gross domestic product (GDP) and employs only a tiny fraction of the countrys workforce. This geographic setting creates a mild climate. To estimate the effect of climate and geographical proximity, we calculate partial correlation [27], which is used to measure the linear association between two factors while removing the effect of other additional factors. The introduction of spices into the Hakka cuisine eaten in Nanxiong represents a long history of this region, forming strong bonds with other regions that appreciate spicy food. We think this is a result of the existence of outliers in the dataset. percentage of the regions agriculture. China's earliest agricultural societies as well as dynasties formed there. is too cold for wheat at some altitudes, the farming communities grow traditional and staple foods are butter tea (po cha), Tsambpa, Homes are two stories with inward-slanting mud, earthen, brick, or stone walls and earthen floors. Millet and kaoliang (a variety of grain sorghum) are grown mainly in the Northeast and some central provinces, whichtogether with some northern areasalso produce considerable quantities of barley. Animal husbandry constitutes the second most important component of agricultural production. This creates marshes and shallow, reed-filled lakes, which are good for thatching and weaving as well as migratory birds, fish, and snails. to important and wealthy individuals throughout history. to freshness and delicate technique. A formal dinner includes 4-6 cold dishes, 8-10 hot dishes, served with soup and fruits. Even at the local level, special status is commonly given to cities or even geographic areas that require it to maintain political peace and order-a type of geopolitical "gerrymandering."'. Choose one regional cuisine preferentially. Photo taken last year on the Kharta Valley, the mountains in the background Variety is First, theres the physiological process on the tongue. Given that the Chinese have long recognized their geographic distinctions, it seems only reasonable that we should teach about China with the same awareness and sensitivity to diversity. Spiciness can help identify insiders and outsiders. Participant observation data was collected, along with 14 group interviews and a further 38 in-depth interviews. The figure shows a clear trend that geographically closer regional cuisines have more similar ingredient usage patterns. Most of the soybean crop is derived from the North and the Northeast, and corn (maize) is grown in the centre and the North. Based on our results, we propose a model of cuisine evolution based on the copy-mutate mechanism. Peking duck School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University, Bloomington, United States of America, Housing: caves carved into the loess cliffs and mud-brick houses in rural areas; apartments in urban areas. general characteristics of cooking and culture by location: North, South, 11B shows the result without outliers, displaying a better match with our dataset. The large land was isolated from much of the rest of the world by dry deserts to the north and west the Pacific Ocean to the east and impassable mountains to the south. By clicking below to submit this form, you acknowledge that the information you provide will be transferred to MailChimp for processing in accordance with their Privacy Policy and Terms. resources require a diet higher in fat and calories. Cantonese cooks often make artistic and colorful For example, one participant said that he smelled the combination of sour bamboo shoots and spicy chillis coming from a neighbours home. YunGui and Hong Kong (red) stand out as outliers. China has a long tradition of ocean and freshwater fishing and of aquaculture, and it is the worlds leading producer in both categories. Physical characteristics: The overwhelming distinctive characteristic of the Loess Plateau is the wind-blown alluvium (dust) that has accumulated to depths of over 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) in some places and is known as loess. Mainstay foods, again, are meat (mutton, or sometimes How does geography affect food in China? China: A Provincial Atlas. Environmental conditions, including highly variable rainfall (when it does occur), means that farmers seldom expect to harvest more than two crops every three years. Hint: It was invented to fit a language that previously used a borrowed writing system. This enabled the Chinese to develop independently from other world civilizations. Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 1990. Citation: Zhu Y-X, Huang J, Zhang Z-K, Zhang Q-M, Zhou T, Ahn Y-Y (2013) Geography and Similarity of Regional Cuisines in China. Social organization: monasteries play a role in Buddhist communities, mosques in Islamic ones. are the Tibetan Himalayas looking south into Nepal. GEOG 3822-581* . Physical characteristics: The defining physical feature of this region is the large Sichuan Basin, which is divided into two parts, Chengdu and Chongqing. Southern Chinese cuisine gives elegance to simplicity. How did geography affect Chinese food? The eastern region of China is composed of Highlands and Lowlands. The landmass of China spans North-South and East-West rather evenly, providing a good test bed to study the effect of geography and climate. Social organization: nuclear families in urban areas; groups of families for nomads. Due to Chinas expansive territories, opinions diverge on how many Eastern Lowlands are rich in both natural resources like coal and iron, such as wet paddy planting (especially for rice) accounts for a large It likewise represents a smallthough significantpart of the annual value of industrial output. Housing: caves carved into the loess cliffs and mud-brick houses in rural areas, apartments in urban areas, Transportation: walking, mule, and horse in rural areas; cars, buses, and bicycles in urban areas, Food staples: wheat-noodles and sour cabbage. By the Song dynasty (960-1279 C.E. Domesticated animals such as pigs, cattle, and fowl also came from China. (non-greasy), mellow flavors, and fresh cooking ---, ed. The kind of food produced and the cooking practices of different areas in China depend on the nature of the geography of each particular region. It can be an indicator of class, wealth, and place identity. Maps were used for military and political purposes and show how China viewed itself in relation to the rest of the world. GL10 3FA Geography of China: Environment, Resources, Population, and Development. Learn more. 5. Figure 8 compares how temperature and physical distance are related to the similarities between regional cuisines. We tested two models that use topological distance and physical distance, respectively, and found that the model using topological distance produces better results. as 100 different choices! School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University, Bloomington, United States of America. Historical maps help us understand political boundaries and the movement of people, goods, and ideas. Studying taste in Naxiong Nanxiong is connected to places in other provinces and, therefore, borrows their flavour traditions, going against many of the cuisine choices within Guangdong Province. Sichuan (Szechuan) cuisine: hot, spicy chilis, ma po doufu, hot pot (Note: Contains excellent regional maps showing topography and cities; lots of photographs define each region and provide a sense of place.) Share: You can copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, Your email address will not be published. Because such foods raise the body temperature and cause one to perspire. A must-read! This means that despite a latitude close to the Tropic of Cancer, Qinghai and Tibet are nontropical for the most part. Coal and iron mining are also central to the region's economy, and ginseng, soybeans, and timber are major products. The mission of National Council for the Social Studies is to advocate and build capacity for high-quality social studies by providing leadership, services, and support to educators. Third, theres the fashion and aesthetics of taste. It is not surprising that eating with chopsticks from small bowls, apparently developed in China in the Han Dynasty. Food staples: wheat noodles, flat wheat bread (nan), and mutton. Eliot, Herman Hesse, and The Beatles. By Seth Dixon, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Geography, Rhode Island College. Thus, although energy production has expanded rapidly, it has continued to fall short of demand, and China has been purchasing increasing quantities of foreign petroleum and natural gas. The written language and the bureaucratic class that used it were pivotal in creating a net of a shared experience and cultural values that bonded the disparate geographies and spoken languages of China and linked the past to the present. In the initial state there are ingredients in the ingredient pool, and each regional cuisine contains one recipe that consists of random ingredients chosen from the initial ingredient set; that is, . duck. Housing: nomads live in yak-felt tents. This is attributable to the heavy rainfall and temperatures associated with the Indian monsoon. Place is paramount Generate a recipe by learning from others. More valuable, however, has been the cultivation and export of opium, an activity developed as a result of Britain's Opium War with China. Next, the difference in sample means is calculated and recorded for every possible way of dividing these pooled values into two groups of size and , denoted by . PLOS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, #C2354500, based in San Francisco, California, US. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the temperature difference and PCC is 0.134 (Figure 8A), indicating a weak correlation between similarity of regional cuisines and their temperature difference. Web Sciences Center, School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, People's Republic of China, For example, one pioneering study revealed the connections between climate and the use of spices through the manual digitization of a large number of traditional recipes [14]. This course will examine and discuss a variety of Chinese topics, such as China history, culture, health and medicine, sports, industrialization, US business relations, language, food, education and the literature and arts. Changes in production, in turn, can affect the ability of households to access food and as such impact on dietary diversity. Knapp, Ronald G. China's Vernacular Architecture: House Form and Culture. Lins research uses a regional framework to understand the complex connections between taste and place. Figure 6 shows that the geographical distance and topological distance are correlated yet exhibit large variance. Physical characteristics: As its name indicates, this is an area of gently rolling topography. Your email address will not be published. To fully appreciate China's broad geographic and cultural diversity, one needs to identify general characteristics that act as guidelines. barley. Quiz. Tibetans are Junfan Lin is a postdoctoral researcher at the Sun Yat-sen University, China. The use of certain flavours in different dishes can quickly identify which region a person comes from. Until the 1950s, one out of every five Tibetans was a Buddhist nun or monk. Since common ingredients carry little information, we use an ingredient-usage vector inspired by TF-IDF (Term Frequency Inverse Document Frequency) [22]:(2)where a prior weight is introduced to penalize a popular ingredient. In China ownership of a map indicated sovereignty over the land it depicted. Housing: timber, stone, or straw houses in rural areas; large apartment buildings in the cities, Social organization: village clusters in rural areas, Transportation: walking, mule, horses, in the mountains; bicycles and cars on the plains, boats on rivers. Cumulative frequency distribution of the cuisine network generated by our model compared to the the empirical distribution from the dataset of Chinese cuisine. Tobacco comes from the centre and parts of the South. That is, regions with similar temperature tend to share similar usage patterns of ingredients, which is consistent with previous results [14]. Farmers not only can count on several crops every year, they can depend on a diversity of food crops as well as specialties. Another significant aim of Lins research was to examine the flavour principle in place. New York: Vendome Press, 1989.
