Eight major cuisines of China
The eight major cuisines of China refer to China's eight major regional culinary traditions, each with its distinctive local flavors, including Shandong, Sichuan, Cantonese, Jiangsu, Fujian, Zhejiang, Hunan, and Anhui cuisines. Each region has developed its own culinary culture with distinct cooking methods and flavors over time based on its unique climate, ge- ography, history, availability of produce, and dietary customs. Collectively these cuisines represent Chinese food culture.
Each of the eight major cuisines of China has its unique characteristics. Shandong cuisine has distinct salty and fresh flavors and is renowned for its seafood dishes. Sichuan cuisine, originating from Sichuan and Chongqing, is characterized by savory flavors with a spicy or numbing-spicy twist owing to the use of Sichuan pepper. Cantonese cuisine from Guangdong Province emphasizes the quality of ingredients to ensure fresh and savory tastes. Jiangsu cuisine, including four subsets – Nanjing Style, Xuzhou and Haizhou Style, Huai'an and Yang- zhou Style, and Suzhou and Nantong Style – is renowned for its careful ingredient selection and plating and is often seen at China's state banquets. Fujian cuisine is famous for its soups and its use of fermented red yeast rice and sweet and sour sauce. Zhejiang cuisine emphasizes light and delicate flavors. It features small and exquisite dishes that are tender and de- licious. Hunan cuisine is known for its hot and spicy flavors, fresh aroma and deep colors. Anhui cuisine features salty and fresh flavors, employing cooking techniques such as stewing, smoking, steaming, and braising.
The eight major cuisines of China are rooted in the traditional Chinese belief that there is no limit to fine cooking. Centuries of inter-generational transmission together with innovation in cooking techniques have laid the groundwork for Chinese cuisine to develop delicate, balanced, delicious, visually appealing, and healthy foods. Representing the unique cooking styles of various regions in China, these cuisines embody cohesion in diversity of the Chinese nation.
八大菜系
八大菜系，是中国饮食文化中具有鲜明地方风味特色，并为社会公认的菜肴流派，包含鲁菜、川菜、粤菜、苏菜、闽菜、浙菜、湘菜、徽菜。由于不同区域气候、地形、历史、物产及饮食风俗的不同，各地膳食文化经过长期演变， 形成了自成体系的烹饪技艺和风味菜品，成为中国饮食文化的鲜明标识。
八大菜系各有特色：鲁菜起源于山东的齐鲁风味，口味以咸鲜为主，比较擅长烹饪海鲜；川菜起源于四川、重庆， 以麻、辣、鲜、香为特色，善用麻辣调味；粤菜是广东风味的菜肴，口味鲜香，选料精细；苏菜由南京、徐海、淮扬和苏南四种风味组成，用料严谨，造型别致，是中国国宴的主要菜品；闽菜是福建地方菜系，口味以鲜香为主，长于红糟调味、制汤和使用糖醋；浙菜口味以清淡为主，菜式小巧玲珑，菜品鲜美滑嫩；湘菜是湖南的菜肴，讲究热辣、浓鲜， 油重色浓；徽菜即安徽菜，口味以咸鲜为主，擅长烧、炖、熏、蒸类的功夫菜。
八大菜系根植于中国人“食不厌精、脍不厌细”的传统理念，经过几百年古法传承和技艺创新，奠定了中国菜肴精细、中和、美味、美观、健康的良好基础。这些菜系不仅代表了中国各地区独特的生活饮食风格，更体现了中华民族多元一体的思想文化和群体性格。