The Land of the Five Flavors (gnv64)

The Land of the Five Flavors: A Cultural History of Chinese Cuisine (Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History)
by Thomas O. Höllmann and Karen Margolis
Columbia University Press | November 2013 | ISBN-10: 0231161867 | ePUB | 198 pages | 15.3 mb
http://www.amazon.com/The-Land-Five-Flavors-Perspectives/dp/0231161867

Renowned sinologist Thomas O. Höllmann tracks the growth of food culture in China from its earliest burial rituals to today's Western fast food restaurants, mapping Chinese cuisine's geographical variations and local customs, indigenous factors and foreign influences, trade routes, and ethnic associations. Höllmann details the food practices of major Chinese religions and the significance of eating and drinking in rites of passage and popular culture. He enriches his narrative with thirty of his favorite recipes and a selection of photographs, posters, paintings, sketches, and images of clay figurines and other objects excavated from tombs.
Höllmann's award-winning history revisits the invention of noodles, the role of butchers and cooks in Chinese politics, debates over the origin of grape wines, and the causes of modern-day food contamination. He discusses local crop production, the use of herbs and spices, the relationship between Chinese food and economics, the influence of Chinese philosophy, and traditional dietary concepts and superstitions. Citing original Chinese sources, Höllmann uncovers fascinating aspects of daily Chinese life, constructing a multifaceted compendium that inspires a rich appreciation of Chinese arts and culture.

About the Authors
Thomas O. Höllmann is a professor of Chinese studies and ethnology at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich and a former vice president of the Bavarian Academy of Science. His publications include The Silk Road and The Old China: A Cultural History.
Karen Margolis is a writer and translator living in Berlin. She is also the translator of The Art of Philosophy by Peter Sloterdijk.

CONTENTS
Preface
Chapter One. Rice Doesn’t Rain from Heaven
Chapter Two. A Taste of Harmony
Chapter Three. Fire, Ice, and Flavor
Chapter Four. A Culinary Cosmos
Chapter Five. Heavenly Dew
Chapter Six. Regulations and Conventions
Chapter Seven. The Tavern of Eternal Happiness
Chapter Eight. Epilogue
Appendix
Bibliography
Index