ABSTRACT

Wherever Chinese people come together, in China or the United States, food is a favorite topic of conversation. Perhaps because China has always been a predominantly rural and agriculturally based society subject to drought, floods, and famine, the traditional greeting “Have you eaten?” still conveys a more intimate friendliness than the rather bland and formal “How are you?” From Beijing to Hong Kong to San Francisco, Chinese people endlessly discuss the art of eating: which restaurant has the best take-out roast pork, which market vendor sells the freshest fish, or which is the only right way to cook Sichuan-style noodles.