Once shaped by court rituals, China’s imperial cuisine lives on today

Beihai Park in Beijing has been home to China's imperial cuisine for centuries. Once shaped by court rituals, the culinary traditions continue to thrive at restaurants like Fangshan. Founded in 1925 by former Qing Dynasty chefs, the restaurant preserves dishes that were once associated with emperors and their courts.

One such dish, once called "minced pork pancake," became known as "dream pastry" after Empress Dowager Cixi dreamed of it during the final decades of imperial China. Delighted by the pastry, she rewarded the chef who prepared it with a silver ingot.

Fangshan specializes in imperial cuisine, maintaining dishes like the one linked to Cixi and other culinary practices from the Qing Dynasty. The restaurant's name itself reflects its mission: "Fangshan" translates to "imitating the imperial cuisine."

Alongside Fangshan, a few other Beijing eateries serve versions of imperial cuisine, while the Palace Museum safeguards Qing-dynasty objects related to court dining, including pastry molds. Every meal at Fangshan follows specific rules, with imperial cuisine encompassing the daily meals eaten by emperors and the elaborate feasts held throughout the year.

Certain rituals accompany imperial cuisine. For instance, drinking milk tea was a crucial first step at Qing-dynasty banquets. The emperor would then distribute wine or food to princes and officials, who would perform respectful rites and pay homage before partaking in the meal or drink.

Moreover, sacrificial rituals played a significant role in imperial cuisine. At the Palace of Earthly Tranquillity, one of the most important rituals involved the consumption of sacrificial pork. This ritual, among others, highlights the deep intertwining of food, court life, and religious practices in China's imperial history.