In China, where there are festivals,there are food. Accordingly,the Ministry of Culture of the People`s Republic of China should declare the intangible cultural heritage of Chinese cuisine to the United Nations Educational,scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in order to spread Chinesetraditional culture better.

In 2010, French food was listed into the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.It has nothing to do with a country's cuisine cooking methods, types of cuisine orcooking techniques, what it related to is the Chinese cuisine culture.

Taking the French food as an example, its magnificent and unique dishes have made it tobe an intangible cultural heritage(Table decorations,Specific combination ofwine and food, Locations of the tableware, Dishes presenting). In the communiqueissued by the UNESCO, traditional French cuisine is praised by UNESCO as asocial custom of celebrating the most important moments in one`s life.

China also has rich and delicate folk dishes,and it is more abundant than any othercountries (perhaps France is no exception).In China, the dishes are placed onthe table.In the center of the desk, there is a raised, rota-table circulartray for placing dishes(In this way, the dish on the tray can be rotated with the tray,everyone can clip to the dish).

Theetiquette of Chinese food begins with the arrangement of table ware on the table- each place has a saucer, a bowl, a pair of chopsticks, a teacup and a smallglass - and then there is the serving program. After the waiter poured tea cups,weneed a toast to celebrate before dinner.

The first is the cold dish,followed by a variety hot dishes (referring totemperature), the last is the steamed rice.The visual display of the Chinesecuisine is impressive,it is different from any other kind of dishes with itsspices, cooking skills and tastes.

On the Chinese banquet or social gatherings,etiquette also pay attention to theway to toast.The height of clinking a goblet is a symbol of social position orqualifications.

Moreover,using chopsticks itself also contains a clever processing,and it is a goodtradition passed from generation to generation(A foreigner in China will takeat least 6 months to learn how to use chopsticks flexible).

Thetradition of Chinese cuisine can be traced back hundreds of years ago - apicture of Shanxi History Museum in Xi'an, showing banquet scene in 1300 yearsago.This painting is from a Tang Dynasty imperial tomb unearthed - It can beseen that the social dinner of Chinese cuisine has become a mature tradition, which deserves to be listed into UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.

Author:Victor Paul Borg, a writer who has been keento explore and describe Chinese culture more than ten years .

Time：2015.6.26   

Source：China Daily