• 關於我們
    走近神韻
    神韻九大特點
    我們的故事
    我們面臨的挑戰
    中國古典舞
    神韻交響樂團
  • 藝術家
  • 視頻
  • 最新消息
    最新消息
    新聞
    博客
  • 五千文明
    中國古典舞
    神韻音樂
    神韻聲樂
    神韻服飾
    神韻天幕
    神韻道具
    神韻舞劇
    神韻與中國傳統文化
  • 常見問題
  • 觀眾反饋
  • 新聞通訊 支持 工作機會 搜索
    中文正體
  • English
  • 中文简体
  • 日本語
  • 한국어
  • Česky
  • Deutsch
  • Español
  • Français
  • Indonesia
  • Italiano
  • Nederlands
  • Polski
  • Português
  • Pусский
  • Română
  • Svenska
  • Việt
  • עברית
  • 訂票信息
    選單
    Shen Yun Logo
    訂票
    最新消息
    選單
    • 關於我們
      • 走近神韻 神韻九大特點 我們的故事 我們面臨的挑戰 中國古典舞 神韻交響樂團
    • 藝術家
    • 視頻
    • 最新消息
      • 最新消息 新聞 博客
    • 五千文明
      • 中國古典舞 神韻音樂 神韻聲樂 神韻服飾 神韻天幕 神韻道具 神韻舞劇 神韻與中國傳統文化
    • 常見問題
    • 觀眾反饋
    • 神韻購物
      • 神韻作品
      • 藝術家時裝
      • 神韻商品
    Shen Yun 9 Characteristics Link Image

    神韻的高超之處?

    9大特點
    • 工作機會
    • 支持
    • 訂閱
    • 搜索
    語言
    • English
    • 中文简体
    • 日本語
    • 한국어
    • Česky
    • Deutsch
    • Español
    • Français
    • Indonesia
    • Italiano
    • Nederlands
    • Polski
    • Português
    • Pусский
    • Română
    • Svenska
    • Việt
    • עברית
      博客
      上一頁 博客 > The Ultimate Imperial Feast
    A Victory Banquet Given By The Emperor For The Distinguished Officers And Soldiers
    A Victory Banquet Given by the Emperor for the Distinguished Officers and Soldiers of the Rebellion of Huibu (1758-1759). Jesuit painter Giuseppe Castiglione collaborated with Qing artists in producing these engravings.

    The Ultimate Imperial Feast

    Here in the United States it’s Thanksgiving time! I’m thinking roast turkey, cranberry sauce, creamy pumpkin pie, and… bear paw and sea cucumber?

    Wait, that’s another feast altogether. We’ll come back to that soon.

    The Thanks They Were Giving

    Thanksgiving commemorates the Pilgrims’ first harvest celebration in the New World. After pulling through some difficult times, they were looking forward to new lives of religious freedom, self-reliance, and friendship with the natives. So they threw a splendid party, and thanked God for benevolent protection.

    Nowadays, Thanksgiving heralds the biggest meal of the year. But for the Chinese, another historic banquet evokes the ultimate sumptuous feast.

    A Feast of Imperial Proportions

    During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), China was ruled by the Manchurians from the north. Alas, early on, Manchus and ethnic Han Chinese weren’t the best of friends. The great emperor Kangxi, though, realized that in order to consolidate his dynasty’s power, he had to bring everyone together.

    So on his 66th birthday (almost exactly 100 years after the first Plymouth Thanksgiving), the emperor held the inaugural Manchu-Han Imperial Feast. This was a three-day, six-banquet ceremony that featured the best of the best.

    At this time, China was a vast empire encompassing many ethnic groups and tributary states. This Manchu-Han Imperial Feast brought together the finest recipes and delicacies from every region. Many exotic ingredients had to be scavenged from deep forests, high mountains, and distant seas. Then, back in the imperial kitchen, palace chefs went all out roasting, stir-frying, deep-frying, steaming, boiling, baking, braising, and stewing so that throughout the banquet attendees could taste over 300 dazzling dishes.

    What’s on the Menu?

    So what would you expect in this lavish spread? To give you an idea:

    Egg tarts, roast salmon, beef tenderloin in oyster sauce, whole suckling pigs, steamed camel hump with fish maw, carp tongue with bear paw, bird’s nest soup, shrimp roe and mussel soup, shark fin and crab stew, dragon’s beard noodles, lotus seed congee, prawn kabobs, shiitake mushrooms with pine nuts, quail, magpie, pheasant, partridge, goose, guinea fowl, peacock, swan, crane, sautéed conch, abalone with osmanthus flowers, wild boar, deer sinew with white fungus, squid and mallard wraps, coral, lotus root, edible moss, bamboo shoots, sea cucumber…

    Now if some of these sound a bit bizarre for your palate, know that the main entrée at the first Thanksgiving meal was not turkey. The Pilgrims’ table held an ample supply of venison, wild fowl, shellfish, and eel.

    During the great Manchu-Han Feast, a variety of fruits, pastries, and appetizers were also served between courses. Of these, there was a dazzling array too.

    Imagine fresh, dried, and candied pomegranates, loquats, lychees, longan, peaches, ginkgo, cherries, kumquats, melons, plums, sugarcane, water chestnuts, cashews, almonds, and walnuts; frost-preserved persimmons, pickled herbs and seaweeds, sesame paste mochi rolls, stuffed pancakes, all sorts of dumplings savory and sweet, crystal plum blossom buns, hawthorn jelly, pineapple cream custard, honeyed tomatoes, lotus leaf congee, jujube pudding, all coupled with the best of regional teas…

    And that was only a sample!

    The emperor’s guests were top Manchu and Han court officials, as well as princes from tributary states and esteemed foreign envoys. These VIPs had the honor of dining in the splendid halls of the Forbidden City palace.

    During the meal, the table was reset four times, with each spread alternating between Manchu and Han cuisines. Large serving vessels were fashioned to resemble animals (ducks, chickens, fish, and pigs) and kept their contents heated. These dignitaries dined with fine bronze, silver, and porcelain wares, while enjoying music from master instrumentalists. And when everyone’s filled to the pharynx, they were sent off with luxury parting gifts.

    The Power of Food

    So after all that exquisite feasting, did the emperor’s plans succeed? Let’s just say that the Manchu-Han Imperial Feast became an established tradition and emperor Kangxi one of China’s most respected and longest-reigning emperors. (Okay, that was achieved by more than just noshing… but food’s still great at bringing people together.)

    Well, I can’t wait for Thursday. Qing sweets sound tasty, but no bear paw for me. I’ve got my eyes set on some stuffing and pie this Thanksgiving.

    Betty Thumb

    Betty Wang

    Dancer

    顯示所有文章

    2015年11月22日

    相關文章
    • The Great Qing Dynasty
    • Leading History Han
      The Han Dynasty
    • Manchu Clothing V2
      Manchurian Dress
    • Manchu 400x246
      Manchurian Dance
    評論
    verification

    上一頁

    A+ With the Ancients

    下一頁

    Blossoms and Blades in the Palm of Your Hand
    最近
    • 詠貂蟬
      Diaochan 650x400ratio 貂蟬 彩色
    • 春日的傳統活動
      Spring Tree
    • 被遺忘的冬至節——傳統文化趣談
      Pexels Michiel Skiing 650x400
    • 做一個旅途中的好父親
      Header Leeshaiblog Daddyontheroad
    • 少數民族衣冠漫談
      Accessories Header 650x400
    最多點擊
    • 全部
    • 新聞
    • 博客
  • 1 神韻2023年演季已「加速」到來
  • 2 漢宮的明珠——王昭君
  • 3 神韻藝術品全球首家實體店:Shen Yun Collections介紹
  • 4 舞蹈演員孫天祺「快問快答」
  • 5 藝術家聚焦——朱穎姝
  • 6 領舞演員小林健司「快問快答」
  • 7 舞蹈演員茉莉「快問快答」
  • 8 來自旅途的照片:2023年巡演拉開序幕!
  • 9 詠貂蟬
  • 顯示更多
  • 1 神韻2023年演季已「加速」到來
  • 2 神韻藝術品全球首家實體店:Shen Yun Collections介紹
  • 3 舞蹈演員孫天祺「快問快答」
  • 4 藝術家聚焦——朱穎姝
  • 5 領舞演員小林健司「快問快答」
  • 6 舞蹈演員茉莉「快問快答」
  • 7 來自旅途的照片:2023年巡演拉開序幕!
  • 顯示更多
  • 1 詠貂蟬
  • 顯示更多

    標簽

    • Artist Perspectives
    • 中國傳統文化
    • Historical Anecdotes
    • Chinese Food
    • Dynasties
    • Emperors
    • Holidays
    Shen Yun logo golden
    Shen Yun logo golden

    神韻藝術團是全球頂級中國古典舞與傳統音樂藝術團。神韻藝術團成立於紐約,通過中國古典舞、民族民間舞、舞劇、交響樂伴奏、樂器獨奏和美聲獨唱,復興與弘揚中國五千年正統神傳文化。

    關於神韻
  • 走近神韻
  • 神韻交響樂團
  • 我們面臨的挑戰
  • 藝術與靈性的啟迪
  • 藝術家
  • 觀賞禮儀
  • 工作機會
  • 視頻
  • 最新和特寫
  • 關於我們
  • 藝術家
  • 觀眾反饋
  • 新聞和博客
  • 最新消息
  • 推薦
  • 新聞
  • 博客
  • 觀眾反饋
  • 探索更多
  • 中國古典舞
  • 神韻音樂
  • 神韻聲樂
  • 神韻服飾
  • 神韻天幕
  • 神韻道具
  • 神韻舞劇
  • 神韻與中國傳統文化
  • 與神韻互動:
    請留言以作紀念
    神韻作品
    神韻的線上影音平台
    藝術考級中心
    神韻藝術品
    藝術家時裝
    神韻藝術團官方網站 ©2023 神韻藝術團,版權所有。
    聯繫我們 使用條款 隱私政策 網站地圖