China's food culture has a long history, broad and profound, like a rich and colorful historical picture, showing the wisdom and creativity of the Chinese nation. From the "Eight Treasures" of the Zhou Dynasty to the "Manchu and Han Dynasty Full Banquets" of the Han and Tang Dynasties, from the tea art and wine orders of the Song and Yuan dynasties to the snack night markets of the Ming and Qing dynasties, every dish and cup of tea contains profound cultural heritage and philosophical thoughts. Confucianism's advocacy of "not getting tired of eating, not getting tired of being fine", Taoism's pursuit of "the unity of heaven and man", and Buddhism's "vegetarian and pure heart" have all left a deep imprint on Chinese diet, forming a focus on the combination of ingredients, paying attention to color, flavor and shape, and emphasizing the characteristics of diet and health.
Chinese food is not only the enjoyment of taste, but also the exchange of emotions and the inheritance of culture, which is like an invisible link, connecting the past and the future, and connecting the spiritual world of every Chinese. Today, I would like to tell you about some interesting things in the mainland food industry, such as cucumbers are obviously green, why are they called cucumbers? Watermelon, why is it called watermelon, and then it is like winter melon and pumpkin, how did they get their names? Come, follow the editor to increase your knowledge......
Why is cucumber called cucumber?
Cucumber is an ancient vegetable native to South Asia, and its cultivation history can be traced back to India around 3000 BC. Cucumber, the English name for cucumber, is derived from the Latin word "cucumis", while in China, the name of cucumber and the history of its spread are more complex and full of stories.
The name cucumber in China has undergone a change. When it was first introduced to China, around the time of the Western Han Dynasty, it was called "courgette". The name reflects a Chinese naming convention for exotic species at the time, which begins with the character "Hu," meaning something from the West or a frontier region. In the Tang Dynasty, due to the taboo of Li Shimin, Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, because his name has the word "Shi", and the word "Hu" is similar to the pronunciation of "Shi" in colloquial language, in order to avoid offending the emperor's name, "Hugua" was renamed "cucumber".
There is also a theory that the story takes place in the Later Zhao period, and the Later Zhao Dynasty, which was founded by Shi Le, a member of the Qiang tribe, strictly forbade the use of the character "Hu". During a royal lunch, Shi Le pointed to a plate of courgettes and asked Fan Tan, "Do you know what the name of this thing is?" Fan Tan replied wittily: "Purple case delicacies, silver cups of green tea, golden bottle nectar, jade plate cucumbers." Since then, "courgette" has been called "cucumber" and has spread among the government and the opposition.
Over time, cucumbers were widely cultivated in China and became an indispensable part of the daily diet, and many ways to eat them were developed, such as cold dressing, pickling, stir-frying, etc., which were deeply loved by people.
Why is watermelon called watermelon?
Watermelon, scientific name Citrullus lanatus, is a cucurbitaceae native to Africa that can be cultivated thousands of years ago in Egypt and the Nile Valley. The English name of watermelon literally means "water + melon", which vividly describes the juicy characteristics of this fruit.
The name of the watermelon in China is closely related to its transmission path. Around the Tang Dynasty, watermelons were introduced to China from the Western Regions via the Silk Road, and were originally called "cold melons" or "squirrels". With the gradual popularization of this fruit in the Central Plains, people noticed that it was introduced from the Western Regions, and its interior contains a lot of water, so it was named "watermelon", which means "melon and fruit from the West", and the word "West" also implies that watermelon has high water content, cool and thirst-quenching characteristics, especially suitable for summer consumption.
Watermelons have been cultivated in China for at least 1,000 years. According to the "Compendium of Materia Medica", watermelons were widely cultivated during the Song Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, the cultivation technology of watermelon was further developed, and the varieties were more diverse.
China is a major producer and consumer of watermelons, with a rich variety of varieties, ranging from early to late, large to small, red to yellow, and so on. Among them, the Jingxin series is favored for its large fruit shape, thin skin, crispy and sweet flesh, and high sugar content; Zaojia 8424 is the best among the early-maturing varieties, with bright red flesh, delicate taste and strong adaptability; Black Beauty is known for its dark green and black skin, bright red and firm flesh, and high sugar content; As a representative of small watermelons, the golden skin is wrapped with orange-red flesh, which is highly sweet and easy to eat; There are also Mibao and Xiaolan...... and other varieties.
Why is pumpkin called pumpkin?
Pumpkin is a plant native to the Americas in the Cucurbitaceae family, whose cultivation history can be traced back to Central America about 7,000-10,000 years ago. In China, the name of pumpkin is just as interesting as the history of its introduction. Pumpkins were first brought to China by European colonists in the middle of the Ming Dynasty under the name "Sweet Melon" or "Sweet Melon", and the word "Fan" was often used in ancient Chinese to refer to foreign or foreign things.
Since pumpkins were introduced from overseas, they first entered the field of vision of the Chinese under the name of "pumpkin". Later, because the pumpkin ripens in autumn, and its fruit is huge, the color is golden, giving people a sense of harvest and warmth, so the folk gradually call it "pumpkin", and the word "nan" may be close to the word "fan" on the one hand, and on the other hand, it also reflects the far south of its origin.
There are many varieties of pumpkins in China, and these varieties have their own characteristics according to the shape, size, color, taste and use of the fruit. For example, some varieties, such as the Beijing Mill Pumpkin, are known for their oblate shape and golden flesh, which is thick, less fiber, and has a powdery taste, which is suitable for cooking or steaming; Honey pumpkin is known for its high sweetness, delicate flesh, smooth appearance, beautiful fruit shape, suitable for roasting or making desserts; Beibei pumpkin is small, thin-skinned, thick-fleshed, and has a high sugar content, especially loved by people who pursue a healthy diet, and is often used as baby food or low-calorie snacks; There is also a large beef leg pumpkin, which resembles a beef leg, with orange flesh and a powdery texture, which is suitable for stewing soup or making pumpkin pie.
There are also many local pumpkins in China, such as chestnut pumpkin in Shandong, snake pumpkin in Guangdong, Yunnan pumpkin in Yunnan, etc., which have their own flavors and enrich China's pumpkin table.
Why is winter melon called winter melon?
Winter melon, a plant belonging to the genus Cucurbitaceae, although it has the word "winter" in its name, in fact winter melon does not ripen in winter.
The origin of winter melon can be traced back to southern China, where winter melon was cultivated as early as the late Neolithic period. Winter melon is called "winter melon" mainly because it is extremely storable and can stay fresh for a long time even in cold winters and will not rot easily. In ancient times, especially in the era when there was no modern refrigeration technology, winter melon could be stored after the autumn harvest until winter to eat, hence the name "winter melon". This name not only reflects the storage characteristics of winter melon, but also reflects the wisdom of the ancients about food preservation technology.
There are many varieties of winter melon in China, which are differentiated according to the size, shape, color and taste of the fruit, and are adapted to the climatic conditions and dietary preferences of different regions. In the northern region, there is a common "big white winter melon", the fruit is huge, the weight of a single can reach tens of kilograms, the skin is white, the flesh is thick, and the taste is delicate; In the southern region, there are "small winter melons" or "pearl winter melons", which are relatively small in size but have the same firm flesh, making them suitable for family consumption.
In addition, there is also "pink-skinned winter melon", whose skin is pale pink and the flesh is relatively soft, which is suitable for making soup; The skin of "green winter melon" is blue-green, the flesh is firm, and it is resistant to storage, which is suitable for long-distance transportation.
In addition to the above-mentioned varieties, there are also such varieties as "black-skinned winter melon", "gray-skinned winter melon", "flower-skinned winter melon", etc., each of which has its own unique appearance and taste characteristics, which meets the diversified needs of consumers for winter melon.
Okay, that's it for today, I'm Fengyan Shilu. In a complex and ever-changing world, we must stick to our beliefs and dreams, move forward bravely, not afraid of difficulties and setbacks, strive to pursue ideals and goals, and write wonderful life stories for ourselves. After the baptism of wind and rain, you can enjoy the beauty of the rainbow. Come on, stranger......
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