Culinary Regionalism in China

Culinary regionalism is a systemic perspective on culinary regions, distinct from the itemization found in culinary regions ample throughout China. While previous research delves into historical development and manifestation in the present day , it often lacks tangible future applicability. Furthermore, the research that does attempt to denote future applicability commonly neglects the developmental contexts of those aspects. This paper analyzes developmental context and present day manifestation in tandem to understand how these could project future trends. This paper contributes to an increased understanding of gastronomic development, its large-scale influence on modern mindsets, and its consequential influence on economic trends. Using works originating from three different culinary provinces in China, I use three facets of China’s cuisine to demonstrate how culinary development can highlight fluctuations in environment, economics, culture, and adaptations to modern growth. This results in the development of a model that can be used to monitor and project future cultural developments within society. This research explores how economic, environmental, and cultural fluctuations in China’s regional development shapes culinary trends and conversely how culinary trends shape those same factors.