Benefiting from the Dujiangyan Irrigation System that was constructed in 256 BC, Sichuan Province is reputed as “Tian Fu Zhi Guo,” a place richly endowed with natural resources. Chengdu, the capital, is extremely productive, providing its people with cozy and relaxing lives.

Chengdu people are known for their love of life. They know just how to relax and have fun. And they know better than anyone how to transform raw ingredients into irresistibly delicious cuisine, the renowned Chengdu fare. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) has officially recognized Chengdu as a “City of Gastronomy.” This accolade is awarded for a city’s rich food culture and customs, and Chengdu is the first Asian city ever to receive such an honor.

100 Dishes, 100 Flavors

Sichuan cuisine has a long history dating back to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and is known as one of the four major Chinese cuisines. As the capital city of Sichuan Province, Chengdu has an extensive food culture. During the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), Chengdu was the business center of southwest China. The city was filled with taverns and restaurants. Pictures on bricks unearthed in Chengdu’s suburbs show how people in the past enjoyed feasts and made wine. They depict a mature food culture in which the pairing of ingredients and nutritional balance were crucial and music was essential for creating a suitable ambience.

The long and profound history of Chengdu cuisine denotes a high level of culinary skills. Take the famous boiled cabbage dish for example. What seems to be plain boiling water in this dish is actually broth from dozens of chickens and ducks. Another example is the mixed stew of shredded pork, pork tripe, chicken, bamboo shoots, sea cucumber and tofu. All these ingredients are chopped into threads a little thicker than human hair and arranged neatly in the bowl. This demands of the cook exemplary chopping skills.

Chengdu cuisine has a wide range of choice when it comes to cooking ingredients. The color, smell, taste and shape of a certain ingredient all matter in cooking, but most of all the taste. The first impression of Chengdu food might be that of oil, chili, pepper – and a sweaty brow afterward! However, authentic Chengdu food relies not only on the heat of chili and pepper but the combination and balance of a fresh, mellow taste sprinkled with Sichuan flavor. Its flavoring is complex as well as hot. If you go to a Cantonese restaurant, you can expect to find only three kinds of fish dish – boiled, steamed and fried. But at a Chengdu restaurant, you would have more than 10 flavor options for one cuisine: hot and spicy, salt and pepper, lychee, you name it. For this reason Chengdu cuisine is famous for the unique flavor of every single dish.

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