China

Ask what China eats and the answer starts with this: vast regional traditions—Sichuan heat, Cantonese finesse—built on rice, noodles, soy and the wok’s smoky breath. Look for Peking Duck (lacquered roast duck carved tableside, wrapped in thin pancakes with scallion and sweet bean sauce), Hot Pot (communal bubbling broth, often Sichuan-spicy, for cooking sliced meats, tofu and vegetables) and Xiaolongbao (shanghai-style steamed soup dumplings releasing hot pork broth with each bite). Roast duck was served in the Yuan dynasty; the hung-oven Quanjude style opened in Beijing in 1864, replacing the older closed-oven Bianyifang method. This atlas has 55 China dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.