Description
Book SynopsisTrade Review"In this lyrical work, theoretical physicist Zee steps outside his specialty to write about his true loves—Chinese cooking, language, and culture. Zee’s format is elegant: he takes a common food on the menu of any Chinese American restaurant, explicates the Chinese characters designating the food, and relates charming anecdotes and history associated with the food."
* Kirkus Reviews *
"Included in bestselling book 1,000 Books to Read before You Die: A Life-Changing List by Jim Mustich."
"Charming. . . . A study of the very nature of Chinese culture. Zee has a quirky, personal style that draws the reader in."
-- Anne Tyler * Washington Post Book World *
"The most delightful food book of the year, . . . a happy blending of instruction and amusement in the language, culture, and cuisine of China."
* Minneapolis Star-Tribune *
"Interesting and unique. . . . Family anecdotes, folklore, and good sketches help the author present a new understanding and meaning behind this rich and complex cuisine."
* Christian Science Monitor *
"A truly delightful literary compendium of wit, wisdom, and how-to."
* Newsday *
Table of ContentsPreface
Time Line
A Word about Pronunciation
Introduction
Beijing Men Built a Fire
Slicing through Water
Interlude 1: Phonetics, or Why Some Characters Look Horribly Complicated
Sleep of the Truly Inebriated
Swallowing Clouds
Chinese Pigs Stand
Interlude 2: The Appalling Ignorance of Some Scribes
A Delicacy for Aging Men
No Contest between Fish and a Bear with Eight Legs
Courtesans Do Not Eat Crabs
Interlude 3: To All You Carnivores
The Sweet Fragrance of Crops Ripening
How to Avoid Being Vulgar
The Pockmarked Woman and the Pearly Empress
Interlude 4: Words Are Like Our Children
Buddha Jumping over Walls
Act without Acting, Taste without Tasting
Interlude 5: Like Eating Potato Chips
The Sublime Faith in Illusions
Pieces of Her Heart
Elixirs and the Food of Health
From Banquets to Voyages of Discovery
Epilogue: All Banquets Must Come to an End
Afterword by Linda Rui Feng
Appendix A. How to Exercise Your Arm and Throat while Drinking
Appendix B. A Few Recipes
Notes
Bibliography
Table of Dynasties
Table of Some Common Radicals Used in this Book
Table of Characters and Radicals Cited by Chapter
Acknowledgments
A Final Note
