[Explanation] For more than a thousand years in the Han and Tang Dynasties, Dunhuang lived on the ancient Silk Road from Chang'an to Rome. Different styles of food customs and delicacies converged here to form a food system that "integrates the Quartet and integrates Chinese and Western". These are rich in Western customs. The food and drink settled in Dunhuang, forming a fusion and inclusive "Dunhuang Cuisine".
When a series of legends and murals with strong Dunhuang elements were brought to the modern dining table.
So, how does it closely connect Eastern and Western food culture, and what role does it play?
Zhao Changan, a national special-level chef who has been engaged in the collection and induction of Dunhuang cuisine data for many years, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Agency "Dongxiwen" to give an in-depth interpretation of this.
[Concurrent] Zhao Changan, a national special first-class cook
Dunhuang cuisine should be said to be formed at the same time as Dunhuang, why do you say that?
Because food, clothing, housing and transportation are (basic needs) if there is no food, there is no Dunhuang, and there is no Silk Road.
So when we were studying this, because (people have) different cultural backgrounds, it may be that the choice of food or the method of preparation is different.
Because people from the Central Plains came to this place, it brought some characteristics of the Central Plains diet.
Well, for these guests from the Western Regions, the way they eat meat is different from the way we make meat.
Some eating methods and those of the Central Plains meet here.
Therefore, Dunhuang cuisine should have the characteristics of fusion of Chinese (East) and Western.
[Explanation] Zhao Changan believes that Dunhuang is the hub where the "three roads of the Western Regions" meet. During the exchanges between the various ethnic groups in the Western Regions, they brought their diets, tastes, and cooking techniques to Dunhuang, such as rice, tea and tea in the south, corn and rice in the north. Sanzi, Hu cakes and scones in the Western Regions all reflect the characteristics of Dunhuang’s food and drink compatibility and the convergence of the four directions.
[Concurrent] Zhao Changan, a national special first-class cook
Dunhuang cuisine is a fusion dish, a multi-ethnic fusion dish, a dish that knows no borders.
For example, we made the Zhaowu ancient method lamb ribs. In fact, it is a way of eating for the Sogdians.
Therefore, these characteristics also provide a general idea for our study of Dunhuang cuisine.
At present, there are more than 100 varieties of staple food (diet) unearthed in Dunhuang, and some have names.
If it is according to our reasoning, the diet at that time (Dunhuang) should be very developed.
[Explanation] Since Zhao Changan first walked into Dunhuang in 1985, he has spent decades "resurrecting" ancient delicacies in Dunhuang murals to modern dining tables.
He found that in the frescoes and documents of the Dunhuang grottoes, there are many records reflecting the local food culture in history. Combined with the existing "Tujia cuisine" practices in the Hexi Corridor area of Gansu, these have become the basis for the theoretical study of Dunhuang cuisine.
[Concurrent] Zhao Changan, a national special first-class cook
The first is Dunhuang murals, because there are about 60 specific Dunhuang murals.
Well, some of these murals are very vivid, like its feasting pictures, the colors are also very good, and they record the scenes of people's eating at that time.
Then there is another piece of Dunhuang's suicide note, (for example) like "Materia Medica", he mainly wrote about the efficacy of these ingredients and their properties.
The third is that the surrounding areas of Dunhuang have retained some of the characteristics of food culture that have gradually formed from history.
These customs are not the characteristics of our Central Plains or the Han nationality's diet.
So from this point of view, its dietary customs also provide us with a lot of things that we have studied.
[Explanation] Since the establishment of Dunhuang cuisine, its international reputation has gradually grown.
However, the future development of Dunhuang cuisine is also faced with opportunities and challenges.
Zhao Changan said frankly, how to use the Internet to expand the popularity of Dunhuang cuisine and create more fine dishes will also be one of the focus of the next work.
[Concurrent] Zhao Changan, a national special first-class cook
Our research on these dishes is very popular, but according to the overall market demand and innovation of such an enterprise, we have not done enough.
(We) did not graft the advantages of the Internet with our stuff.
We also want to create more boutiques, or some dishes that are down to earth, popular with the common people, and popular with the majority of diners.
(Then) we effectively publicize through the Internet, so that more people accept these concepts and tastes of Dunhuang cuisine.
[Explanation] According to Zhao Changan, Dunhuang cuisine also pays attention to Chinese food and Western food, which is made according to the place, so that more foreign friends can experience the taste of Dunhuang in the way they are used to.
Wei Yujia Zhang Jingjiu Meidan Zeng Zeng Gansu Comprehensive Report
Responsible editor: [Fang Jialiang]