A bite of the past a feast for the senses

Ruyi Gastronomy, being held in Beijing, reinterprets the ancestral ideals of the relationships between different foods and the tableware to delight the senses. [Provided To China Daily]

Ruyi Gastronomy recreates the tradition of marrying the tableware to the food to enhance the experience of eating

The ancient Chinese book The Book of Rites states: "The manner of a gentleman can be depicted from his eating habits."

The book is a compilation of texts describing the ceremonial rituals and social forms, including clothing, music, horticulture, and even exotic recipes, during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) to the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BC-220 AD).

Ancient China had a sophisticated dining etiquette that can be traced back to the Western Zhou Dynasty (BC 1046-771); it emphasized the desirability of serving individual portions and eating with little noises. And, to display the aesthetics of food, the tableware was paired with the dishes.

But over the centuries, Chinese dining culture has changed from serving individual portions to shared plates, from eating with little noises to many noises, and the pairing of tableware with the food is rare.

Now, a gastronomic event is being held in Beijing, which adopts these old traditions and dining etiquette, reinterpreting the ancestral ideals of the relationships between different foods and the tableware to delight the senses.

Beijing Ruyi Gastronomy is being hosted through December 31 in the Ming Dynasty-style Hutong Villa at the Waldorf Astoria Beijing.

It's named after Ruyi, a Buddhist scepter, which symbolizes power and harmony, and which is believed to bestow good wishes and prosperity.