An introduction to the history of the single most important material base of Chinese culture - food. The following major interdisciplinary areas will be covered: (1) Food production and the food processing industry; (2) Production of cooking vessels, food vessels, and food preservation; (3) Development of commercial exchange where food is the primary commodity; (4) Eatery service industry; (5) Food cure traditions that have close connections with Chinese medicine, theories of health preservation, and ancient Chinese philosophy; (6) Political value and significance of food in traditional ceremonial occasions; (7) The literary and artistic traditions in cooking and consumption of Chinese food; (8) Formation of the major gastronomical systems.

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