Chapter 50: Sustenance and the Path of Virtue

At this point, Chen Xiaoqing spoke with utmost seriousness: “By exploring the origins of cuisine and the fascinating intersections in the development of world foods, I want people to understand that humanity is truly a single entity—and now more than ever, we are becoming unified. Food is the best ambassador for goodwill.”

“For example, we can reexamine food from the perspectives of physical geography, cultural geography, the spread of species, culinary revolutions—such as the discovery of fire, the role of water in cooking, and the dawn of agricultural civilization.”

“To give a simple example: ten thousand years ago, humanity domesticated wheat and began farming. Nine thousand years ago, wheat spread east and west; to the west, it mostly encountered fire, becoming pizza, bread, and flatbreads. To the east, it met water, and transformed into steamed buns and noodles.”

“Take the journey of a baked flatbread: it arrived from West Asia, and in Xinjiang became the large, hearty naan. In Shanghai, the crab shell yellow pastry is much smaller—its size gradually shrinks. In Gansu, it gets a bit smaller; it shrinks again in Shaanxi; in Henan and Shandong, it continues to diminish; and finally, in Jiangsu, it becomes tiny. The spread of food is intricately tied to local abundance, climate, and other factors.”

Zhuang Chen listened intently. Face-to-face, he could sense Chen Xiaoqing’s passion for food—almost a kind of faith—much more deeply than on television.

“Ah, am I being too serious?” Chen Xiaoqing, worried the atmosphere was stiff, joked, “I’m not so divine—it’s all thanks to the team. Not just us, there are many unsung heroes behind the scenes.”

“Anthropologists, sociologists, master chefs—and most importantly, gourmets, like Mr. Cai Lan…”

“When we wanted to research when raw fish dishes first appeared and their development, we sought out Professor Yu. She answered our questions.”

“To learn about the historical formation of the southern rice and northern wheat dietary divide, or the average yield per acre, we found Professor Han from Peking University, who provided precise agricultural geography and planting history background.”

“Once, for a mere twenty-word narration in the film, Professor Yu wrote us a four-thousand-word letter titled ‘A Preliminary Study on Fish Sashimi.’ It was truly moving.”

Seeing Zhuang Chen’s fascination, Chen Xiaoqing continued, “And then there are all sorts of scientific advisors. Any food with clear health risks must be screened out, or we’ll give viewers effective warnings.”

“If we want to explain why something tastes good—say, why lamb is so tender—most people don’t know that it’s because of its fat content. But someone from the Yangtze River region might wonder: how can fatty lamb be delicate?”

“Lamb’s fat content determines its texture. Between 1% and 7%, the flavor increases incrementally; for each percentage point, the mouthfeel rises a level. Seven percent is a threshold—beyond that, it becomes greasy.”

“The director, knowing these figures, won’t simply say the lamb is tender in the film, but will explain that beneath the rich fat, the meat is exceptionally delicate. It’s a causal relationship.”

“Maybe only five out of ten thousand viewers will grasp the precise meaning, but conveying the correct understanding—that’s our job.”

“Why, with so many food programs, do people especially love ‘A Bite of China’?” Chen Xiaoqing smiled mysteriously and revealed, “Our trump card is the microphotography team from the University of Science and Technology. Through experiments, they help us capture the fine changes and mysteries behind food with microscopes, so viewers can vividly sense the triggers of taste and smell.”

Zhuang Chen was suddenly enlightened. He couldn’t help but ask, “And your collaboration with Mr. Cai Lan?”

“The final team is the culinary consultants; to some extent, they determine our food selection. Their work is twofold. First, teachers like Shen Hongfei, Cai Lan, and Chen Li—they mainly influence our values.”

“For instance, they remind us that food is a bridge for human communication, and even the simplest meal holds the deepest affection. Since I began working with them fifteen years ago, this philosophy has continually shaped me.”

“Especially Mr. Shen Hongfei—we call him Grandpa Shen—he often coins key phrases and memorable quotes. The latest series, ‘Flavors of the World,’ draws from his saying: ‘The mountains and rivers remain, flavors do not change.’”

“The other group consists of local food experts: those who study Spanish cuisine, French cuisine, wine, fermentation, restaurants, folk ingredients, crops…”

“They provide us with extensive lists, from which we select. Some viewers worry about classification or what happens after filming, but with our current material, we could easily produce seven more seasons!”

The appetizers began to arrive, and as the three chatted over their meal, Zhuang Chen brought out a bottle of Lafite and filled Chen Xiaoqing’s glass, eager for more culinary stories.

“Earlier this year, we filmed the lives surrounding Chinese food in London, visiting three types of restaurants. The first were the early Chinese eateries, serving dishes not even found in China. For example, crispy duck—like General Tso’s chicken, which exists only in America, crispy duck is unique to London and considered Chinese food by locals.”

“Since the late last century, authentic Chinese cuisine has flourished in London, with Sichuan cuisine gaining a foothold and locals gradually embracing it. Finally, we visited a tiny noodle shop near the Emirates Stadium—a young woman was making Xi’an-style belt noodles, astonishingly, Biangbiang noodles.”

Hu Hai, after hearing this, sighed, “Nowadays, it’s all about fast food and delivery. Many young people don’t cook anymore—it’s as if even the time for a proper meal has vanished!”

Chen Xiaoqing shook his head, resigned, “There’s nothing to be done. Urban life is increasingly homogenized. Those huge shopping malls serve central kitchen fare—microwaved, and everyone’s happy.”

“Office workers tap their phones in skyscrapers, and delivery arrives in no time. The convenience and joy these foods bring is certainly something to be thankful for.”

“No one can stop the trend toward lower costs and greater uniformity, but what we hope for is simply to preserve some visual samples of the once-diverse lifestyles.”

He picked up a piece of broccoli, ate it, and commented, “The simplest example is spices—there’s huge cognitive variation in how much is used. Indians think our food is too strongly flavored, unbearable.”

“I once had a disagreement with the director over a dish that was actually stewed with lots of spices; he insisted it best showcased the true flavor of the chicken.”

“From a chef’s perspective, that might be the chicken’s essence, but what truly is the chicken’s flavor? It’s a matter of opinion. Everyone has their own understanding.”

“When I was born, over a thousand varieties of grains were traded on the market. By the time my son was born, only a few hundred remained. When he has children, there might be only a few dozen.”

“Everyone will naturally choose the highest-yield, most nutritious, and easiest to preserve crops. That’s human nature. But the unique qualities once imparted by complex grains—different personalities, different physiological traits—are fading away.”

“A crab pond contracted by Song Caixing—this year, because Lake Tai must supply drinking water to the surrounding area, many crab ponds that supported entire families are being dismantled. We filmed it last year; if we went this year, we’d miss it.”

“Dragon whisker shoots, so lovely, this year can only be found in shallow mountains, as fire is completely banned in the deep mountains for environmental protection. We couldn’t film it after all.”

Chen Xiaoqing sighed deeply, his expression melancholy: “What we capture is but a silhouette—not to glorify anything, but simply to leave a visual record. The past forty years have seen profound economic and social change; people’s mental states and quality of life have transformed dramatically.”

“As we celebrate progress, have we considered what has been lost along the way? As documentary filmmakers, it is our honor—and our responsibility—to record these things!”