The Forbidden City was once one of the most powerful places on the planet. Inside the palace, Chinese emperors were protected by walls and their lives became secrets.
This place is called the Forbidden City because very few Chinese people are allowed to enter. Later, the palace began to open to the outside world. From there, the mysteries were gradually revealed.
However, up to now, there is still a topic that is considered vague. That's food.
Tiger testicles appear on the menu
CNN said, many historians have studied China's past. However, not many people know clearly about the diet of the most powerful people of that time. Especially in the early days because most ancient documents containing information on the subject were sealed.
Historian Zhao Rongguang is one of the few people who approached and thoroughly researched these topics before the documents were sealed.
Zhao Rongguang started learning about cuisine in the Forbidden City more than 40 years ago. This process was not easy as he faced two major obstacles.
First, palace information is rarely disclosed to the outside. Second, he said cuisine is not a serious subject worth studying in China. This means that documents about food in the palace are very scarce.
After a long period of research, he began to complete the panorama of cuisine in the Forbidden City.
Sharing with CNN, Zhao Rongguang said it all started with King Kangxi during the Qing Dynasty. From 1661 to 1722, under Kangxi, the country entered a period of relative peace. This led to some changes in the diet of people living in the Forbidden City.
"On King Kangxi's banquet table there were many grilled meat dishes and some strange dishes like tiger testicles," Zhao Rongguang said. The historian added that ancient people believed that tiger testicles had the effect of enhancing libido. In addition, cockscomb also appears in the diet for the same purpose.
When society stabilized under King Kangxi, many Han ethnic dishes appeared at royal banquets, such as stewed duck gizzards.
The culinary theme in the Forbidden City gradually becomes clearer through the character of King Qianlong - the grandson of King Kangxi.
Hot pot is served every day in winter
During nearly 61 years of reign (1735-1796), King Qianlong meticulously recorded his daily meal menu. This information helps historians recreate more accurately the lifestyle in the palace at that time.
The ongoing exhibition "From Dawn to Dusk: Life in the Forbidden City" is mainly based on King Qianlong's daily life, including meals.
Among the artifacts displayed at the exhibition is a silver milk tea kettle. The elaborately painted teapot, with a gilded dragon motif, shows that milk tea was a drink that often appeared on the menu of the Qing Dynasty.
Historian Nicole Chiang describes: “The tea balls were broken in boiling water, then butter, milk and a pinch of salt were added. Then, they filter the tea leaves and serve the tea in this silver pot."
Ms. Nicole Chiang likes to research the Qing Dynasty because there are many historical artifacts preserved. Through texts and paintings, one can know about the existence of hot pot in the palace.
The historian said: “One of the palace ladies said that at the palace, hot pot was served every day in winter. It's a popular dish."
Meanwhile, as one of the few people who have read the archives, Mr. Zhao said: "The menu is usually presented to the emperor for approval the night before. They reflected the emperor's personal preferences. However, the menu is not based solely on his preferences. So we know King Qianlong ate hot pot. This may be due to weather or tradition, but it doesn't mean he likes this dish."
Mr. Zhao Rongguang added that during the reign of King Qianlong, the cuisine in the palace was more sophisticated and diverse, including traditional Manchu dishes or southern dishes, especially from the Jiangnan region.
Smoked braised duck, stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork, and bird's nest soup cooked with rock sugar are some dishes from the Jiangnan region commonly found in the Forbidden City. King Qianlong and the nobility believed that bird's nest had high nutritional value.
Based on historical documents, King Qianlong ate two main meals a day, one at around 6 a.m. and one at 2 p.m. In the evening, from 8 to 9 o'clock, he eats another meal consisting of 8-10 small dishes.
“The king often dines alone. For his evening snack, he dined with his concubine. Eating well and sleeping well to have children is also the emperor's duty," Mr. Zhao Rongguang informed.
