Chinese food research paper

The Chinese culture has thus been translated into many forms including films with different intention such as cultural promotion among others. Currently there are variety of films both from China market and international market such as Hollywood which has depicted Chinese food culture in both positive and negative ways to portray the cultural significance of the Chinese, show casing the eating behaviors, important life event celebration, as an identity and as a way of representing the social status of different individuals in the society. This paper, therefore, will provide a succinct analysis of the Chinese food culture and how it has been represented in films both locally and internationally and the purpose of such representation as well. Wu and Cheung (98) indicate that food is among some of the most represented aspects of the Chinese culture within the film industry.

This has led to the incorporation of the Chinese foods culture in the form of cartoons in films as a way of reflecting the admiration to the culture to both the contemporary Chinese population, cosmopolitan as well as among the international community. “A Christmas Story” films and event celebration As is the case with other countries in the World, China as well considers food as a part of celebrating a life event. The foods, in this case, are meant to invoke representation and relationship that is why food in China is regarded to play a major role in religious occasions as a way of improving the relationship with the supreme being as opposed to issues of nutritional value (Ma 196). Therefore, it is doubtless that foods can be used to represent a special life event or a season as portrayed in the movie “A Christmas Story.

” The film is regarded as one of the best Chinese films depicting the importance of foods on certain seasons (Cathey). Moreover, it is a film that increases one’s Chinese food cravings. Moreover, food culture of the Chinese is also showcased in this film providing an insight of uniqueness of food preparation in China compared to other countries of the world. The events and depiction of the film led to its adoption by the Fox cinema and was aired during the Thanksgiving show that lasted from 1988 to 1990s (Cathey). Moreover, the film confirms the sociality of food in the Chinese culture. Food consumed individually in China is considered not a social food. Conversely, when a group of people such as a family come up together to share a common meal as is the case in “A Christmas Story” a succinct sociality of food is portrayed.

This might seem very odd to other culture, but to the Chinese, this is what they appreciate as depicted in the film. The film which is directed by a Taiwanese Ang Lee is one of the Chinese food films to have been nominated for Oscar Best Foreign Language Films. Therefore, this means that even Hollywood recognizes how important food culture is among the Chinese community. The films show how conflicts tensions emerged and the same were solved through family forums. The present film's tension between the modernity and traditional aspects of a family that was confined to the Confucians. The father in the film expresses his love by preparing a meal for his daughters every Sunday. “A bite of China” and Chinese food cultural history, cooking culture and history This is one of the most acclaimed Chinese documentaries that explicitly provide an overview of the Chinese cooking, food culture history and how the Chinese consume food.

Its popularity and high ratings in 2012 forced the producers to air another series of the documentary in 2014. The theme of this documentary is directed towards the Chinese pursuit of both good life and food (Cheng 8). It provides a groundbreaking history of the Chinese cuisines from all the 6o mainland states of China, Taiwan as well as Hong Kong. Several seasonal changes were also presented throughout all the eight episodes of the documentary with each running for 50 minutes. “Joy Luck Club” (1993) and distinctive culture between China and outside world (America) The film gives a glimpse of four Chinese mothers who arrive in American each with their daughters. The film explores the eventual relationships between the mothers and the daughter’s boyfriend’s portraying a great cultural rift between the Americans and Chinese.

The culture differences are shown by how each considers foods to be and the roles ascribed especially in the culture of the Chinese. As a result of the rift, the family wrangles in the kitchen and the dining table are rampant in the film. In the movie, despite the attempt to influence the indigenous Chinese, there also an attempt to deconstruct the Chinese culture and construct the American culture as highest, more positive and most accepted. Through the small frequent conflict in the kitchen and the dining table, the film also intended to somehow lure the minority group members to do away with their culture and opt to follow and obey the most dominant rules of the majority and popular culture.

As other several commentators state, this-this can be considered a political strategy which is intended to brainwash the Chinese (minority) culture off their identity and end up following the popular (majority) culture. In conclusion, it is not in a debate that food is an essential element of the Chinese culture meant to direct the society on the steps t should take, showcasing the distinctive and rich culture of the Chinese among others. As enumerated above, food in the Chinese community plays a great role in shaping the social structure of the community. , and Sidney CH Cheung. "The globalization of Chinese food and cuisine. " The globalization of Chinese food(2002): 1-18. Chen, Ya.  Chinese parents’ perspectives on parenting: Children’s education and future prospects.