Sichuan dishes originated in the late Qin and the early Han Dynasties. This cooking style is further developed in the Tang and Song Dynasties, but it only became famous in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The natural environment and abundant resources in Sichuan have help and developed the Sichuan style.
The Chuan （another name for Sichuan） style of cooking mainly consists of four branches: Chengdu, Chongqing, Zigong and vegetarian.
Chuan style of cooking puts much emphasis on ingredient selection, design and color－coordination.
Chuan style of cooking is best known for its special flavor. There are five basic tastes: salty, sweet, tingling, hot and sour. From these five groups they have derived 23 unique flavors, such as homely－taste, salty－delicious, hot and tingling and fish－flavored.
Oily, delicate and strong flavor are distinguishing characteristics of Chuan style of cooking. There are more than 40 cooking methods in Sichuan but the most commonly used are roast, stew, stir－fry, and steam.
Chinese food reflects the eating culture and tradition of the Chinese nation. Chinese foods is renowned for its originality and uniqueness.
