During the Zhou and Qin Dynasties, people spread seats on the ground, with a console table on the table, five seats for the emperor and two seats for the doctor. This situation reflects that we are still eating separately.
"Zhou Li S. Ji Yan" Zheng Xuan pointed out: "The banquet is put out, and the banquet is put out." The Book of Songs says, "Set a table for banquets".
By the Han dynasty, this kind of meal sharing system was more clear. The emperor sat on the front steps, the queen sat on one side, and the ministers sat on both sides, each with a table.
Archaeological excavations of Han murals and brick paintings of Han tombs also provide clear evidence: at that time, people sat on the floor, each with a case.
The written records of the Hongmen Banquet describe the specific situation of meal sharing for us more clearly. During the dinner, Wang Xiang and Xiang Bo sat in the east, Fan Zeng in the south, Pei Gong in the north and Sean in the west. There are five people in a case.
Han Xizai and several other noble disciples in "Han Xizai's Night Banquet" in Sui and Tang Dynasties were sitting on the bed, listening to the pipa playing in the big chair on the back of the chair. There is a small high table in front of the listener, and there is a set of tableware and a delicious food in front of everyone, which are not mixed with each other and have clear boundaries.
The Water Margin in the Song and Yuan Dynasties once wrote in the eighty-second chapter "Zhang Shuye declared the imperial edict three times and embraced the partnership" that "Song Jiang ordered a banquet to entertain the angels. Zhang Shuye and Guang Liu also attended the meeting. Leaders such as Song Jiang and Lu Junyi came to greet them. " It can be seen that the dining system still exists. With the rule of the Yuan Dynasty, the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty were not interested in the dining system.
In the Ming dynasty, a large number of ancient systems were restored, and the system of health preservation and meal sharing was brought to the extreme. "Ming History" records that in the winter of Xuande for five years, "it doesn't snow for a long time, but it snows heavily in December. The emperor showed his ministers the poem "Happy Snow" and gave them a snow feast. The princes entered the peace chapter, and the emperor chose to record it as a guard, which is also an order. " Shang Baosi is responsible for the preparations for the grand banquet. First, the memorial was erected on the temple, covered with Huang Hui, and Jin Wuwei had 24 guards to stand by. The teacher's workshop department set up nine music songs in the hall, set up a happy hall outside, and the dance troupe waited outside. There is a wine pavilion in the west of Guanglu Temple throne, a dining pavilion in the east of the throne, and a rare and delicious pavilion on the east and west sides of the wine pavilion (originally an ancient word, so it is difficult to write). The royal banquet is placed in the east and west of the throne, the crown prince sits in the east and west of the throne, and the kings sit from south to east and west. Ministers with more than four products are in the hall, while those with less than five products are entertained outside, and a group of cooks, drinkers and diners are arranged to wait on them.
At the banquet, the ceremony invited the emperor to ascend to the throne. When the emperor went out, the big music played immediately. After the emperor ascended the throne, the music stopped. Then firecrackers sounded, and the crown prince and the prince went to the temple in turn. After that, civil and military officials above level 4 entered the hall from the east and west, and those below level 5 only stood in your highness. After the ceremony, Guanglu Temple filed in and played again. They stopped when they arrived at the headquarters. Then Guanglu Temple held a banquet to drink, and first proposed a toast to the emperor. During the first round of drinking, the teacher played "Song of Inflammatory Essence". Everyone kneels when they are happy, and of course the workshop department should also play on their knees. The emperor raised his glass and finished the wine. The officials knelt down, saluted and took their seats. In the second toast, the band played "Song Against the Wind" and the music began. Guanglu Temple drank for the emperor, and ministers drank in order. After the emperor raised wine, the ministers also raised wine. Next, the soup is served, and the drum music leads the way. Guanglu Temple went outside the temple and the missionary work stopped. The hall was full of music and the ministers stood up. The officials of Guanglu Temple served the soup to the emperor, then the ministers sat down again and gave them a lesson. At this time, the emperor raised chopsticks, and the ministers also raised chopsticks. This is also a special thing, called Zanzhuan. Next, the dance comes on stage. The first type is generally martial arts dance, which is called "the dance to pacify the world" according to modern parlance. Further down, in the third round, the band played "Song of Ming Taizu as soon as possible" and danced "Dance of Four Yi People in Fuan". In the fourth round, I played Legend of Heaven and danced Dance of Che Shu. In the fifth round, I played "Song of Emperor's Program" and danced "Hundred Dances". In the sixth round, I played "Song of Jinling" and danced "Eight People Offering Treasures". In the seventh round, I played the Song of Yang Chang and danced the Dance of Picking Lotus Team. In the eighth round, I played Fang Yi's song and danced Yu Garden Dance. In the ninth round, play the Song of Driving Six Dragons. Every toast, the ceremony is the same as the first round, and it is done the same. After nine rounds, Guanglu Temple received the imperial knights, and the preface class received the lamps of the ministers and served the soup. By this time, it is estimated that all the people are hungry, and it is finally their turn to have a big meal. Daqu played, the ministers stood up, Shane sat down, and the preface class began to serve. The raw materials of banquet food are exotic and sent to Beijing from all over the country. Some fresh food is sent by express mail. Chef chef carefully cooked, of course, are top grade. The feast is over. Quit the dinner, and finally come to a dance "Hundred Flowers Dance". In the light song and dance, Guanglu Temple withdrew the imperial case, and the order class withdrew the minister case. After the dance, the ministers stood in the east, west and north directions. For the last tribute, the etiquette department informed the emperor that the banquet was over. The sacred driver invited me back, and the ministers fell to the ground and sent me away. After the emperor got up and left, the banquet ceremony officially ended.
From the Qing Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong visited Jiangnan several times and entertained countless people along the way. According to historical records, Emperor Qianlong ate at one table, and other so-called slaves ate together around the table. It seems that not all people don't understand sharing food. Objectively speaking, Manchu-Han banquet also appeared in this period, which marked the development of food culture. We ate separately and were formally assimilated, and a "tradition" of eating together that has continued to this day gradually formed and passed down.