On the morning of 7th November 2024, Confucius Institute at Yeditepe University held a lecture on the topic of “Chinese Food and Culture”. The lecture was given by Liu Songyan, the Chinese Director of Confucius Institute, and more than 60 students from the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts of Yeditepe University participated in the lecture.
Director Liu Songyan firstly introduced the historical origin and basic characteristics of Chinese food culture. Starting from the concept of “five grains for nourishment, five fruits for support, five animals for benefit, five vegetables for enrichment” recorded in the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine, he introduced the main ingredients, basic structure and cooking methods of Chinese diet to the audience.
Afterwards, Liu Songyan introduced the eight major Chinese cuisines. He showed the representative dishes of each cuisine through pictures and talked about the regional characteristics of Chinese cuisine in terms of colour, aroma, taste and shape. The rich and diversified dishes left a deep impression on the Turkish teachers and students.
Liu Songyan also explained to the Turkish teachers and students the idea of “Compatibility and Incompatibility” in Chinese food culture, introduced Chinese table manners and customs, and showed how to quickly master the use of chopsticks.
While talking about Chinese food culture, he also shared his feelings about Turkish food culture with the students and teachers on the stage, discussing the similarities and differences between Chinese and Turkish food cultures, and letting the audience experience Chinese people's unique insights into healthy diet and lifestyle through an in-depth and simple narration.
The lecture came to an end in a relaxing and pleasant atmosphere. Turkish teachers and students felt the beauty of Chinese food and at the same time deeply felt the profound heritage of Chinese culture. The Confucius Institute at Yeditepe University will continue to build bridges of cultural exchanges, so that more Turkish teachers and students will have the opportunity to experience the charm of Chinese culture in close proximity.
（Written by Zheng Xingyi）
