Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine

Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine

　　In the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, Xuzhou, a hub connecting five provinces, flourished. With the rise of Buddhism and numerous temples, vegetarian restaurants run by monks began to appear on the streets. The Buddhist vegetarian dishes prepared in these restaurants used only plant-based ingredients and were crafted with great finesse, forming a distinctive Buddhist flavor that differed greatly from both official and folk culinary styles. Among them, the Heaven Blossom Banquet, Chrysanthemum Banquet, and Eight-Vegetable Feast were especially well known.

　　The "Heaven Blossom Banquet" draws inspiration from a Buddhist legend during the Six Dynasties period, when the eminent monk Jinling preached in the capital and "heavenly flowers rained down." The banquet begins with a large cold platter served in the center, symbolizing the celestial Buddha. Surrounding it are ten cold dishes representing the Ten Great Guardians. This is followed by six main dishes, four small bowls, four main courses, and finally a "Supreme Pot," totaling 26 dishes. The rice served with the Supreme Pot is called "Arhat Rice."

　　The "Chrysanthemum Banquet" was created by Zen Buddhist monks during the Yuan Dynasty. It begins with eight cold dishes, followed by eight main dishes: Golden Bowl Red Lotus, Sunset Flying Ducks, Peacock Display, Candied Bodhi, Sweet and Sour Golden Needle Mushrooms, and Sautéed Sandalwood Balls, among others. It concludes with eight small bowls, making a total of 24 dishes. Each set consists of eight dishes, symbolizing the eight aspects of life: suffering, joy, success, failure, praise, ridicule, honor, and disgrace. The final dish is a Chrysanthemum Hot Pot.

　　The "Eight-Vegetable Delicacies" were developed by refining and improving upon the vegetarian health-preserving techniques of the Song Dynasty. Main dishes include Stir-Fried Crushed Tofu, Winter Melon Aspic, Sweet and Sour Crispy Tofu, Aromatic Four Treasures, Fried Evergreen, Mushroom Rice Crisps, and Stuffed Pepper Stir-Fry.