China is set to launch preparations to have the family cuisine of ancient philosopher Confucius (551-479 B.C.) listed as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage, experts said at a food conference in East China's Qufu on Sunday, Oct. 18.
The Xinhua News Agency reported that a committee was established for the standardization of Confucius' family cuisine, as preparations for the UNESCO application were officially launched during the ongoing 5th Asian Food Study Conference in the philosopher's hometown.
"It will take at least three years to prepare before we file the application to UNESCO," said Liu Deguang, director of the committee. He said that special teams will be hired by the committee to collect historical materials and promote standardized production.
According to the report, the family cuisine of Confucius was developed as a result of frequent visits of China's emperors, high-ranking officials and other distinguished guests to Confucius' home. Since many banquets, ceremonies and royal commemorations were held there, the family had the opportunity to develop their own style of formal cuisine.
Experts said that the time- and labor-intensive cuisine, challenged by modern technology, would now require preservation.
"Cooking Confucius family cuisine is complex, labor-intensive and demands great attention to detail," chef Wang Lingtao said.
According to Wang, the most complex banquet in Confucius family cuisine consists of 196 dishes, which include six cold dishes such as braised sea cucumber, which are served on special porcelain plates.
Dining etiquette and manners have been passed down by Confucius' descendants for more than 2,000 years, Wang added.
The report also said that during ancient times, chefs at the Confucius Mansion passed on cooking skills and recipes only to their descendants or apprentices. But now experts said that the recipes should be made public so they can be preserved.
In June 2011, China included Confucius family cuisine as part of its national intangible cultural heritage.