As Beijing has been the capital of China for centuries, its cuisine is influenced by
culinary traditions from all over China, but the style that has the greatest influence
on Beijing cuisine is that of the eastern coastal province of Shandong.Beijing cuisine
has itself, in turn, also greatly influenced other Chinese cuisines, particularly the
cuisine of Liaoning, the Chinese imperial cuisine, and the Chinese aristocrat cuisine.


Another tradition that influenced Beijing cuisine (as well as influenced by the latter
itself) is the Chinese imperial cuisine that originated from the "Emperor's Kitchen"
(Chinese: 御膳房; pinyin: yùshànfáng), which referred to the cooking facilities
inside the Forbidden City, where thousands of cooks from different parts of China
showed their best culinary skills to please the imperial family and officials. Therefore,
it is sometimes difficult to determine the actual origin of a dish as the term "Mandarin"
is generalised and refers not only to Beijing, but other provinces as well. However,
some generalisation of Beijing cuisine can be characterised as follows: Foods that
originated in Beijing are often snacks rather than main courses, and they are typically
sold by small shops or street vendors. There is emphasis on dark soy paste, sesame
paste, sesame oil, and scallions, and fermented tofu is often served as a condiment.
In terms of cooking techniques, methods relating to different ways of frying are
often used.There is less emphasis on rice as an accompaniment as compared to many
other regions in China, as local rice production in Beijing is limited by the relatively dry
climate.


Dishes in Beijing cuisine that are served as main courses are mostly from other Chinese
cuisines,[citation needed] and some of the following in particular have been central to
the formation of Beijing cuisine.


History
The Qing Dynasty was a major period in the formation of Beijing cuisine. Before the
Boxer Rebellion, the foodservice establishments in Beijing were strictly stratified by
the foodservice guild. Each category of the establishment was specifically based on
its ability to provide for a particular segment of the market. The top ranking foodservice establishments served nobles, aristocrats, and wealthy merchants and landlords, while
lower ranking foodservice establishments served the populace of lower financial and
social status. It was during this period when Beijing cuisine gained fame and became
recognised by the Chinese culinary society, and the stratification of the foodservice
was one of its most obvious characteristics as part of its culinary and gastronomic
cultures during this first peak of its formation.

The official stratification was an integral part of the local culture of Beijing and it
was not finally abolished officially after the end of the Qing Dynasty, which resulted
in the second peak in the formation of Beijing cuisine. Meals previously offered to
nobles and aristocrats was made available to anyone who can afford them instead
of being restricted only to the upper class. As chefs freely switched between jobs
offered by different foodservice establishments, they brought their skills that further
enriched and developed Beijing cuisine. Though the stratification of food services in
Beijing was no longer effected by imperial laws, the structure more or less remained
despite continuous weakening due to the financial background of the local clientele.
The different classes are listed in the following subsections.