Penchant for Eating Aquatic Food in Bianjing during the Northern Song Period

Abstract

中國幅員廣大，南北兩地環境有很大分別，因而形成了不同的飲食文化。在北宋以前，北方重羊肉而輕水產，但這種情況在北宋時期的汴京有所轉變。雖然當時汴京仍是以羊肉為重，但水產食品種類豐富、日趨普及，又出現專門供應魚肉的魚行，其重要性也有所提高。本文嘗試探討北宋汴京的水產食品及其地位轉變，並指出轉變的原因乃在於不少南方人留在汴京，為當地帶來了南方的水產及相關的飲食文化，又因汴京的富有階層追求新奇的食品，而使水產食品日益受到重視，再加上文人為水產賦詩，彼此酬唱，也引發更多人嘗試。至於汴京優越的地理位置及發達的交通，則使水產食品較容易送達。本文期望藉此研究能展示出社會與經濟的變化是如何影響飲食文化的發展。 Being the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, Bianliang faced drastic changes during the 10th-12th centuries. One of the significant changes was cuisine culture. Eating aquatic foods became a new penchant in the community and the supply of aquatic products also climbed to a high level. This article surveys the aquatic products available in Bianliang and their suppliers in Northern Song China. It also points out that the change in the status of aquatic foods was related to society and economic development, along with the advantageous location of Bianliang.