The Victoria and Albert Museum in London possesses one of the most comprehensive and important collections of Chinese art dating from 3000 BC to the present time. The China gallery at the V&A is organized according to living, eating and drinking, temple and worship, burial, ruling and collecting. It presents some background history on eating and drinking in China, using objects from the collections and quotes from original sources.

While people the world over must eat and drink, not many have felt the need to develop such a complex cuisine as the Chinese. Perhaps because famine has been a frequent occurrence, the preparation and consumption of food has always been a matter of great interest to Chinese people. Special meals are served at family anniversaries and religious festivals, and food is offered to gods and ancestors. Business deals are struck over a meal, and gifts often consist of food. The medicinal value of food in promoting good health is taken very seriously by Chinese people.

The bowl pictured above features a staple of tableware decoration, the dragon.

Date: On display

Venue: Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Website: www.vam.ac.uk

(China Daily 01/11/2013 page31)