Chinese dining culture

BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) — From simply meeting basic food needs to today’s pursuit of healthy and savory eating, the diet of Chinese people has undergone a dramatic transformation since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Over the past 75 years, the dining tables have witnessed China’s economic development and social progress. In the early years after the country was founded, the foods on the dining tables were primarily grain-based, to ensure everyone had enough to eat.  Wang Dezhu (1st L) and his family enjoy a reunion dinner during the Spring Festival in north China’s Tianjin, in 1953. (Xinhua) With the improvement of agricultural productivity, people’s dietary structure began to shift from a grain-dominated “staple food diet” to a nutritional one that included more meat, eggs, and dairy products. People were no longer satisfied with just eating enough but began to pursue eating well.   This photo issued on Aug. 25, 1988 shows family members enjoying hot pot in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Du Jie)   This photo issued on Oct. 10, 1987 shows the first Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Restaurant holding a soft opening in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Zhang Shuyuan) In the 1990s, as China’s economy surged forward, dining out…