Chinese cuisine is extremely rich and varied. There is no single system or way to classify it.
The Chinese themselves often speak of the “eight great styles” (中国 八大 菜系) of their cuisine.
| Style | Places
spreading |
Main taste characteristics and specificity of the cuisine |
| 川菜 (Sichuan Cuisine) |
四川 (Sichuan) | 辣 (spicy) |
| 粤菜 (Cantonese Cuisine) |
广东 (Guangdong)，福建 (Fujian) | 清谈 (not greasy)，海鲜 (seafood) |
| 湘菜 (hunanese Cuisine) |
湖南 (Hunan)，湖北 (Hubei) | 酸辣 (sour-sharp) |
| 鲁菜 (shandong Cuisine) |
山东 (Shandong) | 炖 (stew), 海鲜 (seafood) |
| 东北菜 (Northeastern Cuisine) |
黑龙江 (Heilongjiang), 吉林(Jilin)，辽宁 (Ляонин) | 炖 (stew) |
| 京菜 (Beijing Cuisine) |
北京 (Beijing)，天津 (Tianjin) | 综合 (synthesis of different cuisines) |
| 淮扬菜 (Huaiyang Cuisine) |
江苏 (Jiangsu)，安徽 (Anhui) | 甜 (sweet)，许多酱油 (using soy sauce) |
| 苏锡菜 (Suxi Cuisine) |
苏州 (Suzhou)，上海 (Shanghai)， 浙江 (Zhejiang) | 甜 (sweet)，清谈 (light) |
According to the geographical location in China, four areas of regional cuisine can be distinguished: northern school (Beijing, Shandong), coastal (Fujian, Shanghai), continental (Sichuan, Yunnan) and southern (Canton).