烤和煮，作为最古老的两种烹饪方式，在中国已经延续发展了几千年。火锅，作为“煮文化”的集大成者，经过几千年的演变，早已风靡中国的大江南北，从烹饪器具到所用食材，不同地区又各有讲究。同样热气腾腾的火锅，或麻辣鲜香，或清淡滋补，人们充分利用所在地域的物产优势，开发了不同种类的火锅。不同吃法的背后，是人们“道法自然”的古朴智慧。如今，火锅已经成为中国的美食符号，本书以美食为载体介绍中国的煮文化，像熊猫和京剧一样，为世界认识中国，打开了一扇香气四溢的窗。

大琦，山东人，旅美作者，热爱美食和文字。著有《中国城市：成都印象》《中国城市：杭州印象》《地图上的中国：食在中国》。

Preface
Chapter I Hotpot and Food Utensils
Section 1 The Way to Eat over 1,000 Years
Section 2 From the Double-flavor Hotpot to Nine-grid Cauldron
Chapter Ⅱ Long History of Hotpot Culture
Section 1 The Initial Recordation of Hotpot
Section 2 Highly Favored and Promoted by the Royal Family
Section 3 The Increasing Particularity of Eating Hotpot
Chapter Ⅲ So Large Is the Catering World
Section 1 Instant-boiled Mutton in Old Beijing
Section 2 Sichuan and Chongqing Hotpot: The Taste of Ordinary People Goes beyond the Class
Section 3 Cantonese-style Hotpot: Back to Nature
Section 4 Hotpot in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces: Simple, Light and Fresh
Section 5 Yunnan Hotpot and Guizhou Hotpot: Peculiar Flavor on the Plateau
Section 6 Regional Featured Hotpot
Section 7 Condiment Sauce Is the Essence of Hotpot
Chapter Ⅳ External Influence and Self-Integration of Chinese Food
Section 1 Influence of the Silk Road on Chinese Food
Section 2 Dietary Integration Driven by Population Migration
Section 3 A Panorama of Hotpots around the World
Chapter Ⅴ Food is the First Necessity of People
Section 1 Belief in ‘Eating
Section 2 Specialties of Eight Major Cuisines
Section 3 Chinese Food towards the World
Appendix A Brief Chinese Chronology