User:Dong Jiating

Chinese Cuisine: Malatang

As one of the most popular street foods in contemporary China, malatang’s development reflects the inclusivity of Chinese food culture and the innovativeness of regional cultures. From the simple meals of Yangtze River boat trackers to a nationwide common folk cuisine, and then to a "blockbuster" symbol driving regional cultural tourism economies, malatang’s evolution is not just a history of culinary spread but a microcosm of China’s civilian food culture（Guo Ziteng, 2025). This article analyzes the characteristics of Chinese food culture and social change imprinted behind malatang from three dimensions: historical origins, regional differentiation, and cultural significance.

1. Historical Origins and Early Development: From Riverside Cooking to Urban Delicacy

The prototype of malatang can be traced back to the shipping culture of the Yangtze River basin. During the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, in the Chuanjiang River Basin (particularly the waters from Yibin, Sichuan to Wushan, Three Gorges), due to turbulent currents, boat trackers became indispensable in shipping. These laborers often gathered wild vegetables or simple ingredients they carried and boiled them in pots with seasonings like Sichuan pepper and chili by the river while resting. This cooking method not only satisfied their hunger but also dispelled cold and dampness, adapting to the humid and rainy climate of the Yangtze River region. This simple cooking method created by boat workers is widely regarded as the original form of malatang.

As this eating style spread, dock vendors saw business opportunities. In the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty, street vendors began refining this cooking method: they carried stoves and ingredients on both ends of a shoulder pole, peddling along riversides and bridges. One end of the pole held small compartments for various ingredients, while the other end had a burning stove and a boiling pot. These mobile stalls, with their low prices and convenience, quickly became a dining choice for dock laborers and urban commoners, marking malatang’s spatial transition from riverside to urban streets.

Malatang truly moved into fixed venues in the early 20th century. Restaurants in cities like Chongqing and Leshan introduced it indoors, offering richer ingredients and a more stable dining environment. During this period, Niuhua Town in Leshan, Sichuan made significant contributions to malatang’s development. Chefs in Niuhua Town refined the traditional red soup recipe, using chicken broth as a base and adding dozens of seasonings like cinnamon, tangerine peel, dried chili, and Sichuan pepper to simmer the broth. They also used clay pots to maintain heat over low fire and pioneered the "skewered malatang" format. This business model upgraded malatang from mobile stalls to fixed common folk dining, laying the foundation for its later national spread.

2. Modernization and Diversification: From Single Model to Diverse Schools

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, especially since the Reform and Opening-Up, malatang has transformed from a local snack to a national cuisine. This process, accompanied by innovative business models and the collision of regional flavors, has formed a rich and diverse development trajectory.

Sichuan-Chongqing School: Represented by Niuhua Town in Leshan, Sichuan, it adheres to the authentic spicy and numbing flavor. The broth is based on beef tallow, heavily using Pixian bean paste, Yongchuan fermented black beans, and Hanyuan Sichuan pepper to highlight the balanced four flavors of "numbness, spiciness, freshness, and aroma." Signature ingredients include animal offal like tripe, aorta, and duck intestines, with dipping sauces typically being dry 碟子 (chili powder + Sichuan pepper powder + salt) or sesame oil with mashed garlic.

Northeastern School: Represented by Yang Guofu from Heilongjiang, it undergoes northern-style improvements. Its biggest innovation is introducing bone broth and sesame paste seasonings to reduce spiciness and numbness. The broth is simmered for hours with pork and beef bones, resulting in a milky white base. It uses fewer Sichuan peppers, adds mild spices, and offers sesame paste as a dipping option. The ingredient selection caters to northern tastes, forming a flavor profile of "numbness, spiciness, saltiness, freshness" with a hint of sweetness. This adaptation made malatang more accessible to non-Sichuan-Chongqing regions, promoting its national popularity.

Northwestern School: Typified by Tianshui malatang in Gansu, it forms a unique style relying on local produce. Its core is the combination of "Gangu chili peppers + Wudu Sichuan pepper"—Gangu chili peppers, with a planting history of over 400 years, are rich in spiciness and oil; Wudu Sichuan pepper is rich and mellow in numbness and unique in aroma, both being National Geographic Indication products.

3. Socio-Cultural Significance: From Street Food to Cultural Symbol

Malatang’s cultural value extends far beyond its physical existence as food. It is both a crystallization of civilian life wisdom and a carrier of regional cultural identity, and in recent years, it has become a medium for urban cultural tourism marketing, with its cultural significance continuously enriching with the time (Luyu, 2025).

A Symbol of Urban Street Culture: Since its inception, malatang has carried a strong civilian gene. The boat trackers and street vendors in its origin stories represent working-class laborers; its ingredient combination embodies the folk wisdom of "making the best use of everything"—whether wild vegetables, offal, or soy products, all can be integrated into one pot; its communal dining form (people gathering around a stall or sharing a pot) breaks the hierarchical order of traditional banquets, creating an atmosphere of equality and freedom. These characteristics make malatang a symbol of Chinese urban street food culture.

Gustatory Expression of Regional Identity: The evolution of malatang in different regions is essentially a self-expression of regional culture through food. The Sichuan-Chongqing school’s adherence to spiciness and numbness reflects the thousand-year-old food tradition of Bashu region ("valuing taste and favoring pungency"); the Northeastern school’s addition of sesame paste echoes Northeasterners’ preference for rich and heavy flavors; while Tianshui malatang’s emphasis on Gangu chili peppers and Wudu Sichuan pepper serves as a gustatory declaration of Gansu’s farming culture—transforming local specialties into food symbols, allowing diners to experience regional identity through their taste buds.

A Catalyst for Cultural Tourism Economy: In recent years, malatang has demonstrated remarkable "attention economy" power. In early 2024, a Douyin blogger "一杯梁白开" ("A Cup of Liang Bai Kai") posted a video about Tianshui malatang, which received millions of likes and sparked a trend of "hot and spicy trips to Tianshui." In this process, malatang has become a medium for urban image dissemination—tourists get to know Tianshui through a bowl of malatang, and then explore cultural heritage sites like Maijishan Grottoes and Fuxi Temple.

Conclusion

From the smoke of boat trackers’ cooking by the Yangtze River to today’s "hot and spicy" cultural tourism in Tianshui, malatang’s evolution traces the strong inclusivity and adaptability of Chinese food culture. It witnesses how civilian life wisdom has been elevated into a national shared delicacy, embodies the creative combination of regional produce and culinary skills, and has become a medium for urban image dissemination and cultural identity construction in the contemporary era. In the future, malatang’s development needs to balance healthiness with flavor preservation, standardization with individual expression, and globalization with local roots. No matter how its form changes, its core remains the Chinese pursuit of harmonious coexistence of diverse flavors and the love and cherishing of daily life—this cultural gene flowing through urban murmur of daily life is the true soul that allows malatang to traverse history and continue to thrive.

References:

[1] 卢玉 (Lu Yu). 饮食视角下的中华传统文化的内涵与情感价值 (The Connotation and Emotional Value of Chinese Traditional Culture from the Perspective of Diet)[J]. 食品与机械 (Food & Machinery), 2025,41(03):257.

[2] 郭子腾 (Guo Ziteng). “一碗麻辣烫”推动大发展 (“A Bowl of Spicy Hot Pot” Promoting Great Development)[N]. 中国旅游报 (China Tourism News), 2025-03-07(002).

[3] 扁阳阳 (Bian Yangyang). 中国饮食史研究的概念、路径及议题 (Concepts, Approaches, and Issues in the Study of Chinese Dietary History)[J]. 中国史研究动态 (Chinese Historical Research Dynamics), 2025,(01):72-80.

[4] 崔慧芳 (Cui Huifang), 金炳镐 (Jin Binghao). 甘肃天水旅游促进民族交往交流交融研究 (Research on the Tourism in Tianshui, Gansu Promoting Ethnic Interaction, Exchange, and Integration)[J]. 青海民族大学学报(社会科学版) (Qinghai University for Nationalities Journal (Social Sciences Edition)), 2025,51(01):53-60.

[5] 王仁湘 (Wang Renxiang). 岁时饮食中的人文情怀 (Humanistic Sentiments in Seasonal Diets)[J]. 人民论坛 (People's Tribune), 2024,(03):22-25.

Terms and Expressions:

麻辣烫：Spicy Hot Pot/ Malatang

汤底：Soup Base/Broth

红油：Chili Oil

串签麻辣烫：Skewered Malatang

麻辣味：Mala Flavor

瓦罐：Earthen Pot

砂锅：Clay Pot/Casserole

油泼：Oil-Splashing

长江纤夫 Yangtze River boat trackers

驱寒祛湿 dispelling cold and dampness

平民饮食智慧 civilian food wisdom

川渝流派 Sichuan-Chongqing school

牛油汤底 beef tallow broth

麻辣鲜香 numbness, spiciness, freshness, aroma

东北流派 Northeastern school

大骨汤 bone broth

麻酱 sesame paste

咸鲜微甜 salty, fresh, slightly sweet

西北流派 Northwestern school

Questions:

1.What is the historical origin of malatang?

2.What are the main flavor differences of malatang in different regions?

3.What are the key steps in the traditional preparation of malatang?

4.How does malatang reflect the characteristics of Chinese food culture?

5.How do modern chain brands promote the globalization of malatang?

6.What are the main health controversies surrounding malatang?

中华美食：麻辣烫

 麻辣烫作为当代中国普及度最高的街头美食之一，其发展历程映射了中国饮食文化的包容性与地域文化的创新性。从长江纤夫的简易炊食到风靡全国的平民美食，再到带动区域文旅经济的“爆款”符号，麻辣烫的演变不仅是一种烹饪方式的传播史，更是一部中国平民饮食文化的微缩景观（郭子腾, 2025)。本文将从历史源流、地域分化、文化意义三个维度，剖析麻辣烫背后所蕴含的中国饮食文化特征与社会变迁印记。

1.历史起源与早期发展：从江边炊烟到市井美味

 麻辣烫的雏形可追溯至长江流域的航运文化。在明末清初的川江流域，特别是从四川宜宾至三峡巫山的水域，因水流湍急，纤夫成为航运中不可或缺的角色。这些体力劳动者在拉纤之余，常于江边就地取材。他们将采摘的野菜（或随身携带的简易食材）放入罐中，加入花椒、辣椒等调料涮烫而食。这种烹饪方式既解决了果腹需求，又能驱寒祛湿，适应了长江流域潮湿多雨的气候环境。船工们创造的这种简易烹饪法，被普遍视为麻辣烫的原始形态。
 随着这种饮食方式的传播，码头上的小贩发现了其中商机。清代中后期，挑担小贩开始对这种烹饪方式进行改良：他们将炉具与食材分置挑担两头，沿江边、桥头行走叫卖。担子一头是分隔存放各类食材的小格，另一头则是燃烧的炉火与翻滚的汤锅。这种流动摊点因价格低廉、取食便捷，迅速成为码头劳工和市井平民的就餐选择，麻辣烫由此完成了从江边到岸上的空间转移。
 麻辣烫真正走向固定经营场所是在20世纪初。重庆、乐山等城市的饭馆将其引入店堂，开始提供更丰富的食材选择和更稳定的就餐环境。其中，四川乐山牛华镇在这一时期对麻辣烫的发展作出了重要贡献。牛华镇厨师创新性地将传统红汤配方精细化，采用鸡汤为基底，加入桂皮、陈皮、干辣椒、花椒等数十种调料熬制汤底，并使用砂锅文火慢炖保持温度，并开创了“串签麻辣烫”的形态。这种经营模式使麻辣烫从流动摊点升级为固定场所的平民餐饮，为其日后全国性传播奠定了基础。

2.现代化与多样化发展：从单一模式到多元流派

 新中国成立后，特别是改革开放以来，麻辣烫经历了从地方小吃到全国性美食的转型。这一过程伴随着经营模式的创新与地域口味的碰撞融合，形成了丰富多元的发展脉络。
 川渝流派：以四川乐山牛华镇为代表，坚守麻辣本色。其汤底以牛油为基础，重用郫县豆瓣、永川豆豉、汉源花椒，突出“麻、辣、鲜、香”四味平衡。特色食材包括毛肚、黄喉、鸭肠等动物内脏，蘸料多为干碟（辣椒面+花椒面+盐）或香油蒜泥碟。
 东北流派：以黑龙江杨国福为代表，进行北方化改良。其最大创新是引入大骨汤底和芝麻酱调料，降低麻辣刺激度。汤底用猪骨、牛骨长时间熬制，呈乳白色；调味上减少花椒用量，增加温和香料，并在蘸料中提供麻酱选项。食材选择更适应北方口味，形成“麻、辣、咸、鲜”带微甜的风味特征。这种改良使麻辣烫更易被非川渝地区接受，推动了全国化普及。
 西北流派：以甘肃天水麻辣烫为典型，依托地域物产自成一派。其核心是“甘谷辣椒+武都花椒”组合——甘谷辣椒种植历史超400年，辣味浓郁且油分丰富；武都花椒麻味醇厚，香气独特，两者均为国家地理标志产品。

3.社会文化意义：从市井小食到文化符号

 麻辣烫的文化价值远超出其作为食物的物理属性。它既是平民生活智慧的结晶，又是地域文化认同的载体，近年来更成为城市文旅营销的媒介，其文化意义随着时代变迁不断丰富（卢玉, 2025）。
 市井文化的象征符号。麻辣烫自诞生之初就带有浓厚的平民基因。其起源故事中的纤夫、挑担小贩等角色，皆是社会底层劳动者的代表；其食材组合原则体现了民间“物尽其用”的生存智慧——无论野菜、内脏还是豆制品，皆可融入一锅；其围炉共食的形式（众人围坐挑担或共享汤锅）打破了传统宴饮的等级秩序，营造了平等自在的社交氛围。这些特质使麻辣烫被视为中国市井饮食文化的代表。
 地域认同的味觉表达。麻辣烫在不同地区的演变，实质是地域文化通过食物进行的自我表达。川渝流派对麻辣的坚守，体现了巴蜀地区“尚滋味、好辛香” 的千年饮食传统；东北流派加入麻酱的改良，呼应了东北人喜好浓郁厚重的口味倾向；而天水麻辣烫对甘谷辣椒、武都花椒的强调，则是甘肃农耕文化的味觉宣言——将地方特产转化为美食符号，使食客通过味蕾体验地域认同。
 文旅经济的引爆点。近年来，麻辣烫展现出惊人的“流量经济”能量。2024年初，抖音博主“一杯梁白开”发布天水麻辣烫视频获百万点赞，引发“赴天水热辣滚烫之旅”风潮。麻辣烫在此过程中成为城市形象传播媒介——游客通过一碗麻辣烫认识天水，进而探索麦积山石窟、伏羲庙等文化遗产。

结语

 从长江之滨的纤夫炊烟到如今天水文旅的“热辣滚烫”，麻辣烫的演变轨迹勾勒出中国饮食文化强大的包容性与适应性。它见证了平民生活智慧如何升华为全民共享的美味，体现了地域物产与烹饪技艺的创造性结合，更在当代成为城市形象传播与文化认同构建的媒介。未来，麻辣烫的发展需在健康化与风味保留、标准化与个性表达、全球化与本土根脉之间寻找平衡。无论形态如何变化，其核心始终是中国人对多元味道和谐共生的追求，以及对日常生活的热爱与珍视——这份流淌于市井烟火中的文化基因，正是麻辣烫得以穿越历史，持续滚烫的真正灵魂。

参考文献：

[1]卢玉.饮食视角下的中华传统文化的内涵与情感价值[J].食品与机械,2025,41(03):257.

[2]郭子腾.“一碗麻辣烫”推动大发展[N].中国旅游报,2025-03-07(002).

[3]扁阳阳.中国饮食史研究的概念、路径及议题[J].中国史研究动态,2025,(01):72-80.

[4]崔慧芳,金炳镐.甘肃天水旅游促进民族交往交流交融研究[J].青海民族大学学报(社会科学版),2025,51(01):53-60.

[5]王仁湘.岁时饮食中的人文情怀[J].人民论坛,2024,(03):22-25.

术语和表达：