Manchu Han Imperial Feast

Manchu Han Imperial Feast is one of the most grand and luxurious feast in the Chinese food history. Not counting fruit and desserts, it contains 134 hot dishes and 48 cold ones. Therefore, in total, there are at least 108 courses.

Originally, only the imperial family and meritorious officials had the chance to be invited to enjoy the feast. It was such a great feast that it was always divided into six meals which would last three days. It combines all kinds  of delicacies, including Eight Mountain Delicacies(including camel’s hump, bear’s paws, monkey’s brains, ape’s lips, leopard fetuses, rhinoceros tails and deer tendons), the “Eight Land Delicacies” (including several precious fowls and mushrooms), and the “Eight Sea Delicacies” (including dried sea cucumbers, shark’s fin, bird’s nest, etc.).