China, the third largest country on earth, has become very successful throughout its history. It sustains billions of people, the largest population of any nation. Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language. How did China come to be so prosperous? During its long and tumultuous history, China has always been efficient in terms of food and food production.

Food in China has been the basis of life for centuries. Millet, a common crop in Northern China, has been grown since the fifth millenium BC. Rice, the most prolific crop in Southern China, has been grown since the fourth millenium BC. Ever since then food was thought to be the basis for good health. The first Chinese crop was grown in the Upper Yellow River Valley.

In order to maintain their crops, the ancient Chinese used wood and stone tools. In the fifth century BC, iron plows were developed. On the Northern grasslands, oxen pulled plows. But in the marshy South, water bison plowed the land.

Regardless of these beasts of burden, men did most of the agricultural work. They cut wheat with sickles, carried crops using a pole hung across their shoulders with bags at the end to hold the grain, and they loosened wheat by beating it with sticks. But the most complex tool was their irragation system.

In Southern China, rice was, and is, the staple grain. Rice grows much easier in a marshy area, but is much easier to harvest when the soil is dry. How did they do this? Irragation. Foot-powered pumps was the ancient Chinese answer. Many people powered these pumps.

The Chinese wanted to ensure a good harvest. They acomplished this in many ways. Ashes and manure (dung) were used to fertilize the crops. They also used crop rotation. They did not grow the same crop in the same spot consecutively.

Rice wasn't the only crop. The Chinese grew hundreds of various vegetables and grains. They included cabbage, soybeans, other varieties of beans, peas, and bamboo shoots.

In Northern China wheat and millet were grown. Rice was expensive, due to the fact that not many places in northern China were suitable for its growth. Common northern foods included steamed buns, noodles or pancakes with vegtables, soybean products (for protein), pickles, and some times meat, eggs, or fish on the side.

Regardless of the type of crop one ate, each Chinese meal had Fan and Cai. Fan refers to cooked grain, while Cai means vegtables. However, Cai refers also to the general arrangement of side dishes.

Food was generally based on class, though, and the rich cooked in elaborate ways such as stir-frying or steaming. The rich also ate more meat, eggs, and fish.

Regardless of class, each Chinese had two meals a day. One was at mid morning, the other was before nightfall.

China is noted for its tea, but before it was invented in China, warm rice beer was usually drunk. Tea was developed by the Chinese in the Han dynasty (between 200 BC and 200 AD).

Fish was important to the Chinese. By 100 BC artifficial ponds were made to breed carp. Hunting, however, was considerd a form of entertainment to the upper class, and not a main means of food gathering.

The Chinesese celebrations brought many good foods. The Chinese celebrated for weddings, the birth of a son, a funeral, or public holidays. Regerdless of class, everyone celebrated. The poor ate a roast duck or chicken, fried fish, vegtables, grains, and soup. The wealthy had many more foods such as bear paw, shark fin, and wild boar. Rice wine was consumed at these occasions.

Until the Rennaissance, China and its foods remained hidden in their natural boundries. Some atempts had been made in the Ming dynasty to open up their country, but until the coming of Marco Polo, all of China's riches had been kept a secret.