With over 5,000 years of culinary history, Chinese cuisine is one of the world’s most diverse and deeply rooted food traditions. To honor that legacy, we are creating an interactive, multimedia food map that documents the anthropology, history, and nutrition behind China’s regional dishes. More than just a guide to what to eat, the map explores why foods are prepared the way they are, revealing the cultural, ecological, and historical forces that shaped them.

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What will the map include?

• Geolocated food entries: photos, oral histories, recipes, and nutrition facts tied to specific cities and provinces.

• Food anthropology focus: contextual stories about farming practices, rituals.

• Crowd-sourced & scholarly input: contributions from community members alongside academic partnerships to ensure richness and accuracy.

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Why it matters
This map transforms everyday dining into a cultural journey — helping people not only discover what to eat, but also to experience Chinese food with a deeper understanding of its background, heritage, and living traditions. Whether you’re traveling, learning in the classroom, or cooking at home, the food map connects taste to history, and meals to meaning.