Con gli occhi dell'altro: il cibo occidentale nelle fonti cinesi

Food offering has always been one of the primary forms of communication, not only to contact deities but, most importantly, to connect with other people. Among cultural products, food is one of those having major influence on both local and national identity and may be one of the more difficult to abandon or renounce. The diffusion process of Western food culture in China has been very long and is still in progress. This article explores and illustrates the first stages which have characterized this process, mostly looking at written sources in order to give a first idea on how and when Western food entered China and how it was greeted by Chinese people.