China is an ancient country with a long-standing history and beautiful natural scenery including magnificent mountains and rivers. With its thousands of years of civilization and wide variety of ethnic groups and customs, it is rich in tourism resources as well as cuisine culture. Chinese culinary culture forms an integral part of the social system dating back to as early as the Xia Dynasty (traditionally dated 2205-1766 B.C.), Shang Dynasty (traditionally dated 1766-1122 B.C.) and Zhou Dynasty (traditionally dated 1122-221 B.C.). After several thousands years? development and improvement, Chinese cuisine has become a special part of the world?s food civilization.

?Eating? is an important component among the six elements of tourism - transportation, sightseeing, accommodation, eating, shopping and entertainment. Eating is one of China?s rich tourism resources. The culinary theme is destined to let tourists at home and abroad get a better understanding of Chinese food customs as they travel.

China is destined to make new and greater achievements in the 21st century. Tourism in China is geared to stay abreast of all such developments in the new era. At the start of the new century, China's tourist industry has introduced a new series of tours based on different themes such as Health & Fitness-China 2001, Folk Arts-China 2002 and Culinary Kingdom-China 2003.

(China.org.cn by Wang Zhiyong January 4, 2002)