Cooking with Li Jin

From a Chinese Classic

Article

No. 12 • December 2018

A parade of squid, tubers and lobsters marches across Li Jin’s drawn feast. You’ll also find the ways these ingredients are prepared: in calligraphy, Li Jin records recipes from Yuan Mei’s Suiyuan Shidan, a classic of Chinese cuisine.

Fig 1. Li Jin, Ode to Life

Text: Sarah Knigge

Yuan Mei (1716–1798) was an obsessive and fervent eater. According to the Chinese poet, food was one of nature’s most sensational gifts; to deny oneself its pleasures would be an insult. So whenever he encountered a spectacular meal, he would send his cook to recreate the dish. He then wrote out the recipe, adding his own commentary.

All those notes eventually led to a book, the Suiyuan Shidan, the first edition of which was printed in 1792. It became the great classic of Chinese gastronomy – a classic that inspired not only chefs but also artists. Among them Li Jin (b. 1958), who, like Yuan, shares a weakness for earthly pleasures. In his drawings of lavish banquets – in which he often appears himself, accompanied by voluptuous women – the centuries-old recipes reappear in Chinese calligraphy.

Now that Yuan’s exegesis has finally been translated into English, anyone can become versed in traditional Chinese cuisine. Or perhaps not: for some, the recipes in Recipes from the Garden of Contentment may feel like a bridge too far, with no listed measurements and an exceedingly concise method. So let us begin with a few essential do’s and don’ts. Because, as Yuan tells us, just as in science, we must first understand things before we can put them into practice.

Fig 2. Li Jin, Hive Center for Contemporary Art

YUAN’S DO’S AND DON’TS

Work only with the best ingredients. The quality of the dish is 60% determined by the chef and 40% by the person who buys the groceries.
Begin drinking only after the meal. If your guests are too drunk to speak, how can they discern flavors?
If your guests have drunk too much and become sluggish, serve sweet and sour food to give them a boost.
Always give compliments or constructive criticism to cooks. Otherwise, they will become lazy and indifferent.
Every ingredient has unique properties. Do not force or exaggerate these for personal gain (read: boasting about your cooking skills).
When your guests are almost full, serve spicy dishes to restart their appetite.