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Secret Dining Rituals of China's Forbidden City!

Amimisu

157,371 views

Ever wondered how Qing Dynasty Chinese emperors dined behind the palace walls? 🍽️ Throughout Chinese history, imperial meals were more than just meals: they were a spectacle of power, tradition, and even danger! From extravagant 100 course feasts to poison testing with silver, the emperor’s dining table was filled with luxury and hidden risks.
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This video reveals the fascinating secrets of royal dining etiquette in ancient China! 👑
🔸 Why did the emperor always eat alone?
🔸 How did concubines’ meals reflect their status in the harem?
🔸 What happened to the massive amounts of leftover food?
🔸 Why was food poisoning a real threat in the palace?

From the Qing Dynasty's grand feasts to the imperial concubines' secret struggles, this is the untold story of the Forbidden City’s dining rituals!

00:00 - Introduction
00:29 - The Rituals of Eating in the Chinese Imperial Court
01:25 - Unique Roles At Imperial Mealtime
02:54 - Shockingly Large Meal Portions
04:54 - Only Three Bites of Everything?
07:25 - A Tradition of Grand Feasts

✨ If you love history, ancient China, or royal mysteries, don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE!

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Disclaimer: Visuals used in this video are for reference/illustrative purposes and are not intended as accurate historical depictions.

#chinesefood #etiquette #ChineseHistory #QingDynasty #manners

20 Comments

@EugWanker 1 year ago

About 35-40 years ago, my father was invited to a dinner in China by a friend. The place, a tiny hole in the wall, was booked months in advance. It had only one table with only one sitting per evening... because that one sitting consisted of 99 dishes and there was only one very elderly person working there, the chef. It turns out the chef was one of the last surviving cooks for the last emperor. My father said it was one of the most memorable meals he had ever had, especially considering he was a historian.

@Adrianefan68259 1 year ago

It feels so sad that everyone basically had to eat separately in the palace, but it really exemplifies just how much fear and distrust there was, and how priority number one was always survival.

@TechBearSeattle 1 year ago (edited)

Regarding the use of silver needles: as I recall, the most common poisons historically used in China contained sulfides. Sulfur combines quickly with silver, producing a black tarnish. Arsenic compounds can do this too, although the reaction is slower. So using a silver needle as a poison detector was not all that far-fetched.

@jayleevt 1 year ago

I feel like every single thing that happened in the forbidden city was a "display of power, tradition, and politics" haha

@elizabethdavis1696 1 year ago

Please consider doing a video about traditional Chinese courtyard houses😊

@kamanama3671 1 year ago

so essentially, everybody ate cold food, except the Empress dowager and the emperor?

@hanhlong3294 1 year ago

Now I have more insight why my Chinese mother-inlaw wouldn't let me eat in peace at family gatherings. She wanted to be a royal wannabe

@Annalouge-Fauxhone 1 year ago

I ALWAYS wondered about the food waste. Because I knew they were given so much food. Maybe you can do a video on the clothing and their meanings!?!

@jant4741 1 year ago

Food taster— a job to die for…

@vortex162 1 year ago

I wonder how the silver was obtained in order to keep up the annual overheads in the Palace? They must have extensive silver mining going on. Not to mention the paying for these mega structures being build.

@jaxkdexter 1 year ago

I'm re-watching the Apothecary Diaries and the info from these videos go along so well with better understanding life inside the imperial palace. TY!

@PuffinPsychologist 1 year ago (edited)

I think a video about palace layout and format would be cool. Or a generalized palace day to day routine. Where the emperor’s chambers would be located, where eunuch’s quarters were, where concubines areas were, maids, etc. Also how many were often grouped. Generalized information about how everyone stayed and lived together and had their day to day life. Just a thought.

@grace-vm5gm 1 year ago

I m so obssesed with imperial chinese culture

@Hailey-mx4kc 1 year ago

So happy you posted. I love your videos. I am a big fan of Tudor and medieval Europe history but you are helping me broaden my horizons and learn more about history from other parts of the world. And I believe China is one of the oldest dynasties in the world so there’s lots to look forward to learning about 😊

@King-Of-Hearts144 1 year ago

120 dishes per meal 😮 what 😮

@silentautisticdragon-kp9sw 1 year ago

It's really interesting to do this sort of research after I've watched multiple palace dramas; there are things that all of them consistently get wrong!

@sunis9614 1 year ago

This is very good information. In my opinion, dining/meal/food/banquet is one of the most, if not the most, important affair for the Emperor and your video shows the wisdom of the Chinese and grace of past Chinese leaders/Emperors. Nothing is too much or extravagant when it comes to the Chinese Emperor and the royal family's meal but only worry that it may be too less or not good enough.