《gourmets alive》 is a 12-episode food culture documentary produced by CCTV Documentary Channel. Each episode is about 15 minutes long and will be first broadcast on April 29, 2022.This documentary uses four famous literary giants in history, Lu Xun, Su Shi, Cao Xueqin, and Bai Juyi as clues, and shows China's long-standing food culture through their indissoluble bond with food.

Lu Xun: The first three episodes go deep into Lu Xun's life, revealing that he was not only a profound thinker, but also a gourmet who loved life and especially liked sweets.From Shaoxing's hometown delicacies to Beijing's various delicacies, Mr. Lu Xun's table philosophy is demonstrated, such as fennel beans, drunken shrimps, crabs, etc., as well as his special preference for sweets.

Su Shi: The next three episodes focus on Su Shi, who is not only a literary giant, but also an avid lover of food. He calls himself “his life is busy”.From Dongpo Pork to Lychees, it records how he found the joy and philosophy of life in food, and how he used food to soothe his soul in the midst of displacement.

Cao Xueqin's Chapter: Through the dietary details in "Dream of Red Mansions", it shows Cao Xueqin's delicate description of food, from the feast of Jia's family to the simple food in his personal abject life, reflecting his life changes and yearning for a better life..

Bai Juyi Chapter: The last chapter tells the story of Bai Juyi's food. He recorded his life in poetry. Food and pain and joy coexist. From his love for bamboo shoots to various foods in life, it reflects his optimism in the face of adversity.

《gourmets alive》Through vivid scene reproductions, dialect dialogues, and modern Internet-style explanations, history and food are cleverly combined. It not only allows the audience to understand the eating habits of literary giants, but also explores in-depth through the medium of food.Their philosophy of life and background of the times.The documentary brings historical figures to life in a relaxed and humorous way, allowing the audience to feel the warmth and depth of history while enjoying food culture.

Mr.'s scent of morning flowers

The first episode of --gourmets alive- focuses on Mr. Lu Xun and is cleverly titled Mr. “'s Taste of Morning Flowers”.This episode digs deep into Lu Xun's childhood, using his collection of essays - Morning Blossoms Plucked at Dusk - to reveal the profound connection between the literary giant's spiritual power and his childhood memories.The program emphasized that even a great man like Lu Xun once had an innocent childhood.

Between the lines of "Morning Blossoms Picked Up at Dusk", Lu Xun's memories of his childhood are full of tenderness.The food and scenes in those memories, especially the flavor of his hometown, not only shaped his personality, but also deeply influenced his literary creation.

Through this episode, the audience can get a glimpse of Lu Xun's personal history and how he integrated his childhood emotions into his works, demonstrating the inextricable connection between food, personal growth and inner world.

The dining table philosophy of preparing for a rainy day

《gourmets alive》The second episode focuses on Lu Xun and is titled “Prepared Dinner Philosophy”.The content of this episode reveals Lu Xun's meticulous side in daily life, especially his frugal and practical philosophy in diet.

Although Lu Xun is famous for his literary achievements, his attitude towards life is also worth exploring.As a typical Shaoxing person, Lu Xun inherited the practical life wisdom of Shaoxing people and was good at preserving food to cope with possible difficult times.

Through Lu Xun's daily habits, especially his eating habits, this episode shows that he was not only profound in literature, but also unique in his philosophy of life, reflecting his emphasis on family and daily life.Through Lu Xun's study and dining table, the audience can get a glimpse of the ordinary and extraordinary life of this literary giant.

Lu Xun, the sweet-toothed fighter

《gourmets alive》The third episode is titled “Lu Xun's sweet-toothed fighter”, which explores Mr. Lu Xun's love for sweets in depth.

This collection uses rich historical materials and Lu Xun's personal narrative to show Lu Xun's preference for sweets at different stages of his life. Whether he was studying abroad, working and teaching, writing at home, or gathering with friends, sweets were indispensable.

The program listed in detail Lu Xun's favorite sweets, such as candy, lemon candy, banana candy, grapefruit candy, tin candies, raisins, yokan, cakes, etc. These foods not only reflect Lu Xun's personal tastes, but also reflect hisDelicate feelings and enjoyment of life.

Through this episode, the audience can learn about Lu Xun's pursuit of small blessings in life besides serious literary creation, and the consoling role that sweets played in his life.

In addition, Lu Xun’s preferred sobering dessert “三不stick” was also mentioned, further demonstrating his unique taste in food.Through the story of Lu Xun and sweets, this episode reveals the profound connection between food and personal emotions and living habits, as well as eating habits in a specific cultural background.

Lu Xun: A brave man who dares to eat crabs

《gourmets alive》The title of the fourth episode is “Lu Xun: The Warrior Who Dare to Eat Crabs”.

This episode delves into Mr. Lu Xun's special preference for crabs and how this food became a unique symbol in his life and literary creation.Through Lu Xun's works and life narratives, the program revealed that his love for crabs not only reflected his love for life and his brave attempts to try new things, but also symbolized Lu Xun's spirit of daring to challenge tradition and not being afraid of difficulties.

At that time, Lu Xun's behavior of eating crabs could be seen as a breakthrough against convention, just like the pioneering spirit he displayed in his literary and social comments.By telling the story of Lu Xun and crabs, this episode not only demonstrates his unique insights into food, but also reflects the boldness of Lu Xun's character and his pursuit of free thought.

Through the window of food, the audience can more fully understand Lu Xun's philosophy of life and the spirit of the times, as well as how food can become a bridge between personal experience and cultural inheritance.

Su Shi: The soul of poetry in the taste

《gourmets alive》The fifth episode of the first season focuses on “Su Shi: The soul of poetry is in the taste”, and deeply explores the indissoluble bond between this literary giant of the Song Dynasty and food.

This episode introduces in detail that Su Shi not only had great achievements in literature, but was also a gourmet, and there were many descriptions of food in his poems.

Su Shi’s love for food is reflected in his exploration of ingredients and unique insights into cooking, especially his deep affection for the cuisine of his hometown of Sichuan.

The program shows how Su Shi incorporated his eating experience in life into his poems, such as the origin of Dongpo meat, and how he adapted to local conditions during his relegation to create a series of Dongpo dishes that are still popular today.

Through Su Shi's food stories, the audience can see his optimistic attitude towards life and profound cultural heritage, as well as how to convey emotions and philosophical thinking through food.

Through Su Shi's food life, this episode shows the wonderful interaction between food and literary creation, and how a literati found the joy of life and artistic inspiration through the exploration of taste buds.

Open up a new world of ingredients

《gourmets alive》The sixth episode of the first season is titled Su Shi: Opening a New World of Ingredients. This episode delves into the Song Dynasty writer Su Shi's innovative use of ingredients and his contribution to food culture.In the Song Dynasty, Lingnan (today's Guangdong) was regarded as a remote place, but Su Shi's experience of being relegated made him a food explorer.

Facing the unique local ingredients, Su Shi not only did not feel uncomfortable, but with an open mind and the feelings of a poet, he integrated these ingredients into his own dietary life and even created new dishes.

In the program, through historical documents and Su Shi's poems, it was shown how he discovered and appreciated local specialties such as lychees and oranges in Huizhou, Danzhou and other places during his exile, and how he recorded these food experiences in poetry., If you eat three hundred lychees a day, you will become a Lingnan native.

Su Shi's attitude towards life not only reflects his love for life, but also shows how he integrated food with local culture and influenced future generations' exploration of food ingredients and the inheritance of food culture.

Through Su Shi's story, the audience can appreciate the Song Dynasty literati's life philosophy and unique insights into food, as well as how to find the beauty of life in adversity.

Su Shi: The gourmet who is never lonely

《gourmets alive》The seventh episode of the first season, titled “Su Shi: The Gourmet Who Never Lonely”, focuses specifically on Su Shi's life in Danzhou, showing that he still maintained his spirit even during the difficult period of being exiled.Optimistic and undiminished love for food.

During the Northern Song Dynasty, the environment in Danzhou was difficult, but Su Shi's open-minded character enabled him to discover and enjoy the local customs, especially the food.Through Su Shi's poems and historical records, this episode depicts how he tasted Danzhou's special foods, such as seafood, tropical fruits, etc., with local residents, and how he used his wisdom and poetry to transform these experiences into immortal literature.work.

Su Shi's life in Danzhou not only reflects his happy-go-lucky life philosophy, but also shows how he communicates deeply with local culture through food and uses food as a bridge to shorten the distance with the people.

Through Su Shi's food stories, the program conveys the profound theme of finding joy in life and cultural resonance even in adversity. It shows Su Shi's dual identity as a gourmet and literary giant, and how he finds inspiration and comfort in food., and thus never be alone.

Cao Xueqin: My childhood was wonderful in every way, I still remember the smell of duck meat

《gourmets alive》The eighth episode of the first season, titled “Cao Xueqin: Childhood was good in every way, but I still remember the fragrance of duck meat”, tells an in-depth story about the Qing Dynasty writer Cao Xueqin's childhood memories of food.

This episode uses Cao Xueqin's life and descriptions in "A Dream of Red Mansions" to show his special preference for duck meat. This not only reflects the food culture of the Jinling (now Nanjing) area, but also reflects the wealth and beauty of Cao Xueqin's early life..

In the program, the audience can learn how Cao Xueqin delicately depicts dishes such as steamed duck with fermented rice wine, duck meat porridge, goosefoot duck and other dishes in "Dream of Red Mansions". These not only show his passion for foodSensitivity and taste also reveal his nostalgia for the good old days.

Through these food narratives, the program explores how food serves as a link between the past and present, as well as personal emotions and cultural heritage.Cao Xueqin's childhood memories, especially the delicacies related to duck meat, have become an indispensable element in his literary creation, reflecting his delicate observation and deep emotions of life.

Through the perspective of food, this episode allows the audience to get a glimpse of the cultural background behind "Dream of Red Mansions" and Cao Xueqin's personal emotional world, as well as the unique position of food in literary creation.

Cao Xueqin: Food and friends are the only things you can’t live up to

《gourmets alive》The ninth episode of the first season, entitled “Cao Xueqin: Only food and friends can't live up”, focuses on how Cao Xueqin uses food and friendship as spiritual comfort after life changes.

This episode shows Cao Xueqin's optimistic attitude towards life and cherishment of friendship by telling how he never forgets to share delicious food despite poverty.

Cao Xueqin not only depicts rich banquet scenes in Dream of Red Mansions, but in real life, he is also good at discovering the small blessings in life, especially through cooking and sharing delicious food to enhance connections with friends.

Through historical materials and food descriptions in "Dream of Red Mansions", the program reveals how Cao Xueqin integrated his love for food into his daily life and used food as a medium to interact with people, reflecting his open-mindedness in finding the joy of life even in adversity.character.

The audience can feel that food is not only a food to satisfy their hunger, but also a bridge for emotional communication and an important link to maintain interpersonal relationships in difficult times.

Cao Xueqin's story encourages people to cherish the good things in life, such as food and friendship, even in the face of difficulties. These are rare wealth in life.

Cao Xueqin: Good food is valuable, but the ideal price is higher

《gourmets alive》The tenth episode of the first season, entitled “Cao Xueqin: Good food is precious, the ideal price is higher”, which deeply explores Cao Xueqin's life philosophy and his love for food.

This episode uses Cao Xueqin's life experience, especially his transformation from wealth to poverty, to show how he found the joy of life in adversity, especially through homemade creative snacks to express his pursuit of a better life.

The program emphasized that although Cao Xueqin experienced the decline of his family, this life experience of prosperity and decline inspired him to create "Dream of Red Mansions".In "A Dream of Red Mansions", Cao Xueqin delicately depicts various delicacies, which are not only a reflection of the food culture at that time, but also symbolize the emotions and destiny of the characters.

Through the story of Cao Xueqin and food, this episode explores the importance of maintaining ideals and creative enthusiasm in difficulties, and how food becomes a part of his spiritual world.

Cao Xueqin's philosophy of life tells us that even in times of material scarcity, the pursuit of beautiful things and persistence in ideals are the most precious wealth in life.

Through the perspective of food, the audience can have a deeper understanding of Cao Xueqin's literary achievements and his philosophy of life.

Bai Juyi: Peace of mind is home

《gourmets alive》The eleventh episode of the first season, titled “Bai Juyi: Peace of Mind is Home”, focuses on the life philosophy of Bai Juyi, the great poet of the Tang Dynasty, and his unique insights into food.

This episode uses Bai Juyi's poems and life to show how he found inner peace and satisfaction through simple diet at different stages of life.There are many descriptions of daily diet in Bai Juyi's poems. The simple life and lofty aspirations he advocated are discussed in depth in this episode.

By analyzing Bai Juyi's "After Eat" and other poems, the program reveals how he found the joy of life and philosophical thinking in ordinary diet, and emphasized the importance of peace of mind for personal happiness.

Bai Juyi's view on food reflects his transcendent pursuit of material things. Even under simple conditions, he can appreciate the true meaning of life through a bowl of porridge and a plate of vegetables.

Through the story of Bai Juyi, this episode conveys that no matter what environment you are in, maintaining peace of mind and satisfaction is the most real happiness in life.

Bai Juyi's attitude towards life encourages people to find the beauty of simple life in a busy and complex world, and to find spiritual solace in food.

Lu Xun: Deep Thoughts at the Dinner Table

《gourmets alive》The twelfth episode of the first season, titled %Lu Xun: Thoughts at the Dinner Table, provides an in-depth exploration of Mr. Lu Xun's dietary life and his ideological world.

This episode reveals Lu Xun's unique insights into food and the cultural reflections behind them through his daily life and works.Lu Xun was not only a literary giant, but also a wise man in life. His eating habits reflected his keen observation and critical spirit of social reality.

The program shows how Lu Xun reflected his criticism of social injustice and his deep affection for his family through the sharing of food and his frugal lifestyle at a simple dining table.Through the descriptions in works such as "Morning Blossoms Picked Up at Dusk", the audience can see how Lu Xun closely connected the memory of food with the emotions of childhood, family and hometown.

Lu Xun's dining table is not only a place for eating, but also a battlefield for thinking. Through the description of daily meals, he metaphors social inequality and the complexity of human nature.Lu Xun's philosophy of life is to find extraordinary meaning in ordinary food, encourage people to keep thinking in their daily lives, and use food as a window to understand society and themselves.

Through the story of Lu Xun, this episode draws a profound conclusion to the first season, emphasizing the profound connection between food and culture, personal experience and social change.