The history of soup in China might be as old as the history of cooking. Chinese soup has always been an important part of Chinese food culture. It is considered to be one of the most nutritious and digestible food types.
Since in China, soups are eaten as one of the main dishes in a meal, particular attention is attached to the soup's stock. Meat, bones, eggs, seafood, vegetables, fruits, cereals and edible fungi are used as stock. Below are some names of soups taken from across China.
There is a wide variety of Chinese soup. However, it can be generally be divided into two main categories: thin soups — made with clear broth and cooked quickly, and thick soups — cooked more slowly with all the stocks added together at once, often with starches added as a thickener near the end of the cooking process.
It's an ancient tradition to treat a cold or fever with soup. In addition to its ability to comfort, it is believed that certain soups have healing powers. Many soups are consumed for their flavor, as well as for their restorative or invigorating effects. This is heavily linked with traditional Chinese medicine.
Chinese Soup Menu
| English | Chinese | Pronunciation | Characters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiled Mutton Soup | qīngdùn yángròu tāng | Ching-dwnn yang-roh tung | 清炖羊肉汤 |
| Winter Melon Spare Rib Soup | dōngguā páigǔ tāng | Gong-gwaa peye-goo tung | 冬瓜排骨汤 |
| Lotus Seed and Pork Tripe Soup | liánzǐ zhūdù tāng | Lyen-dzrr joo-doo tung | 莲子猪肚汤 |
| Black Chicken Soup | wūjī tāng | Woo-jee tung | 乌鸡汤 |
| Stewed Chicken Soup | dùn jītāng | Dwnn jee tung | 炖鸡汤 |
| Lotus Seed Old Duck Soup | liánzǐ lǎo yā tāng | Lyen-dzrr laoww yaa tung | 莲子老鸭汤 |
| Pigeon Soup | rǔ gē tāng | Roo ger tung | 乳鸽汤 |
| Carp Soup | jìyú tāng | Jee-yoo tung | 鲫鱼汤 |
| Fish Head Soup | yútóu tāng | Yoo-toh tung | 鱼头汤 |
| Fish Head and Tofu Soup | yú tóu dòufu tāng | Yoo-toh doh-foo tung | 鱼头豆腐汤 |
| Clam and Mustard Leaf Soup | gélí jiècài tāng | Ger-lee jyeah-tseye tung | 蛤蜊芥菜汤 |
| Seaweed and Egg Soup | zǐcài dànhuā tāng | Dzrr-tseye dan-hwaa-tung | 紫菜蛋花汤 |
Travel with China Highlights and Taste Delicious Chinese Food
Enjoying Chinese food in a local restaurantIf you want to plan a trip in China to taste authentic Chinese food, China Highlights can help you! See our most popular Chinese food tour below, for inspiration:
- 12-Day Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, and Hong Kong Cuisine Tour — explore the most popular cities and savor local Chinese food in each.
Or you can contact us and we can tailor-make a Chinese food tour for you based on your needs and wants.