Everlasting Luoyang Water Banquet 千年不散的筵席 洛阳水席

“水席”是洛阳特有的地方风味菜肴，它风味独特，选料十分讲究，烹制认真精细，味道鲜美多样，口感舒适爽利，和龙门石窟、洛阳牡丹并称洛阳三绝。是中国迄今所保留下来的历史最久远的名筳之一，距今已有一千多年的历史。

Shui Xi, or Water Banquet, is a set of dishes in Luoyang. With carefully seleced materials, strict cooking procedures, diverse dishes, and unique flavors, the Water Banquet is considered one of the Three Wonders of Luoyang, with the other two being the Luoyang peony and the Longmen Grottoes. It is one of the famous existent Chinese banquets and boasts a history of over one thousand years.

传说隋唐时期，为获取上流社会的支持，僧尼们潜心研制精美的素食斋饭，款待颇有地位的施主。王公贵族吃腻了鸡鸭鱼肉山珍海味，乍吃素食，倍觉清爽，味道新鲜，于是这素食汤菜和制作方法被带入宫中，传播到上流社会，经过改进加工，配上山珍海味，开始登上宫廷和官场的大雅之堂。随后一些讲究排场，摆阔气的庶民百姓又把这素食荤做的汤菜搬到民间的筳席上，这就是洛阳水席的起源和雏形。

It is said that in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, in order to obtain sponsorship from the aristocracy, Buddhist monks and nuns were devoted to the development of exquisite vegetarian dishes to entertain aristocratic donors. Bored with delicacies of various meats, the aristocratic donors found the vegetarian dishes refreshing. Then the recipes of the vegetarian dishes were brought to the imperial palace. After improvement and alteration, the vegetarian dishes were put on the tables of the court and the official circles together with other delicacies. Later, the common people who like to parade their wealth brought the vegetarian dishes to banquets for the common people. This is how the Water Banquet came into being.

所谓“水席”，有两层含义。一是以汤水见长，二是吃一道换一道，一道道上，像流水一般，故名“水席”。

There are two reasons for the name Water Banquet. One is that all the dishes are soupy. The other reason lies in the serving procedure. The dishes are served and then removed in order from the beginning to the end. The dishes are served only when the previous one is finished and removed, simulating the stream-like processing. The procedure is as smooth as flowing water.

洛阳水席全席二十四道菜，即八个冷盘、四个大件、四个压桌菜。其上菜顺序是：席面上先摆四荤四素八凉菜，接着上四个大菜，每上一个大菜，带两个中菜，名曰“带子上朝”。第四个大菜上甜菜甜汤，后上主食，接着四个压桌菜，最后送上一道“送客汤”。二十四道连菜带汤，章法有序，毫不紊乱。

There are in total 24 dishes, namely 8 cold dishes, 4 big dishes, 8 smaller dishes, and 4 end dishes. First, 8 cold dishes, which includes 4 vegetable dishes and 4 meat dishes, are served as accompaniments to drinks. Then the 4 big dishes and 8 smaller dishes are served. These 12 dishes are divided into 4 groups, and each group contains 3 dishes. There is a big dish in each group, followed by two smaller dishes as side dishes. This is called "going to empire court with sons". The fourth big dish is sweet vegetable and sweet soup, followed by rice or noodles. At last, four "end dishes" are served. The last end dish is the Farewell Soup, indicating all dishes have been served. The dishes are always served exactly in this order.

“真命天子假燕窝”，这指的是水席的另一特点——素菜荤做，以假代真。水席中有名的“洛阳燕菜”、“假海参”等，都是民间普通的萝卜、粉条、但经厨师妙手烹制后，便脱胎换骨，唯美异常，如奇花绽放，让人叫绝。

The saying “predestined emperor and fake swallow's nest” implies that the Water Banquet includes fake meat dishes cooked with vegetables. The famous Luoyang Nest, Fake Sea Cucumber and so on are made of turnip, vermicelli and other ordinary materials which take stunning shape after being processed and cooked by cooks with their superb skills.

在水席上，爱吃冷食的人可以找到适合自己的凉菜，爱吃酸辣菜的人，水席菜能让你辣的冒汗，酸的生津。有人喜食甜食，第四组菜足以让人吃得可口。水席独到之处是汤水多，赴宴人菜汤交替食用，能使人感到肠胃舒适，菜虽多胃口不腻。看到鸡蛋汤上桌，了解当地风俗的人都知道，24道菜已全部上完，这碗送客汤说明水席到了尾声，宾主皆大欢喜，纷纷起身离席。

At the banquet, people who love cold food will find desirable cold dishes; sour and spicy dish lovers will find themselves sweating; and the sweet-toothed will love the fourth group of dishes. The Water Banquet is featured by soups. With vegetable and soup in turn, guests will feel comfortable. When the egg soup, the Farewell Soup, is served, guests familiar with local custom know all dishes have been served and the banquet has come to its end, and they will leave the table contentedly.

有人说洛阳水席的汤，就像一段舒缓有致的音乐，开始时味道淡淡的，然后加进点麻辣，再加糖变成甜咸味，再来醋的酸……几碗之后只能用“爽快”来形容。

As someone said, the soup of the Water Banquet is just like a piece of music; it tastes slight at first, then a little hot, a little spicy, and sweet, and sour… One can just describe it as “cool”.

洛阳水席以其独特的风味、精湛的技艺、逼真的造型、美好的传说、渊源的文化积淀而引起轰动，被称作有洛阳古都地方特色的一朵奇葩。

With unique flavors, superb skills, vivid appearances, enchanting legends and rich culture, the Water Banquet became renowned all over China and it is reputed as a treasure of the ancient capital Luoyang.