Its menu, organized according to the canonical model, starchy, focuses on the consumption of a portion of cereals. The names of the three main meals: zaofan, zhongfan, wanfan, which literally mean "morning cooked cereal, midday cereal, evening cereal," clearly illustrate their essential function.
The way the menu is structured, which is imposed on diners and does not allow for any initiative on their part, is a social act that involves sharing (with family or in a group) the collective dishes served along with the flour (for example, rice) that is divided into individual bowls. It is precisely the act of "eating to live" that enables the renewal of work energy through cereal intake.
However, the duration of the day is not only marked by the regular hours of the three meals. The consumption of food between meals is not aimed at "nourishing," but is regarded as a pleasure for the palate.
The "small foods" (xiaochi), such as soups, pancakes, sweets, jellies, cookies, crepes, etc., sold by street vendors, symbolize gluttony and participate in the sphere of "eating for pleasure." Their consumption is free of any particular rules.
The diner not only liberates themselves from all limitations, free to indulge in what they like, alone or with company, but also more often imposes their personal taste since these "small foods" are often presented in different versions: sweet, savory, with broth, spicy or not, hot or cold, etc. The only guide is, therefore, the appetite and the mood of those who eat for their own pleasure.
