1．如果某人说“我喜欢中国菜”，这种说法似乎过于简单了。
If you hear someone say “I like Chinese food”, he is taking too much for granted.
2．其实并不存在所谓的“中国菜”这一简单的概念。
As a matter of fact, there is no such simple thing as the so-called “Chinese food”.
3．确切的说法应该是喜欢某一种菜系，或者喜欢某一地区的中国菜。
A more accurate statement in this instance should be such that expresses one’s preference for a particular Chinese cuisine or a particular regional way of cooking.
4．像中国这样幅员辽阔、历史悠久而又复杂的国家，千百年来必然会形成具有鲜明地方烹饪特色的区域性菜系或帮菜。
With a territory as large and a history as long and complex as China’s, it is inevitable that distinct regional differences in cuisine have evolved over the course of centuries.
5．这种不可避免的差异是由地理位置、气候条件、交通状况、人口迁移、 海外文化影响等因素所决定的。
Numerous factors are involved in this inevitable distinction: geography, climate, transportation, migration, influence from overseas cultures, etc.
6．虽然中国究竟有多少种地方菜系并无定论，但是有关人士认为，中国有 山东菜、四川菜、粤（广东）菜和扬州菜等四大地方菜系。福建-台湾菜通 常被列为第五种地方菜系。
Although there is no agreement on the precise number of Chinese regional cuisine, those concerned with such matters agree that the four principal culinary regions are Shandong, Sichuan, Canton(Guangdong) and Yangzhou, with Fujian-Taiwan most commonly listed as a fifth.
7．必须指出，这种区域划分并无严格的地理界线。
It should be pointed out that these designations are not hard and fast geographical boundaries.
8．北京菜虽属山东菜系，却也融入了一些四川菜的特色，并受到蒙古菜的 影响。
Beijing food, for instance, falls within the realm of Shandong cooking, but includes some Sichuan dishes and Mongolian-influenced specialties.
9．又如，扬州菜系的范围，覆盖了汇集无锡、苏州、上海和杭州等菜式、 人口居住稠密的整个长江三角洲地区。
while the cuisine of the entire densely populated Yangtze River delta area, including Wuxi, Suzhou, Shanghai and Hangzhou dishes, falls under the category of Yangzhou cuisine.
10．由于地方菜系之间存在着频频交覆现象，以及相互借鉴的情况，人们因 而认为，区分地方菜系最为简便的方法是按菜的知名度，而不是按菜的烹调 风格或口味进行辨别。
The frequent overlapping and borrowing that take place among the regional cuisine leads one to the conclusion that they are most conveniently distinguished by their famous dishes, rather than by any prevailing style or taste.
