Chinese cooks pay particular attention to fire temperature to bring out certain flavors. They have known the importance of this even since ancient times. The eight delicacies of Ritual of Zhou call for stewing, braising or simmering over a slow, small fire for a long time. A proper fire means a delicious dish. Generally speaking, raw food should be cooked over a small fire for a long time as it is cut in large pieces. Raw food cut in small pieces is cooked over a high flame, on the other hand, on a form of frying or stir-frying. There are several other cooking methods to use, depending on the dishes to be prepared. Instead of the common everyday pot, a special pot is sometimes used. It is sealed before being placed over the fire. Usually the cooking period lasts for a fairly long time, and the ingredients smell good and make eating exciting.

This article by Yang Tianqing and Daniel Kister.