The cooking skills employed in the Hunan cuisine reached a high standard as early as the Western Han Dynasty, giving it a history of more than 2100 years. Hunan is located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Making full use of the rich resources, local people created a wide variety of delicacies. Its food is characterized by hot and sour flavor, fresh aroma, greasiness, deep color and the prominence of the main flavor in each dish.

Cooking methods include stewing, simmering, curing, steaming, stir-frying, frying, and quick frying. The flavors are pungent, chili, fresh and fragrant, and thickly fragrant.