[Sca-cooks] Needham VI:5 as a culinary source

[Volker Bach]

Am Freitag, 14. April 2006 00:11 schrieb marilyn traber 011221:
> > Salvete
> >
> > I was just idly wondering what the more knowledgeable ones out here
> > think of J-. Needham: Science and Civilisation in China; Food and
> > Fermentation Science as a resource for culinary recreation. I
> > realise he isn't trying to give recipes, but how well founded are
> > the translations of the ones he quotes? How reliable are the
> > transmission pathways?
> >
> > I've learned the hard way that current Chinese science isn't always
> > credible, but I can't judge this one.
> >
> > Giano
>
> I figured the best person to ask would be someone who reads the language,
> and is up to his ears in translations related to the topic, so here's Paul
> Buells comments on your post:
>
> If you are talking about the Huang volume, trust it. It is excellent,
> although I disagree with him about Doufu. There is a whole lot of stuff on
> fermentation, ferments, yeasts, etc., etc., in Chinese sources and I have
> personally reviewed and translated a goodly chunk of it for a forthcoming
> translation of a 14th century cookbook. Huang's translations are pedantic
> but quite accurate. This was his life's work. In general, however, distrust
> Science and Civilization. They tend to over-interpret the evidence and are
> willing to believe that claimed early sources are as early as claimed. The
> recently released medicine volume is particularly worthless. Sivin did his
> best to update it but it should never have been published. You also
> understand that the Needham people have ideological axes to grind which
> detracts from their work. Paul D. Buell

Thanks. It's pretty much what I feared. 

Giano


		
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