[Sca-cooks] Sugar in China?

[Stefan li Rous]

  IAdamantius mentioned:
<<< It's commonly used as a pastry filling today, like marzipan, but  
it's
also sweetened. I'm not sure if the product referred to in ASftQ is
freshly made, or preserved with salt and/or sugar. >>>

Which made me wonder about something.

We've talked about sugar and sugar refining before and its  
progression from southeast Asia to Europe.

When did the Chinese start refining and using sugar?

Thanks,
     Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
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