Wu wei (五味, the five flavors) is the ancient Chinese framework for understanding flavor — sourness (suan, 酸), sweetness (tian, 甜), bitterness (ku, 苦), spiciness (la, 辣), and saltiness (xian, 咸) — that predates Western culinary theory and overlaps with but is not identical to the modern scientific concept of the five basic tastes (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami). In Chinese culinary and medical tradition, the five flavors correspond to the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water), the five organs (liver, heart, spleen, lungs, kidneys), and the five seasons (spring, summer, late summer, autumn, winter). The balance of the five flavors in a meal is both a culinary and a health consideration.
The sourness (suan) tradition: Chinkiang vinegar (Zhenjiang black vinegar) — mellow, complex, fermented black vinegar from Jiangsu. White rice vinegar — lighter, cleaner. Citrus — specifically preserved lemons, fresh lime, and Chinese citrus varieties. Fermentation-derived sourness (from preserved vegetables, pickled preparations). The sweetness (tian) tradition: Rock sugar (bing tang, 冰糖) — preferred over white sugar in braises and red cooking for its mellow, complex sweetness. Maltose (mai ya tang) — used for glazing roast meats. The natural sweetness of root vegetables (lotus root, carrot) used in long-cooked preparations. The spiciness (la) tradition: Regional variation is extreme — from Sichuan's mala (numbing-spicy), to Hunan's direct chilli heat, to Cantonese's minimal spice, to the absence of chilli in Jiangnan refined cooking. The bitterness (ku): Bitter melon (ku gua, 苦瓜) — stir-fried or stuffed, the bitterness balanced by fermented black beans. Bitter vegetables (gai lan, chrysanthemum greens) used in seasonal preparations.
Fuchsia Dunlop, Invitation to a Banquet (2023); Fuchsia Dunlop, Every Grain of Rice (2012)