Abstract: The Dream of the Red Chamber is a masterpiece in literature as well as an encyclopedia of Chinese culture.Its rich and exquisite descriptions on diet are not only pictures of material culture,but also expressions of implicit culture.However,after sorting out ancient Chinese novels represented by the four great masterpieces,we find The Dream of the Red Chamber constructs a unique “game system” which is almost absent in the four masterpieces.On the contrary,illustrations about “home flavor” such as cattle and sheep are common in the latter while rare in the former.Game writing in The Dream of the Red Chamber is certainly related to CAO Xueqin's family life,but more importantly,it results from Manchu's food customs.With Manchu's accession to the Central Plains,their preference to game has also been integrated into Chinese cuisine culture.Because of the subtle identity of its author,The Dream of the Red Chamber becomes an artistic specimen to show this changing process.

Key words: The Dream of the Red Chamber, the four great masterpieces, civet, game, Manchu