An interesting movement, as far as food consumption is concerned, began during the Ching dynasty (1644-1911). Corporate organizations flourished, from the lowest levels (poor family groups) to the more powerful levels (merchants and officials), whose members lived in Beijing (Peking), far from their native places. In their own meeting places, they pooled their resources and could dine on their own regional foods, thus preserving local customs and tastes. In this way, the capital became a melting pot of many regional dishes that later became known as Imperial Cuisine.
