主食 (Zhǔshí): Why "Does It Come With Rice?" Is the Wrong Question

Ask for a Chinese meal in the West and someone will ask whether it comes with rice. In China, that question barely makes sense because depending on where you are, the answer might be hand-pulled noodles, a charred clay-oven flatbread, or a dense paste of roasted barley flour. This guide breaks down the staple foods Chinese people actually eat.