本書探討華人飲食文化向四鄰發展的歷程，書中蒐集了來自臺灣、美國、日本、韓國、馬來西亞、印尼等國學者的多篇英日文學術研究著作，其中多位作者為移民或移民後代，他們在所收錄的文章中展現了其自身經驗與社會觀察的獨特觀點。其他的篇幅，則是從非移民者的角度，審視不同的飲食文化如何隨移民進入某個國家後，又如何與當地的環境融合與再造，從而創造新的國家飲食文化特色。全書提供了不同文化的多元觀點。
內容分成三個部分進行論述：第一個部分是中華飲食文化向東方的發展，包括多篇日本學者關於中國料理在日本的發展與變遷之研究；第二個部分是討論向東方（韓國）、南方與西方的傳播；第三個部分則著重於中華飲食文化在東南亞各國及澳洲的面貌。此外，又於書後編列索引，便於讀者快速尋找所需的資料。
本書以英文為主要語言，並將多篇日文論文翻譯成英文，可借重來自世界各地的不同觀點，啟發國內學者的新思維；同時也藉此將飲食文化研究的重要意涵，推展至世界舞臺。
Introduction David Y.H. WU 1
Part I Eastward March
1. lntroduclon of Chinese Cuisine to Japan during the Twentieth Century
Naomichi ISHIGE 13
2. The History of Ramen
Nuomichi ISHIGE
3. How the Japanese Accepted and changed Chinese Culinary Culture: A Look at the History of Chinese Cuisine’s Acceptance In Japan
Ayao OKUMURA 37
4. The History of Togashi (a Type of Confectionery) in the Nara Period:Changes of Dianxin in The Tang Dynasty from a Japanese Perspective
Yasuhiro OTA 55
5. On Chinese “Hsien WeP”
Tokiko NAKAYAMA 85
6. Comparative Study on the Japanese and Chinese Preference for Chicken Bouillon and Dried Bonito Stock
Kazuyo KONO 103
Part II South, East, and Westward March
7. Improvising Chinese Cuisine Overseas
David Y.H. IVU 131
8. Sichuan, Beijing, and Zhonghua in Chinese Restaurants in Korea:Local Specialty and Consumption of Imagination
Kwang-ok KIM 145
9. Chinese Cuisine and Chinese Restaurants in America: An Anthropological Study
Bernard WONG 159
10. Chinese Food: Changes for Eaters and Eateries
Jacqueline M. NEWMAN 171
Part III Marching South
11. Chinese Peranakan Food and Symbolism in Malaysia
TAN Chee-beng 201
12. Old Recipes, New Meals, the Localization of Chinese Food in Indonesia
Myra SIDHARTA 231
13. Chinese Street Food: A Legacy of Unique Food Culture in Penang
SOO Khin-wah 243
14. Translated Space/Translated Identity: Landscapes of Chinese Food in a Sydney Street
Jeannie MARTIN 261
15. The History and Politics of Malaysian and Taiwanese “National Cuisine”
Michael H.H. HSIAO & LIM Khay-thiong 297
Index 335
