China's foodways began to take shape at the end of the last Ice Age. The glacial period was extremely cold and dry. As it broke, from 15,000 to 8000 B.C.E., conditions rapidly ameliorated. By 10,000 B.C.E., China was becoming warmer and wetter. Plant growth increased, making agricultural innovation more reasonable. As in the Near East at the same time, agriculture seems to have followed rapidly—stimulated, presumably, by increases in population, environmental productivity, trade, and communication.

Rice (Oryza sativa) was domesticated in the Yangzi Valley by 8000 B.C.E. By 5000–6000 B.C.E., it was abundant, and modern varieties had emerged: the long-grain "indica" types, the short-grain, tougher "japonicas," and probably the sticky rices. (These latter, miscalled "glutinous," are sticky because of a mutant form of the starch amylose.) Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) was domesticated farther north, by 6000 B.C.E....