Reading Notes -Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste

Bourdieu, P. (2010) Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. London: Routledge Classics.

English Verison

Bourdieu’s Distinction is a milestone in sociology and cultural studies. He argues that “taste” is not a matter of individual preference but a mechanism of social differentiation. Through extensive empirical research, Bourdieu shows how different social classes engage in distinct cultural consumption patterns. For example, upper classes tend to favor “high culture” such as opera, classical music, and fine art, while working-class groups prefer more functional and accessible forms of culture, such as everyday food and entertainment. These differences illustrate how cultural capital is distributed and how cultural consumption serves to maintain social hierarchies.

His analysis of food is particularly relevant to my research. Bourdieu demonstrates that dietary practices are not merely about nutrition or pleasure but act as markers of status and group belonging. For instance, elite groups in Paris use refined cuisine as a way of signaling exclusivity, while working-class families emphasize communal meals as a form of solidarity. Such examples highlight how food becomes central to identity formation.

In my interventions, Chengdu’s food culture—such as hotpot, teahouses, and Zhong dumplings—emerged as the most widely agreed-upon cultural symbols. This aligns with Bourdieu’s theory: food acts as a shared form of cultural capital, a “common language” that cuts across class boundaries and defines collective identity. By contrast, intangible heritage such as Shu embroidery or shadow puppetry was often dismissed by participants as too unfamiliar, underscoring its weaker role in everyday life.

Thus, Distinction provides a theoretical framework for understanding why food occupies such a central position in Chengdu’s cultural identity. It clarifies how cultural choices reflect not only personal taste but also broader dynamics of social power and symbolic capital, offering critical insight into why food, rather than intangible heritage, serves as the most potent symbol of Chengdu.

Chinese Version

布迪厄的《区分》是社会学与文化研究领域的里程碑。他在书中提出“品味”并非个人选择，而是一种社会区分的机制。通过大量的实证研究，布迪厄展示了不同社会阶层在文化消费上的差异。例如，上层阶级更倾向于欣赏“高雅艺术”，如古典音乐、歌剧和绘画，而工人阶层则更倾向于选择直接、功能性强的消费，如食物或娱乐活动。这些差异反映了阶层之间文化资本的分配方式，也说明了文化消费如何维持社会结构。

书中对饮食文化的分析尤其与我的研究相关。布迪厄指出，饮食选择不仅是口味偏好，更是社会地位与群体归属的象征。例如，巴黎上层社会可能偏好精致的法餐，以此维持身份的独特性，而工人阶层则通过家庭聚餐或日常饮食来强化群体的凝聚力。这些案例揭示了饮食文化在身份建构中的核心地位。

在我的研究中，成都的饮食文化（如火锅、茶馆、钟水饺）成为参与者普遍认可的城市符号。这正印证了布迪厄的理论：饮食是一种共享的文化资本，能够跨越不同阶层，成为城市身份的“公共语言”。相比之下，非物质文化遗产（如蜀绣或皮影戏）对多数参与者来说过于陌生，因此未能被广泛认同。这说明在成都的当下文化语境中，饮食符号不仅是生活经验的体现，更是社会共识与文化资本的集中体现。

因此，《区分》为我提供了一个理论框架：为什么食物在成都身份的建构中处于核心地位，以及这种文化选择如何与社会结构和象征资本联系起来。