The Northern style of cooking was developed in the Honan, Nopei and Shantung provinces. According to ancient history the best cooking is done either in the capital city or the Imperial Palace.
Today the center of Northern cooking is Peking. As a whole Northern cooking tends to be light and mild. Wine stock and chicken broth being a special feature for their rich flavors. Peking Duck, Birds Nest and Sharks Fin Soups need these additives because they are flavorless. Daily meals consist of noodle dishes, buns and dumplings. Wheat substitutes for rice in the North. (Wheat being the main crop in the North.) The Northern center of Fukien cusine is in Foochow, the provincial capital. It is known for its pork, chicken and fish dishes and clear soups.
The sothern center of Fukien cusine, Amoy, has well known specialties such as spring rolls and transparent pea noodles.
Canton, the capital of Kwantung, is the center of Southern cooking. Stir frying and blanching are two favorite methods of cooking. They are also known for their marinades.
Cantonese restaurants abound outside of Mainland China due to its heavy exodus of immigrants around 1900. Also due to its location on the coast. Cantonese cooking which controlled the Chinese eating habits is currently taking a back seat to Szechuan and Hunan cooking.
Recently, I've started teaching and cooking Soochow - Quiechow, Amoy styles which will take some students more time and patience to learn and cook these dishes.