During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the main residents in Hunan were Yue people and Chun people, who had their own food and drink traditions. Food became increasingly important as it was needed for gatherings, weddings and sacrifice rituals. When Qu Yuan was exiled to Hunan about 300 B.C., he wrote ChuCi (Elegies of Chu), which included introductions of the foods at the time. The foods at that time were already diversive and had their own unique flavor.
During the Qin and Han Dynasties, the food culture in Hunan was gradually mature and the real Xiang foods as a genre came into shape.
供参考.