奇速英语

Many of China’s dishes come with stories. They are part of China’s long and fascinating history. Let’s learn about the interesting origins (起源) of some famous dishes.

Dumplings’ history goes back over 1,800 years. They were first used as medicine. In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, one winter, many poor people were frostbitten (冻伤), especially their ears.

Zhang Zhongjing made some ear-shaped food with some Chinese medicine in it. He called these creations jiao’er, which means “tender ear” in English. After eating the jiao’er, people felt warm all over. Then, over time, the frostbite disappeared.

Zhang Zhongjing continued to give out jiao’er to poor, hungry people until the Eve of the Spring Festival. To celebrate the Spring Festival and their recovery (痊愈), people made their own jiao’er. This kind of ear-shaped food is the later “dumpling”. Today, in northern China, people eat dumplings in most traditional Chinese festivals and celebrations.

The dingsheng cake is a popular snack in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. It is made with rice flour and sweet fillings, such as red bean paste or nuts.

It is said that people in Southern Song Dynasty made the cakes to inspire Yue Fei’s army to win the fights. They engraved (雕刻) on the surfaces of cakes with two Chinese characters “Ding Sheng”, which means “must-win” or “victory” in English. Today, the dingsheng cake has become a popular gift. It often appears in traditional Chinese celebrations and important events, such as big exams and elderly people’s birthdays.