Meaning

Dumplings are not only a delicacy, but also a representative of Chinese cuisine. Every part of it contains Chinese national culture. It is a must-have delicacy for every family in ordinary times and even on thirties, expressing people's yearning and demands for a better life.

Origin

Dumplings evolved from wontons. In its long development process, it has many names. In ancient times, it had names such as "Laowan", "Bianshi", "Dumpling Bait" and "Fanjiao". During the Three Kingdoms period, it was called "Crescent Wonton", during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, it was called "Wonton", in the Tang Dynasty, dumplings were called "Crescent Wonton", in the Song Dynasty, they were called "Jiaozi", in the Ming Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty, they were called "Bianshi"; in the Qing Dynasty, they were called "dumplings" ".

Dumplings originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty and were first created by Zhang Zhongjing, the "medical sage" from Nanyang, Henan Province. At that time, dumplings were used for medicinal purposes. Zhang Zhongjing used the dough to wrap some cold-dispelling medicinal materials (mutton, pepper, etc.) to treat diseases and prevent patients from developing chilblains on their ears.

Dumplings originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty and were first created by the medical sage Zhang Zhongjing. The characteristics of dumplings are thin skin, tender filling, delicious taste, unique shape, and you will never get tired of eating them. The dumplings are made from a complete range of raw materials and nutrients, and the steaming method ensures less loss of nutrients, and is in line with the connotation of Chinese color, flavor and food culture.

Dumplings are a folk food with a long history and are very popular among the people. There is a folk saying that "dumplings are not as delicious as dumplings". During the Spring Festival, dumplings have become an indispensable delicacy.

Extended information

Allusions

Zhang Zhongjing invented dumplings

Dumplings were originally called "Jiao Er". According to legend, it was the Chinese medical sage Zhang Zhongjing who first invented the dumplings. . The story of his "Quhan Jiao Er Soup" has been passed down among the people to this day.

There is a saying among the people that “dumplings are not as delicious as dumplings”.

Zhang Zhongjing, Mingji, courtesy name Zhongjing, was born in Nanyang (now Nanyang, Henan) in the Eastern Han Dynasty. He studied medical books diligently since he was a child, learned from many others' strengths, and became the founder of traditional Chinese medicine. He wrote "Treatise on Febrile Diseases and Miscellaneous Diseases", which is a collection of medical achievements and is regarded as a classic by doctors of all ages. Zhang Zhongjing has a famous saying: "If you advance, you will save the world; if you retreat, you will save the people; if you cannot be a good prime minister, you should also be a good doctor."

Zhang Zhongjing is not only excellent in medical skills, he can cure all difficult and complicated diseases, but also has noble medical ethics. He treated both the poor and the rich seriously and saved countless lives.

It is said that when Zhang Zhongjing was the governor of Changsha, he often cured diseases for the people. One year when the local plague was prevalent, he built a big pot at the yamen gate and gave up medicine to save people. He was deeply loved by the people of Changsha. After Zhang Zhongjing retired from Changsha and returned to his hometown, he happened to catch up with the winter solstice and walked to the bank of Baihe River in his hometown. He saw many poor people suffering from hunger and cold, and their ears were rotten by the frost.

It turns out that typhoid fever was prevalent at that time, and many people died of the disease. He felt very sad and determined to save them. When Zhang Zhongjing returned home, there were so many people seeking medical treatment that he was very busy, but he always kept in mind the poor people whose ears were rotten by the cold. He imitated the method in Changsha and asked his disciples to set up a medical shed and a large pot on an open space in Dongguan, Nanyang. They opened it on the winter solstice and gave medicine to the poor to treat their injuries.

The name of Zhang Zhongjing's medicine is "Quhan Jiaoer Decoction", which is a summary of more than 300 years of clinical practice in the Han Dynasty. The method is to boil mutton and some cold-dispelling medicinal materials in a pot. Then take these things out, chop them up, wrap them in dough into ear-shaped "Jiao Er", boil them in a pot and distribute them to patients begging for medicine. Each person has two charming ears and a bowl of soup.

After eating the Quhan Decoction, people feel warm all over, their blood becomes smooth, and their ears become warm. The common people ate it from the winter solstice to New Year's Eve, resisting typhoid fever and curing their frozen ears.

Zhang Zhongjing continued to give medicine until New Year's Eve. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, people celebrate the New Year and the recovery of rotten ears. They make New Year’s food like Jiao Er and eat it on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year. People call this food "dumplings", "dumplings" or "flat food" and eat it on the winter solstice and the first day of the new year to commemorate the day when Zhang Zhongjing opened shed medicine and cured patients.

Zhang Zhongjing was born nearly 1800 years ago, but the story of his making "Jiao Er Tang to dispel cold" has been widely circulated among the people. Every winter solstice and New Year's Day, people eat dumplings and still remember Zhang Zhongjing's kindness in their hearts. Today, we no longer need to use Jiao Er to treat frozen rotten ears, but dumplings have become people's most common and favorite food.