The origin of Xiaogan hemp candy

The emergence of Xiaogan sesame candy is said to be related to a greedy candy store owner. This proprietress is so greedy that she often can't help stealing candy. Once, while she was eating with relish, she saw her boss enter the room. She was so scared that she threw a bowl of sugar into the sesame jar, but the boss found out. When the boss saw that the sugar was covered with raw sesame seeds, he was really distressed to throw it away, and there was no way to get rid of it. He was very angry. At this time, the greedy proprietress said aside, "Use it if you can, and bake it in a pot. Very delicious. " The boss tasted it and it was really delicious. Later, an old chef who cooked sugar was inspired by this incident and created Xiaogan sesame candy. After 924 A.D., Xiaogan hemp candy was designated as an annual court tribute in the Tang and Zhuang Dynasties, and it has a history of 1000 years. Xiaogan County Records compiled in the thirty-fourth year of Qing Emperor Kangxi also recorded Xiaogan's sesame candy: "Sesame is called fat hemp, which can produce oil, and glutinous rice is called sugar, which is called sesame candy. Everywhere, Xiaogan is alone. " Since the end of Xianfeng in the Qing Dynasty, the sugar shop in Babukou, Xiaogan began to pick up sesame candy and sell it in counties, towns or Hankou. For takeout, use round wooden barrels or large baskets, and brush tung oil with wooden barrels.

Historical story

A.D. 135 1 year was the chaotic period of the Red Scarf Army Uprising at the end of Yuan Dynasty. Luotian Xu Shouhui launched the Qi Huang Uprising and quickly occupied Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and other places where the rule of the Yuan Dynasty was on the verge of collapse. On this occasion, the 20-year-old Suizhou Renming, together with a few friends who are famous for their chivalry in their hometown, also raised the banner of righteousness in Qingshan, Suizhou, and soon gathered more than a thousand people to attack the city in northern Hubei, and the team continued to expand and became an influential uprising soldier.

In September, Xu Shouhui proclaimed himself an immortal, and sent someone to contact Ming Yuzhen, making him a marshal. Ming Yuzhen accepted the title of Xu Shouhui and was ordered to capture Xiaogan County.

In early winter, Ming Yuzhen successively captured the gardens, Yunmeng, Yangdian and Sancha around Xiaogan, forming an encirclement of Xiaogan. At first, the progress of the war was very smooth, especially when the main force of the Yuan Army guarding Xiaogan was completely annihilated in World War I in Wu Luo Temple, and only a thousand people fled into the city.

At that time, Ming Yuzhen's army was only over 10,000 people, scattered in several important places and blocked by the Yuan Army, so it was impossible to come to the rescue. Ming Yuzhen was surrounded by rebels with only 2000 people, and was crushed by 10000 troops in a small area. The situation is in jeopardy. He sent someone to Xu Shouhui for reinforcements, but Xu Shouhui was unable to open for a while because of the Yuan Army's massive counterattack. Especially under the siege of the Yuan army for more than ten days, the food in the camp is close to exhaustion.

Unexpectedly, the situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly. Hu 'er Chilong, commander-in-chief of the Yuan Army, was defeated by Ni Wenjun of Xu Shouhui and his men in Huangzhou. He led more than 40,000 troops to Xiaogan via Hong 'an and Huangpi, surrounded the Marshal's Department of Ming Yuzhen in Sancha area, and Ming Yuzhen was caught between Scylla and Charybdis.

After another attack by the Yuan army was repelled by the tenacious rebels, Ming called a meeting to discuss the matter. After putting on a dilemma, he said, "Although we are faced with five times as many soldiers as I am, we have occupied favorable terrain and well-built fortifications. It is not a big problem to wait for rescue by risk. The key is the current food problem. According to the quartermaster's report, the current grain depot can only last six days, depending on what the generals have.

A general said, "The branches in front are covered with reeds. It may take several days to dig reed roots. The question is how long will it take for reinforcements to arrive? "

Ming said, "General Chen Youliang has descended from Jiangling East, and now he can reach Tianmen. Judging from the defensive position of the Yuan Army, it will take half a month to arrive. "

Another general worried tunnel: "The soldiers' bodies may not be able to support reinforcements only by porridge and reed roots. We must find other ways to get some nutritious food to improve the physical strength of soldiers. "

"Yes, yes, if the soldiers are broken, they will be broken!" Many generals answered with one voice.

At this moment, a general suddenly remembered a person and said to Ming Yuzhen, "Marshal, I have a guerrilla leader named Fujita who joined the team in the garden. He is from here. I want to find him and do something! "

Hearing this, Ming Yuzhen repeatedly urged him: "Go, go!"

After a while, the general brought in a young man of medium height, who looked very literary. If he didn't have a sharp spear in his hand, Ming Yuzhen would think he was a well-read man.

When the young man entered the room, he saw that the room was crowded with marshals and generals, and he bowed modestly. Ming Yu Zhen stopped him, waved his hand and asked, "I heard that you are a local. What's your name? "

The young man rushed to answer, "Tell Marshal that I am a local. My surname is Teng, and my name is Jinsheng. "

Ming Yuzhen nodded: "Ah, Teng Jinsheng, good name." He paused for a moment, then said, "Our troops are dangerously short of food, especially nutrition. It will take more than ten days for the rescue troops to arrive. We must hold our ground. It is impossible for soldiers not to eat well, so we will ask you to do something. The food of the people around us has supported us. Do you think you can dig some more? "

Teng Jinsheng quickly replied, "I heard yesterday that my uncle retired from Babukou to these places. I'm looking for him. If I find him, I will find a way. "

"What does your uncle do?"

"My uncle is a sesame candy maker, and several counties in this area are very famous."

Ming's eyes lit up: "I've heard of this kind of eight-mouthed rattan candy, but its nutritional value is definitely ok." I wonder if his sesame candy is available now? " Go and find it! "

Soon after Teng Jinsheng excused himself, he came back excitedly and replied that his uncle had found it. He built a cellar for storing sesame candy in Sancha, which contained more than 60 loads of sesame candy.

Ming Yuzhen was overjoyed, that is, he led someone to check. Teng Jinsheng's uncle had already opened the cellar, and the intoxicating aroma of sesame, syrup and osmanthus came to the nose, which made Ming Yuzhen and his party salivate. Ming Yuzhen carefully looked at the cellar full of sesame candy, which made people pay the price to Uncle Fujimori. Later, he told the generals: "Give each soldier two boxes first, and only two tablets are allowed to be eaten every day to supplement nutrition. Those who violate the order are embarrassed! "

The generals died, and according to Ming Yuzhen's orders, sesame candy was sent to the soldiers.

Suddenly, Red Dragon led his troops to surround the handsome mansion of Ming Yuzhen. After more than ten days of hard work, it still failed. The rebels stuck to the main points and dealt a heavy blow to the Yuan army. Suddenly, the red dragon was in a hurry. On the one hand, people always inquire about the progress of volunteers' reinforcements, on the other hand, they know about the grain and grass situation of the insurgents. When he learned from the wounded soldiers of the captured rebel army that the Ming Yuan Yuzhen army was facing food shortage, he couldn't help but be elated. He thought it would take seven or eight days at the earliest for rebel reinforcements to arrive. As long as I firmly surround him, most of them will be hungry in three days, and I can take them alive one by one. So Hulchilong stopped attacking, only strengthened the defense, tightly controlled the rebels inside, and didn't let them have room for activities.

Two meals a day are porridge cooked with reed roots, which makes the stomachs of many rebel soldiers growl, but strangely enough, whenever someone feels weak, eating half a thin piece of sesame candy suddenly makes them feel refreshed. Although he is still a little hungry, he is full of energy. Some soldiers are reluctant to eat, and often when they are tired, they take out a piece of sesame candy and smell it to relieve fatigue. When Hulchilong thought that the rebels were starving to death and came to arrest people, the rebel soldiers were all alive and kicking, and their fighting capacity was greatly enhanced compared with the other day. Hoor Chilong was caught off guard, abandoned more than 0/000 corpses/kloc-and stepped down in panic.

Soon, Chen Youliang's army attacked Yingcheng and copied it from the back of Hulchilong. Huerchilong, in desperation, had to give up the fat of Ming Yuzhen and retreat in the direction of Henan. In return for Chen Youliang's rescue, Ming Yuzhen asked Teng Jinsheng to pick out two loads of sweet-scented osmanthus candy, personally went to Yunmeng to meet Chen Youliang, and presented it to Chen Youliang and his staff for tasting.

Chen Youliang ate sweet-scented osmanthus candy in Xiaogan and couldn't help praising it. After listening to Ming's wonderful performance in this defense war, he was even more amazed. When they arrived in Xiaogan, the defenders of the Yuan Dynasty had fled with the army of Hulchilong, and Chen Youliang and Ming Yuzhen went straight to the county seat. After Chen Youliang helped Ming Yuzhen to do a good job of appeasement, he marched into Yuezhou under the command of Xu Shouhui.

Chen Youliang found Teng Jinsheng's uncle before he left, and wanted to take him away with the army and make him sesame candy. Uncle Teng Jinsheng refused: "Marshal Chen, the sesame candy I made is not a great thing, but I have special requirements for water, rice and sesame. So I can only do it here in Xiaogan Bagoukou, and I can't do anything without it. Marshal wants to eat sesame candy in the future, just send someone to Baba to get it at any time. I can't go with you.

Chen Youliang heard this and felt very angry. Eating sesame candy is a trivial matter, but being brushed by a sesame candy maker is a big deal. As soon as he struck the table, he said, "What you said is so fantastic that I don't believe there is such a big trick. Come with me honestly and go anywhere. Don't be serious and be a real guy. Watch your head! "

Ming Yuzhen heard that Chen Youliang had forcibly abducted Teng Jinsheng's uncle and rushed to Chen Youliang to persuade him not to do such a hurtful thing.

After listening to Ming's persuasion, Chen Youliang smiled coldly: "Marshal Ming, I took Master Teng to make sesame candy, but I didn't rob women and treasure. What's hurting people?" Joke, I'll give him more money if he does a good job in sesame candy. He is a businessman, isn't he making money everywhere? "

Ming Yuzhen was so anxious that he almost jumped up: "Marshal Chen, you need rice, sesame seeds and water from this area to make this taste, just like the roast chicken in Mianyang, not the local chicken. This is not the same taste. I can't eat authentic Xiaogan sesame candy with Master Teng! "

A cold hum in Chen Youliang's nose said, "you are talking nonsense with me. As long as he is considerate, I will bring a batch of rice and sesame seeds from Babukou, and he will make sesame candy! "

Ming Yuzhen tried to stop it, but Chen Youliang said angrily, "Marshal Ming, do you still want to turn against me for a master who makes sesame candy?" The words sound just fell and the guards on both sides took a step forward according to the knife.

When Ming Yuzhen saw it, he knew that he could not be persuaded. Perhaps, this man, who is famous for his bold encouragement, really dared to kill him. He had to quit angrily and go back to camp to find Teng Jinsheng to comfort him.

Teng Jinsheng's uncle took Chen Youliang's army from Yuezhou to Jiujiang, and made more than ten pots of sesame candy along the way. The taste is far worse than the original Xiaogan sesame candy. The angrier Chen Youliang is, the worse the taste of sesame candy is. Chen Youliang was very angry. He thinks Teng Jinsheng's uncle is deliberately playing crooked and deliberately opposing him. Before reaching Jiujiang, he ordered him to be killed and threw his body into the Yangtze River.

When Ming Yuzhen heard the news, he was very sad and deeply sorry for Teng Jia. He called Teng Jinsheng and paid a pension of 1200 silver. Teng Jinsheng thanked Marshal Ming for his true feelings and said, "My uncle had long expected this ending. When Chen Youliang called him, he passed the secret recipe to my cousin and me. I want to inherit my uncle's career and make sesame candy in my hometown. Please support me! " Say that finish, kneeling on one knee, kneeling in front of Ming Yu Zhen.

Ming Yuzhen quickly helped Teng Jinsheng up: "Ok, I agree with you to leave the army. We can still fight without you. Xiaogan lacks you, and Ma Tang is gone! " Turning around, the quartermaster gave another 1,200 pieces of silver to support Teng Jinsheng in making sesame candy.

Four years have passed, and now it is 1355. Chen Youliang's power is expanding day by day, and responders are gathering. However, Ming Yuzhen believes that inflation in Chen Youliang is temporary and difficult to last, because he can kill a sesame candy at will. In order not to cooperate with him or be restrained by him, he went west to fight independently in Sichuan that winter and occupied the whole Sichuan on 1358. 1362 The Xia Dynasty was established as emperor in Chongqing, which stood side by side with Zhu Yuanzhang's Ming Dynasty. And Chen Youliang was killed by Zhu Yuanzhang's army in this year.

Ming Yuzhen became emperor, but he never forgot that Xiaogan Sesame Sugar saved his army's credit, and sent people back from time to time to support Teng Jinsheng's Sesame Sugar Workshop. Twenty thousand Xiaogan rebels who followed Ming into Sichuan settled in Deyang, got married and had children, and gradually multiplied, but there was always a lingering hometown plot, and in the process of eating sesame candy, people were always sent back to their hometown to buy a lot of Xiaogan sesame candy to comfort their homesickness.

When Zhu Yuanzhang first established the country, he had to face many powerful enemies, so he signed a peace treaty with the Xia Dynasty in the Ming Dynasty. In order to win over the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang proposed that the Ming Dynasty should guarantee regular supply of Xiaogan sesame candy for the court of Xia Dynasty, which made the Ming Dynasty deeply moved and accepted the peace treaty gladly. 1364 Ming Yu Zhen died, and his son Ming Sheng succeeded to the throne. Ming Yu Zhen left a will saying that as long as Xiaogan's sesame sugar supply line kept flowing, he would not go to war with the Ming Dynasty. In the fourth year of Hongwu, the Ming Dynasty sent ministers to Sichuan to surrender, and the envoys brought 500 loads of sesame candy from Xiaogan to Ming Sheng. Ming Sheng saw that the Ming Dynasty had basically unified the whole country and the country was strong, and Emperor Hongwu promised many times that he and Xiaogan people who entered Sichuan would be supplied with sesame sugar in the future, so he accepted the surrender, so that the Ming Dynasty could recover Sichuan without bloodshed.

In the later years, Teng's descendants constantly improved the production technology and raw material composition of sesame candy, which made the varieties of sesame candy evolve into dozens of kinds such as peach kernel sesame candy, almond sesame candy, raw fruit sesame candy and jujube paste sesame candy. By 1922, Teng Yitai entered the city and opened the first mechanized production point of sesame sugar, which made the output and quality of sesame sugar have made a greater leap and enjoyed a good reputation in the world.