The origin and history of steamed stuffed bun

Shu Xi, a writer in the Western Jin Dynasty, wrote in "Cake Fu": "When you enjoy a feast, you should set your head." The "steamed bread" here is the steamed bun now.

The origin of steamed stuffed bun can be found in "The Origin of Things" edited by Gao Cheng in the Song Dynasty: "Zhuge Liang's expedition to the south, with a face painting as a sacrifice".

According to legend, after Zhuge Liang captured Meng Huo with seven hands and seven feet, he went to Lushui, and the army could not cross the river. He cut the beef and mutton into paste and mixed it into meat, wrapped it in flour to make it look like a human head, and the army crossed the river smoothly after the sacrifice. This kind of sacrifice was called "Tou Man", also called Tou Man, and later called "steamed bread".

During the Tang and Song Dynasties, steamed bread gradually became the staple food of Yinfu families. Not only the Han people in the Central Plains like to eat it, but also the Qidan nobles in Liao country regard it as delicious.

According to Meng Liang Restaurant in Southern Song Dynasty, the restaurant specializes in grouting steamed buns, thin skin spring cocoon steamed buns and shrimp steamed buns. The "Bao Er" mentioned here should be the "steamed stuffed bun" in dialect. At this time, the stuffing of steamed buns is already very rich, but it is still steamed buns and steamed buns, and there is no specific distinction.

In the Qing Dynasty, steamed bread and steamed buns finally had a clear distinction. It is recorded in the Notes of the Qing Dynasty that steamed bread, as the head of steamed bread, has no stuffing and must be served with dishes. The so-called steamed bread in the south is also fermented and steamed with bread crumbs, which expands into a circle. In fact, it is steamed buns and steamed bread, which have existed since the Song Dynasty.

Today, the names of steamed buns in the north and the south are still different, and the fillings and tastes are also different. Northerners are bold, and the choice of stuffing for steamed buns is even rougher. Carrots, kelp, vermicelli, eggs, eggplant, dried beancurd and sauerkraut can all be stuffed, and the taste is crisp or eaten raw. Southerners are delicate and gentle, and advocate light and small eating habits. It seems that they don't pay much attention to satiety, pursue fine production standards, and require thin skin without leaking juice to show superb production skills.