The Origin and Legend of Chengdu's Famous Snack "Zhongshui Dumpling

Today, it is generally believed that wontons (餛飩) evolved from dumplings. As a matter of fact, there were wontons before there were dumplings. According to the book, the world said that wontons were made by the Huns and the Tuns in the captivity of the people, so it has been a long time since they came here. Later, people will make wontons into a crescent shape, it became dumplings. According to historical evidence, China's Han Dynasty has wontons, the real dumplings began in Sui, flourished in Tang, about 1,400 years ago. During the Tang Dynasty, dumplings were spread to remote areas. Archaeologists have found complete dumplings in a wooden bowl unearthed from a Tang Dynasty tomb in Turpan. If Hundun is the mother of dumplings, then she does have a little more feminine beauty than dumplings, with its dashing and soft shape, its white and red color, and its mellow and soft taste. Dumplings, on the other hand, clearly add a lot of masculinity. The northern dumplings are especially strong-skinned. The southern dumplings, especially Chengdu dumplings, although with the copy of the yin and yang, but compared with the northern dumplings, but a little more spirit, more emphasis on modification of their own. While northern dumplings are filled with leeks, Chengdu dumplings are filled with meat. Bell dumplings are a great example of Chengdu and even Sichuan dumplings.

According to legend, Zhong Dumplings was created in 1893 by a peddler named Zhong Xie Sen, who later set up store on Lai Chi Lane. It is also known as "Lai Chi Lane Red Oil Dumpling" because of its heavy red oil flavor. Zhong's dumplings are unique in the selection of ingredients and wonderful in the flavoring. The red oil is made from Chengdu's "two-strip" red chili pepper and refined with vegetable oil; the soy sauce is made from a special replica of soy sauce, plus a variety of seasonings such as garlic sauce and sesame oil, which are skillfully combined. The rich flavor of the seasoning, the red color, and the freshness of the filling are matched to form a multi-flavored style. In 1990, Zhong Dumpling was honored by the Chengdu Municipal People's Government as one of the "Famous Snacks of Chengdu". Zhong Shui Dumpling is now located at No. 7 Titou Street, with a branch at No. 146 West Yulong Street.