Where did the lion head come from?

Lion head is a traditional dish in Huaiyang cuisine in China. Because the meat is cut by hand and mixed with many seasonings, this dish tastes soft, waxy and greasy, nutritious and healthy. Braised lion's head, in particular, is the main practice of lion's head at present. The color of the braised dishes is appetizing, with bright red in dark brown, which is delicious.

Legend has it that the practice of lion head began in Sui Dynasty. During a lucky trip of Emperor Yang Di, the chef made four dishes, sweet and sour mandarin fish, money shrimp cake, ivory chicken slices and sunflower slices, with the theme of four famous scenic spots in Yangzhou, namely Wansongshan, Qiandun and Sunflower Mountain. It is said that it was originally called sunflower chop meat, sunflower balls, and sweet and sour mandarin fish made by Tang Dynasty chef Wei Juyuan. This dish tastes soft, waxy and greasy, healthy and nutritious.

Yifeng, Jiangxi also has this dish, which has been circulated for 100 years. It has the characteristics of snow-white color, fresh and tender meat, mellow fragrance and is suitable for all seasons. Every Spring Festival in Chaohu, Anhui Province, colorful balls are tied and lions are played to celebrate the bumper harvest of grains. At that time, local people will make snacks in the shape of lion's head to reward lion dancers. This custom has been handed down from ancient times. Because the amount of alkali used in this snack is slightly larger than that of ordinary fermented dough, it is particularly crisp and fragrant, and it will not soften after being stored for several days.