Brief Introduction
Chinese Dumplings, called Jiaozi in China, are a traditional Chinese food. They are essential on New Year's Eve in Spring Festival in Northern China. With a history of about 1800 years, Chinese Dumplings had become a symbol of Chinese culture, expressing the people's wish for happy life. Now, they are also popular in many other Asian countries.
History
Chinese Dumplings(Jiaozi) were invented to treat frostbitten ears in the Eastern Han(25-220) by Zhang Zhongjing, a great practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine. They were called "jiao'er(tender ears)" at that time. During the Three Kingdoms Period(220-282), the Dumplings became a popular food.
In the Song Dynasty(960-1279), Chinese Dumplings, called"jiao(horn)"at that time, were passed in Mongolia. influenced by unrestrained personality of Mongolians, Chinese Dumpling had more thicker skin and more fillings. The pronunciation of dumplings in the Mongolian language is similar to "plaque(Bianshi)". Mongolians passed them to all over the world. The variants of dumpling were found in Russia, Kazakhstan, Korea, and etc.
From the Qing Dynasty(1616-1911), Chinese Dumplings became an essential food at midnight on Chinese New Year's Eve. Family members gather together to make dumplings and eat them at midnight, when is the start of the next lunar year. They believe the dumplings can get rid of the bad luck and get bless from the god. In the dumplings, people often hide coins, sugar, peanuts, jujubes and chestnuts in fillings symbolizing fortune, happiness, longevity and having baby. The member who gets the dumpling with the special fillings will be blessed. This custom continues today.
Chinese Dumpling Index
Old Sayings about Chinese Dumpling
There are many popular old sayings about Chinese Dumplings(Jiaozi).
"十月一，冬至到，家家户户吃水饺.": Every family eats dumplings on the Winter Solstice.
"饺子就酒, 越吃越有.": Eat dumplings With Chinese liquor, future will be richer.
"好吃不过饺子, 舒服不过倒着.": Dumplings are most delicious, sleeping is most comfortable.
"头伏饺子二伏面." Eat dumplings on the first stage of the three periods of the hot season, eat noodles on the second stage of the three periods of the hot season,
"大寒小寒，吃饺子过年." After Slight Cold and Great Cold, it is the Spring Festival. People eat dumplings to spend the holiday.
"出门饺子进门面." Eat dumplings when you leave home and eat noodles when you back home.
Chinese Dumpling Photo
Related Topic
Dumpling Banquet(Jiaozi Banquet)
Dumpling Banquet can be traced back in ancient Xian during the Tang Dynasty. Originally, dumpling banquet consisted of 108 kinds of dumplings, and develops a total of 5 banquet types with each made up of 108 kinds off dumplings. The 5 banquet types include Eight Treasure Banquet, Palace Banquet, Dragon and Phoenix Banquet, Peony Banquet, and Hundred Flowers Banquet. Each type has its special meaning. With different tastes, appearances and cooking techniques, Dumpling Banquet become a unmissable authentic dainty for travelers to Xian. De Fa Chang Dumpling Restaurant and Jiefang Road Dumpling Restaurant in Xian are famous for dumpling banquet.
