Bite into history: 1,100 years of Hangzhou on a Wuyue dining table

Hangzhou is a great place to explore Wuyue culture. More than a thousand years ago (during China’s Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period), it was the capital of the Wuyue Kingdom in southeast China. The kingdom’s legacy lives on in the region’s architecture and arts—and in the food people enjoy today. So, shall we start at the dinner table?

Rivers, lakes and the sea have long shaped the food of Wuyue, a historic region in southeast China. Its stories live on in dishes linked to an ancient king, Buddhist-inspired vegetarian cooking and snacks made to share. Ready for a taste? Which one would you try first?

Cold starters | A little something to begin
King Qian’s Egg-Wrapped Parcel

Inside the delicate egg wrapper: shrimp, stone ear mushrooms, dried bamboo shoots and pickled mustard greens. According to local lore, King Qian Liu’s mother made the dish to remind her son that becoming king was no reason to forget his humble beginnings.

Hot dishes | Straight from the wok
Tide-Tamer’s Slow-Braised Pork

King Qian Liu is remembered for building a seawall to protect the coast, and local legend tells of people bringing pork and wine to the workers. The story lives on in this slow-braised dish. Tender pork, ginger and yellow rice wine make for a deeply savoury bite with a mellow finish.

A little extra | Save room for one more
Sweet Rice-Wine Steamed Bun

During the Wuyue Kingdom, migrants from northern China brought their wheat-growing traditions south. Along the Fuchun River, these met the region’s rice-growing traditions, giving rise to a bun leavened with sweet fermented glutinous rice. Steamed on a lotus leaf, it comes out soft and lightly sweet. Around Dongqiao in Hangzhou’s Fuyang, it’s also known as the “scholar’s bun”—a little nod to hopes of exam success.

Source: Hangzhoufeel