A female kitchen pottery figurine of the Eastern Han Dynasty (Picture provided by Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum)

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- A huge chrysanthemum is hiding in the middle of the high chignon. A woman with her sleeves rolled up is busy in front of the chopping board. And the earliest “jiaozi” (dumplings) of China is on the chopping board before her.

Recently, Cheng Wuyan, the curator of Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum, introduced that this female kitchen pottery figurine of the Eastern Han Dynasty not only reflected the ancient dietary habit but also showed the public the image of Chinese earliest “jiaozi”.

The Eastern Han Dynasty

Original function: medicine

Invented by Zhang Zhongjing, the Emperor of Medicine, with beautiful lace

When speaking of dumpling, we must mention Zhang Zhongjing, the Emperor of Medicine. Cheng said that according to historical materials, dumpling we eat now were invented by Zhang Zhongjing, which has a history of more than 1,800 years.

Because it was invented by a doctor, so its original function is served as medicine.

Cheng introduced that at that time, Zhang used the flour wrapper to pack some herbs which can dispel cold to treat an illness (lamb, pepper and others) to avoid having chilblain on the patient's ears.

From the chopping board of the female kitchen terracotta, we can clearly see the distinction between the shape of jiaozi at that time and nowadays is minor. The edge has been transformed into a beautiful lace.

The Three Kingdoms - the Tang Dynasty

Used names: crescent wonton and half-moon shaped wonton

Similar to dumplings in shape and once be eaten with the soup

Till the Three Kingdoms period, jiaozi as a kind of foods was called as “crescent wonton”. Guangya, a book edited by Zhang Yi in the Wei Dynasty has mentioned it. According to this book, wonton in the shape of a crescent at that time is similar to dumpling nowadays.

Till the Southern and Northern dynasties, it becomes well-known. Predicted by historical materials, when jiaozi are cooked, they are eaten with the soup, so that people called jiaozi as “wonton” at that time.

In the Tang Dynasty, jiaozi can be eaten separately on a plate rather than with the soup, also known as "half-moon shaped wonton".

The Song Dynasty

Used name: Jiao’er

Be spread to the world and develop into many varieties

The name of “jiaozi” originates in the Song Dynasty. Cheng said that people called jiaozi as “Jiao’er” at that time, which is the etymology of "jiaozi" in later generations. The Eastern Capital: A Dream of Splendor, a memoir written by Meng Yuanlao, a litterateur of the Song Dynasty, recalled the prosperity of Bianjing (now Kaifeng), in which “crystal jiao’er” and “fried jiao’er” in the market are mentioned.

At the same time, jiaozi was introduced to Mongolia. With the Mongol Empire’s expedition, jiaozi were also spread to the world. Later, there were Russia dumplings, Kazakhstan dumplings, Korean dumplings and other varieties. (Translated by Mao Qiao, Fathom Language Limited)