Lion's head is a typical dish of Huaiyang cuisine, a mainstream of Jiangsu cuisine. Its origins date back over 1,400 years to the Sui dynasty. Legend has it that during a visit to Yangzhou, Emperor Yang of Sui was fascinated by four famous landscapes there, including Wansong Mountain and Jinqian Hill. On his return to the palace, he ordered the imperial chefs to "integrate" these landscapes into dishes. This led to the creation of famous dishes such as squirrel-style mandarin fish and sunflower-cut meat.
In the Tang Dynasty, when Duke Huan of Xun, Wei Zhi, hosted a banquet, a famous chef prepared the "sunflower-cut meat" in a shape that resembled a lion's head. The guests took the opportunity to praise Wei Zhi, saying he "deserved the lion seal of command", and from then on the dish was officially renamed "lion's head". This story was mainly passed down in unofficial chronicles. Nevertheless, the method of preparing lion's head is already described in detail in the book Tiaoding Ji (Collection of Cooking Methods) from the Qing Dynasty, which shows the deep historical heritage of this dish.
As a representative of Huaiyang cuisine, lion's head perfectly embodies the characteristic feature of this cuisine: freshness and mildness. The centrepiece lies in the "finely sliced, coarsely chopped" cutting technique. Pork ribs with a ratio of 7:3 (lean to fat) are selected and cut by hand into cubes the size of pomegranate seeds. This preserves the elasticity of the meat without making it too firm.
During preparation, the mould is first stabilised in water at 80 °C and then stewed in a clay pot for two hours. The fat melts completely without being lost. The result is a texture that melts in the mouth.
Steamed lion's head
With clear broth, Chinese cabbage hearts and bamboo mushrooms to bring out the original flavour.
Braised lion's head
Coated with caramel sauce, slightly crispy on the outside, tender on the inside.
Crab roe lion's head
With crab meat and crab roe in a meat batter, every bite exudes the sweetness of the water towns in the Yangtze Delta.
The cultural significance of this dish is more interesting than its name. On the one hand, its round and plump shape symbolises "togetherness and harmony", which is why it is almost a must on the New Year's Eve table in cities such as Yangzhou - where it is believed that "a feast is not complete without a lion's head".
Secondly, in traditional Chinese culture, the "lion" symbolises dignity and happiness, which is why lion's heads are often served at birthday and wedding banquets - as the embodiment of wishes for "happiness, prosperity, longevity and joy".
Today, lion's head has long outgrown Yangzhou and is regarded as the flagship of Chinese cuisine. From the crab roe version at state banquets to the homemade, steamed version, it is always prepared with the simplest ingredients - as an expression of the wisdom of "unity in diversity".
The next time you eat this dish, take a moment to savour its melt-in-the-mouth texture - perhaps you will also taste the magic of the Jiangnan landscapes that Emperor Yang of Sui admired over a thousand years ago.
