User:Chen2004/Buddha Jumps Over the Wall

Origin
There are many different origin stories of this dish. A common one is about a scholar traveling by foot throughout Fujian. While he traveled with his friends, the scholar preserved all his food for the journey in a clay jar used for holding wine. Whenever he had a meal, he warmed up the jar with the ingredients over an open fire. Once they arrived in Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province, the scholar started cooking the dish. The smells spread over to a nearby Buddhist monastery where monks were meditating. Although monks are not allowed to eat meat, one of the monks, tempted, jumped over the wall. A poet among the travelers said that even Buddha would jump the wall to eat the delicious dish. (Original article section that I will add under)

Another origin is that the dish goes back to the Qin Dynasty. It is said to be a recipe that was created by a Fuzhou official who was trying to leave an impression on his superior Zhou Lian. He put pork, chicken, duck, and seafood altogether and left it to simmer in an empty wine jar, which followed the recipe at the time that was known as "Full of Blessing and Longevity." The official at the home praised the dish for its aroma and flavor. He was so impressed that he went home and asked his personal chef- Zheng Chunfa to learn the recipe. The chef adapted the recipe and made it better, and later opened a restaurant to serve it to his customers. One of the customers wrote a poem on the dish, saying even Buddha would jump over the wall to have a taste. Hence the name Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Another origin is that the phrase "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall" appears in a book from the Song dynasty. Many stories existed regarding the origin of the dish name.

Consumption Outside of China
The dish has been a delicacy at many state banquets for decades, including the Cambodian King Sihanouk, President Reagan, and Queen Elizabeth II.