Child-Sending Phoenix Bridge

Child-Sending Phoenix Bridge

　　Child-Sending Phoenix Bridge is a signature dish from Jiaxing, Zhejiang. It is made with premium pork leg meat, seasoned with dozens of traditional family recipes, and undergoes a process of stewing, boiling, steaming, and braising using both high and low heat repeatedly. The result is tender, boneless meat that is rich yet not greasy, with a delicious and well-balanced flavor.

　　Legend has it that during the Ming Dynasty, a wealthy merchant in Xitang had been married for years without having a child. After receiving guidance from a Taoist priest to engage in good deeds, he built roads and bridges for the public. During the bridge’s construction, a celestial phoenix from heaven perched near the bridge, and the merchant also joyfully welcomed a son that very year. Thus, the bridge was named “Child-Sending Phoenix Bridge.” Now restored, it stands in the southern part of the thousand-year-old ancient town of Xitang, at Chao Nan Dai. When celebrating the birth of his son, the merchant held a grand banquet, during which one of the main dishes was pork trotters. In honor of the celebration, everyone named it “Child-Blessing Dragon Trotter.” Since then, this dish has been served as the main course during weddings, joyful celebrations, housewarmings, and family reunions across the region, symbolizing the early arrival of a precious child and the joy of family togetherness. Child-Blessing Dragon Trotter.