Jianchangying Sanzi

Jianchangying Sanzi

　　In Jianchangying Town, located in the northern part of Qian'an City, there is a uniquely distinctive food in the Beijing-Tianjin-Ji region — Sanzi. The Jianchangying Sanzi features a tender yellow color, as thin as paper, with the thinnest parts being semi-transparent. It has a crispy and delicious taste, fragrant without being greasy, making it an excellent nutritious food. Sanzi can be stored for a long time without spoiling; in summer it typically lasts about half a month, and in winter it can last two to three months.

　　Sanzi has a long history. As early as the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, Qu Yuan of the Chu Kingdom mentioned the most primitive form of Sanzi in the “Chu Ci·Summoning the Soul.” The great Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo, after tasting Sanzi made by an elderly lady, composed a poem praising it: “Kneaded by hand into uniform jade-like strands, fried in green oil to a deep tender yellow. Knowing its weight from staying up late, it’s flattened as family bangles around the arm.” This verse depicts the fine texture, glossy finish, enticing aroma, and crispiness of Sanzi, as well as the toil of its makers. The Ming Dynasty physician Li Shizhen noted that because it is so crispy, it is “easily digested and dispersed.” This is the origin of the name Sanzi. Sanzi also has two other names: one is “Niantou,” because during its making the ends are “twisted;” the other is “Hanju,” as it was traditionally eaten during the Cold Food Festival.

　　The specific method of making it is as follows: Use premium flour ground by stone mill, mix it with salted water, and knead intermittently — stop and knead, knead and stop — for about two hours for five jin (2.5 kg) of flour. Then roll the kneaded dough into strands about as thick as a finger, soak them in oil for an hour, and then roll the soaked strands again by hand until they are as thick as a chopstick. Gather five or six strands into a bundle and fry them in oil using two chopsticks to hold them. The oil used is a blend of sesame oil and peanut oil in equal parts. Pay close attention to the heat while frying; too high and it will break apart, too low and it won’t puff up.

　　Sanzi also has medicinal value. The “Compendium of Materia Medica” states that it can “promote urination and bowel movements, moisten the intestines, and warm the middle to invigorate qi.” Therefore, people in Jianchangying often buy it to visit the sick, new mothers, or to serve as a tonic for the elderly.

　　Jianchangying Sanzi has a history of at least two hundred years and can be described as having a long-standing tradition, using select ingredients and crafted with fine skill. Since its production resumed in 1979, its reputation has spread rapidly. In addition to being sold extensively locally, it is also exported to places such as Beijing, Tianjin, Tangshan, Shanghai, and Inner Mongolia, becoming a beloved food among many.