Peanut Chicken Cubes

Peanut Chicken Cubes

　　Zhu Zhen was not only a renowned statesman of his time but also a celebrated philosopher. During the transition between the Northern and Southern Song dynasties, his academic endeavors bridged past and future traditions while forging a unique path. By annotating and interpreting Confucian classics and synthesizing the achievements of earlier scholars in the field of Xiangshu, he articulated his own philosophical ideas. As a master synthesizer of the Xiangshu school, he played an important role in the long tradition of Xiangshu studies. Scholars throughout history have regarded Zhu Zhen’s writings as highly valuable for preserving the historical and academic legacy of Xiangshu traditions, and he himself holds a notable place in the history of Chinese philosophy. In his memory, the people of Jingmen renovated the “Dongshan Reading Platform,” where he once studied, in the urban area of Jingmen, and built the “Hanshang Academy” in Shayang Town as historical sites to commemorate him. Additionally, he was enshrined alongside Lu Jiuyuan and Hu Anguo in the “Hall of Three Sages.”

　　Legend has it that Zhu Zhen’s favorite foods were peanuts and chicken cubes. However, eating too many peanuts could cause internal heat, and chicken cubes, being oily, were hard to digest. One day, he came up with the idea of combining the two ingredients into a single dish and shared it with his chef. The chef followed the instructions, but Zhu Zhen felt the dish lacked the authentic flavor of Shayang. So, he invited a chef from his hometown, emphasizing that besides retaining the original taste, the dish must also reflect the distinctive flavors of Shayang. And so, Peanut Chicken Cubes were born. Later, Zhu Zhen kept this chef by his side. In his spare time, he would invite colleagues and subordinates to enjoy what he considered his most satisfying hometown dish. Everyone who tried it praised it highly and often asked him for the recipe. Zhu Zhen would playfully dodge the question, simply smiling without answering. When pressed, he would humorously reply, “It’s too simple, not worth learning. If you really want to eat it, just come to my house.”