Xiangfei Cake from Gong'an

Xiangfei Cake from Gong'an

　　“Xiangfei Cake” is a traditional delicacy from Gong'an County in Hubei Province, now known as Three-Delicacy Head Dish. This dish primarily consists of fish cake and fish balls, complemented by three types of offal delicacies—pork liver, kidney slices, and tripe—along with garnishes such as daylily buds (also called golden needles), black fungus, and winter bamboo shoots. These ingredients give the dish a rich color palette and a tender, delicious taste, making it an essential first-course delicacy at local banquets.

　　　　Legend has it that the Three-Delicacy Head Dish originated with Xiangfei. Xiangfei was Ehuang, the virtuous wife of the ancient sage Emperor Shun, who shared her husband with her younger sister, Nüying. On one occasion, the two sisters accompanied Emperor Shun on a southern tour and arrived at Liulang Lake, located north of today’s Gong'an County in Hubei. Xiangfei, who had always been of delicate health, fell ill with a cold due to the strenuous journey, lost her appetite, and grew weaker by the day. Seeing her sister suffering and confined to bed, Nüying became deeply worried. Remembering that her sister loved eating fish, she thought of catching fish from nearby Liulang Lake to prepare a delicious dish that might tempt her sister’s appetite. Nüying then asked the fisherman, Boweng, to catch a fish, and instructed the chef, Sima Bi, to turn it into something tasty. Considering the patient’s condition, Sima Bi removed the fish head and tail, deboned the fish, minced the flesh, and steamed it into a fish cake. Upon tasting it, Ehuang found it tender and delicious, and her appetite immediately returned. With improved nutrition, her health gradually recovered, allowing her to continue the southern tour with Emperor Shun. Although Ehuang and Nüying later left Liulang Lake, the method of making fish cake was passed down.

　　　　Over time, as people replicated and refined the recipe, the flavor of the fish cake continued to improve, and its fame grew. By the late Qing Dynasty, pork liver, kidney slices, and tripe were added to the fish cake, finalizing the dish’s form. Its taste became even more delicious, winning widespread popularity among locals and establishing it as the region’s premier delicacy.