Dongpo Cake

Dongpo Cake

　　Dongpo Cake is a traditional delicacy served to honored guests and visitors at the ancient Lingquan Temple on Xishan Mountain in Ezhou. The origin of its name dates back to Su Shi’s visit to Xishan. In the third year of the Yuanyou era during the Northern Song Dynasty (1081), the renowned Chinese writer Su Shi (also known as Su Dongpo) was exiled to Huangzhou. He often took boat trips across the river to visit Xishan and became very close to the monks at the temple. When the monks served him cakes fried with flour mixed using water from Bodhisattva Spring, he found them incredibly sweet, crispy, and delicious. Delighted, he said, “On my next visits, I hope you will continue to serve me these cakes!” From then on, both the monks and local people began calling them “Dongpo Cakes.” This elegant treat has been passed down to this day. In the third year of the Tongzhi era during the Qing Dynasty (1864), the Governor-General of Lianghu, Guan Wen, visited Xishan, enjoyed tea, and tasted the cakes. With a smile, he asked the monks, “What are these cakes called?” The monks replied, “Dongpo Cakes.” On the spot, Guan Wen composed a couplet: “Moored warships recall Lord Zhou, now I chat over tea in tribute to Dongpo.”

　　The ancient Lingquan Temple on Xishan has unique natural advantages for making “Dongpo Cakes.” The temple has Bodhisattva Spring, whose clear, sweet waters are rich in essential minerals and trace elements needed by the human body. Using this spring water to make the dough naturally results in crispy cakes that are fragrant without added spices. Coupled with the monks’ preservation of traditional techniques, the “Dongpo Cakes” still retain characteristics from Su Dongpo’s time. Chinese leaders such as 1, 1, and Chen Yi have all tasted the tea and cakes at the ancient Lingquan Temple on Xishan. In the early 1950s, Abbot Rongguang of the ancient Lingquan Temple invited the temple’s expert in vegetarian cuisine, Monk Ronghe, to personally prepare a box of Dongpo Cakes, which were presented to Chairman Mao Zedong. At the time, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent a letter of thanks.

　　During the Yuanyou era of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, Su Shi was demoted to Huangzhou. Aside from enjoying the “delights of the Red Cliff,” he also frequently visited Xishan Mountain across the river. One day, the monks at Lingquan Temple on Xishan prepared a special kind of fried cake to entertain this famous scholar from Mount Emei. Su Shi noticed that the cake was light yellow and translucent, almost like something carved from ivory. After admiring it for a while, he finally took a bite. It was wonderfully sweet, crispy, and delicious. He immediately asked the monks why it tasted so good. They replied that the temple had four springs with particularly fine water, and the cake was made using water from these four springs, which explained its excellent flavor. Upon hearing this, Su Shi was full of praise and asked the monks for writing materials. On the spot, he painted a picture of the cake with brush and ink and inscribed it with the words “Dongpo, the Hermit.” The painted cake looked exactly like the real one. From then on, the cake came to be known as “Dongpo Cake.” Because Su Dongpo also frequently visited Chengtian Temple and Dinghui Temple near the Chibi area of Huangzhou, Dongpo Cake also became a common offering among monks and Taoists in the region. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, the cake had spread to society at large, becoming a local specialty of Huangzhou Prefecture, and has been passed down to this day. The origin of its name goes back to when Su Shi (Su Dongpo) was exiled to Huangzhou, often traveling southward by boat to visit Xishan and becoming close with the monks there. After the monks served him cakes fried with flour mixed using water from Bodhisattva Spring, he found them sweet and crispy and remarked joyfully, “On my next visit, I hope you’ll still serve me these cakes!” From then on, the monks and locals began calling them “Dongpo Cakes.” A refined delicacy, it has been passed down through time.

　　In the third year of the Tongzhi era during the Qing Dynasty (1864), the Governor-General of Lianghu, Guan Wen, visited Xishan, tasted tea, and tried the cakes. Smiling, he asked the monks, “What are these cakes called?” The monks replied, “Dongpo Cakes.” On the spot, Guan Wen improvised a couplet: “Moored warships recall Lord Zhou, now I chat over tea in tribute to Dongpo.” In the third year of the Yuanyou era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1080 AD), the famous writer Su Shi (styled Dongpo) was exiled to Huangzhou and became close friends with Chan Master Canliao, the head monk of Anguo Temple. Upon learning that Su Shi enjoyed oily, crisp foods, Chan Master Canliao made oil crisps for him. The method involved mixing flour, shaping it into rings, brushing it with oil, stretching it into threads, coiling it into round shapes, and frying it in fragrant oil until crisp. It was served with sprinkled white sugar, resulting in a sweet and tasty cake—but one that did not keep well. Later, Su Shi’s wife devised the “Thousand-layer Cake,” which was crispy, sweet, delicious, not greasy, and easy to store. Out of fond remembrance for Su Shi, people began calling this cake “Dongpo Cake.” The ancient Lingquan Temple on Xishan has unique natural advantages for making “Dongpo Cakes.” The temple has Bodhisattva Spring, whose clear, sweet waters are rich in essential minerals and trace elements needed by the human body. Using this spring water to make the dough naturally results in crispy cakes that are fragrant without added spices. Coupled with the monks’ preservation of traditional techniques, the “Dongpo Cakes” still retain characteristics from Su Dongpo’s time. Chinese leaders such as 1, 1, and Chen Yi have all tasted the tea and cakes at the ancient Lingquan Temple on Xishan. In the early 1950s, Abbot Rongguang of the ancient Lingquan Temple invited the temple’s expert in vegetarian cuisine, Monk Ronghe, to personally prepare a box of Dongpo Cakes, which were presented to Chairman Mao. At the time, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent a letter of thanks. The cakes were sold throughout the country, including in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and Huangshi. Compatriots from Hong Kong and Macau, as well as Japanese guests, came to taste them and spoke highly of them.

　　For over 900 years, this historic delicacy named after the poet has become a unique gem in China’s culinary culture.