Jixiang Wonton

Jixiang Wonton

　　The wontons here are the biggest I’ve ever seen; they offer a wide variety with generous fillings, and one bowl keeps you full for a long time. The taste is worth the price (though the wrappers are a bit thick). They also offer delivery, which is very convenient. It’s a good alternative when you don’t feel like eating rice at lunch.

Wontons are a traditional Chinese food originating from northern China. The “Fangyan” (Dialects), written by Yang Xiong of the Western Han Dynasty, mentions: “Flatbreads are called ‘dun’.” Wontons are a type of flatbread, distinguished by their filling, and are eaten after being steamed or boiled; if cooked in soup, they are called “soup cakes.”

Ancient Chinese believed this was a sealed bun without any openings (the seven orifices), hence the name “hundun” (chaos). According to Chinese character formation rules, it later came to be called “wonton.” At that time, there was no distinction between wontons and dumplings.

Over the centuries, dumplings have changed little, but wontons flourished in the south and developed their own distinct style. By the Tang Dynasty, the terms “wonton” and “dumpling” were officially differentiated.