Meishan Sanhe Soup

Meishan Sanhe Soup

　　Sanhe Soup is a traditional local delicacy of the Meishan region, beloved by many in restaurants and late-night snack stalls across Loudi City and surrounding areas. Tasting Sanhe Soup not only satisfies your palate but also allows you to appreciate the profound and mystical Meishan culture.

　　The selection of ingredients for Sanhe Soup is quite meticulous, with water buffalo blood, thick beef tripe, and yellow beef tenderloin as the main components. The beef should be sliced against the grain, while the beef tripe is prepared in a unique way by the Meishan people: they eat the black part but not the white. After slaughtering the cow and opening the belly, the tripe is removed and shaken clean of feces, and only washed a few minutes before cooking—if the black skin is removed, all the sweetness and umami are lost.

　　The beef and tripe are stir-fried over high heat with oil, then rice wine lees, ginger, and red chili powder are added before being taken off the heat. The beef blood is stir-fried briefly, as overcooking makes it tough. Finally, all three ingredients are combined. Boiling water is added to cook the mixture into a soup, seasoned with mountain pepper, soy sauce, and others. Thus, the spicy, bubbling, and deliciously flavorful Sanhe Soup is ready.

　　Legend has it that this soup originated from Miao customs, as the Miao people were an important part of the Meishan tribes. One day, an old man wandered into Hengyang Mountain Village and happened upon villagers slaughtering an old ox, with a large crowd gathered around. Suddenly, one villager foamed at the mouth and collapsed, startling everyone. The old man stepped forward and instructed the villagers to fetch a bowl of ox blood, a slice of beef, and a piece of raw tripe, along with three red chilies. He boiled them and had the patient drink the concoction quickly. The patient immediately broke into a sweat, regained consciousness, and felt refreshed. When the crowd tried to find the old man, he vanished into the misty Hengyang Mountains on a cloud.

　　This remedy indeed has the effects of dispelling cold and dampness, as well as promoting circulation and unblocking meridians. But the legend adds a layer of mystique to Sanhe Soup. Historical records, however, provide more objective and convincing accounts.

　　According to historical texts, in March of the second year of the Jingyan era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1277), Zhang Hu from Xinhua raised an army to resist the Yuan Dynasty, leading a fierce and valiant Meishan cavalry that charged deep into enemy territory, achieving successive victories. They successfully reclaimed counties such as Xinhua, Anhua, Yiyang, and Ningxiang, but were later brutally suppressed by the Yuan army. Zhang Hu was captured after his defeat and died a martyr. To prevent the Meishan cavalry from rising again, the Yuan forces slaughtered horses en masse in the Meishan region, and when the horses were gone, they turned to cattle. This gave rise to the cattle-slaughtering markets of Meishan and the unique dish of Sanhe Soup. “Butcher stalls lined the bridgehead, covered in dust and cow dung. Sweat-drenched butchers toiled away.” This depicts the bustling history of the cattle market in Duoshan, Xinhua (now under the jurisdiction of Lengshuijiang City). Sanhe Soup has been passed down through centuries to reach us today.

　　Zhang Hu and his tragic yet heroic image of “warhorses neighing as the sun sets” may have gradually faded over 700 years of history, but his indomitable spirit still fills the hearts of many. When eating Sanhe Soup, people also remember that unforgettable chapter of Zhang Hu’s history.