Child’s Urine Eggs

Last updated 2026-11-12 — Child’s Urine Eggs are a local snack from Xiangtan. Dozens of fresh eggs are washed clean, placed in an iron pot, and then covered with a certain amount of child’s urine (i.e., urine from young boys), which submerges the eggs. The iron pot is usually set up over a makeshift outdoor stove built with bricks in a courtyard, and heated with firewood. After the urine has boiled for a long time and the eggshells begin to crack, the dish is ready. Folk belief holds that these eggs greatly replenish vital energy, so they are cooked every spring — one egg per year of age. However, they are intended only for adults and not suitable for children.