Deshengyuan "Tounao"

Last updated 2026-11-11 — Deshengyuan "Tounao" "Tounao" is a seasonal, nourishing and nutritious snack. The version from Yuci is said to be the earliest, and it is believed to have been made based on the recipe and method of the "Eight-Treasure Soup" created by the famous late Ming and early Qing scholar Fu Shan from Shanxi. In Yuci, there is an ancient temple on Nanmadao Street called "Dacheng Temple," which houses a scripture depository. Folklore says that after the completion of the scripture depository, Fu Shan and his mother lived there for some time. During their stay, due to his mother’s advanced age and frail health, and out of filial piety, Fu Shan developed a "Four-Ingredient Soup"—also known as "Tounao"—for her to drink every morning. It was later refined and expanded to include four more ingredients, making a total of eight—commonly referred to as the "Eight-Treasure Soup." It later spread among the public and became a beloved tonic food. During the Qing Dynasty, several shops in Yuci sold "Tounao," among which Deshengyuan on Yamen Street was the most famous. Comparable to Taiyuan's offerings, Deshengyuan's version uses astragalus root, yellow wine lees, stewed noodles, and galangal as its main ingredients, with pickled Chinese chives as an accompaniment. It is typically eaten with wheat-based snacks such as "Xiaomai" and "Maobox" and features characteristics of being soft, smooth, fragrant, sweet, and warm. Moreover, it is free of fishy taste, delicious to eat, benefits qi and regulates vitality, invigorates the stomach, and nourishes deficiencies and fatigue. It is an excellent food for strengthening the body and promoting longevity.