Sanhui Shuibabian

Sanhui Shuibabian

　　Sanhui Shuibabian is a specialty dish from Sanhui Town, Quxian County, Dazhou City, Sichuan Province. Shuibabian, made with chicken, is one of the famous local dishes in Dazhou. It features a red oil-based seasoning, offering a taste that is spicy, sweet, crispy, fragrant, and tender, with a long-lasting aftertaste. It has a history of nearly a hundred years.

　　Sanhui Town in Quxian County, Sichuan, was built during the Ming Dynasty. Located in the northern part of Quxian County at the southern foot of the Huaying Mountains, it is traversed by the Chengdu–Dazhou and Xiangyang–Chongqing railways, where the Ba River, Zhou River, and Qu River converge. Upstream it connects to the vast Bashan Mountains, and downstream it leads to the mighty Yangtze River, making it a renowned “water port” in northeastern Sichuan. The town boasts prosperous commerce, rich cultural heritage, and is often referred to as “Little Chongqing.” The legendary Sanhui Shuibabian is a delicacy only enjoyed by those fortunate enough to be connected with Sanhui Town. Sanhui Shuibabian is made from free-range roosters raised by local farmers. After being cooked and cooled, the chicken is dissected into various parts and sliced. Using a unique, locally inherited seasoning blend, it is prepared into chicken pieces that combine “spicy, numbing, fresh, and fragrant” flavors. It delivers a mouthwateringly spicy taste with an unforgettable aftertaste. Surpassing other versions of bangbang chicken, Sanhui Shuibabian’s uniquely exceptional spicy flavor makes it a classic among bangbang chicken dishes, offering a thrillingly bold spicy sensation.

　　While dishes like white-cut chicken, spicy chicken (口水鸡), and bangbang chicken are popular across the Chengdu Plain in Sichuan Province, in this bustling and lively water port, there have long been small vendors carrying baskets and hawking their wares along the streets. They sell a type of chicken made from purebred, free-range roosters raised by local farmers. After being cooked and cooled, the chicken is dissected into various parts and sliced. Using a unique, locally inherited seasoning blend, it is prepared into chicken pieces that combine “spicy, numbing, fresh, and fragrant” flavors. It delivers a mouthwateringly spicy taste with an unforgettable aftertaste. Because this is a busy and vibrant small town, as well as a water port where three rivers converge, and because water plays a central role in the entire cooking process—with the whole chicken being divided by parts into eight pieces—it came to be called “Shuibabian” (literally “Water Eight Pieces”).

　　“Sanhui Shuibabian” is an intangible culinary cultural heritage. Both the selection of chickens and the preparation method are highly strict, with exquisite techniques and a long development history. After being passed down through generations, it has become an essential cold dish for every household during festivals. Locals divide the experience of eating “Shuibabian” into three stages: the beginner stage is about tasting the flavor, the intermediate stage is about savoring the different parts, and the advanced stage is about feeling the overall experience.