Scholar's Trotter

Scholar's Trotter

　　Scholar's Trotter, also known as braised pig trotter. Legend has it that during the Qing Dynasty, Zhao Yijiong from Qingyan in Huaxi District, Guiyang, stayed up late studying for the imperial examination as he prepared to travel to the capital. One day, feeling hungry, he strolled to a night market food stall on Beimen Street, ordered two plates of braised pig trotters for a late-night snack, and was so impressed by the flavor that he couldn’t stop praising it. The vendor approached him and said, “Congratulations, young master.” Zhao asked, “What’s the occasion for celebration?” The vendor seized the opportunity and replied, “Young master, eating these pig trotters surely means you’ll come out on top in the examinations. The word ‘trotter’ (蹄) sounds just like ‘topic’ (题), a good omen indeed!” Hearing this, Zhao laughed it off, not taking it seriously. Before long, he went to the capital to take the exams and actually ranked first—becoming the top scholar, or zhuangyuan. When he returned home to honor his ancestors, he thanked the vendor with generous gifts. From then on, braised pig trotters were honored with the name “Scholar's Trotter,” becoming a treasured dish of the Zhao household. Over generations, passed down through family chefs, the recipe eventually spread among the public, where it remains popular to this day.

　　 Scholar's Trotter is also known as “Qingyan Braised Pig Trotter.” According to records, on April 2, 1886, Zhao Yijiong, a tribute student from Qingyan who won the top spot in the imperial palace examination (Palace Examination of the Bingwu Year under Emperor Guangxu), often visited the Beimen Street night market in Qingyan to eat braised pig trotters when he was young. To honor this historical figure, locals began calling braised pig trotters “Scholar's Trotter.” Nowadays, “visiting Qingyan Ancient Town and tasting Qingyan’s delicious trotters” has become a local tourism cultural attraction. This dish features a reddish-brown hue, tender and glossy skin, rich juiciness without being greasy, and a deep, satisfying flavor.