Baodu Feng

Baodu Feng

　　Baodu Feng is a famous Beijing snack that originated during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, making it a century-old brand. Today, the third and fourth generations of the Feng family have carried the tradition forward, with many branches and a constant stream of diners.

　　During the Guangxu reign, "Baodu Feng" was established in the back streets of Beijing by Feng Lishan from Lingshan County, Shandong, who started selling tripe. In the late Guangxu period, the second-generation successor, Feng Jinhe (born in 1888), continued the tripe business. Through dedicated research and meticulous preparation, he developed a rich and flavorful tripe dish that became highly favored by court painters, eunuchs, and the Manchu nobility. Later, recommended by an imperial eunuch, Baodu Feng became the exclusive supplier of tripe to the Qing imperial kitchen. This arrangement continued until the fall of the Qing Dynasty, when the imperial supply gradually ceased. To sustain his business, Feng Jinhe relocated to the second alley south of Qianmen, where he and four other vendors—including Ma the tripe and meat seller and Ma the dumpling maker—formed a small food stall. It was praised as the “Little Six-Nation Restaurant” by people of the time.

　　After the 1937 incident, it became one of the key delicacies among the famous snack stalls in Beijing’s Menkuai Hutong. The third-generation successor, Feng Guangju, learned the traditional methods from his father from a young age. He paid close attention to ingredient selection and made bold innovations in seasoning, achieving an excellent color, aroma, and taste for the tripe. His tripe earned widespread praise from customers.

　　In 1935, a Baodu Feng restaurant was opened on the east side of the northern section of Menkuai Hutong but had to close due to the impact of the 1937 incident. It then moved to the southern section of the hutong, joining other vendors such as Tofu Brain Bai, Rice Cake Yang, Chef Yang, Tripe Yang, Pea Yellow Wan, Rice Cake Wang, Fushunzhai Soy Sauce Beef, and Cheese Wei, forming the Menkuai Hutong Snack Street. Other famous snacks included Old Tofu from the Kang family, Buns from Buns Yang, Shredded Pancake from Xiangrui Shop, Roast Lamb from Dexingzhai, and Sheep Head Meat from Sheep Head Ma. These attracted notable visitors such as literary figures Lu Xun, Ba Jin, and Ding Ling; film stars Han Lan’gen, Chen Yanyan, and Bai Yang; and opera performers Jin Shaoshan, Qiu Shengrong, Xun Huisheng, Shang Xiaoyun, Li Wanchun, and Tan Fuying. From 1937 to 1957, Menkuai Hutong enjoyed its golden era. However, with the arrival of cooperative movements, Baodu Feng and Tripe Yang merged into Tongxi Restaurant in the hutong, while other stalls joined the state-owned teahouse at the western entrance of Dashilan. This marked the end of Menkuai Hutong’s snack culture. During the merger, Feng Guangju’s wife, Liu Fengwen, joined Tongxi Restaurant as a representative of the original owners, continuing to manage the tripe and hot pot section until her retirement in 1985. Thanks to the original chefs who stayed on, Tongxi Restaurant retained its reputation among filmmakers, performing artists, and literati as a top spot for authentic Beijing snacks.

　　On September 18 and September 21, 1999, Baodu Feng was invited twice to the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse along with Sheep Head Ma, Old Yu Sheng Zhai, and Tofu Brain Bai to prepare traditional snacks for dignitaries celebrating the 50th anniversary and the guesthouse’s anniversary. Vice Premier Qian Qichen, ministers and vice ministers from central departments, and ambassadors from various countries all came to taste authentic Beijing snacks. Baodu Feng’s “Tripe Medley” was named a Chinese Famous Dish by the China National Bureau of Internal Trade on April 26, 2000, and was officially announced in the Beijing Evening News on April 28. Between 1998 and 1999, Baodu Feng applied to establish Beijing Baodu Feng Catering Service Co., Ltd. In November 2001, after Beijing successfully bid for the Olympics, Baodu Feng won a gold award and an individual gold medal at the Halal Culinary Skills Competition.