143-Year-Old Craftsmanship: Shanghai’s Nanxiang Xiaolongbao Technique Listed as China’s Cultural Heritage

▲ Making Nanxiang Xiaolong is a skillful craft. The bun makers take a small piece of dough and, in the blink of an eye, wrap a large lump of meat filling inside. The fastest can make seven Xiaolong buns in one minute. (Photo / from Jiefang Daily)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Shanghai’s renowned“Nanxiang Xiaolong Making Technique”was included on August 13 in the fourth batch of national-level intangible cultural heritage representative projects by the Ministry of Culture. The making technique of Nanxiang Xiaolong steamed buns at Guyi Garden has a history of 143 years since its inception in 1871. Its secret filling recipe and craftsmanship have been passed down through six generations of masters and apprentices. The flagship store located at the Old City God Temple sees long queues every day.

Nanxiang Mantou Shop, established in 1900, has its flagship store located near the Zigzag Bridge in Shanghai’s Old City, next to the City God Temple and close to Yu Garden. It is most famous for its Xiaolong buns. Nanxiang Xiaolong buns are known for their thin wrappers and generous fillings, containing savory juice, often served with shredded ginger and specially processed vinegar. According to experts, the making technique of Nanxiang Xiaolong originated in the 10th year of the Tongzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1871 AD).

▲ Steamed over high heat for five minutes, the buns emerge semi-transparent, shaped like water chestnuts, small and delicate. (Photo / from Jiefang Daily)

The making technique of Nanxiang Xiaolong buns emphasizes passing the craft from generation to generation. For over 140 years, it has been passed down through six generations. Among them, Li Jianguang from Nanxiang Xiaolong Restaurant at Shanghai’s Guyi Garden became the sixth-generation inheritor of the technique in 1997. Li Jianguang explained that the key to the deliciousness of Nanxiang Xiaolong lies in its secret filling. The filling mainly consists of pork leg meat, hand-chopped without MSG, with gelatin made from chicken broth-boiled pork skin mixed in. A small amount of crushed sesame is also added for fragrance. If you lift the wrapper, you can clearly see the appetizing meat filling inside. Hence, there’s a saying about how to eat them: “First bite opens the window to heaven, second sip the soup, third bite finishes it all.”

%A photo of the Zigzag Bridge - Nanxiang Mantou Shop (Photo / reproduced from Wikipedia)

With the inclusion of the Nanxiang Xiaolong making technique in the national intangible cultural heritage list, there is greater motivation to cultivate future talent in this craft. It is understood that in 2000, Li Jianguang established the production standards and specifications for Nanxiang Xiaolong. In 2012, he founded the Li Jianguang Studio, and in 2013, he started training classes at Shanghai Dazhong Industrial School to nurture talent for the Nanxiang Xiaolong bun-making technique.