There are two types of soup dumplings. One is the small soup dumplings commonly seen in Jiangnan. The outer skin of the dumplings is made of fermented noodles, and the filling is usually pork filling. When the filling is mixed with jelly or water, the filling is more soupy after steaming, which is moist and delicious. This type of soup dumpling is also called fermented noodles soup meat dumpling. The other type is the Chuzhou soup dumpling Wenlou large soup dumpling. The ancient city of Chuzhou is located on the banks of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal in northern Jiangsu and has been a prosperous place since ancient times. There is a teahouse in the city called "Wu Lou", which sells snacks, boiled dried silk, etc., and also sells fermented noodles soup meat dumplings that are common in the south now. In the eighth year of Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty, Chen Haixian, the owner of Wu Lou, built another teahouse in Hexia Town, Chuzhou, named "Wen Lou" (Wen Lou is also known as Wen Lou Hotel, now located at No. 819, Beimen Street, Chuzhou, and was built in the 22nd year of Jiaqing in the Qing Dynasty (1817). There are two reasons why the Wenlou Restaurant on the old street of Hexia in Chuzhou is called Wenlou. One is that it corresponds to Wulou; the other is that Hexia Town is rich in humanities. Mei Cheng and Mei Gao, father and son, famous poets in the Wenjing era of the Western Han Dynasty, Zhao Gu, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, Wu Chengen, the author of Journey to the West, and Shen Kun, the top scholar in the Ming Dynasty, were all from Hexia. In addition, cultural celebrities such as Gu Yanwu and Zheng Banqiao also lingered here. When Wenlou was first established, its business content was similar to that of Wulou. It was a meat restaurant that sold covered bowl dishes and unique soup dumplings, heavy oil siu mai, boiled dried shreds, and swollen eggs. Later, the owner Chen Haixian absorbed the wonderful skills of Wulou's fermented noodles and soup meat buns and changed them into water-adjusted noodle soup buns. Over time, after continuous research and development by famous teachers, "Wenlou Crab Roe Soup Buns" gradually became famous and its taste shocked the capital. Its deliciousness and fame were better than the Yangzhou Fuchun buns at that time. There are three unique features of the "Wenlou Crab Roe Soup Dumplings": First, the dough is as thin as paper and translucent; second, the stuffing is made of crab roe, old hen soup, chicken cubes, pork skin, meat chunks, dried shrimp, spices, and Shaoxing wine, which is delicious and smooth; third, the unique craftsmanship is to cool and solidify the stuffing, then pinch the solidified stuffing into the dumplings, and steam them in a steamer. The dumplings are bright and shiny, swaying slowly, and about to burst in the wind, like a water lotus bud about to bloom, which is very appetizing. After the dumplings are steamed at high temperature, the inside of the dumplings has become liquid soup, hence the name "soup dumplings". When making soup dumplings, add a little baking soda to the top-quality white flour, add an appropriate amount of water, and repeatedly push and fold it until the dough has gluten, then rub it into strips, pick it into small dough pieces, and use a small rolling pin to roll it into a very thin round dough skin with a diameter of about five inches. Wrap the filling in the dough skin, hold it with your left hand, and push and knead it with your right hand to make the filling tight. Remove the dough head and wrap it into a waist-shaped bun with a chrysanthemum-shaped mouth and a gap so that the filling can be seen from the mouth of the bun. The soup dumplings are put into a steamer and steamed in a boiling water pot. At this time, the heat must be controlled just right. When the soup dumplings are steamed and taken out of the steamer to be picked up on a plate, the five fingers of the right hand are spread out to hold the soup dumplings around, the left hand holds the plate scalded with boiling water, the right hand gently lifts the buns, and the left hand immediately holds the buns with the plate. At this moment, the fingers must move quickly and in coordination, and must have skilled skills to use them freely. Put the soup dumplings in a dish, add seasonings such as balsamic vinegar, coriander, and shredded ginger, and suck them while eating. They are delicious and have a unique flavor. It is a must. Eating "Wenlou Crab Roe Soup Dumplings" is also very particular. To master the essentials of eating it, you need to remember four mantras: lift gently, move slowly, drink the soup first, and then eat the skin. The specific method is to first use chopsticks to poke two or three small holes on the bun skin, then use a spoon to scoop an appropriate amount of balsamic vinegar, fresh coriander, ginger and other condiments, and then use your mouth to suck the juice inside the bun through the small holes. Because the soup is very hot, you must suck it slowly. Sucking the soup is a kind of enjoyment, fresh, greasy and delicious. Tasting it carefully will make people have endless aftertaste. After sucking up the soup, eat up the crab roe, crab meat and other stuffing meat and the bun skin together. The soup dumplings created by the descendants of the Chen family are extremely delicious and unique. Around the Double Ninth Festival, crabs mature and crab roe soup dumplings are put on the market. People come in an endless stream to taste them first. At this time, Wenlou is really crowded. There is a proverb in Huai'an that has been passed down to this day: "Wenlou soup dumplings, you can't wait to eat them." The poem "The sweet fragrance of osmanthus and the yellow chrysanthemums, people are vying to taste Wenlou soup dumplings, the thin skin and fresh crab filling are delicious, and you will feel refreshed when you put them in your throat" is a true portrayal of Wenlou Restaurant and Wenlou soup dumplings. In fact, as early as the Jiaqing period, Huai'an's "Wenlou crab roe soup dumplings" had "surpassed the three cities and were famous in Kyoto", and became a must-try delicacy for officials and businessmen when they came to Huai'an. "The taste covers three cities" is because Huai'an had three administrative agencies at that time, namely, the Ministry of Transport Governor, Huai'an Prefecture Magistrate and Shanyang County Magistrate, and built three cities: the old city, the new city and the united city; "famous in Kyoto" is because when Wang Tingzhen, a native of Hexia, Huai'an, was the prime minister in Beijing, he brought Wenlou crab roe soup dumplings to Beijing for Emperor Jiaqing and his ministers to taste. The delicious taste was favored by civil and military officials in the court. In 2004, the Qing Palace archives brought back from Beijing by Huai'an also confirmed a legend that Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty followed the example of his predecessors Kangxi, Qianlong and Jiaqing in the southern tour, and came to Huai'an Wenlou to eat crab roe soup dumplings. He was very pleased and praised: "It is really the most delicious in the world!" When it comes to "Wenlou crab roe soup dumplings", many modern historical and cultural celebrities have forged an indissoluble bond with it. Premier Zhou Enlai, who "left home when he was young and never returned when he was old", has a deep memory of the "Wenlou crab roe soup dumplings" in his hometown. In April 1960, when Premier Zhou met with the head of Huai'an County, he vividly described the scene of his childhood when he took a boat to the river to taste the "Wenlou Crab Roe Soup Dumplings", and asked kindly about the situation of Wenlou Restaurant. When Wang Xindi, a famous "Nine Leaves Poet", set foot on his hometown after decades of separation, and tasted the "Wenlou Crab Roe Soup Dumplings" in his hometown, he was inspired to write a seven-character poem "Crab Roe Soup Dumplings": "Frozen meat and fat mixed with crab roe, thin skin opens a bag of soup. The steamer is used to grab to prevent injury to the hands, and the teeth and tongue taste it calmly." In September 1958, when Liu Shaoqi inspected the Huaiyin area, he tasted the Wenlou Crab Roe Soup Dumplings and praised it highly, and warmly received the chef of Wenlou. Wenlou people lived up to expectations and continuously innovated and improved the "Wenlou Crab Roe Soup Dumplings" to meet the needs of consumers. The taste has achieved a transformation from heavy oil to light, and the packaging is equipped with large gift boxes and small packages. Now vacuum packaging has been developed. Wenlou Soup Dumplings are available in three sizes: large, medium and small. The prices are divided into three levels: high, medium and low. The original seasonal supply has been changed to year-round supply. According to preliminary statistics two years ago, the annual sales of Wenlou Soup Dumplings has reached more than 3 million yuan, and the sales range has expanded from Huai'an and Jiangsu to the United States, Japan and other countries, as well as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Beijing, Shanghai, Harbin and other places. "Wenlou Soup Dumplings" insists on not making fakes, not making fakes, and not adulterating. With good reputation, first-class quality and thoughtful service, it implements brand strategy, participates in market competition with its actual value, and serves consumers. After years of unremitting efforts by the descendants of Wenlou Soup Dumpling, Wenlou Soup Dumpling was awarded the title of Jiangsu Province Commercial System Famous Food in 1983, and was rated as "Chinese Famous Snack" by the China Cuisine Association in December 1997. In November 1999, it was recognized as "Jiangsu Famous Snack" by the Jiangsu Provincial Trade Bureau and the Provincial Cuisine Association. In April 2000, it was registered by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and Trademarks. In December 2005, it was recognized as "Huai'an Famous Trademark" by the Huai'an Municipal Administration for Industry and Commerce. In May 2005, "Wenlou Restaurant" applied to the State Trademark Office for registration of service trademarks (pending approval). Like many delicacies, Wenlou Soup Dumpling also has a beautiful myth. Legend has it that as early as ancient times, a crab spirit was banished to the mortal world by the Jade Emperor for molesting fairies in the heavenly palace and lived in Xiaohu Lake in Chuzhou City. He did not repent and continued to do evil, causing the clear water of Xiaohu Lake to turn black, and the rolling turbid water continued to rise, and there was an ocean everywhere. As a result, the people were displaced and complained. One day, the crab spirit turned into a white-haired old man and threatened the owner of Hexia Town, saying that in order to stop the people from suffering, he must select three beautiful girls and throw them into the lake every Double Ninth Festival for him to enjoy. In order to keep the area safe, the town owner had to swallow his anger and agree. The people were all angry and hated the crab spirit. From then on, every Double Ninth Festival was a sad day for the people of Hexia to sacrifice the girls. One year, during the sacrifice, a strong man rushed out of the crowd. The strong man was named Wenlou. This man was tall and strong. He used a 800-jin Qinglong sword in his hand and bravely saved the three girls. This annoyed the crab spirit. For a while, dark clouds rolled and heavy rain poured. The crab spirit came with the wind and clamped Wenlou's thigh with his big claws. The bright red blood flowed. After the two fought for more than 30 rounds, Wenlou swung his knife at the crab spirit's forehead. The crab spirit was separated from his head. After getting rid of the crab spirit, the brave Wenlou also died heroically due to excessive bleeding. In order to commemorate this warrior, people built a pavilion in the ancient town of Hexia and named it "Wenlou". Although the evil crab spirit died, people still felt unsatisfied. So people pried open the hard helmet shell of the crab spirit, dug out its crab yolk and white meat, made crab roe meat stuffing, and ate it with high-quality white flour wrappers. This is the world-famous "Wenlou Soup Bun". Wenlou Soup Bun has a history of 191 years. In October 1990, the Huai'an Municipal Political Consultative Conference Literature and History Materials Research Committee published a special introduction to "Wenlou Soup Bun" in the eighth volume of Huai'an Literature and History Materials. Over the years, overseas Chinese, returned overseas Chinese, Taiwan compatriots and foreign merchants who come to Chuzhou for tourism, sightseeing, visiting relatives and friends have all considered tasting "Wenlou Soup Bun" as a worthwhile trip. In September 2004, during the Huaiyang Cuisine Food Culture Festival in Huai'an, Jiangsu, merchants from the United States, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan came to Chuzhou to taste Wenlou Soup Dumplings. They all praised Wenlou Soup Dumplings. (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.) (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.)