Beginning of Spring · FFET10388

Eating spring pancakes at Beginning of Spring

At Beginning of Spring, thin pancakes wrap sauced meat, eggs and vegetables in a custom called “biting spring.”

Eating spring pancakes at Beginning of Spring means wrapping vegetables, eggs and meat in thin wheat pancakes, a custom also called yaochun, or “biting spring.” In the Beijing style, 2 layers of hot-water dough are cooked together, separated and filled with sauced meat, eggs, spinach, bean sprouts and scallions. By 1900, wealthy Beijing households ate spring pancakes at Beginning of Spring, but this does not establish when the custom began.

What

Spring pancakes are thin wheat pancakes wrapped around vegetables, eggs and meat at Beginning of Spring. The custom is also called yaochun, or “biting spring.”^3,4

When

The custom takes place at Beginning of Spring, between February 3 and 5. Spring pancakes and yaochun were documented in Beijing in 1900. A Southern Song account names spring platters, not pancakes, so it does not establish a Southern Song date for spring pancakes.^1,2,4

Where

The custom described here is the Beijing style. The 1900 account also concerns Beijing.^1,3

How

Beijing-style spring pancakes use hot-water dough. The 2 layers are cooked together, then separated into 2 thin pancakes for wrapping sauced meat, eggs, spinach, bean sprouts and scallions.³

Why

Yaochun means “biting spring.”^3,4

Impact and influence

In 1900, wealthy Beijing households commonly ate spring pancakes. Earlier Southern Song spring platters served as court gifts, but that account documents platters rather than pancakes.^1,2

Sources (4)