Its origin is said to be related to a legend.
Legend has it that King Zhan was originally an imperial chef, highly skilled in his craft, who cooked for the emperor every day. As the emperor was corrupt and tyrannical, he spent his days drinking and eating all the delicacies of the world, and nothing he ate tasted good enough.
One day, the emperor summoned the imperial chef surnamed Zhan. He asked him what under the sky has the most beautiful flavor. Loyal and honest Zhan chef replied that the taste of salt is the most beautiful, he thought that no matter what delicious food can not be separated from the salt, so it is truthful answer. The emperor thought that salt was the most common thing, and Chef Zhan was just taunting me for not knowing how to eat, so he ordered Chef Zhan to be beheaded.
After Chef Zhan was beheaded, the rest of the imperial chefs were terrified, and did not dare to add salt to the dishes they cooked for the emperor. So the emperor for more than ten days to eat no salt dishes, mountain delicacies and sea food is tasteless, and the whole body weakness. Diagnosed by the imperial physician realized that because many days without salt. At this point, the emperor realized that the original Zhan chef is right, repentance. So Zhan chef posthumously as the king, but also stipulated in the Zhan chef was killed on the "anniversary" that August 13, let the people worship.
Later, some Sichuan restaurant chefs will be Zhan chef enshrined as a grandmaster, in the annual lunar August 13 gathering, remember and pay tribute to the grandmaster, but also make friends and fellowship.