Speaking of the origin of "eight bowls", there is such a fairy tale. According to legend, the Eight Immortals crossed the ocean and angered the Dragon King. After a long battle, it was difficult to win, and the hunger was unbearable, so they looked for food separately to satisfy their hunger. Cao Guojiu went to a farmhouse by himself. The food was delicious and his mouth was watering. I saw eight people around the square table, so I took eight attractive dishes and left a message: My uncle lent eight bowls to the immortals, and I will definitely repay them in the future. Later, people changed the Eight Immortals Table to the Eight Immortals Table, which was used for auspicious celebrations, with eight guests and eight dishes, and it has been passed down to this day.

In the folk, the "eight bowls" of old Beijing, which originated from the flowing water mat, is an ordinary and affordable dish. It is through eight kinds of careful cooking that the chicken, duck and fish are made delicious, and the delicious food is served on the table in a traditional porcelain bowl. Traditional weddings, funerals and even social days require gathering people for a meal, which is as important as singing a big drama. Because the scene is not enough, there are not enough tables, chairs and chopsticks, so we have to adopt the way of "eat when we come and leave after eating".

"Eight bowls" are not necessarily eight bowls, but eight main dishes, excluding cold dishes and staple foods. Sometimes stir-fry is added in the name of side dishes, and most of the first guests are distinguished guests. Adding vegetables is common, but "eight" is "safe and sound", and people still maintain this title. Although the "eight bowls" in old Beijing are popular among the people, they were once delicious in the court. According to legend, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled, everyone had a happy family occasion and tasted the folk "eight bowls". After returning to Beijing, I asked the chef to cook according to the folk custom and entertain the civil servants.

After hundreds of years of running-in, the menu of "eight bowls" in old Beijing is basically fixed, namely, Sanhuang chicken, yellow croaker, elbow, meatball, rice flour meat, braised pork, pine meat and ribs. Today's "Eight Bowls" have been improved in many cooking methods, paying more attention to adapting to the taste needs of different guests and catering to the modern people's pursuit of green and healthy eating concepts.