The eating customs of old Beijingers were deeply influenced by the Manchus and Banner people, and the traditions still remain today. Eating white meat was the earliest custom of the Manchu people. The sacrificial plates and ornaments in the palace and royal palaces, and the popular white-cooked mats among the people are all related to "eating white meat". Claypot Ju is the only restaurant in old Beijing that sells Manchu cuisine. Its two-and-a-half-century business history illustrates the customary culture of eating white meat in old Beijing. [2]

After the princes and princes of the capital of the Qing Dynasty entered the customs, they still maintained the "legacy of customs outside the customs". Regardless of the palace or the royal palace, there is a sacrifice every five days. There are various kinds of sacrifices, including morning sacrifices, evening sacrifices, back lamp exchange for ropes, willow tree blessings, Wulin sacrifices, fresh food sacrifices at four seasons, etc., offering sacrifices to gods, heaven and sun. According to regulations, two to three pigs must be saved for each sacrifice. The meat used for sacrifices was processed using unique Manchu techniques and then offered. Because sacrifices are not made every day, the meat for each sacrifice is not always complete, and there is often some leftover. People in the mansion can't eat these leftover meats, but there are regulations in the mansion that prohibit the sacrificial meat from leaving the house. However, sometimes the owner's control is not so strict, and people often secretly take out the remaining meat and goods, reward the watchman, or sell them at a low price.

At that time, there were many royal palaces along the street from Xuanwumen to Xinjiekou in Beijing. There are Prince Li's Mansion, Prince Zheng's Mansion, Prince Zhuang's Mansion, Prince Shuncheng's Mansion, Prince Keqin's Mansion, Prince Qing's Mansion, Prince Xun's Mansion, etc. The residence of the first son of Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty is located east of Gangwa City on Xisi South Street and south of Shangshang Hutong. It covers an area of ??about 40 acres, and its west wall faces Gangwa City Street. Since the palace often held sacrifices at frequent intervals, there was often leftover white meat. So someone opened a hole in the west wall facing the street, and sold or invited people to eat the Shenyu (the offerings that were removed after the offering was called "Shenyu", also called "Gongjian").

During the Tongzhi period, a Han watchman named Liu had an old relationship with Song Qi, the steward of the palace. Song Qi often sells leftover meat and off-cut goods to Liu at a bargain price, and the price is so low that it is almost free. In the early years, Xisiganwa Market Street was a street selling vats, basins and earthenware jars. The market was depressed in the middle of the Qing Dynasty, and there were many old houses on this street that stored cylinder tiles. So the watchmen rented a few empty houses and got a "sacred pot" from the palace, which was said to be a food sacrifice cooked by the Ming Dynasty emperor. It was four feet in diameter and three feet deep and could cook a whole pig at a time. He used this magical pot to start a business of cooking white meat. The raw materials are obtained almost for free, and they are lightly fried and boiled, which requires no labor, so the price is very cheap. Most of the people who come here to eat white meat are common people and peddlers. This place where white meat is eaten is called "the water shed". Enxi is a famous shop specializing in "white jobs" in Prince Li's Mansion. One day, Enxi happened to pass by this small restaurant specializing in boiled white meat, and she was curious: "White work is the specialty of the imperial chefs in the palace and the palace. How can there be any talented people in this small private shop?" So she stopped and looked around, and saw the small restaurant. There were many people in the store and it was quite lively, so I pushed open the door and entered. I saw a huge casserole in the shop simmering white meat and adding water. Although the operation method is simple, the aroma fills the room. Enxi sat down and chatted with the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper of Shaguoju is a thoughtful person. Seeing that Enxi is so good at cooking, he guessed that he must be a master in the kitchen, so he had an idea. In a few days, the owner of Shaguoju asked people to intercede, asking for Enxi's guidance and skills. In the end, Enxi couldn't save her face and passed on the authentic "Bai Huo'er craftsmanship" to Shao Guo Ju. Since then, Shao Liao Bao'er has become the unique skill of Shao Guo Ju.

According to Master En’s teachings, Shaguoju divides boiled meat into two categories. One type is to cook the meat directly in white water without grilling it, which is called white meat. One type is to lightly roast the meat over charcoal fire, and then boil it in water. The cooked meat is called braised meat, and the elbow is called braised elbow. Cut white or braised meat into thin slices and eat it cold without any seasoning. Shao Liao and boiled meat are the authentic ways of eating Manchu sacrificial meat. Shao refers to fried and braised meat; Liao refers to roasted and roasted meat; Boiled".

Casserole white meat is both boiled meat and white meat slices, that is, the meat is boiled in white water in a large clay pot. The soup only contains seasonings, pepper and other spices. Take the white meat out of the pot, let it cool, then slice it into slices, put it on a plate, and eat it with seasoning. Later, boiled pork developed further. The cooked white meat is processed into special dishes, which are called "small roasts". Because the dishes are served in a six-inch shallow dish, it is called "Shao Dish". There were only 8 types of roasted dishes in the earliest times, including fried pork ribs, fried kidneys, fried fat rolls, fried tenderloins, fried fat intestines, fried liver tips, fried dumplings, fried noodles, etc. Later, it was developed to 24, 32, 48, and 64 burning dishes. In its heyday, there were as many as 130 varieties of roasted dishes. The selling methods include a whole table, a half table, and a corner (i.e. 1/4). The number of small roasting dishes on each table can be as many as 72 or 48 colors, and generally 32 or 24 colors. This kind of table surface It is a typical Manchu delicacy, eventually forming a white meat banquet. Yuan Mei, a poet of the Qing Dynasty, said: "This is a dish that northerners are good at, but southerners can't do it well." Casserole Ju was not well-known in Kyoto in its early years. It really became famous during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, when a "flag officer Zhongtang" hosted a birthday party at home and became famous for hosting a "Li Shan'er" (old Beijing called eunuchs "Li Shan'er's").

One day in the early years of Guangxu's reign, a flag member was celebrating his birthday at his home. And the disciples and subordinates rushed to follow him. On the day of the birthday celebration, many senior officials from the six ministries, feudal officials, governors of the Eight Banners, and Hanlin scholars came to congratulate him. Candles were burned in the longevity hall, lanterns were decorated, and the gate was full of distinguished guests and friends. Several eunuchs also came to pay their respects, sitting high on the throne, gesticulating and talking loudly. When the banquet was about to begin, the tea master walked up to the eunuch as usual and asked for a double greeting (please give one greeting and then another greeting, which is called double greeting), and said that he would like to invite the gentlemen behind the fan to ask for food.