In fact, the term "four dishes and one soup" comes from a folk song circulated in the Ming Dynasty. The folk song goes like this: "The emperor treats guests to four dishes and one soup, radish and leek, which are really sweet, green onions and tofu, which are meaningful, one green and two white.

"Corrupt officials are panicking." The story dates back to the Ming Dynasty. It is said that Zhu Yuanzhang and his wife, Queen Ma, have always respected each other.

Although Empress Ma was the empress, she personally cooked for Zhu Yuanzhang every day.

She even personally manages the food and clothing of the prince and grandson.

Not only that, Queen Ma was also a diligent and frugal person. She was so diligent and frugal that she actually set up a loom in the harem and personally weaved cloth for the lonely old people living in poverty, while the rest

He made clothes from the cloth and gave them to his children, and said to them, although you are royal nobles and have no worries about food and drink, you don’t know the hardships of ordinary people’s lives, but you should know the use of the clothes we wear.

All the cloth is spun by the hard work of the common people. We must know how to cherish it and not waste it.

During Zhu Yuanzhang's reign, due to frequent natural disasters, food shortages in various places made people's lives very difficult, but some officials and nobles still lived a luxurious life.

Zhu Yuanzhang, who was born in a poor family and understood the plight of the people, was naturally very angry and determined to engage in politics.

So when it came to the Queen's birthday, all the civil and military officials came to celebrate her birthday with their own precious gifts. Because Zhu Yuanzhang had always doted on Queen Ma, the civil and military officials of the court believed that this birthday event would not be simple.

But he didn't expect that Zhu Yuanzhang did deliberately prepare a banquet with some coarse food. When all the birthday congratulators arrived, Zhu Yuanzhang asked the palace maid to serve the dishes.

The first dish is radish.

The second dish is leeks, which last for four seasons and symbolize the long-term peace and stability of the country.

Then there are two bowls of vegetables, which symbolizes that the great official is clean and has breeze on his sleeves.

Finally, there is the chopped green onion tofu soup.

The ministers were immediately dumbfounded and did not dare to say anything.

Zhu Yuanzhang said in front of everyone after the banquet.

"From now on, if you treat guests, you will only have four dishes and one soup at most. This Queen's birthday party is a model. Whoever violates this will be severely punished? Later, this matter spread to the people, and folk artists compiled it into

folk songs.