When Emperor Yang went south, he saw the four famous Yangzhou scenery is very fond of, so after returning to the palace, he ordered the royal chef to do four dishes for the four scenes, respectively, squirrel and cinnamon fish, money shrimp cake, Ivory chicken strips and sunflower chopped meat. To the Tang Dynasty, the Duke of Zion also did the four dishes when the banquet, the guests think "sunflower chopped meat" this dish is like "the head of a lion" advise wine Duke of Zion should wear a lion handsome seal, Duke of Zion was pleased, in honor of the event, will be "sunflower The name of the dish was changed to "Lion's Head" to commemorate the event.

The origin of the name of the braised lion's head dish

History records, when Emperor Yang took his concubines and concubines entourage, rode a dragon boat and a thousand ships along the Grand Canal south, "the states and counties, five hundred miles all make offer food. A state to a hundred mikoshi, very land and water treasures, (Ziji Tongjian). Yang Guang looked at the Yangzhou agaric, especially on Yangzhou Wansongshan, money pier, ivory forest, sunflower hill four famous scenery is very fond of. After returning to the palace, ordered the imperial chef to the above four scenes as the theme, making four dishes, the imperial chef in Yangzhou famous chef instructions, finally made a lot of effort squirrel cinnamon fish, money shrimp cake, Ivory chicken strips and sunflower chopped meat of the four dishes, Yang Guang tasted, very happy, and then give the banquet group of ministers, for a time the Huaiyang cuisine overwhelmed the court. Officials and dignitaries are also honored to have these four dishes as their prized possessions.

In the Tang Dynasty, with the economic prosperity, the officials and dignitaries also paid more attention to food. On one occasion, the Duke of Yangzhou hosted a banquet, and his famous chef Wei Juyuan made these four famous dishes from Yangzhou, accompanied by delicacies of the sea and water, which made the guests marvel at the food. When the "sunflower chopped meat" this dish up, only to see that the huge meat ball made of sunflower heart exquisite, like a "lion's head", guests took the opportunity to persuade the wine said: "郇国公半生戎马, war heroes, should be admired! Lion Seal of Handsomeness." Duke of Zigong happily raised his glass and drank it all, in honor of today's event, "sunflower chopped meat" might as well change the name "lion's head". A call for a hundred promises, from now on, Yangzhou has added "lion's head" this famous dish, popular.