World map featuring dumplings goes viral

Recently, a teacher at Tianjin's Foreign Studies University created a world map featuring different country's interpretations of dumplings.

Jiaozi, or Chinese dumplings, are a favorite of many people in China, commonly seen at family get-togethers especially during the Spring Festival. Recently, a teacher at Tianjin's Foreign Studies University created a world map featuring different country's interpretations of dumplings.

Over 20 countries and regions including Italy, Germany, Turkey, India and South Korea feature on the jiaozi map. The image shows how jiaozi, or dumplings, are interpreted in different countries around the world and has recently gone viral. Some are viewing the map with nostalgia, desperate for some festive food at this time of year. While others are learning how countries around the world have similar products to the Chinese dumpling.

According to historic records, jiaozi appeared in China some 2,000 years ago. The humble snack has been the stuff of legend for centuries. Famous doctor Zhang Zhongjing was well-known to have used jiaozi to treat his patients.

Scholar Guo Fengqi said, "Zhang Zhongjing returned to the south and put medicine along with chopped meat into a pot, boiled it and then used flour to wrap it. It was a cold winter and many people had their ears frozen off. The food Zhang made looked like ears, so it was given a similar name. Later, it was called jiaozi."

Others believe that the meaning of the word jiaozi comes from ushering in the new at midnight. So therefore eating them at the Lunar New Year will bring luck for the coming year.

"On the one hand, they are really tasty. On the other, they have cultural significance. What's more, making jiaozi needs a group of people collaborating with each other, which is suitable for new year family get-togethers," he said.

Over the centuries, making and eating jiaozi has been an indispensable part of new year celebrations. So why not experiment with different stuffing this year.