说起饺子，大家一定不会陌生，它已经成为中国饮食文化的一个大写的符号。但是“饺子”的英文真的就是dumpling吗？

    我们先来看看权威的英文词典对dumpling的解释。Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English的解释是：“a round lump of flour and fat mixed with water, cooked in boiling liquid and served with meat.”

    Collins Cobuild Advanced Dictionary of English的解释是：“Dumplings are small lumps of dough that are cooked and eaten, either with meat and vegetables or as a fruit-filled dessert.”

    从这些解释上来看，dumpling不仅可以表示“饺子”，也可以表示一些有馅儿的食品，如“汤圆”等。

    随着中华文化海外传播的不断深入，很多外国人已经知道了“饺子”这种食品，它作为中华文化的一张名片，已经名扬四海，所以我们一般用它的音译jiaozi来表示。

饺子之所以成为中国文化的重要标志，还要从它的历史说起。相传在距今1800年的东汉时期，“医圣”张仲景在回乡途中，看到很多穷人因冬天寒冷而冻伤耳朵。他心急如焚，开始尝试将羊肉、辣椒和一些中草药作为馅料包在面皮里，这些馅料可以帮助人的身体产生热量。他把包成耳朵状的这种食品分发给穷人。穷人吃了后，他们耳朵上的冻伤很快就好了。这种食品不仅能治冻伤，帮助人的身体生热，而且味道鲜美，因而迅速传播开来。据传，张仲景从冬至到大年夜都给穷人发放饺子，这段时间也是一年中最冷的时节。在今天的中国，虽然已少有人会因为穷而冻伤，但是冬至和大年夜吃饺子的传统却保留了下来。

    Jiaozi, once invented, was applied to cure disease as a kind of medicine by a Chinese “Medicine Saint” called Zhang Zhongjing, who lived during the Eastern Han Dynasty 1,800 years ago.

    Legend has it that Zhang was worried when he saw the frostbitten ears of poor people when he returned to his hometown one winter. He decided to wrap mutton, chili and some medicinal herbs in a thin layer of dough to help warm their bodies. He folded the stuffed jiaozi into the shape of an ear, boiled them in water and then distributed them to the poor. The ingredients in the jiaozi, such as mutton and chilli could promote blood flow and thus help thaw (解冻) out people’s cold ears. After eating the jiaozi, the villagers who had been suffering from frostbite fully recovered, and soon the use of jiaozi spread. The wonderful taste of jiaozi also helped them to quickly gain popularity.

    Legend goes that Zhang gave out jiaozi to the poor from the day of Winter Solstice (冬至) to Chinese New Year’s Eve, keeping them from chills during the coldest period of the year. In today’s China, although few there suffer from frostbite, it remains a tradition in the Northern to eat jiaozi on the two special days of Winter Solstice and Chinese New Year’s Eve.

    当然，中国南北方的文化差异也突出表现在饮食上。在南方地区，饺子更多地表现为单纯的食品，而没有习俗上的讲究。在北方，冬至或春节都有吃饺子的传统。饺子在传播过程中，馅料也在不断丰富，从最初的羊肉、辣椒、草药到今天数以百计的品种，彰显了文化创新和饺子的生命力。饺子的馅料一般都不止一种，一般都是体现膳食平衡的荤素搭配或者全素馅。比较常见的有猪肉大白菜、羊肉胡萝卜等，也有鱼肉、虾肉做馅，还有用一种叫荠菜的野菜和猪肉一起搭配做馅的饺子。

    The culinary (烹饪的) difference between the North and South is a typical cultural divide in China, just like the climate is. In Southern China, jiaozi are simply regarded as a kind of food without any particular customs. It is not a custom for Southerners to eat jiaozi on the Winter Solstice or Chinese New Year’s Eve, although they do take them as an important kind of food. Jiaozi fillings have been expanded to include a variety of meat and vegetables and even seafood such as fish and shrimp (虾) The filling usually includes carefully balanced proportions of both meat and vegetables, such as pork and the common Chinese cabbage or mutton and carrot, etc. Another combination is pork and a potherb (野菜) called shepherd’s purse, which gives them a unique and special flavor.

    饺子在长期的发展演变中也出现了很多变体，比如广东的虾饺、近年来风靡的蒸饺、南方小吃锅贴。饺子的馅料多样、做法不一，却都体现了中国人的饮食智慧——将人体所需的各种营养集于一身，又省却了炒菜的繁琐。

    Some other variations have also appeared throughout the long-term evolution of jiaozi, such as the Cantonese shrimp jiaozi and steamed jiaozi. Jiaozi were originally and are still usually cooked in boiling water but, in some regions, they can be steamed or fried. Although the filling and cooking methods may vary, jiaozi reflect the wisdom of the Chinese people—they provide a balanced meal with all the

    今天我们为大家介绍了中国的主食饺子，希望能帮助大家更好地认识中国饮食文化的根本，并且能够用英语介绍相关文化元素，包括背后的历史与传统，让外国人在体验中华饮食的过程中了解其文化内涵，为“中华文化走出去”战略贡献我们的微薄之力。