Chun Fa Sheng

Chun Fa Sheng began in the 1920s, when the Guanzhong man He Leyi sold pig offal under the name He Ji Huludou; a Shaanxi literatus later renamed it Chun Fa Sheng after a line in Du Fu's poem celebrating timely spring rain.

Its signature is huludou paomo, and it is the acknowledged authentic standard for the dish in Xi'an, with its huludou-making craft listed in Shaanxi's provincial intangible-heritage register.

The dish turns on the careful handling of pig large intestine, repeatedly washed to remove odor, then served with slow-simmered bone broth using a technique called pao, in which hot broth is ladled over the bread again and again to soak it through, echoing the street food of Tang and Song Chang'an.

As a Time-Honored Brand, Chun Fa Sheng carries forward huludou, a humble dish born in the markets of Tang-era Chang'an, and is an important bearer of Xi'an's traditional snack craft.