Zhejiang Dongpo Pork — Historical and Cultural Context
Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province — Song Dynasty origin
The story of Dongpo pork (dong po rou) illuminates how Chinese culinary history connects food to literary and historical figures. Su Shi (Su Dongpo, 1037–1101), polymath of the Song Dynasty, wrote extensively about cooking, particularly pork. Exiled to Hangzhou, he supervised flood relief works where he served braised pork to labourers — the method he described in his poem 'Ode to Pork' became the dish's foundation.