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Changzhou sesame candy is a kind of special traditional
Changzhou sesame candy is a kind of special traditional cookie
A cookie is a baked or cooked snack or dessert that is typically small, flat and sweet. It usually contains flour, sugar, egg, and some type of oil, fat, or butter. It may include other ingredients such as raisins, oats, chocolate chips, n ...
which is very popular among people in local places in Changzhou
Changzhou ( Changzhounese: ''Zaon Tsei'', ) is a prefecture-level city in southern Jiangsu province, China. It was previously known as Yanling, Lanling and Jinling. Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, Changzhou borders the provin ...
. During the Tang dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
, Changzhou locals started to produce a kind of sweets shaped like deep-fried sesame seed
Sesame ( or ; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a flowering plant in the genus ''Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cu ...
balls, hence the similar name.
There are two stories relating to how the Changzhou sesame candy earned its popularity. The first states that the emperor didn't have a good appetite and didn't feel like eating anything, since nothing pleased him; however, once he tried some sesame candy from Changzhou, he recovered and declared the sesame candy his favorite food. Another story states that during the Song dynasty
The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
the emperor was too afraid of fighting to retaliate when the region was invaded, and thus the nation was on the brink of being entirely destroyed. However, a great number of people made sesame candy to send to the emperor in order to remind him of the importance of the land. This inspired the emperor to fight back at last, and the whole country was saved. Changzhou sesame candy got its name during the Tang dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
and was usually used for sacrificial rituals.
See also
*List of sesame seed dishes
This is a list of notable sesame seed dishes and foods, which are prepared using sesame seed as a main ingredient. Sesame seed is a common ingredient in various cuisines, and is used whole in cooking for its rich, nutty flavor. It is also a potent ...
References
{{reflist Changzhou Sesame dishes Chinese confectionery