(1)1March 1997 14 The Fifth Session of the Eighth National People's Congress decided to approve the establishment of Chongqing. 1June 1997 18, Chongqing municipality was formally established. Prior to this, Chongqing has been a sub-provincial city under Sichuan Province. Therefore, there is a saying that "Sichuan and Chongqing are inseparable." Before Chongqing was listed as a municipality directly under the central government, everything was under the name of Sichuan. For example, the "Chongqing Hotpot" at that time was written as "Sichuan Hotpot".

(2) Chongqing hot pot and Sichuan hot pot are not the same kind because of the difference in pot bottom, dishes and oil dishes.

Many times we default that "Sichuan Hotpot" and "Chengdu Hotpot" are the same variety, but Chengdu Hotpot can't fully represent Sichuan Hotpot. Hotpots in most parts of Sichuan also have their own characteristics, such as sauerkraut Hotpot and Jiuchi Goose Intestine Hotpot.

Sichuan hot pot has always been known as "spicy and delicious". Since the birth of hot pot, people have loved it from vendors to pawns to dignitaries. The audience and influence of hot pot are beyond the reach of other cuisines.

The edible form of "hot pot" first appeared in front of the world in the Western Jin Dynasty about 1700 years ago. Zuo Si, a famous writer in the Western Jin Dynasty, recorded it in his Shu Du Fu. "Sitting in the gold base, the food is delicious, the food is washed with clear water, and the purple scales are rare." A few words outlined the embryonic form of hot pot.

Cao Pi, Emperor Wen of Wei, divided the hot pot into five independent areas and named it five-cooked pot.

Sichuan hot pot officially appeared on people's dining tables, and the time has reached Daoguang period of Qing Dynasty (182 1 year-185 1 year). There are three views about the birthplace of Sichuan hot pot: Leshan, Luzhou and Chongqing. Judging from the published information, it is generally recognized that it originated from Xiaomi Beach in Luzhou.

At that time, boatmen along the Yangtze River often stopped at Xiaomi Beach to have a rest. Their cooker is just a crock filled with soup, flavored with pepper, dehumidified with pepper, and then cooked all kinds of vegetables. This convenient and delicious way of eating was passed down from mouth to mouth and soon spread to Chongqing along the Yangtze River.

The embryonic form of Sichuan hot pot appeared in Luzhou, which is accidental and inevitable under the historical background.

Let's take a look at the historical events that happened in China during the Qing Dynasty (1821-1851).

The destruction of opium in Humen, the First Opium War, the signing of the treaty of nanking, the signing of the Wang Xia Treaty between China and the United States, and the outbreak of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement ... The direct consequence of this series of events was that the navigation rights of the Yangtze River began to gradually lose: foreign invaders entered the Yangtze River, Shanghai and the Yangtze River for trade, and then the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom used the Yangtze River water transport organization to March.

At this time, the shipping in the remote Bashu area has not been directly impacted by the consequences of the Opium War, but the shipping industry in China in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River has been squeezed by foreign shipping industry. With the opening of the British fleet, foreign merchant ships swarmed in, directly destroying China's fragile wooden shipping industry.

So it is not surprising that a large number of wooden boats and boatmen who make a living from this have gathered in Sichuan and Chongqing.

The mountains and rivers of Ba-Yu overlap, and a large number of wooden boats are needed for cargo circulation and passenger transport. At that time, there were only a few boatmen in the small wooden boat, and there were twenty or thirty boatmen in the big wooden boat.

Bayu is full of rapids and dangerous beaches, and the boat runners are "desperate". The life of the boatman is very hard, so it is natural to do everything possible to improve it. Bashu area lives on water, which is wet and cold, and naturally there is a soup base with pepper and pepper to eliminate dampness.

At that time, people at the bottom of life tried their best to scratch their mouths, as did boatmen and sticks.

At that time, some sticks in Chongqing (people who worked hard with a bamboo pole) saw the boatman eating by the river, so they went to the cattle killing farm to pick up some lost cattle and cooked them in the same way. In the long run, there are smart people who carry the burden, put beef offal and side dishes at one end and a stove at the other, and put a large iron basin with a grid on the stove, and walk around the streets every day to sell it.

At that time, there was a magazine called Local Records in Chengdu that described the scene of eating hot pot at that time.

"The hot pot that eats buffalo hairy belly originated in Jiangbei, Chongqing. At first, the general retailer bought buffalo viscera, cut the liver and stomach into small pieces, and set a mud stove at the head of the stall. On the stove, there was a dry pot and iron basin with a spicy and salty marinade rolled upside down. Therefore, friends who usually sell labor on the bridge by the river will benefit from the burden. Everyone wants a grid, eat it while it is hot, eat a few pieces, and calculate a certain amount of money ... It was not until the 23 rd year of the Republic of China that a small restaurant in Chongqing raised it and moved it from the stall to the dining table. "

In the late War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression period, hot pot became popular in Chongqing. Whether government officials, businessmen, journalists or ordinary people in the Republic of China, eating hot pot is a fashion. Later, many Kuomintang veterans who went to Taiwan Province Province were obsessed with Chongqing hot pot. It can be said that Taiwan Province Mala Tang and Chongqing Hotpot are also brothers of "one female compatriot".

The reason why Chongqing hot pot was popular and even sought after at that time was only two words-cheap.

Let's take a look at the social situation in Chongqing at that time.

Since the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, the national government moved westward to Chongqing, the rear area, and the important officials of the national government, celebrities and people in the war zone also moved. However, due to the Japanese blockade and continuous bombing of Chongqing, the consumption caused by the war is enormous. At that time, the economic environment and living environment of the capital were very bad, especially in the middle and late period of the Anti-Japanese War, Chongqing's inflation was serious and it was difficult to survive.

Food in the wartime capital was very precious. Gu Weijun, the former representative of the Kuomintang government to the United Nations, recalled a banquet in June of 1942+00.

"In Jialing Hotel, I attended a banquet hosted by Dr. Kong Xiangxi and people from the Executive Yuan for the State Councilor. We had an economical and nutritious meal. Everyone has a plate with three things in it: meat, vegetables and rice. Soymilk is the only drink. There is also a bowl of soup and a dish of sweets, mainly some fruits. "

At that time, in the capital, Feng Yuxiang often invited people to dinner, including people from all walks of life at home and abroad. A similar plot was also mentioned in Feng Yuxiang's diary.

"The Soviet ambassador invited you to dinner. It's full of wine, cigarettes and food. Let's invite him to dinner, but there are only a few plates of steamed bread, bean buns, porridge and vegetables. I'm a little embarrassed to see him so rich today. However, he invited me for his country's money, and I invited him to dinner for my own money. I don't feel sad when I think about it, and I completely removed my previous sense of shame. "

The life of government officials is still so tight, and the life of ordinary Chongqing people is even more difficult.

According to 1937- 194 1 Chongqing in June, the prices of all kinds of food suddenly began to climb from 1940. Among them, the average rice prices in various markets in the past few years were: 1.253, 1.203, 1.297, 7.067 yuan, and by June 1.94 1.

In such a big environment, it is not surprising that hot pot has sprung up with the characteristics of "cheap".

The ingredients of hot pot are very common, which change with the seasons and are mostly low-priced. In addition to all kinds of beef offal, there are pig water, chicken blood, goose intestines and so on. And cheap vegetables such as fungus, potatoes and lotus root slices are also the first choice for hot pot. At that time, cows and pigs were directly thrown into the water, and even if the price of hot pot doubled, ordinary people could afford it. At that time, you can eat meat, which is a rare enjoyment for ordinary people, and you don't care if you go into the water.

In addition to "Sichuan Sanjiao" (Zanthoxylum bungeanum, capsicum, capsicum), there are also ginger, onion, garlic and a spicy seasoning. The spicy and pungent taste is beyond the reach of other dishes. Hot pot not only mobilizes the sense of taste, but also makes vision, smell and hearing work together. This is undoubtedly the most powerful impact on the dull and monotonous diet in the rear area at that time.

The characteristics of easy-to-get and cheap ingredients in hot pot have continued to this day, and the constantly improving taste of the bottom material has made the hot pot last for a long time. Therefore, it is not unreasonable that Sichuan hot pot was sought after by the Qing Dynasty.