Jiaodong bobo
Updated : 2022-02-07
"Jiaodong bobo", popular on the Jiaodong peninsula in Shandong province, is made of wheat flour and is four to six times larger than mantou, a staple food of northern China.
It is difficult to trace the origins of Jiaodong bobo. In ancient times, it was used for worship, and it is still very popular in rural areas of Weihai, Yantai, and Qingdao.
People usually steam bobo to celebrate special occasions such as the Spring Festival, weddings, and birthdays, as the word for "steam" is pronounced "zheng" in Chinese and is associated with the rising of one’s life fortunes.
Throughout its long history, bobo has been molded into a variety of shapes, including dragons, tigers, flowers, birds, insects, and fish, showcasing the unique food culture and aesthetic tastes of the local people.
The main inheritors of Jiaodong bobo in Yantai are Meng Zhaotai in Laizhou, Jia Yuping in Qixia, and Zhang Yan and Qu Lirong in Longkou. Each of them has their own unique style, using a variety of shapes and colors.