Shaojigong

In the ancient times, the local people of Chenzhou often sang a ballad, saying “ships stop, horses die and travelers shiver when getting to Chenzhou”, because the Nanling Mountains in Chenzhou City, the watershed between the Xiang River and the Pearl River, impeded the shipping and all the goods had to be transported only by horses and mules. Besides, as the miasmas diffused in mountains, the outsiders were often infected with malaria, a disease that will bring periodic chills, fever and shiver. It is said that Xu Xiake, a great traveler of the Ming Dynasty, cured the disease with “Shaojigong” or roast chicken, a signature dish of Chenzhou City.

The spicy chicken, crispy skin, delicious soup and its effect of dispelling cold and nourishing blood makes it a favorite dish of Chenzhou people. In recent years, Shaojigong has topped the lists of local special dishes. 

Source: official website of the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism