肠粉 Cantonese Rice Noodle Roll

肠粉

Family Documentary

Views

Synopsis

The soul of Cantonese breakfast, one of the "Eight Great Kings" of Cantonese morning tea, is made by steaming rice milk into thin skins and wrapping fillings. In 2022, it was selected as a Guangzhou municipal intangible cultural heritage.

Overview

Cheong fun (rice noodle roll) is one of the most representative traditional snacks in Guangdong Province and a core dim sum among the "Eight Great Kings" of Cantonese morning tea. It is made by grinding rice into rice milk, steaming it into paper-thin sheets, rolling them with fillings such as shrimp, beef, or barbecued pork, and drizzling with a special sauce. The texture is smooth, silky, and tender.

Cheong fun is hailed as the "soul of Guangdong breakfast" and can be found on streets and alleys throughout Guangzhou. In October 2022, the craft of making cheong fun was inscribed on the eighth batch of Guangzhou Municipal Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative Items list.

History

The history of cheong fun dates back to the early 20th century. There are several theories about its origin.

According to Famous Chinese Cuisine: Cantonese Dishes, cheong fun was first created by "Hexian Guan" in Pantang, Xiguan, Guangzhou during the War of Resistance Against Japan. Another theory suggests that cheong fun was actually invented by street vendors in Guangzhou in the 1930s.

In the early 20th century, as Guangzhou's commerce flourished, cheong fun moved from the streets into tea houses, becoming an essential part of Cantonese morning tea. Today, cheong fun has become an indispensable delicacy in the daily lives of Guangdong people.

Making Techniques

The core technique of cheong fun involves steaming rice milk into thin sheets and then rolling them with fillings. Based on the steaming tools used, there are three main schools:

School	Description
Bamboo basket cheong fun	The oldest method, steamed in bamboo baskets, extremely thin and translucent
Cloth-steamed cheong fun	Steamed on gauze, emphasizing fresh and flavorful fillings
Drawer-style cheong fun	Steamed on iron plates, highly efficient, most common

High heat must be used during steaming to ensure the cheong fun has a smooth and tender texture.

Types

Type	Filling
Shrimp cheong fun	Fresh shrimp, a morning tea classic
Beef cheong fun	Tender beef, common on the streets
Barbecued pork cheong fun	Cantonese char siu, sweet and savory
Egg cheong fun	Egg, a home-style version
Plain cheong fun	No filling, just the rice sheet, served with dipping sauce

Cultural Significance

Cheong fun is not just a delicacy but also a symbol of the Cantonese lifestyle. In Guangzhou, a dedicated "Cheong Fun Museum" has been established, displaying old artifacts and telling the history of cheong fun. Visitors can also personally experience the traditional drawer-style cheong fun making process.

Item	Data
Origin	1930s, Xiguan, Guangzhou
Intangible heritage level	Municipal level of Guangzhou (2022)
Morning tea status	One of the "Eight Great Kings"
Representative brand	Yinji Cheong Fun

In 2020, the craft of making the famous "Yinji Cheong Fun" was inscribed on the Yuexiu District Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative Items list in Guangzhou.