Shanghai Xiaolongbao: Why Do Chinese People 'Open a Window' First When Eating Buns? Because the Soup Is Inside

One. In the Kitchen of Giaogiao, an Italian Guest Burned His Tongue

In the autumn of 2023, an Italian guest came to Giaogiao. He pointed at a photo on the menu and asked me: "What is this? Dumplings?"

"Not dumplings. Xiaolongbao."

"What's inside?"

"Meat. And soup."

"Soup?" He frowned. "Soup inside the dumpling?"

"Yes."

"How do you eat it?"

"Pick it up with chopsticks, put it on a spoon, bite a small opening, suck out the soup, then eat."

After hearing this, he picked one up with chopsticks and stuffed the whole thing into his mouth.

Then his face changed. Not an expression of enjoyment, but of pain. He opened his mouth wide, fanned it with his hand, and tears almost came out.

"Hot!" he shouted. "Very hot!"

I knew what had happened. The soup in xiaolongbao, fresh out of the steamer, is close to 100 degrees. He stuffed the whole thing into his mouth, and the soup exploded in his oral cavity, scalding his tongue.

I handed him a glass of cold water. After drinking, he said tearfully: "This food is dangerous."

"Yes," I said. "So there is a formula for eating xiaolongbao."

"A formula?"

"Qing qing ti, man man yi, xian kai chuang, hou he tang."

He repeated it, pronunciation inaccurate, but with a very serious expression.

"What does it mean?" he asked.

"It means: you have to respect this bun. If you don't respect it, it will hurt you."

Two. How Does the Soup Get Inside the Bun? Not Poured In, but Frozen In

That Italian guest later became a regular at Giaogiao. Every time he came, he ordered xiaolongbao, but every time he asked me to demonstrate how to eat it first.

One day he asked me: "How does the soup get inside the bun? Do you use a syringe?"

"No."

"Then how?"

"Frozen in."

"What?"

"Simmer pork skin and chicken bones into a rich broth, let it cool, and it solidifies into a jelly-like state. This is called 'pi dong' (skin jelly). Then chop the pi dong into pieces, mix it with the meat filling. When wrapping the bun, pi dong is solid. During steaming, pi dong melts and becomes soup."

The Italian guest's eyes widened: "So the soup is not added later, but was already inside?"

"Yes. The design of xiaolongbao is to let soup and meat fuse during the steaming process. The soup is the essence of the meat; the meat is the carrier of the soup."

"This is completely different from Italian ravioli. Ravioli is filled with cheese, which is solid. Xiaolongbao is filled with soup, which is liquid."

"Yes. Italians fear liquid inside dough, because liquid will break the dough. Chinese people deliberately wrap liquid inside dough, then use technique to ensure it doesn't break."

"What technique?"

"The technique is 'thin.' Xiaolongbao skin is three times thinner than Tianjin baozi skin. Thin enough to let light through, but tough enough to hold the soup. This is Shanghai precision."

Three. 18 Pleats: Rules for Tianjin Baozi, Pride for Shanghai Xiaolongbao

At Giaogiao, both Tianjin baozi and Shanghai xiaolongbao are on the menu. Many people ask me: "What is the difference? Aren't they both buns?"

I say: "Tianjin baozi is from the north, Shanghai xiaolongbao is from the south. Tianjin baozi is for dock workers; Shanghai xiaolongbao is for city white-collar workers. One Tianjin baozi fills you up; ten Shanghai xiaolongbao are just enough."

"What is the most important difference?"

"The pleats."

Tianjin baozi has 18 pleats. Shanghai xiaolongbao also has 18 pleats. But the 18 pleats of each have completely different meanings.

The 18 pleats of Tianjin baozi are 'rules.' They are the standard that a master must teach an apprentice. One more or one less means the craftsmanship is not yet mature.

The 18 pleats of Shanghai xiaolongbao are 'pride.' They are the way a master shows off his craft to guests. Every pleat must be even, fine, and neat, like a flower.

The pleats of Tianjin baozi are functional — 18 pleats prevent the bun from collapsing during steaming. The pleats of Shanghai xiaolongbao are decorative — 18 pleats make the bun look exquisite.

Marco asked me: "Which is better?"

"There is no better. Tianjin baozi is like a man — rough but powerful. Shanghai xiaolongbao is like a woman — exquisite but profound."

"Which do you prefer?"

"I prefer xiaolongbao. Because I am from the northeast, I grew up eating big things. When I came to the south and saw such small buns, I found them adorable. Moreover, xiaolongbao has soup. Soup is the soul."

Four. Lift Gently, Move Slowly: Eating Xiaolongbao Is a Ritual

The way to eat Shanghai xiaolongbao is one of the most refined food rituals in China.

Step one: "Qing qing ti" (lift gently). Use chopsticks to clamp the top of the xiaolongbao (where the pleats are), and gently lift it up. Don't use force, or the skin will break and the soup will flow out.

Step two: "Man man yi" (move slowly). Move the xiaolongbao from the steamer to the spoon. During the movement, no shaking, no trembling. Like holding a baby, steadily.

Step three: "Xian kai chuang" (open a window first). Bite a small opening in the bun skin, like opening a window. Don't bite too big, or the soup will flow out. Don't bite too small, or the soup won't come out.

Step four: "Hou he tang" (then drink the soup). Bring your lips to the window and suck gently. The soup is hot, but you can't rush, or you will get scalded. Slowly, carefully, let the soup flow into your mouth.

Step five: only then eat. After drinking the soup, dip a little vinegar, and eat the bun and meat filling together.

The whole process takes five minutes.

After learning it, the Italian guest said: "This is more complicated than Italian spaghetti."

"Yes," I said, "but complexity is the charm of xiaolongbao. Every minute you spend will be exchanged for one more minute of flavor."

"Why do Chinese people make food so complicated?"

"Because Chinese people believe: the way you eat food determines your attitude toward life. Lift gently, move slowly — this is patience. Open a window first, then drink the soup — this is respect. A person who eats xiaolongbao is a patient person who understands respect."

Five. Why Shanghai? Because Shanghai Is a City of 'Inside'

Why was Shanghai xiaolongbao born in Shanghai? I thought about this for a long time.

Later I figured it out: because Shanghai is a city of 'inside.'

Shanghai's buildings look Western on the outside, but the inside is a Chinese way of life. Shanghai people's clothing looks like suits and leather shoes on the outside, but the inside is a delicate aesthetic. Shanghai food looks exquisite on the outside, but the inside is rich soup.

Tianjin baozi is 'outside' — thick skin, deep pleats, large size, you can see its power at a glance. Shanghai xiaolongbao is 'inside' — thin skin, fine pleats, small size, you must bite it open to discover its richness.

This temperament of 'inside' is completely consistent with Shanghai's city spirit.

I have been in Europe for twenty-five years, six in Florence. Florence is a bit like Shanghai: both are exquisite cities, both have strong craft traditions, both value 'inside' more than 'outside.' But Florence's exquisiteness is exposed — sculptures are placed in squares, frescoes are painted in churches, everyone can see them. Shanghai's exquisiteness is restrained — hidden in noodle shops in alleys, hidden in gardens in longtang (lanes), hidden in the soup of a xiaolongbao.

Marco said: "I am starting to understand Shanghai."

"What?"

"Shanghai is not a city for you to 'look at.' It is a city for you to 'discover.'"

Six. When I Explain Xiaolongbao to Marco, I Don't Explain Food, but 'Inside'

Marco asked me one last time: "Coach, what is the philosophy of xiaolongbao?"

I thought about it.

"The philosophy of xiaolongbao is: the most important things are not on the outside, but on the inside."

"What do you mean?"

"You look at xiaolongbao; the outside is just an ordinary bun. Compared to Tianjin baozi, it is small, thin, and unremarkable. But when you bite it open, the soup gushes out, and you discover a world. The soup is simmered from meat, the meat is fresh, the skin is hand-rolled. The three together are a complete system."

"Is this like Shanghai people?"

"Yes. Shanghai people may look calm, restrained, even a bit cold on the surface. But when you enter their world, you discover the passion and delicacy inside. Xiaolongbao is the epitome of Shanghai people: ordinary on the outside, rich on the inside."

Marco said: "The next time I go to Shanghai, my first meal will be xiaolongbao."

"No," I said, "don't eat it for the first meal. Observe first. Watch how Shanghai people eat. They don't talk, don't rush, lift slowly, move slowly, suck slowly. You will see an attitude toward life."

"What attitude?"

"Not showing off, but confident. Not ostentatious, but powerful."

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> Coach Liu Says

> Shanghai xiaolongbao is not the most delicious food in China, but it is the 'smartest' food in China. It uses a thin skin to deceive your eyes. You think it is just a bun, but inside there is a mouthful of soup. This soup is the essence of pork, the richness of chicken bones, and the sediment of time. The next time you go to Shanghai, don't go to the internet-famous shop in Yu Garden. Go to the longtang (lanes) of the old district and find a xiaolongbao shop that has been open for forty years. The people queuing at the door don't talk; they are all waiting. When the steamer opens, white mist rises, and everyone eats gently, slowly, and seriously. At that moment, you will understand Shanghai.

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