Having its origin during Emperor Guangxu’s reign in Qing Dynasty (1875-1908), the dish “Fotiaoqiang” is a famous Fuzhou specialty that has made several appearances in China’s state banquet. The dish is traditionally braised in a Chinese wine jar that contains more than 20 ingredients including pigeon eggs, dried scallops, and abalones. It is said that in a Buddhist temple, an elder monk is guiding several young monks to ponder on scriptures, when the intensified aroma suddenly arouses their appetite. A little monk sneaks out of the temple and climbs onto the wall, wishing to find the source. The cook sees him and curiously asks: “What are you looking for on the wall?” With a blushing face, the little monk replies: “I smell the aroma and wish to know what you are making.” And then the little monk hurriedly jumps off the wall. The story depicts how the dish earns its name.