Chinese county in Anhui claims it’s the ‘hometown of hotpot’ ... controversy quickly boils over
China’s other hotpot capitals are not to be dethroned by a little-known upstart
A county in China’s southeastern Anhui province has unilaterally declared itself the “hometown of hotpot”, claiming ownership of an iconic Chinese dish that has many versions around the nation.
This self-awarded title was approved on August 28 as part of a seemingly innocuous initiative by the county’s industry and commerce committee to increase tourism in the region, according to local media.
But the move ignited debate on Chinese social media this week, with many questioning why this area had a right to stake any claim to the millennia-old dish, where meats and vegetables are eaten from a simmering pot of spiced and flavoured broth.
“The people of Sichuan protest,” one internet user wrote, calling out dissent from the southwestern province whose genre of numbingly spicy flavours has crossed provincial and national borders to gain global renown, championed by independent restaurants and global chains like HaiDiLao.
