Xiâolóngbāo (小籠包)

In traditional Chinese, Xiâolóngbāo translates as “little bamboo steamer dumpling”. However, Xiao long bao has come to be known by many names since it was innovated in the late 1800s. Other than Xao long bao, they include Shanghai soup dumpling and Xiao long man tou. The difference in the names is significant to its origin and subsequent diffusion – apart from the name of Shanghai soup dumpling. ‘Shanghai soup dumpling’ is obviously a western term and it has no bearing on the origins or components of the dumpling, apart from the dumpling being innovated near Shanghai. The term ‘Shanghai soup dumpling’ undoubtedly arose because of its rapid diffusion to the West due to an influx of western influences and trade during the time period it was invented. On the other hand the variation between the names Xiao long bao and Xiao long mantou is significant. Both mantou and baozi are steamed buns originally made with wheat flour and consumed by the wealthy, due to the slim availability of wheat before the third century AD. Baozi are stuffed steamed wheat buns, while mantou are simply steamed wheat buns. The latter came first and became a staple for northern and, in later years, southern China. Although baozi is the immediate antecedent of Xiao long bao, mantou is the true antecedent. Therefore, the correct name is Xiao long man tou, not Xiao long bao. Regardless, it is odd that the name does not include any reference to the soupy aspect of the dumplings, which is their biggest novelty and sets them apart from the multitudes of other dumplings around the world.