A long, long time ago, a good and honest family lived in a remote, backward area that had green hills and clear water. With good intentions, the family put up a shed in front of their gate so pedestrians could rest. The site gradually developed into a restaurant that specialized in home cooking. One day, a candidate for the imperial examinations, who was traveling to the capital, ate at the restaurant. He had eight savory and substantial dishes that were served in eight very big bowls. To express his thanks, the candidate wrote the characters Ba Da Wan (eight big bowls), presented them to the host and suggested they become the name of the restaurant. The candidate did succeed in the imperial examinations, and Badawan became known throughout the country. Today, the community is called Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province. The Badawan Catering Company is headquartered there.
