Emperor Yangdi of the Sui Dynasty (581-618) named Yang Guang was once traveling through southern China. Arriving at Yangzhou, he immediately fell in love with the area's four main scenic spots一Ten-Thousand Pine Mountain, the Coin Mound, the Ivory Forest, and the Sunflower Ridge. When he returned to the Palace, he asked his chef to whip up four dishes that would represent these beautiful scenes. The chef racked his brains and came up with four different recipes, including meatballs braised in brown sauce. Later, during the Tang Dynasty, when the Duke of Xun was arranging a banquet, he ordered his chef to prepare these four dishes. When the stewed meatballs reached the table, all the guests were amazed. The cook had fashioned each one to resemble a male lion's head The Duke of Xun immediately proposed a toast, saying, "Why not change its name to Lion's Head, in memory of our gathering tonight?" From that day on, Braised Lion Head Meatballs have been devoured all over the country, and they can be found in any big restaurant. The best are found in eateries that specialized in Huaiyang cuisine
