Virgin boy egg

Virgin boy eggs or "tong zi dan" Chinese: 童子尿煮鸡蛋; pinyin: Tóngzǐ Niào Zhǔ Jīdàn[1]) are a traditional delicacy of Dongyang, China made by cooking eggs in urine collected from young boys.[2] Every year in early spring time, the urine of prepubescent school boys preferably under 10 years is collected and boiled with eggs and sold for 1.50 yuan,[3] around twice the price of a regular boiled egg.[4] In 2008, Dongyang recognized the eggs as "local intangible cultural heritage."[5]

Preparation

Urine is collected from school toilets[2][6] or boys urinate directly into collection buckets set out by vendors.[5] The eggs are soaked and boiled in the urine.[2] The shells are cracked and cooked more on low heat like tea eggs. Cooking takes all day.[2][5][6]

Folk medicine

Dongyang residents believe "the eggs decrease body heat, promote better blood circulation and just generally reinvigorate the body."[2] According to a practitioner of Chinese medicine, urine crystals are like ren zhong bai. "It can treat yin deficiency, decrease internal body heat, promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis."[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "不懂!童子尿煮鸡蛋也能入选非物质文化遗产?（图） (Chinese)". BBS China News. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "'Virgin Boy Eggs' Cooked In Urine Are Spring Delicacy In Dongyang, China". Reuters. March 29, 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
  3. ↑ Klimas, Liz (March 30, 2012). "CHINESE DELICACY: ‘VIRGIN BOY EGGS’ BOILED IN YOUNG MALE URINE — FOR REAL". The Blaze. TheBlaze LLC. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  4. ↑ Vackerberg, Janneke (March 30, 2012). "Urine-cooked eggs a delicacy in China city: ‘Virgin boy eggs’ are spring tradition in Dongyang". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 1, 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Boys’ urine-soaked eggs listed as local specialty, intangible cultural heritage | Ministry of Tofu 豆腐部". Ministryoftofu.com. March 11, 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  6. 1 2 "Chinese Virgin Boy Eggs | Watch the video - Yahoo! News". News.yahoo.com. 2011-04-20. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
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