The tradition of using liver in cuisine is ancient. The Warring States period classic "Book of Rites" mentions…
The tradition of using liver in cuisine is ancient. The Warring States period classic "Book of Rites" mentions "...liver... all dried." By the Song Dynasty, various cooking methods for offal were widespread in marketplaces. "A Dream of Splendor" records vendors specializing in blood and organs, "a favorite of the capital's people. Every morning, only in front of Wanglou was there such a stall, called 'Mixed Chews', selling liver, lung, intestine, stomach, heart, tongue, kidneys, tripe, lung, spleen, blood pudding, etc." Other books also describe a hangover soup made with pig liver and a lamb liver cake, showcasing a wide variety of flavorful dishes.