June, 2008, Beijing Travel Administration announced that they finalized an official English Translation for Chinese Dishes. The script includes 1571 Chinese dishes (123 appetizers, 1057 entries, and 391 sides), 225 non-Chinese dishes, and 629 beverages and wines. The goal is to provide a guidance for the restaurants and hotels when they are gearing up for the flood of foreign tourists during the 2008 Olympic Game.

The translation of Chinese dishes has been a challenge for many restaurants for many years. Some translations also lead to misunderstanding, laugh, or even scare. For example, a famous dish, Hong Shao Shi Zi Tou （红烧狮子头）, now officially named Braised Pork Balls in Soy Sauce, was once called Red Burned Lion Head. Rebellion teenagers may like  this strange name, but environmentalists will be frowning at it. Hey, how many lions will be cooked by Chinese chefs? It’s indeed nothing more than an Italian meat ball, only larger.

One of spicy food lovers’ favorite is Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐）. The name is now a close variation of its Pinyin: Ma Po Dou Fu. It was called by many restaurants as Beancurd Made by a Pock-Marked Woman. Don’t expect to walk into the kitchen and see a female chef with spots on her face. It’s just an interesting story to tell the origin of the dish. It’s so simple to make and so delicious to eat that almost every Chinese wife can cook it. It might be a good reason for husbands to buy their wives some facial spas. So their beautiful faces will not be marked by spots after cooking Mapo Tofu for the family and friends years after years.

Another treat for spicy lovers is Fu Qi Fei Pian (夫妻肺片). It’s called now Beef and Ox Tripe in Chili Sauce. What is its old name in some local restaurants? Well, stand still. It is Husband and Wife’s Lung Slice. Don’t call 911, no one is hurt. It’s just this translation that sounds scary and it is changed.

BTW, here are some old and odd names of common Chinese dishes. Can you guess what they are and will you eat them for dinner?
Four-Joy Meatballs
Beggar’s Chicken
Steamed Spring Chicken

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