This dish is said to originate from a story about the character Dou E in the Yuan Dynasty playwright Guan Hanqing's works.

　　Ants Climbing on Tree Trunk (Aidan Shangshu).

Scholar Dou Tianzhang set off for the capital city for the imperial examination, leaving his daughter Dou E as a child bride to Cai Old Lady, her stepmother in Chu Prefecture.In Cai's household, Dou E was filial to her stepmother and took care of her husband; life was tolerable.However, not long after their marriage, her husband fell ill and died, leaving Cai Old Lady bedridden.

With the heavy burden on her frail shoulders, Dou E sought medical treatment for her stepmother and tried various methods to make delicious meals to nourish her body, gradually restoring some of Cai's health.But due to overspending, financial difficulties arose, forcing Dou E to go into debt.At the meat counter, the butcher said:"You haven't paid back the money you owe twice; I can't give you more credit today.""Good-naturedly, Dou E begged, and when the butcher couldn't resist, he cut her a small piece of meat.

It was time to cook. What could be made with such a small amount of meat?Her thoughtful gaze fell on the bowl cabinet's top where there were some leftovermushroom vermicelli.Dou E had an idea; she took down the vermicelli, soaked it in hot water, and then chopped the meat into mince. She added scallions and ginger to a pan, stir-fried them, mixed insoy sauce, and sautéed the vermicelli briefly before addinggreen onionsandpeppercornsbefore finishing.Cai Old Lady asked from her bed:"What are you cooking that smells so good?"

"It's stir-fried vermicelli."As the words left her mouth, Dou E brought the dish to Cai. Before taking a bite, she noticed many black spots on the vermicelli and asked her stepmother:"""Why are there so many ants on this?""When Dou E explained the situation and her stepmother tasted it, she was pleased and suggested naming the dish"Ants Climbing on Tree Trunk.""Ants Climbing on Tree Trunk is a traditional Chinese delicacy made withmung bean vermicelliand minced meat.

The dish is mild, slippery, and delicious, with a bright red color. The mince sticks to the vermicelli (resembling ants climbing tree branches), offering unique flavors when eaten.This dish was named for its appearance; the mince resembles ants, and the vermicelli represents the trunk.The dish is shiny, soft, and smooth with a fragrant minced meat that adds a special taste. It's an excellenthome-cooked meal.End.The taste is light and refreshing, deliciously smooth, with a bright red color. The meat mince sticks to the potato strips (similar to ants climbing on branches), offering a unique flavor when eaten.This dish gets its name from its appearance; the meat mince resembles ants and the potato strips resemble tree branches, creating a realistic image.This dish features shiny and soft potato strips with tender meat mince, providing a distinctive taste. It is an outstanding home-cooked delicacy.It is a superiorfamily dish.