Every modern household is basically inseparable from pork every day, but in the early Song Dynasty, people did not eat pork. At that time, mutton and river fresh meat were mostly used instead. Because the founding emperor Zhao Kuangyin was a pig, it was rare for pigs to be used for food at that time. So why has eating pork become so commonplace now? Then you have to thank one person-Su Shi.
Su Shi was very keen on eating pork, especially fatty meat, and even created his own delicacies such as "Dongpo Pork". But after all, a dish is difficult to agree with and cannot convince everyone. What made pork famous is the song "Ode to Pork". If you clean the pan with less water, the firewood will not smoke. Don't rush him until he is mature. When the heat is sufficient, he will be beautiful. Huangzhou's good pork is as cheap as dirt. The rich will not eat it, and the poor will not know how to cook it. Get up in the morning and make two bowls. You'll be so full that you don't care.
And it is this poem that not only describes the cooking method of pork, but also expresses the deliciousness of pork more vividly. Even people who have never eaten pork will want to taste the deliciousness of pork after reading this poem, not to mention "The good pork in Huangzhou is as cheap as dirt." Su Shi's poems are poems after all, and they are artistically processed. , how can pork be as cheap as soil? It just describes the price as low, but people are still rushing to buy pork. After tasting the deliciousness of pork, many people added pork to their menu, and later generations developed the habit of eating pork.
Scholar-officials treated guests very simply. The world has changed suddenly, and family dinners have become extravagant. The prime minister's monthly income can be exchanged for 2,500 kilograms of pork. The rich eat mutton instead of pork. Scholar-officials treated guests very simply. At that time, the prime minister's monthly salary was 300,000 yuan, and the monthly salary of the top leader in the capital was 100,000 yuan. At that time, a sesame seed cake cost 2 yuan. After all, if he was willing, the prime minister could take 150,000 sesame seed cakes home from the court a month. When Su Dongpo was an official, an obese colleague named Gu was dozing off on his desk. Su Shi jokingly wrote on the table: "Gu Butcher Case". He took out another 30 yuan and said: "Quickly buy four taels of pork!" In total, 1 catty of pork is equal to 120 yuan (in the past, 16 taels per catty). From this point of view, the prime minister's 150,000 sesame seed cakes can be exchanged for 2,500 kilograms of pork. . There is no need to consider other gray income. As a prime minister, the sunshine income alone is enough to live a comfortable life.
Since you have a generous monthly income, you can no longer insist on living a simple life. Especially when entertaining guests, you must be willing to invest, otherwise you will be really stingy. However, the happiness of the prime minister and officials does not mean that the people are comfortable. Taking the income of ordinary people as an example, a migrant worker working odd jobs on the street can only earn a few dozen cents for a hard day's work. A strong laborer who works hard can earn almost 100 cents, which is one pound. It means pork, but basic food expenses for three meals a day cost 20 cents. Calculated, one day’s net income can’t even buy a pound of pork.
Rich people don’t eat pork but mutton. Although Su Dongpo joked with his colleagues about pork, he didn't like eating it. He once commented in "Qiuchi Notes": "Yellow pig is as cheap as dirt. The rich will not eat it, and the poor will not know how to cook it." He said that the price of pork is as cheap as dirt. Not only the rich are unwilling to eat it, but also the poor Not willing to eat either. At first glance, this statement gives the impression that the people in the Song Dynasty lived so happily that they did not like to eat pork.
However, judging from the income of ordinary people, I am afraid that Su Dongpo has become separated from the masses. The reason why rich people disdain to eat pork is that eating mutton was popular in the Song Dynasty. The rich people's eyes were fixed on sheep, so they would not put pork on the table when entertaining guests. The poor people don't eat pork, not because pork doesn't taste good, but because they can't afford it. A pound of meat often costs more than 100 Wen, and even if the price is reduced, it will still cost dozens of Wen, which can be converted into food expenses for several days. It is too late to hide the price. If it is not a festival, who would be willing to eat it.