As archaeologists pored over ancient tombs in Turfan in western China, they discovered some surprisingly well-preserved and familiar relics.

考古學家們仔細挖掘中國西部吐魯番地區古墓時，發現了一些保存意外良好且為人熟悉的遺物。

Though hardened from over 1,000 years, there sat little crescent-shaped dumplings.

雖然因為歷時逾千年而硬化，這些月牙形狀的水餃仍舊靜靜坐在那裡。

Exactly who invented dumplings remains a mystery.

發明水餃的人究竟是誰這件事，至今仍是一個謎。

But some scholars suspect they were first spread around parts the ancient world by nomadic Turkic peoples living in western China and Central Asia.

但有些學者推測它們起初是由當時居住在中國西部以及亞洲中部的突厥（或譯「土耳其族」）遊牧民族傳播到古世界的各地。

This is thought to be the case because "manti", meaning "dumpling" or "steamed bun" in many Turkic languages, appears to be the root word for dumpling in several other languages.

會有這樣的猜想是因為許多土耳其語系語言中，表示「團子（dumpling）」或「蒸包（steamed bun）」的 manti，似乎也是數個其它語言中 dumpling 這個字的字根。

Ancient Turkic people probably stuffed their dumplings with meat.

古突厥人民大概是以肉品填充他們的餃子。

But it's unclear when this practice began or whether they learned the art of dumpling-making from others.

但我們還不清楚這個習慣是從何時開始，抑或他們是否是從他人身上學會包餃子的藝術。

However this happened, dumplings certainly gathered steam in ancient China.

不管這是如何發生的，餃子在古中國確實地廣為流行。

That's where they first appear in the written record⏤more than 1,700 years ago, in a mouthwatering rhapsody by scholar Shu Xi.

那就是它們初次在文獻中出現，也就是學者束皙在超過 1 千 7 百年前寫下、令人一讀垂涎的辭賦中。

In his poem, Shu alludes to certain cooking methods coming from alien lands.

束皙在詩中影射了來自異土的烹調手法。

He describes a steamed wheat product as "mantou".

他將蒸煮出來的小麥成品稱為「饅頭」（又作「曼頭」）。

And he reverentially chronicles the preparation of kneaded dough balls called "lao wan".

然後他又以充滿敬意的方式記錄了準備搓揉過、稱為「牢丸」的麵團準備過程。

They're packed with pork, mutton, and aromatics, dipped in black meat sauce, then quickly gobbled up, leaving people downwind to drool and fantasy feast.

它們之中塞滿了豬肉、羊肉以及辛香料，再沾取黑色肉之後，快速地吃下肚，讓位在下風的人們垂涎並想像一場夢幻的盛宴。

Dumplings continued to take off and diversify in China over the next thousand years.

水餃在接下來的千年中，繼續在中國盛行並變得多樣化。

Instead of the traditional meat filling, some communities opted for vegetarian dumplings.

有些群體選擇用蔬菜水餃來取代傳統的肉餡。

People developed new cooking methods.

人們也發展了新的烹煮方式。

And because wheat was harder to cultivate outside of northern China, those in other regions began making dumplings using rice, tapioca, and sweet potato.

又因為小麥在中國北部以外的地方較難以種植，其它地區的人民便開始用米、木薯澱粉和地瓜製作水餃。

The relationship between Chinese dumplings and those in other areas is tricky to trace, but food historians have made their best guesses based on available clues.

中式水餃和其它地區水餃之間的關係難以追溯，但食品歷史學家們根據可獲得的線索做出了最佳揣測。

Turkic tribes spread and eventually established the Ottoman Empire around 1300 CE, bringing wrapped morsels west with them.

突厥部落繼續擴張，最終在西元 1300 年左右建立了奧圖曼帝國，並將這包料的點心一併帶往西行。

In what's now Turkey, most people wouldn't have stuffed dumplings with pork due to Islamic restrictions.

在現今土耳其的地區，多數人會因為伊斯蘭教規範而不吃豬肉餡料的水餃。

Instead, manti would come to be filled with ingredients like lamb, drizzled with garlic, yogurt, and melted butter, then topped with herbs and spices.

Manti 最後改以用像是羊肉的餡料填充，淋上大蒜、優格和融化的奶油，再撒上香草與香料。

Some scholars believe that the Mongol Empire also helped disseminate dumplings, perhaps introducing them to parts of Eastern Europe.

有些學者則相信蒙古帝國也助長了水餃的傳播，或許是將它們引入東歐部分地區。

These dumplings could've come by way of China or directly from some of the Turkic peoples the Mongols hired to run their empire.

這些水餃可能是經由中國傳入，或是直接由一些突厥人雇用來管理帝國的蒙古人傳播。

One theory is that this gave rise to dumplings like Russian pelmeni and the larger pierogi and vareniki, eaten in Poland and Ukraine, stuffed with things like potato, cabbage, cheese, and cherries.

有一個理論是，這促成其它種類水餃的崛起，像是俄國餃子或是波蘭與烏克蘭各自食用的波蘭餃子和烏克蘭餃子，通常以馬鈴薯、高麗菜、起司和櫻桃等食材填充。

The Mongol Empire also controlled Korea and might've likewise introduced dumplings there, where "mandu" may be eaten with regional ingredients like kimchi.

蒙古帝國當時了統治韓國，所以也可能一樣地把水餃引入當地，成為可能與辛奇這種地域性食材一起吃的 mandu（韓式餃子）。

Later, after Chinese dumpling varieties were introduced to more countries, English speakers began calling them dumplings.

在中國不同種類水餃引入更多國家之後，英文母語者開始稱它們為 dumplings。

The term means "little lumps" and is thought to have been first used in 16th-century England to describe dough balls dropped in liquid.

這個字的意思是「小團子」，據信初次使用於 16 世紀的英國，用以形容丟進液體中的麵粉糰子。

Like knödel and matzo balls, they would've had no filling.

它們當時應該像是德國的 knödel 馬鈴薯丸子和猶太丸子 matzo 一樣沒有內餡。

So, the word was actually confusingly imprecise, but it stuck, nonetheless.

所以那個字其實非常不精確且易混淆人，但它還是繼續被沿用了。

When Japan occupied China during the Second World War, Chinese "jiaozi" were brought to Japan, where they, in turn, became known as "gyoza" and were more typically pan-fried.

當日本在二次世界大戰期間佔領中國時，中國的「餃子（jiaozi）」被帶入日本，而被改稱為 gyoza（餃子的日文發音），一般都是用煎的。

So, what about the fact that every region in Italy has its own variety of dumpling-like stuffed pasta?

那麼，義大利幾乎每個區域都有獨特、與水餃相似的填料麵食這件事，又該怎麼解釋呢？

Some historians think that Arab conquerors brought dumplings when they reigned over Sicily between the 9th and 11th centuries.

有些歷史學家認為是阿拉伯佔領者在 9 到 11 世紀統計西西里的期間將水餃引入的。

But the jury's still out.

但這件事尚未有定奪。

It's unlikely that all dumpling-esque dishes came from the same root tradition.

所有類似水餃的菜餚不太可能都源自於同一個傳統。

In many cases, it may simply be that culinary visionaries from different cultures shared a similar revelation,

在許多狀況下，可能只是因為不同文化中有烹飪遠見的人共享了相似的啟發，

that cooking fillings encased in dough would be delightful.

也就是烹煮包著餡料的麵團會是一件宜人的事。

Either way, we can appreciate these plump pockets of perfection and the tangled, mysterious historical web that's made dumplings so diverse and divine.

無論如何，我們都可以好好享受這些完美、飽滿的餃子並欣賞讓它們變得多元又美妙的神秘交織歷史網絡。

This video was made possible with support from Marriott Hotels.

這部影片因為萬豪酒店的支持才得以製作完成。

With over 590 hotels and resorts across the globe, Marriott Hotels celebrates the curiosity that propels us to travel.

全球有超過 590 間飯店與度假村的萬豪酒店表揚推動我們旅遊的好奇心。

Check out some of the exciting ways TED-Ed and Marriott are working together and book your next journey at Marriott Hotels.

來看看 TED-Ed 與萬豪酒店之間一些令人興奮的合作方式，下次旅遊時在萬豪酒店訂個房吧。