Name: 幸運籤餅不是來自中國！ (Fortune Cookies Aren't From China)
Uploaded: 2025-12-30T16:18:01.000Z
Duration: 4 min 12 s

Fortune cookies are a tradition in Chinese American restaurants.

幸運籤餅是中華裔美國人餐廳裡的一種傳統。

程度副詞

Bakers make about 3 billion fortune cookies every year in almost every country except China.

每年大約有三十億個幸運籤餅在幾乎所有國家被烘焙出來，唯獨中國沒有。

基礎被動語態

They were once introduced in China as genuine American fortune cookies, but met disinterest and low sales.

他們曾經被當作正宗的美國幸運籤餅引進中國，但卻乏人問津，銷量低迷。

So why do we call them Chinese fortune cookies?

那為什麼我們稱它們為中國幸運籤餅呢？

Where are they from and why are they related to Japan, the Mongol Empire, and California?

它們的起源是什麼？為什麼又跟日本、蒙古帝國和加州有關聯？

Put your guess in the comments below and we'll take a bite out of this story.

在下面留言告訴我們你的猜測，我們將一起探索這個故事。

There are many legends about where fortune cookies come from.

關於幸運籤餅的起源，有很多傳說。

Some say Chinese people created them in the 14th century when the Mongol Empire occupied China.

有些人說，中國人在十四世紀蒙古帝國佔領中國時就創造了它們。

They had written notes and mooncakes with the date of the revolution.

他們寫了紙條，藏在月餅裡，上面寫著革命的日期。

chinese immigrants didn't have mooncakes to celebrate the Moon Festival, so they produced fortune cookies instead.

中華裔移民沒有月餅來慶祝月亮節，所以他們就做了幸運籤餅。

There's also the story of David Yeung, a Chinese immigrant and the founder of the Hong Kong Noodle Co.

還有一個故事是關於一位名叫 David Yeung 的中華裔移民，他是香港麵條公司的創辦人。

This legend claims he invented the fortune cookie in 1918.

這個傳說聲稱他在 1918 年發明瞭幸運籤餅。

Both stories have some validity, but the most likely theory says fortune cookies are originally from Japan.

這兩個故事都有一些道理，但最有可能的理論是，幸運籤餅最初來自日本。

19th century Japanese illustrations depict similar treats called tsuji yura senbei and in Kyoto you can still buy traditional handmade tsujiura senbei.

19 世紀的日本插畫描繪了類似的點心，叫做 tsuji yura senbei，在京都你仍然可以買到傳統手工製作的 tsujiura senbei。

Bakers use iron molds to grill the dough.

Then they fold the small waffles into a curve shape and slip small papers into the cookies.

然後他們將小鬆餅折成彎曲的形狀，並將小紙條滑進餅乾裡。

But these are not the same as the American fortune cookie.

但這些和美國的幸運籤餅不一樣。

Tsuji yura senbei are bigger and darker because their batter includes sesame and miso instead of vanilla and butter.

Tsuji yura senbei 更大、更黑，因為他們的麵糊裡有芝麻和味噌，而不是香草和牛油。

And you can see the fortune sticking out of the cookies.

而且你可以看到籤紙從餅乾裡露出來。

So no one eats the paper by mistake like I did one time.

這樣就不會有人像我上次一樣不小心把紙吃掉了。

But how have they become a staple in the US Some Japanese families brought tsujiura senbei when they immigrated to California in the 1910s.

但它們是怎麼成為美國的代表性點心呢？有許多中華裔美國人在 1910 年代移民到加州時，就帶來了 tsuji yura senbei。

The Fugetsudo and the Benkyudo bakeries of San Francisco used the traditional black iron grills to bake their fortune cookies.

舊金山的 Fugetsudo 和 Benkyudo 麵包店使用傳統的黑色鐵烤盤來烤他們的幸運籤餅。

But researchers are not sure why Chinese restaurants started serving fortune cookies.

但研究人員不確定為什麼中餐廳開始賣幸運籤餅。

Probably a result of fusing food traditions.

這很可能是融合飲食傳統的結果。

Many Japanese immigrants couldn't open authentic Japanese restaurants because Americans didn't like raw fish.

許多日本移民無法開設道地的日本餐廳，因為美國人不喜歡生魚。

The immigrants were more successful in operating Chinese restaurants.

這些移民在經營中餐廳方面更成功。

But Chinese cuisine isn't known for its desserts and American diners expect something sweet at the end of their meal.

但中式料理的甜點並不出名，而美國的用餐者在餐後都期待有點甜的東西。

So the Japanese owners of Chinese restaurants started serving the now famous fortune cookie with the bill.

所以，經營中餐廳的日本老闆們就開始在結帳時附上現在有名的幸運籤餅。

Then tragedy struck during after World War II, anti Japanese hostility ran high and Franklin D.

接著第二次世界大戰後發生了悲劇，反日敵意高漲，富蘭克林·羅斯福

Roosevelt ordered the internment of Japanese Americans.

Their businesses, bakeries and restaurants shut down.

他們的生意，麵包店和餐廳都關閉了。

Savvy Chinese American entrepreneurs began producing fortune cookies.

精明的華裔美國企業家開始生產幸運籤餅。

The cookies popularity continued growing.

這些餅乾的受歡迎程度持續增長。

Now hosts serve them at wedding dinners, birthdays, and company parties.

現在主人會在婚宴、生日派對和公司聚會上提供它們。

They even come in different flavors and colors.

它們甚至還有不同的口味和顏色。

Their messages often include recommended lottery numbers, jokes, and smiley faces.

裡面的訊息常包含建議的樂透號碼、笑話和笑臉。

So the authentic fortune cookies did come from Japan, and

所以正宗的幸運籤餅確實來自日本，而且

you'll need to eat the cookie for your fortune to come true.

你需要吃掉餅乾，你的幸運才會實現。

Instant ramen came from Japan as well, and it wasn't a cheap meal when it was first introduced.

泡麵也是源自日本，剛推出時可不是便宜的食物。

So how has it become a staple for American college students?

那它是怎麼變成美國大學生必備的食物的呢？

We'll see that story in another episode of Origins of Food.

我們會在「食物的起源」另一集裡看到這個故事。