Long chao shou (龙抄手, lóng chāoshǒu) is Chengdu's answer to the wonton. The name chao shou literally means "folded hands," describing how the thin wrapper is gathered around the filling with a gesture like prayer. The brand Long Chao Shou was founded in 1941 by three restaurateurs who dreamed up a flagship snack house on Chunxi Road; it has since become the city's most famous dumpling institution. Locals still eat it as a light breakfast, a between-meal snack or a late-night hangover cure.
Two classic ways to serve it
The wrapper is the star: so thin and smooth that it almost melts on the tongue. The filling is a delicate blend of ground pork, ginger water, sesame oil and salt, never heavy. Two preparations dominate:
- Hong you chao shou (红油抄手, red-oil wontons): wontons drowned in fragrant chili oil, black vinegar, garlic and a pinch of sugar. Bold, sour, spicy, numbing — the signature Chengdu experience.
- Yuan tang chao shou (原汤抄手, original soup): wontons floating in a clear chicken-pork broth, sprinkled with scallion. Gentle, comforting, perfect when you need a break from spice.
Variants include dry sesame sauce (干拌, gānbàn), tomato egg soup and even a spicy beef version. Order a small "sampler" platter (什锦, shíjǐn) to taste several.
Practical Information
- Address: Long Chao Shou Restaurant (龙抄手总店), 236 Chunxi Road East (春熙路东段236号), the 1941 flagship.
- Transport: Metro Line 2/3 to Chunxi Road, exit D2; the restaurant is on the main pedestrian street.
- Opening Hours: around 09:00–22:00 daily.
- Cost: a small bowl ¥18–28; a sampler platter for one ¥45–65; average spend ¥40–70 per person.
- Tips: start with the red-oil version, then finish with a bowl of clear soup. If you cannot eat chili, the soup version is equally delicious.
Foreign diner tips
The dumpling itself is mild; all the flavor comes from the sauce. You can ask the server to bring sauces on the side (小料 fēnkāng) so you control the heat. Long Chao Shou is tourist-friendly with picture menus and English stickers, but queues at lunch can be 20 minutes. Go after 14:30 or before 11:00 to skip the wait.
Pairings, Drinks and Table Etiquette
Chengdu meals almost always begin with tea. A pot of strong green tea (绿茶, lǜchá) or jasmine tea (茉莉花茶, mòlìhuāchá) clears the palate between spicy bites. Locals also order cold Yanjing beer (燕京啤酒, Yānjīng píjiǔ) or sugarcane juice (甘蔗汁, gānzhezhī) to round out the heat. When the bill arrives, watch how locals pay: the person who organized the meal usually insists, and gentle pushing of the receipt back and forth is part of the ritual, not a quarrel. If you are a guest, let your host pay; if you invited, claim the bill with a smile. Always wipe your chopsticks on the hot towel (热手巾, rè shǒujīn) before eating, and never plant chopsticks upright in the rice bowl—it resembles incense offered to the dead. If a dish is too spicy, do not reach for water; ask for the free iced sour-plum drink (酸梅汤, suānméitāng) or a bowl of plain rice. Chengdu is informal by Chinese standards: slurping, loud chatter and second helpings are all signs of a happy table.
