Those American hamburgers you love to much on so much may not be American after all, as new reports have claimed that the snack was actually originated in China.
There has been an online debate raging on triggered over the link between hamburgers and rou jia mo, a Chinese snack that includes "meat placed between bun" and has been described as "the world's first hamburger," China Daily reported.
According to the reports, the street food had originated in Shaanxi province in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), or may have even dated to the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) before the Qin Dynasty.
However, associate professor Jia Zhigang at the Faculty of History at Northwest University said that the earliest record of the snack was found in documents from the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), after which it soon gained popularity in the Guanzhong area (a prosperous area in Shaanxi).
Rou jia mo includes a chewy bun baked in a clay oven or fried in a pan with a sumptuous and spicy meat filling, and is a popular street food in China and as well as overseas.
An internet user commented that be it in the East or the West, people like eating meat by sandwiching it between buns.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
