During the Nara and Heian periods, Japan sent over a dozen diplomatic missions to Tang China. The sweets introduced to Japan from China during this time were known as “Tang confections” or “Tang sweets.”
Some people argue that Tang confections are a fictional concept because there is no mention of them in Chinese historical records.
Essentially, the term “Tang confections” implies “sweets from Tang China,” and such a term would typically exist in a foreign context; using it domestically would be semantically inappropriate.
Similarly, the sweets served during tea ceremonies did not originate from Tang confections. This is because the main ingredients, such as Swordbean and the necessary sugar production techniques, were only introduced to Japan during the Edo period.
According to archaeological findings, Japan had sweets imported from China as far back as the Kofun period. These early sweets were primarily used for religious purposes, and only monks and nobles had the privilege of consuming these exquisite confections.
Most of the Tang confections introduced to Japan along with Buddhism were deep-fried items. This wasn’t because Tang dynasty sweets were predominantly deep-fried, but rather because the journey back to Japan was long, and deep-fried sweets were both filling and easy to transport, making them the best choice at the time.
The envoys to Tang China also brought back sugar, but it wasn’t the more precious rock sugar. Instead, it was a syrup derived from starch. Due to its scarcity, this syrup was mainly used for medicinal purposes.
What kind of snacks did the Kentoshi bring back?
The Wamyō Ruijushō, written during Japan’s Heian period, describes Tang confections made from rice flour or wheat flour, shaped and then deep-fried.
Similar fried snacks still exist today, such as “Ebi Senbei” (shrimp rice crackers) or “Sunazou” (sweet and savory fried dough sticks), which are popular as small snacks.
These types of deep-fried confections still exist in China today, known as treats like “jiāngmǐ tiáo” (江米条) and “cùn zǎo” (寸枣).
According to records, there are eight types of Tang sweets: Plum Branch, Peach Branch, Yayu, Cassia Heart, Sticky Navel, Bitan, Hammer, and Tuansi. Some of these have fillings, while others, like modern fried rice sticks, are unfilled.
The Wamyō Ruijushō does not detail the appearance of these confections, but their names are primarily based on their shapes, with little variation in flavor.
The Shūkokuzue from the Edo period illustrates the appearance of Tang confections, but it’s possible that the illustrations do not accurately represent their original form due to the passage of time.
Over the past thousand years, Japanese dietary preferences have changed. Early Tang confections, constrained by the resources available at the time, derived their sweetness primarily from fillings such as chestnuts, apricots, and persimmons.
Some confections were savory, reflecting their use as food for monks and items for religious rituals, which were typically vegetarian.
Additionally, in line with Tang dynasty culinary practices, various spices were added to the dough, resulting in flavors that might not appeal to modern tastes. As a result, only a few, like the Seijōkankidan from Kyoto, still retain the original appearance of Tang confections.
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