Introduction on Officer & Madam Cai Fu Yi, the Founder of Popiah (薄餅始祖蔡复一及夫人)

 

Popiah (薄餅) aka Rice-wrap, a very Traditional Cuisine that the Hokkien Clan will consume during Big Occasions such as Lunar New Year (農曆新年) or Qing Ming Festival (清明節). In some Areas, Popiah is also known as Run Bing (潤餅). In here, I will like to do a quick introduction on how this Popiah is being founded.

Cai Fu Yi (蔡复一) aka Cai Jing Fu (蔡敬夫) or Cai Yuan Lv (蔡元履), born in Ming Dynasty AD 1577 (生于明万历五年), hometown in Hokkien Province, Tong An County (hkk known as Thang Wa 中國福建同安人).

Since young, with his Scholarly Family background, Cai Fu Yi was able to memorize all the Ancient Passages and Poems. By the age of 12, Cai Fu Yi wrote his very first History Classic on the Historical Character Fan Li (范蠡传 Taoism known as Deity of Wealth).

AD 1594 (万历二十二年), at the age of 18, Cai Fu Yi passed his Imperial Examination and was appointed by the Ming Emperor to become an Official Chief-in-charge for the Legal & Crime-investigation (刑部主事).

Due to his Uprighteous, Frankliness and Loyalty, Cai Fu Yi offended a few rebellious High-rank Officers in the Imperial Court and so, within a year or two, Cai Fu Yi was being accused and boycott by this group of wicked Officers.

One day, while Ming Emperor conducting the Morning Meeting, one of the wicked Officers suggested to Ming Emperor that, Cai Fu Yi was a person who can produced Good Calligraphy Art-pieces. After Ming Emperor got the reporting, the Emperor was interested in seeing the final Art-pieces of Cai Fu Yi and so, Ming Emperor asked the wicked Officer on what articles shall be appointed to Cai Fu Yi to do the Calligraphy-copying work.

After considering, the wicked Officer suggested to Ming Emperor that, in the Imperial Library, there were 9 Big Boxes of Ancient Records on Chinese History, why not asked Officer Cai to complete the copying in 49 Days before Emperor's Birthday.

Upon hearing the Reporting, Ming Emperor was delighted and so, agreed on the suggestion.

Knowing that the wicked Officer was trying to make him suffered, Cai Fu Yi had to take-up the courage and accept the Order from the Ming Emperor.

On the very day, after returning from the Imperial Court, Cai Fu Yi started to do the copying of the 9 Big Boxes of Ancient Records.

Soon 3 Days passed. Cai Fu Yi had not showered, eaten any meals or neither had any time for sleeping. Seeing that Cai Fu Yi suffered so much, Madam Cai (surname Li 蔡夫人本形李﹐外祖父是廣東副使劉存德) was worried and upset. So while Cai Fu Yi was concentrating on the copying, Madam Cai went to the Kitchen to prepare some dishes for her husband.

After the meal was ready, Madam Cai sent the dishes to Cai Fu Yi, but Cai Fu Yi was too concentrated on his work, he neglected the meal and the dishes were left on the table till late night. While Madam Cai returned to the Study-room, she was heart-broke. With no other alternatives, Madam Cai had to return to the Kitchen to prepare some dishes again.

This time round, Madam Cai ground the raw-rice into powder form, after that, she add in a bit of salt, sugar and water into the rice-powder. Gently mixed them up and after the powder was well-mixed, she heat-up the wok and slowly, pour the Batter onto the hot wok, gently lift-up the wok and sway around to make the Batter spread out on the wok. Within moments, the Batter turn into a thick layer of Rice-paper form.

With carefulness, she retrieved the Rice-paper out from the wok and then placed the heat-up cold dishes onto the Rice-paper and wrapped it up into small rolls.

Soon, the Rice-paper Wrap-ups were ready and Madam Cai sent them to the Study-room. Madam Cai quietly approached Cai Fu Yi, seeing that Cai Fu Yi was still so concentrated on his work, Madam Cai took one of the Wrap-up and sent it to Cai Fu Yi's mouth.

At first, Cai Fu Yi was shocked, but after seeing the Wrap-up and knowing that these Wrap-ups were specially prepared by his wife, Cai Fu Yi was touched and without moments, Cai Fu Yi finished the Wrap-ups.

From then, Madam Cai prepared the Wrap-ups everyday for Cai Fu Yi and soon, 49 Days due was up and Heavenly-blessed, Cai Fu Yi completed all the 9 Boxes of Ancient Records.

After receiving the Art-pieces from Cai Fu Yi, Ming Emperor was so happy and rewarded Cai Fu Yi generously.

Few Years later, Cai Fu Yi wrote a Long & Harsh Petition to Ming Emperor, stated All the Evil-doing of these few Officers and after Investigation, Ming Emperor beheaded All the Evil Officers and returned Cai Fu Yi a Clean Reputation.

From then, the Rice-wrap was being passed down Generation by Generation and this is what we called Popiah today.

Today, in China Hokkien Province, Tong An County, descendants of Cai Fu Yi are still selling the Rice-wrap and continuing the Culture of what their Ancestor had passed down - Upright, Compassionate and Loyalty.