LOCAL FOOD GUIDE

Earthenware Hot Pot 土锅子

Tuguozi

Earthenware Hot Pot is featured among the local specialties of Yunnan.

Clay-pot hotpot with meat, tofu and vegetables around a charcoal center
Tuguozi, a Tengchong-style clay-pot hotpot with meat, tofu, pumpkin and greens simmered around a charcoal-heated center pot. · 土锅子，腾冲风味砂锅火锅，以炭火中心炉加热，锅内有肉类、豆腐、南瓜和青菜。 Source-recorded photograph date: Taken on 30 October 2021, 13:30:11.Photo: N509FZ · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Earthenware Hot Pot (土锅子) is a layered meat-and-vegetable pot associated with Tengchong (腾冲), within Baoshan (保山), Yunnan. A black earthenware vessel, a central charcoal fire and slowly prepared broth are characteristic of the version made by Yuechang Restaurant (越昌饭店).

How it is made

Chicken, pork-bone and ham broths form the base, slowly simmered until milky white. Greens and taro go on the bottom, followed by ribs, chicken, crisp-fried meat and yellow bamboo shoots. Paopi (泡皮), golden egg rolls and cured sausage complete the layers.

Charcoal burns in the centre of the pot while the ingredients cook slowly for several hours. Their flavours mingle in a rich broth, with the food retaining its individual character.

How it is eaten

The pot is closely associated with Lunar New Year’s Eve meals. In a 2026 account, Yuechang’s cooks sent customers home with an additional bowl of broth, a dipping sauce and a portion of bean flour alongside their ordered pot.

China Revealed · Editorially updated 2026-09-30

Sources & reading

Written from the linked sources and checked sentence by sentence against quoted extracts by a separate reviewer on 2026-09-30. Recipes and servings vary between kitchens.