Duck has been roasted in China since the Northern and Southern Dynasties. A variation of roast duck was prepared for the Chinese emperor during the Yuan Dynasty. The dish, originally named “steamed duck” (燒鴨子), was mentioned in the book “Essentials of Food and Drink” (飲膳正要) in 1330 by Hu Tai Hui (忽思慧), an inspector of the imperial kitchen. The term Peking duck is associated with the late Ming Dynasty, by which time it had become one of the main dishes on the imperial court menu. The first restaurant specializing in Peking duck, the Confucian Fang, was established in Xianyukou, near Zhengyangmen in Beijing in 1416.

By the time of the Qianlong Emperor (1736–1796) of the Qing Dynasty, the popularity of Peking duck had spread to the upper classes, inspiring poets and scholars to enjoy the dish. For example, a line from the Dumen Zhuzhi Ci (都門竹枝詞), a local poem in Beijing, reads, “Liang shao san chao yao man hu, Quai lu ap tu du thieu tru” (兩紹三燒要滿壺，掛爐鴨子與燒豬; roughly translated, Fill your plate with roast duck and roast pig).

In 1864, Quanjude Restaurant (全聚德) was established in Beijing. Yang Quanren (楊全仁), the founder of Quanjude, developed an oven for roasting ducks. With its innovations and efficient management, the restaurant became famous in China, introducing Peking duck to the outside world.

By the mid-20th century, Peking duck had become a national symbol of China, popular with tourists and diplomats alike. For example, Henry Kissinger, the US Secretary of State, met Premier Zhou Enlai in the Great Hall of the People on July 10, 1971, during his first secret visit to China. After a long and unsuccessful negotiation in the morning, the delegation was served Peking duck for lunch, which was also the Secretary of State’s favorite dish. The Americans and Chinese issued a joint statement the following day, inviting President Richard Nixon to visit China in 1972. After Zhou’s death in 1976, Kissinger made another visit to Beijing to sample the city’s famous roast duck. Quanjude’s Peking duck, in particular, has been a favorite of leaders ranging from Cuba’s Fidel Castro to former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

The Western-style Peking duck is served with more meat than skin
The two famous restaurants in Beijing that serve the dish are Quanjude and Tien Nghi Phuong, both centuries-old establishments that have become household names with their own styles of preparation: Quanjude is known for its oven-roasting method, while Tien Nghi Phuong uses the oldest closed-oven roasting technique.

The biggest difference between these two dishes with the same name is the way they are prepared. First is the way the duck is cut. While the Peking duck is cut open under the wing to remove the internal organs, the Cantonese duck is cut open (the belly is cut open) like the way chickens and ducks are usually cut open. After the cut is finished, with the Peking duck, a small wooden stick is inserted to block the breast so that when roasted, the breast is always plump.

When it comes to stuffing, Peking duck is not stuffed with any strong spices to preserve the natural flavor of the meat. This dish requires a high level of difficulty because the duck skin needs to be crispy and separate from the meat while the meat inside must be cooked just right, not dry. Cantonese duck is stuffed with star anise, ginger, green onions and more than a dozen other Chinese herbs to enhance the flavor of the duck meat and bones.

Even if you are not a regular learner of Chinese cuisine, you can still distinguish between these two dishes. Peking duck is often served more elaborately, worthy of being called a dish for kings. The chef in the restaurant often pushes the food cart in front of the customers, using a knife to separate the duck skin from the front of the breast. This is the most delicious part of this dish.

The duck skin is wrapped in a thin layer of soft rice paper, with cucumbers and green onions added, then dipped in a sweet and salty sauce. The remaining duck meat is sliced ​​thinly to wrap in rice paper or filtered to be fried with rice. The duck bones are used to make porridge or soup. Therefore, despite the high price, the dish is thoroughly prepared from the inside out, making it worth the money.

Cantonese roast duck is a more popular dish. The duck meat is well-seasoned and fragrant. Vendors cut the duck into bite-sized pieces, drizzle it with a little sweet plum sauce or diners can dip it in soy sauce and eat it with rice or noodles. Cantonese roast duck is suitable for take-out, while Peking duck is usually eaten at a restaurant.

Nowadays, many restaurants combine the two cooking styles to meet the needs of a variety of diners. People call this the “Beijing on the outside, Cantonese on the inside” style, meaning the dish still has a delicious crispy crust but the inside is still marinated and easy to eat.