Because Emperor Qianlong shouted five words for "fragrant" after eating it.

Five-spice bean store

There are different opinions on the five different fragrances of "five-spice". One of the most interesting theories is that it is said that Emperor Qianlong named it "five-spice beans" because he called out the five characters for "fragrant" after eating it.

Old Town God’s Temple Spiced Beans

This is of course an unofficial history passed down by word of mouth. In fact, spiced beans originated in the old city of Shanghai and have been remembered for 70 years. They are a snack that Shanghainese and outsiders must try at the Baixiang City God Temple. Its story begins with Guo Yingzhou. During the Guangxu period, Guo came to Shanghai from Jiangsu to seek life. At that time, a kind of fennel bean was popular in Laochengxiang. This kind of bean was tough but not hard, soft but not astringent. It was sold in the streets and alleys and in teahouses and theaters. Guo bought a pack of fennel beans and pondered them carefully, and prepared a briquette stove and a pot to experiment. He practiced repeatedly from selecting beans to cooking beans, from ingredients to recipes, and finally successfully trial-produced beans that are slightly tougher than fennel beans, and named them spiced beans.

Also near the Chenghuang Temple, Guo’s competitor Zhang Ashun made six-spice beans. Guo paid him a sum of money and let Zhang Ashun reveal a little bit of the secret. Later, Guo redesigned the recipe and used "white silkworm" beans with full grains, bright color and glutinousness from Wujiang, Jiangsu Province, and finally cooked the spiced beans that are still popular today.

Old Town God’s Temple Five-Spice Beans

There are different opinions on what five fragrances “five-spice” refers to. The most interesting one is that it is said that Emperor Qianlong named it "five-spice beans" because he called out the five characters for "fragrant" after eating it.