Mapping Congee Across Asia: from Ancient China to Indonesia's Bubur Ayam
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
The earliest documented records of congee appear in Chinese historical annals dating to the Zhou dynasty (c. 1046, 256 BCE). Early references within the Book of Rites (Liji) note that the Yellow Emperor first steamed grains to make rice and subsequently boiled grain with water to prepare thick gruel, known historically as zhou (粥) or xifan (稀饭).
In northern China, cooks frequently used millet, while southern agricultural communities simmered short-grain and medium-grain rice. The dish served two practical functions: stretching scarce grain reserves during famine and nourishing the sick. By the Han dynasty, physicians integrated rice porridge directly into traditional Chinese medicine. Master herbalist Zhang Zhongjing prescribed warm rice porridge alongside medicinal decoctions to protect the stomach lining and induce sweat to break fevers.
Over two millennia, the basic preparation split into distinct domestic registers. Plain watery porridge acted as a morning cleanser or recovery broth, while slow-simmered poultry broths developed into Cantonese jook, built on a foundation of broken rice, dried scallops, and ginger simmered until the grain structure collapses into a creamy suspension.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
