Invented by local boatmen and dockers in the late 19th century and early 20th century, the dish was made from cheap meats, hot peppers and ginger, such a meal, after being boiled in a big pot, can effectively dispel coldness, dampness and tiredness.

Xu Zhongmin, vice-mayor of the hilly municipality, said the city alone boasts more than 1,000 hotpot restaurants, mainly in the form of chain restaurants. And hotpot has spread to 23 provinces and municipalities in China and other parts of the world, including the United States.

The trend has caught the attention of global fast-food giants which claim they have never encountered a competent indigenous Chinese restaurant chain.

"Hotpot may be an exception," said Huang Yuejin, a senior manager with the Dicos Food Development Company Ltd (Chongqing).

According to Huang, a common problem for Chinese restaurants seeking to adopt fast-food methods is that the flavors of their dishes rely too much on the cooking skills of individual chefs, which makes it very difficult for chain restaurants to achieve standardized production.

To eliminate this problem, Chongqing hotpot restaurants learned from the western chains to standardize their raw materials, condiments and menus.

Chou Yi, secretary-general of the Chongqing Hotpot Association, predicted that with more and more people trying this dish, the name "hotpot" will become synonymous not just with the city but also with the country.

(China Daily January 2, 2003)