In May this year, we had a report from Shanghai about a highly-skilled producer of scallion pancakes. Wu Gencheng began making this delicious traditional Chinese cuisine about 30 years ago, and soon made his modest shop a household name across the city. But Mr. Wu now finds himself in a real jam.
A handful of scallions with a ball of fatty pork mince. Stuffed into the dough and allowed to bake for a little bit. That's how this remarkable flavor came into being.
Long queues were always seen outside Mr.Wu's shop eager for a taste. However, that urge now may no longer be satisfied..
I'm from Hebei Province, making the trip here for the pancake. And I just saw the news, what a pity.
We came here from the east. Seems like we're not gonna have any pancakes today, so disappointed.
Mr. Wu's business was suspended by local authorities for operating without a licence. The owner said the media attention his shop received turned out to be a double-edged sword.
"There were so many media reports, some positive, some bad, which captured the attention of the local industrial and commercial regulators, and then they came to me," Mr. Wu said.
But located in a residential building, close to one of the city's busiest night markets, Mr. Wu's shop also drew complaints from his neighbors...
"The shop is running without a business license, there could be concerns over sanitary issues. And it is not proper to run a business inside a residential building. It has affected people's daily lives," A local resident said.
Mr. Wu said a pancake costs only five yuan. He could sell about 300 a day, but even at this, he'd struggle to pay for a licenced premises in Shanghai.
"I think some small traditional businesses, like Mr. Wu's shop, are already a namecard of Shanghai. There needs to be some special policies established to help support them," A pancake customer said.
In fact, local authorities have already proposed a relatively loose mechanism for regulating small food vendors like Mr. Wu. So Mr. Wu will be hoping to retain, not only HIS business through this proposal, but also the memory for many, about the taste of old Shanghai.
