Dumplings are believed to have originated in China over 1,800 years ago, invented by Zhang Zhongjing, a Chinese medicine practitioner during the Eastern Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). Legend says he created dumplings to help people suffering from frostbite by wrapping mutton, herbs, and chili in dough and steaming them, which helped improve blood circulation and warm the body

. From China, dumplings spread throughout Asia and beyond via trade routes like the Silk Road. Different cultures adapted the dumpling concept to local ingredients and tastes, resulting in a wide variety of forms such as Japanese gyoza, Korean mandu, Thai Kanom Jeeb, and Vietnamese Banh Bao

. In Europe, dumpling-like dishes such as Italian ravioli, Polish pierogi, and Russian pelmeni developed, with the first European dumpling recipe appearing in ancient Roman texts

. Nomadic Turkic peoples also played a role in spreading dumplings across Asia and into the Ottoman Empire, where dumplings were adapted to local dietary customs

. The dish further evolved as it reached the Americas and the Caribbean, where local ingredients and cultural influences shaped new variations

. In summary, dumplings originated in China but have become a global culinary staple, embraced and transformed by many cultures around the world over centuries