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It is said that in the 19th year of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty (645), the eminent Buddhist monk Xuanzang returned to Tang Dynasty from Tianzhu to collect Buddhist scriptures. He met with Emperor Taizong Li Shimin and presented an unknown and precious vegetable species brought back from the Western Regions. Li Shimin watched and gave Xuanzang to take back to his hometown to plant. Xuanzang failed to cultivate any land he chose in Yanshi. Later, he only found the best within four miles of Si Zhuang Fort on the north bank of the Luo River. A year later, in Xuanzang's hometown, a food with green leaves, purple flowers, roots as white as jade and as bright as silver became a local tribute to the court. After eating it, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty was so pleased that he named the dish a court tribute dish and named it "Silver Bar".
