Virgin boy egg

Virgin boy eggs are a traditional dish of Dongyang, Zhejiang, China, in which eggs are boiled in the urine of young boys, preferably under the age of ten.

The dish is a longstanding tradition in Dongyang, China, dating back centuries. In general, China has had a long history of food preservation methods. Tea eggs were originally developed to preserve the food for long periods of time. While the boy eggs may not have necessarily had the same origin, their development comes from a similar cultural background. There have been no consistent or conclusive explanations given for why boys' urine is used specifically; it is what has been done for centuries. It has historically been thought in the Zhejiang region that urine has various health benefits, and it was commonly ingested in ancient times.

The dish is prepared by first soaking the eggs in the urine of young boys, then the mixture is heated over a stove. After boiling, the surfaces of the egg shells are cracked and the eggs are placed back into the urine. The used urine is then replaced with fresh urine and the process is repeated. The soaking process cures the eggs in the urine. The entire process generally takes a full day. Virgin boy eggs are similar to century eggs in their curing process and historical roots, although century eggs have become much more popular and do not use urine.

Urine therapy has been a significant part of traditional Chinese medicine for much of its history. In ancient times, urine was used as a means of enhancing the effects of medicine, although today, the practice is widely viewed as unsanitary. It is also claimed that the ingestion of the eggs can treat yin deficiency, decrease internal body heat, and promote blood circulation.