中国有许多特殊的节庆传统，比如西南热带地区的泼泥节，还有在6月份举办的吃虫节。而其中最奇异的风俗之一，来自浙江沿海的东阳居民。每逢春季，他们便要大啖蒸锅里的煮鸡蛋——看官且听我说完：这是用小男孩的尿煮的鸡蛋。

　　Sold since ancient times as “virgin boy eggs,” the local delicacy was officially listed as ”intangible cultural heritage” in Dongyang in 2008. Many residents believe these incredible, edible eggs energize the body, improve blood circulation and prevent heat stroke. They are also a bargain at around 25 cents an egg, urine included.

　　这种自古便以“童子蛋”之名销售的本土美食，已在2008年正式成为东阳市非物质文化遗产。许多当地居民相信童子蛋能增强体力、改善血液循环、预防中暑。此外童子蛋物廉价美，连蛋带尿一个大约25美分。

　　Across Dongyang, a bustling city of nearly 1 million people, fresh urine is collected every day from buckets placed in elementary school hallways, where boys under the age of 10 are instructed to answer nature’s call — as long as they are not sick, out of concern for, umm, food safety. Some vendors even carry around empty bottles and wait in parks or public bathrooms until they find a parent that is willing to let their prepubescent son participate in the custom.

　　在这个人口近百万、熙来攘往的东阳市里，每天都有人在市内各小学的厕所用桶收集新鲜尿液。未满10岁的男童遵循指示，内急时就对着摆在校园走廊上的尿桶解决——只要他们没生病的话。这是出于，嗯，食品安全的考量。有些小贩甚至会随身携带空瓶在公园或公共厕所候着，直到他们找到某位愿意让自己未到青春期的小儿参与这项习俗的家长。

　　Chinese medicine practitioners are divided on the supposed benefits of ingesting urine, which modern science has shown to have no nutritional value. But the locals in Dongyang are happy to shower praise on the eggs they call “the taste of spring.”

　　对于喝尿所谓的益处，中医界存在分歧，而现代科学则已经证实了尿液并无营养价值。不过东阳市民仍乐于推崇这些被他们称作“春天的味道”的鸡蛋。

　　To prepare the eggs, chefs generally stick to a time-tested recipe: First, soak the eggs in pots of urine and bring to a boil. Remove the eggs, crack the shells, then return the eggs to the pot and simmer for about a day, adding more urine as necessary, sometimes with herbs. The marinade gives the egg whites a pale golden hue, while the yolks turn green. They are also quite salty, according to Wu Bei, 39, an employee at the Zhang Yuming Chinese Medicine Clinic in Dongyang.

　　要烹煮童子蛋，厨师通常会遵循一个久经考验的做法：首先，将鸡蛋浸泡在尿液中加热至沸腾，然后取出来敲裂蛋壳，再放回原来的炖锅里，以文火继续煮大约一天。其间可视需求添加尿液，有时亦可加入草药。经过这番浸泡，蛋白会染上一层金黄色泽，蛋黄则会转绿。在东阳市张裕明（音）中医诊所工作的吴贝（音）今年39岁，她表示，这些蛋尝起来也挺咸的。

　　“They taste a bit like urine, but not too much,” she said. “It’s delicious, you should try one sometime!”

　　“它们吃起来有点尿骚味儿，但不会太强烈，”她说。”味道很好，哪天你该尝尝！”