ABSTRACT
A famous Cantonese dish is known by the euphemistic name of the "Meeting of the Dragon and the Tiger," but it is only obtainable in the autumn months when the snakes go into hibernation. They are then at their fattest, as they have accumulated in the summer a supply of food to last them to the spring. The serpent plays the part of the Dragon, whilst the cat has the Tiger's role. Should chicken be included in the ragout, it impersonates the Phoenix. Thus the consumer partakes of three of the four superintelligent creatures who guard the East, South and West quarters of the horizon.
