Weishan has been a place of strategic importance along the Ancient Tea Horse Road since ancient times. Many local villagers in the town made a living by caravan¹ carrying. Ma Guotou was the chief of one big caravan in the town. He had a sweet tooth especially for the rice cakes made locally.

自古以来，巍山一直是茶马古道的重镇，本地也有很多从事马帮运输的乡民。城内一支大马帮的马锅头喜好甜食，尤其喜欢吃本地的米糕。

But he was always on the go most of the times and didn’t have the luck in having rice cake. Besides, Zengzi, the earthen utensil² for steaming rice cake was not portable, which was really something his wife always felt regrettable about. But this ingenious wife managed to invent a portable cooker which made it possible for her husband to enjoy rice cake of hometown taste in the journey.

可是平日里走南闯北奔波在外，难以满足口福，而制作米糕的圆甄携带也不方便，所以让心疼丈夫的妻子很是遗憾。这位心灵手巧的年轻女子，为了让丈夫在路途的劳顿中品尝到带着家乡味道的米糕，就想办法制作了一套方便携带的甄糕的工具。

She dug small holes in the pot cover and made many small containers of wood chip with a ventilate board to fit those holes. This way, these small containers can just be put in a position suitable for the holes of the pot cover. One can just put pot with water on stove and fill the small containers with mixed rice and paste to have rice cake done within a few minutes.

在锅盖上挖出小洞，用木片做成上圆下尖的小甄，中间用铁皮凿出有透气小孔的隔板。这样，小圆甄恰好放在锅盖的洞眼上，只需在锣锅中盛满水，置于炉火上，在小甄内放上混合好的米面，两个小甄一起蒸，三五分钟后，米糕就熟了。

This set of rice cake cooker was so easy to make and carry, which satisfied caravan guys with food full of homesickness and comfort on their arduous³ drudge⁴. The rice cake brought them with deep love for their hometown and family relatives.

这样一套甄糕工具，便于携带，制作也方便。让远行的马帮汉子能在艰苦的长途跋涉中，享受到那份带着浓浓思念的甜蜜和慰藉。一合小糕，带来一份悠长的牵挂和润泽心底的浓浓爱意。