Many people assume the pressure cooker is a modern kitchen invention, but in fact, a similar device existed over two thousand years ago. This ancient “pressure cooker” was known as the “Yan” (甗), a common cooking vessel during China’s Shang and Zhou dynasties. The Yan consisted of two parts: an upper section called the “Zeng” (甑) for holding food, and a lower section called the “Li” (鬲) for holding water. Between them was a perforated plate that allowed steam from boiling water to rise and cook the food above. Although the Yan lacked the sealed, high-pressure mechanism of modern pressure cookers, its relatively enclosed design could slightly increase internal steam pressure, raising the boiling point and speeding up cooking. This clever use of steam heat demonstrates ancient people’s intuitive grasp of basic physical principles. While it’s not entirely accurate to call the Yan a true pressure cooker, it can certainly be seen as a primitive ancestor of today’s version. This insight not only highlights the ingenuity of ancient Chinese technology but also reminds us of the deep historical roots behind everyday kitchen tools.
很多人以为高压锅是现代厨房的发明，但其实早在两千多年前，古人就已使用类似原理的器具。这种古代“高压锅”被称为“甗”（yǎn），是中国商周时期常见的一种蒸煮炊具。甗由上下两部分组成：上部为甑（zèng），用于盛放食物；下部为鬲（lì），用来盛水加热。两者之间有带孔的隔板，水沸腾后蒸汽上升，将食物蒸熟。虽然甗并不具备现代高压锅的密封加压结构，但在密闭性较好的情况下，内部蒸汽压力会略高于常压，从而略微提升沸点，加快烹饪速度。这种巧妙利用蒸汽热能的设计，体现了古人对物理原理的朴素理解与应用。因此，说“两千多年前就有高压锅”虽不完全准确，但若从利用蒸汽加压加速烹饪的角度看，甗确实可视为高压锅的远古雏形。这一发现不仅展现了中国古代科技的智慧，也让我们重新认识日常厨具背后悠久的历史渊源。
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