The Chinese writer Yan Zhitui described jiaozi as shaped like a crescent moon.
Yan Zhitui made the remark during the Northern Qi dynasty, which lasted from AD 550 to 577. His observation is among the early written references connecting the dumpling’s familiar curved form with its identity as a distinctive food. The quotation presents jiaozi as an established, everyday dish rather than a newly invented novelty.
The wording can cause confusion because several famous Chinese figures appear in accounts of jiaozi. Zhang Zhongjing is associated with the later folk story that dumplings treated frostbitten ears, while Zhang Yi is credited with mentioning jiaozi in the book Guangya during the Three Kingdoms period. Neither is the author of the crescent-moon description.
The crescent remains a common jiaozi shape, although folding styles vary by region and household. Jiaozi may be boiled, steamed, pan-fried, deep-fried, baked, or served in soup, so their appearance is not limited to one preparation.