饺子的最先记载是起源于东汉时期的南阳人医圣张仲景首创。在当时，饺子是用来当药用的，张仲景用小麦磨面，加水和面，用面皮包上一些祛寒的药物用来百姓治人病，像用面皮包羊肉、胡椒等，为冻伤耳朵的百姓治疗冻疮。
The first record of dumplings was originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty by Nanyang medical doctor Sheng Zhang Zhongjing. At that time, dumplings were used for medicinal purposes. Zhang Zhongjing grinded wheat flour, added water and noodles, wrapped some cold-removing drugs on his face to treat people's diseases, such as mutton and pepper wrapped in his face, and treated chilblain for people with frostbitten ears.
还有一个说法：在春秋战国时期，水饺的迹象在东夷地区薛国（今日的山东滕州市辖区）墓葬中发现，这充分地说明了中国饮食文化中的独具美食，很可能最早起源于我国古代的东夷地区。
There is another saying: During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the signs of dumplings were found in the tombs of Xue Guo (Tengzhou Prefecture of Shandong Province today), which fully illustrates the unique delicacies of Chinese food culture, probably originated in the ancient Dongyi region of China.
