In the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself emperor, and the whole country dared not say pig (Zhu). There is a rich man named Shen Wansan in Zhouzhuang. Because he was extremely rich, Zhu Yuanzhang was jealous and went to Shen Wansan's house to be a guest. Shen Wansan took out pig's trotters to entertain Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu Yuanzhang saw that he was deliberately embarrassed and asked how to eat it.

Because the whole pig's trotters are not cut, if you answer with a knife, then Shen Wansan will be punished, because in ancient times, you couldn't use a knife in front of the emperor. Shen Wansan had a brainwave, pulled a thin bone from the pig's trotters, and cut the meat with bone, saving his life.

Zhu Yuanzhang thought the meat was delicious and asked what the name of the dish was. Shen Wansan knew he couldn't say trotters, so he turned to say "Wanshan trotters". So Wanshan hoof got its name.