Roasted Duck can be traced back to China during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. This is a period of Chinese history that lasted from 420 to 589, so roasted duck has been made for at least the past 1,600+ years, if not longer in China. During the Yuan Dynasty, a particular type of roasted duck was prepared for the Emperor in China and was named “Shao Yazi” during the 14th century. Although this wasn’t technically Peking Duck, it was closer to modern versions than it had previously been. It wouldn’t be until the Ming Dynasty, during the 14th through 17th centuries that Peking Duck began to take shape. By the middle of the 19th century, the recipe for this dish would be fully fleshed out by Imperial chefs.