It is served in large wooden, porcelain or metal basins called poon, due to the communal style of consumption.

When Mongol troops invaded Song China, the young Emperor fled to the area around Guangdong Province and Hong Kong.

[2] In any event, Poon choi is associated with the early settlers of the New Territories, who had been driven south of the mainland by a series of barbarian invasions in China between the 13th and 17th centuries.

[5][6] As Poon choi is a large dish portioned to be suitable for a communal meal, it was served whenever there were celebrations connected with rituals, weddings, festivals, ancestor worship and other local events as an expression of village dining culture.

[7] In order to offer the best food during important annual events, villagers prefer to include mostly meat and seafood in Poon choi.

Today, there are still many walled villages that adhere to the use of wood for fuel because the residents believe that liquefied petroleum gas is less strong and does not supply as much heat or last as long as firewood.

Since traditional Poon choi is used for festive banquets in ancestral halls, it is considered disrespectful to the ancestors and gods if canned, frozen, or ready-to-eat products are used in its preparation.

[2] It contributes to the attractiveness of Poon choi if dried noodles with egg are put on top to symbolise a crown.

[4] Poon choi is often served during religious rituals, festivals, special occasions and wedding banquets in the open areas of villages.

From the 1990s, It became popular among urban dwellers as well and it can be enjoyed at many Cantonese restaurants in the autumn and winter or on special occasions throughout the year.

Family lineages It is also noteworthy that different walled villages have different cooking method for preparing Poon choi in keeping with their own customs.

As for the wedding tradition, the couple will raise a day to invite relatives to the Poon choi feast, which implies they are recognized the marriage.

Only a red notice of the Poon Choi feast will be posted at the door of the village, their relatives and friends will naturally come to this festival.

It has been widely developed in Hong Kong, people will eat Poon choi during the Chinese New Year and other dinner party.

Since Poon choi contains a large amount of many ingredients, Hong Kong people think the cost is lower than other types of restaurant meals.

Although it is a traditional cuisine of Hong Kong walled villages the ingredients have changed over the past decades and become more diversified to suit peoples' varying palates and tastes.

During festivals, urban citizens can now enjoy Poon choi from Chinese fast food restaurant, such as Café de Coral, Fairwood.

[13] This event broke the world record for the highest number of people gathered to eating Poon choi.

As these customers order bulk amounts, the stores give discounts or provide free materials, like tables, a gas stove, and tableware together with the Poon choi.

The advertising leaflets from these stores usually offer customers a choice of big, medium and small amounts of Poon choi.

[5] Different from traditional reheating methods, nowadays restaurants use a portable gas stove to warm the Poon choi before it is served.

Relatively high priced Poon choi includes luxury food such as abalones, shark fin, oyster, which people may select to gain honour by showing that they are generous and wealthy.