The five-step snake is a famous specialty of Qichun and is known as one of the “Four Treasures of Qichun,” along with the Qichun tortoise, Qichun bamboo, and Qichun mugwort. Belonging to the genus Deinagkistrodon in the family Viperidae, it is an extremely venomous snake. Legend has it that a bite from this snake can be fatal within five steps, hence its name “five-step snake.” Its black body covered with white markings also earns it the name “white-flower snake.” Additionally, because its rostral and internasal scales are both upturned toward the back, it is also called the “upturned-nose snake.” It has a triangular head, a blackish-brown back, and a white belly and throat with scattered small blackish-brown spots known as “rosary spots.” The tail is laterally compressed, and the tip has a single elongated scale called a keratinous spine, commonly referred to as the “Buddha’s fingernail.” When cornered with no escape, the five-step snake is said to turn its “venomous tail hook” inward and commit suicide by disembowelment, “dying with its eyes not sunken.”
Quartz stone ore, composed of silicon dioxide, belongs to the trigonal crystal system and forms hexagonal prisms with a hard texture. Pure quartz is colorless and transparent, known as crystal; milky white is called milky quartz; light red is referred to as rose quartz; smoky yellow is called smoky quartz; impurities can result in various colors such as purple, brown, light yellow, and dark black, though it is generally milky white and semi-transparent…
Produced in Qichun County. From 1988 to 1997, it successively won the Silver Award at the First National Expo, the Departmental Quality Product Award from the Ministry of Commerce, and was named one of China’s Seven Famous Rice Varieties in 1990. …
Qi Yam is a specialty of Qichun County, Huanggang City, Hubei Province. Resembling a club, Qi Yam is typically 20–30 cm in length and weighs 100–500 g. The fresh product has a bright yellow skin with rootlets, while the flesh is white, fine-textured, juicy, and boasts a refreshing, sweet taste. When cooked, the broth turns pure white, thick and smooth, and it is highly nutritious—qualities that have made it very popular with consumers. Qi…
A local specialty dish of Hong'an. The pearl flower is a wild vegetable that grows in the northern mountainous region of Hong'an County and is documented in the Ming Dynasty book *Huang'an Chu Cheng* (authored by Geng Dingxiang, Minister of Revenue). Around the Qingming Festival, when the pearl flowers are in bud and the tender leaves are ready, they are harvested together, blanched in boiling water until yellowed, then dried in the sun for later use. When eaten, they are soaked in warm water to soften, then rinsed...
The cultivation of Hong'an sweet potatoes has a long history, and the produce is renowned across Hubei for its superior quality. With moderate starch content, high fiber and sugar levels, they are sweet and delicious when eaten raw and soft and fragrant when cooked. Widely recognized as a health food, they have earned extensive praise in the market. Hong'an County plants around 30,000 mu of sweet potatoes annually, with an annual yield of...
Hong'an County is nationally renowned as the "Hometown of Peanuts," producing over 24,000 tons of peanuts annually. The Hong'an Plant Oils Group Company utilizes local peanuts to produce 4,000 tons of oils per year. Its range of oils and oil cakes not only sells well across China but is also exported to countries and regions such as Malaysia, Singapore, Canada, and Thailand...
Qichun Jiafang Wine is a specialty liquor from Huanggang, Hubei Province, also known as a tonic wine for invigorating qi and nourishing blood. It is brewed by the 29th-generation direct descendant of Li Shizhen from Qichun County, using a secret family recipe passed down for a thousand years. As mentioned in "Essentials of Materia Medica," “medicinal wine, when consumed in moderation, harmonizes blood circulation, boosts vitality, and fortifies the body against cold.” Jiafang Wine contains the Four Treasures of Qichun, polygonatum, male silkworm moth...
Guanyao Pottery is produced in Guanyao Town, Qichun County, Huanggang City, Hubei Province. "Qichun County People's Government Letter on Defining the Protection Scope of Guanyao Pottery as a Geographical Indication Product" (Qizheng Letter [2016] No. 13). Qichun County Local Standard: DB421126/T037-2016 "Guanyao Pottery"...
Coix Seed from Siliushan is a specialty of Siliushan Village, Tanlin Town, Qichun County, Huanggang City, Hubei Province. The unique geographical environment of Siliushan Village produces Coix Seeds of exceptional quality. Coix Seed from Siliushan is a nationally protected geographical indication agricultural product. It is also a distinctive agricultural product of Qichun County, Huanggang City, and serves as a nourishing food that is both edible and medicinal,...
Qichun Prunella. Qichun County in Hubei Province is the hometown of Li Shizhen, the great medical scientist of China. The county has a subtropical continental monsoon climate, featuring distinct seasons, mild weather, and abundant rainfall. With a forest coverage rate of 57.3%, the area boasts a sound ecological environment, fresh air free from dust, and clean unpolluted water. Its unique...
Qichun Coix Seed Coix is one of the traditional specialty crops grown in the northern mountainous areas of Qichun County. Also known as six-grain seed, yi seed, coix seed, yi rice, or gully seed, coix seed is an excellent food and medicinal product. The seed kernel is used medicinally and is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine with diuretic, dampness-draining, spleen-strengthening, diarrhea-relieving, heat-clearing, and pus-expelling properties. Zhejiang Kanglaite Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. uses coix seed as the main raw material to extract Kanglaite, a new anti-cancer traditional Chinese medicine, which has been approved for clinical trials nationwide in Russia. Coix seed is also highly nutritious, containing amino acids such as leucine, arginine, lysine, and tyrosine, as well as fatty acids and carbohydrates, making it a great choice for dietary therapy.
Also known as "Qicai," it is alternatively called "Kuicai," "Dongkui," or "Chukui." It is abundantly produced in the region, and the name of Qichun County is derived from this. Qichun celery is divided into "land celery" and "water celery." Land celery has a slight medicinal taste, commonly referred to as "medicinal celery," and comes in red and white varieties. It features a bluish-green color, a refreshing aroma, crisp and tender stems, and is rich in protein, sugar...
Qichun acidic rice noodles are a specialty of Qichun County, Huanggang City, Hubei Province. These rice noodles are a local delicacy made from high-quality early indica rice through 15 traditional folk processes including natural fermentation. They are crystal clear, pleasantly tangy, delicious, and have a unique flavor. Qichun acidic rice noodles have been awarded the status of a Geographical Indication Protected Product. Qichun acidic rice noodles are one of the county’s renowned...
During his exile in Huangzhou during the Song Dynasty, Su Dongpo cooked local celery together with spring pigeon slices he had brought from his hometown, creating a dish called “Qijing Spring Pigeon Slices.” In the Ming Dynasty, Gao Qi lamented in his poem “Ode to Celery”: “Cooking rice, I recall the green mud; making soup, I think of the emerald stream. With no way to offer this to the imperial court, I can only sigh thrice before my meal.” Xu Wei of the Ming Dynasty wrote in his poem “Ode to Celery Sprouts”: …
This beverage boasts a rich corn aroma, with a smooth and delicate taste and a unique flavor. It is also packed with nutrients such as protein, amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, and organic selenium. It helps lower serum cholesterol, regulate intestinal function, and offers significant benefits for improving eyesight and preventing cancer. Truly a rare...
Hong'an has a long history of peanut cultivation. The 69th volume of the Commercial Section in the 1909 Huang'an Local Chronicles (Huang'an Xiangtu Zhi) from the first year of the Xuantong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1909) states: "The peanut harvest is thriving, with distinctions between foreign and native varieties. Foreign varieties are larger but less fragrant, with sturdy roots and stems that make them easy to bundle." By the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period, "peanut cultivation flourished more than ever," expanding from north to south across Hong'an and covering...
Hong'an chestnuts are a specialty of Hong'an County, Huanggang City, Hubei Province. Chestnuts are one of the distinctive industries in Hong'an's forestry sector. Currently, the county has a total of 450,000 mu of chestnut orchards, with an annual production exceeding 10,000 tons. Chestnuts, commonly known as "chestnut nuts," are a specialty of China and are often referred to as the "King of Nuts." Internationally, they are hailed as the "Ginseng Fruit." They are one of China’s...
Braised Gourds of Hong'an is a specialty dish from Hong'an County, Huanggang City, Hubei Province. The braised gourd is a distinctive dried vegetable favored by residents in the northern part of Hong'an County. Due to its unique preparation method and delicious taste, it has become a beloved dish among locals.
In some areas of Hong’an County, there has long been a custom of “making pi zi” during the Spring Festival, and “Yonghe Pi Zi” boasts the most distinctive flavor. As the Lunar New Year approaches, the pi zi workshops in Yongjiahe Town become bustling again. With its thick, tender texture, “Yonghe Pi Zi” has become a specialty dish on people’s reunion dinner tables. This soybean product known as pi zi is commonly...