Maxiangzhai RiceThe village name of Maxiangzhai was bestowed personally by Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang. Originally, Maxiangzhai, located south of the Yellow River, west of the Qin River, dotted with lotus ponds and blessed with fertile land, was home to a military general named Ma Xuan who rose to the rank of Commander-in-Chief of Beiping. Together with Prince Yan, Zhu Di, he guarded the northern gate of the Ming Empire. It is said that when Ma Xuan passed through his hometown on his way to the capital Nanjing to meet the emperor...
The geographical indication product protection area for Wuzhi Rice covers the current administrative regions of nine townships in Wuzhi County, Henan Province: Zhandian Town, Qiaomiao Township, Jiayingguan Township, Gedangdian Township, Xieqiyings Town, Dafeng Town, Xitao Town, Dahongqiao Township, and Beiguo Township. …
Huai Fu Pearl Chrysanthemum is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family, also known as tea chrysanthemum. Its flowers and buds are commonly used in medicine or as tea. It has a sweet and bitter taste, a cool nature, and offers benefits such as dispelling wind and clearing heat, soothing the liver and improving vision, as well as detoxification. It is mainly distributed in areas such as Wuzhi County, Bo’ai County, Wen County, and Mengzhou in Henan Province. It is “shaped like pearls, colored like jade, with a long-lasting floral aroma and a refreshing taste…”
The original variety of iron stick yam, named Lingzhi Iron Stick Yam due to its resemblance to lingzhi mushrooms. Rich in amino acids, mucoprotein, and yam polysaccharides, it offers higher nutritional and medicinal value than cultivated varieties. It has a better texture and sweeter taste. Packed with 18 types of amino acids and over 10 kinds of trace elements as well as other minerals, it helps strengthen the spleen...
Mengzhou Fried Noodles are a specialty snack from Mengzhou City, Jiaozuo, Henan Province. These fried noodles are dry and crisp, golden brown in color, and mixed with tender white bean sprouts, pinkish shredded meat, bright green scallion pieces, and seasoned with green or red chili peppers. The freshness of the vegetables blends perfectly with the nutty aroma of the noodles, creating a dish full of vibrant colors, rich yet not greasy, with a chewy texture and mouthwatering flavor. Mengzhou’s version of fried…
Wen Gong Inkstone Factory is a rising star in China's inkstone industry. Its signature product, the Chinese Han Yu Inkstone, draws on the essence of various traditional Chinese inkstones. Meticulously crafted with naturally exquisite carvings, it is renowned for its stunning beauty. The inkstone is named after Héyáng—today’s Mengzhou City—the hometown of the famous poet Han Yu.
Anyone living in the Central Plains region of China is very familiar with tiger-head shoes worn by children. They bring joy to families and hope to parents. These shoes have both practical and ornamental value, and they are also considered an auspicious item, believed to ward off evil spirits. Tiger-head shoes are a type of children's footwear, characterized by their shoe fronts shaped like tiger heads…
Braised pork from Xiwu is widely sold around the county, but not all of it is authentic. To try the genuine version, you’ll need to head to Xiwu Village. Why is their pork so delicious? One story goes that if a local family wants to braise meat they’ve bought themselves, they can simply take it to the shop, and the shop will braise it for free. Why? Because what they really want is…
With a history of thousands of years in the region, it is mainly sold along the main street of Nanzhuang Town in Mengzhou City, where about thirty small stalls operate. It is known for being cool and refreshing, and is quite distinct from mung bean jelly found in other cities across China. The mixed-slurry mung bean jelly has a greenish color and fragrant taste, mixed with seasonings such as mustard, ginger, aged vinegar, and sesame paste. Not only is it smooth and pleasant on the palate, but it also...
Mengzhou Sesame Cake: Crispy and delicious, the flatbread and sesame seeds are perfectly blended together. Baked using a special technique, it’s naturally crispy with just the right amount of saltiness. …
For thousands of years, pillows made from Huai chrysanthemum, Huai rehmannia root, and lavender have been hailed as “the No. 1 traditional pillow of China.” The Taiji Village Huai Chrysanthemum Pillow uses the precious Huai chrysanthemum (grown in Taiji Village’s own planting base) as its main ingredient, blended with Huai rehmannia root, Alpinia oxyphylla, angelica, polygala, lavender, and other natural herbs…
Dongfu Meatballs: Originating in the 1920s during the early 20th century, Dongfu Meatballs boast a cultural history of several hundred years. They had already gained fame across Huaifu during the Anti-Japanese War. In 2003, Dongfu Meatballs were recognized as a Jiaozuo Famous Snack and awarded the title of Local Specialty Snack, and were included in the book “A Glimpse of Jiaozuo’s Famous Foods.”…
The majestic and rugged Taihang Mountains, the long-flowing Mother River, the spiritually rich UNESCO Global Geopark Yuntai Mountain, the profound world cultural treasure Tai Chi, and the globally renowned “Four Treasures of Chinese Herbal Medicine”—the Four Huai Medicinals—form the three iconic calling cards of Jiaozuo City. It is on this culturally rich land that Jiaozuo Taiji Village Commerce & Trade Co., Ltd. was born…
Bo'ai August Yellow is a specialty of Bo'ai County in Jiaozuo City, Henan Province. It is a traditionally cultivated, high-quality persimmon variety with a long history. The fruit is nearly flat and square-round in shape, with an orange-red peel, abundant whitish bloom, orange-yellow flesh, fine and dense texture, crisp and sweet taste, seedless, and superior quality. This variety is high-yielding and stable, with vigorous trees and a long lifespan. The persimmons...
Huai Ginger from Bo’ai is known for its large size, fine threads, delicious flavor, spicy and tasty taste, high yield, resistance to overcooking, strong resilience, low water content, easy processing, and long shelf life. Products made from it, such as “Huai Ginger Chili Sauce” and “Ginger Spicy Sauce,” are spicy and delicious, making them excellent condiments for the table. Ginger is also a valuable traditional Chinese medicinal herb. When…
Bo'ai has quite a variety of local snacks. If you look closely, most of them seem to be imported from elsewhere. As a result, popular snacks in Bo'ai tend to have short lifespans. Many snacks come and go quickly, much like the white liquor served in restaurants—changing form every couple of months. The ones that have managed to stick around include: rice noodles, which are said to be authentic in Xi'an…
Bo'ai beef meatballs have a long history, dating back to the Yuan and Ming dynasties according to legend, and gradually developed during the Qing Dynasty. Thanks to their traditional and meticulous production techniques, hygienic preparation, and uniquely delicious flavor, they have long enjoyed a great reputation in regions such as Shanxi and Henan. In the 1970s, the first Fanji Bo'ai Beef Meatball shop (then a joint operation) opened downstairs from the Xiaolou Mosque in Zhengzhou...
Ma Ji Roast Chicken from Xuliang Town, Bo'ai County, has a history of over 100 years and was awarded the First Prize for Specialty Snacks in Henan Province. In recent years, Ma Ji Roast Chicken shops have expanded to 28 outlets in surrounding areas such as Jincheng and Yicheng in Shanxi Province through a chain operation model. The main Hui Muslim Ma Ji Roast Chicken store in Bo'ai County is located in the Daxinzhuang Development Zone of Xuliang Town, at the foot of the Taihang Mountains...
Xu Liang hand-pulled noodles are a distinctive snack from Bo’ai, known for being rich yet not greasy, with a flavor that lingers. To make them, flour is first mixed with salted water and left covered with a damp cloth for over an hour. The dough is then kneaded to a softer consistency and rolled out into thick, wide sheets. Holding both ends, the dough is stretched into thin, unbroken sheets, which are then boiled in hot water, drained, and topped with seasonings and chili...
The earliest cultivated Qinhua Ginger, also known as Bo’ai Ginger or Shangzhuang Ginger, is mainly grown in three townships: Xuliang, Shangzhuang, and Baishan. Bo’ai Ginger is large in size, has fine fibers, high yield, and excellent quality. It boasts a delicious, fragrant, and spicy taste, remains firm even after prolonged cooking, is highly resistant to adversity, has low water content, and is easy to process and store. It stands out among its peers. Bo’ai Ginger has over 1,600 years of cultivation history. In addition to being sold fresh, Bo’ai Ginger can be processed into various ginger products for medicinal use, as a seasoning, or in culinary dishes. Historically, people made sugar-cured sun-dried ginger and sugar-pickled ginger slices to treat stomach colds. Sugar-cured sun-dried ginger is a miraculous remedy for chronic stomach colds. Its production is simple, the price is economical, and the taste is sweet and spicy, making it widely popular among the public. Homemade ginger and garlic sprout paste, as well as pickled chive blossoms made with ginger and chives, are long-standing members of the condiment family. They have an exceptionally delicious flavor, and the garlic sprouts in the paste and the chive blossoms in the pickles both become milder in nature, making them more palatable and less harsh on the stomach. With the development of the times, the uses of ginger have become increasingly diverse, and the varieties produced by locals using Bo’ai Ginger have also multiplied. Five-spice powder made from ginger, star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, fennel, and cinnamon is an excellent seasoning for soups, dishes, buns, and dumpling fillings. Canned ginger residue made with fresh ginger, sesame oil, monosodium glutamate, salt, and other ingredients not only enhances appetite but also aids digestion.