Jiaozuo donkey meat is rich in carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and various amino acids essential to the human body. With a sweet taste and warm nature, it helps nourish blood and qi, replenish yin and yang, calm the nerves, and relieve fatigue. Especially for women, it also has skin-nourishing and spot-fading benefits. As the saying goes, "Dragon meat in the sky, donkey meat on the ground." Jiaozuo donkey meat is truly a local specialty. When you eat it, if no one tells you, you might not even guess it’s donkey meat — you could easily mistake it for uniquely flavorful beef.
The most famous Yanling scallions in Jiaozuo come from Yanling in Xiuwu County. These scallions are primarily grown in nine natural villages within Wangtun Township of Xiuwu County: Xueyanling, Jiayanling, Zhangyanling, Gaoyanling, Wangyanling, Xiayanling, Zhuyanling, Luyanling, and Liyanling. The scallions are characterized by their short stems, large bulbs, rich nutrition, and delicious taste. The largest ones can…
Sea Toad Palace Pineflower Eggs are a traditional specialty of Wuliyuan Township in Xiuwu County. Legend has it that the Taoist monk Liu Haichan, at Mapeng Spring north of Wuliyuan Village, commanded a flock of ducks to produce pineflower eggs as a token of gratitude to the fairies (later, a palace was built by the spring in his honor), hence the name Sea Toad Palace Pineflower Eggs. With a long history, these eggs are known for their durability—they remain solid when opened, showcasing a red-clear, black-yellow appearance with translucent egg whites…
Chestnuts are the fruit of the chestnut tree, a deciduous species belonging to the genus Castanea in the family Fagaceae. Because their outer shells are covered with a tough, spiky husk, they are also known as “hairy chestnuts.” Each 100 grams of edible chestnut contains 7 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, and 44 grams of sugar, along with dietary fiber, minerals, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins A, B, and C, hence earning them the title of “woody grain.” The dried fruit has a rich, sweet flavor with a unique taste. Not only can it be used as a side dish or substitute for staple food, but when cooked with pig’s trotters or stomach, it also serves as an excellent tonic. Regular consumption can help boost energy, improve digestion, strengthen the kidneys, and fortify the lower back. Modern medicine recognizes that the shell contains tannins. Traditional Chinese medicine has a long history of using chestnuts for therapeutic purposes.
The scientific name of the walnut is Juglans regia. It has deep roots, a large canopy, and is drought-resistant, thriving in well-drained, calcium-rich fertile soil. The tree flowers between April and May each year, and the fruits ripen around the “White Dew” solar term. The outer husk is fleshy and green, while the nut itself is spherical. The wood has straight grain, a fine and dense texture, and does not warp or crack, making it an excellent material for military equipment, farming tools…
Lushi honey comes in two varieties: wildflower honey and acacia honey. Wildflower honey, also known as raw honey, is produced by native bees (Chinese honeybees). It is relatively thick and has a rich, sweet flavor. Depending on the nectar source, it is further categorized into white honey and red honey. The honey boasts a mellow and fragrant sweetness, rich in nutrients such as glucose, fructose, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamins. It is an excellent ingredient for making...
The Monkey Head Mushroom is a precious edible fungus, named for its resemblance to a monkey’s head both in shape and in the texture and color of its velvety surface. It typically grows as a parasite on dead stumps or dry parts of living trees such as Quercus acutissima, Quercus variabilis, and Quercus glauca during July and August. Luci County boasts abundant oak forest resources, making it an ideal habitat for the growth and proliferation of the Monkey Head Mushroom. …
Morel mushrooms from Lushi are also known as: morel mushrooms or sheep’s stomach mushrooms. Origin: Lushi, Henan Province, China. Varieties: include conical morels, black-veined morels, and pointed-belly morels. Characteristics: Morels mostly grow in moist forest areas in early spring, especially in fir and maple woods, and vary in height. The caps are nearly conical, pointed, or light brown in color...
The Ox-heart Persimmon is produced in Shimen Gully, Mianchi County, and is named for its resemblance to an ox’s heart. With a long history and well-established reputation, it is an outstanding variety selected by local farmers through years of cultivation. Its main characteristics include large size, fine flesh, abundant juice, sweet taste, and either no seeds or very few seeds. The average weight of a single fruit is 250 grams, with the largest reaching 375…
Apricot Huang from Yangshao gets its name from being produced in the birthplace of the Yangshao culture in Shenchi County, and is also commonly known as "Egg Apricot" due to its egg-like shape. When the fruit ripens, the pit separates from the flesh and makes a rattling sound when shaken, hence it is also called "Rattling Bell Apricot." Its characteristics include: large size, fresh flavor, and rich nutrition. The skin and flesh are orange-yellow with a red blush on the sun-exposed side. The average weight per fruit is 70 grams, …
Beef Heart Persimmon is produced in Shimen Gully, Mianchi County, and is named for its resemblance to a cow’s heart. It is characterized by its large size, delicate flesh, abundant juice, and sweet taste. Beef Heart Persimmon Cake was once an imperial tribute during the Qing Dynasty—known for its high sweetness, minimal fiber, soft texture, and deliciously sweet flavor. Yangshao Persimmon Cake, also known as Beef Heart Persimmon Cake, is a specialty of Mianchi County, Henan Province. Yangshao Persimmon Cake is made from Beef Heart Persimmon…
Yangshao colored pottery is a type of ceramic ware used during the Yangshao Culture period. It represents China’s Neolithic Age and is an outstanding work of art and craftsmanship. Made from the unique clay resources along the banks of the Yellow River, it combines traditional folk pottery techniques with modern technological methods. Its main products include the Yangshao colored pottery antique series as well as sculptures that reflect the folk customs on both sides of the Yellow River…
Handwoven cloth is an ancient handicraft textile art in western Henan, where cotton is hand-spun into yarn and then woven into fabric using traditional looms. Nan Village Handwoven Cloth uses traditional techniques and selects high-quality, eco-friendly cotton yarn to produce products such as bed sheets, three-piece bedding sets, and four-piece bedding sets. The handwoven cloth features shallow yet coarse textures, a thick and sturdy feel, and a skin-friendly touch,...
Mianchi Salvia miltiorrhiza On the basis of stabilizing grain production and leveraging local resource advantages, Mianchi County has vigorously developed the cultivation of Salvia miltiorrhiza, covering an area of 16,000 mu. The product is in high demand across more than ten provinces and cities including Anhui, Jiangsu, Guizhou, and Shanxi. A development model of "company + base + farmer" has been formed, led by Henan Tianfeng Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. The county-wide planting...
The Niuxin persimmon from Silong Temple Village, Duan Village Township, Mianchi County, Henan Province, has a long planting history. In ancient times, it was offered as tribute to the imperial court and known as the “Tribute Cake.” The Niuxin persimmon is large in size, with fine flesh, abundant juice, sweet taste, and few or no seeds. Shaped like a cow’s heart and with thin, sweet skin, it is thus named Niuxin (Cow’s Heart) persimmon. The average single fruit weighs 250 grams, with the largest reaching up to 3…
Millet, also known as millet grain, is commonly referred to as "grain" before hulling, and is called millet due to its small size, with a diameter of about 1 millimeter. As the birthplace of the Yangshao Culture, the millet produced in Mianchi was historically offered as tribute to the imperial court, hence it is commonly known as "Yangshao Tribute Rice." It is also referred to as "Diwu Tribute Rice" or "Diwu Grain Rice" because its main production area is located around Diwu in Rencun Township...
The Stick-and-Whip Dance, also known as Flower Stick Dance or Overlord Whip Dance, was introduced to Fakeling Village in Rencun Township, Mianchi County during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period. It is a form of cultural entertainment deeply loved by farmers. The performance is not restricted by venue or number of participants — it can be performed by two, four, six, or eight people facing each other, or by dozens of performers arranged in a square formation. It can be performed on stage, in the streets, or as a street show. Performers take on roles such as flower maiden, clown maiden, old woman, and young male, each holding a flower stick. The flower stick is made from a bamboo pole about one or 1.2 meters long, with two rectangular holes drilled at each end. Copper wires are fitted into the holes, and flower tassels or bells are tied to both ends. Performers strike their shoulders, feet, and knees with the sticks while dancing and singing. Their movements are agile, and their postures graceful and varied. The sounds of copper coins or iron pads clinking against the sticks create a delightful rhythm. Performances are accompanied by orchestral instruments and bells, and lyrics are sung according to the situation, following specific melodies that are very elegant and pleasing to the ear. On May 6, 1991, the flower stick dance from Fakeling Village was performed at the Yellow River Festival in Sanmenxia and won the second prize in the festival’s cultural performance.
Yangshao Big Apricot, also known as Yangshao Yellow Apricot, is a fruit specialty of Mianchi County in Henan Province. It is named after Mianchi County, the birthplace of the Yangshao Culture. Mianchi County lies along the extension of the Qinling Mountains and is part of the hilly and mountainous region of western Henan. The area features deep, well-structured soil layers rich in organic matter. The fruit resembles an egg in shape, hence its common name "Egg Apricot." When ripe, the pit separates easily from the flesh, …
Dibu is divided into two administrative villages, North Dibu and South Dibu, located in the western part of Ren Village Township, northeast of Mianchi County. The millet produced in South Dibu is one of the highest-quality agricultural specialties in the county. The millet from this area has several notable characteristics: when cooked into porridge, it forms three distinct layers of grains with rich rice oil, offering high nutritional value; when made into steamed rice, the cooked grains in the bowl look markedly different from those of other regions—while rice from elsewhere tends to separate from the bowl as it cools, the rice from Dibu sticks to the bowl, delivering a uniquely delicious taste. Legend has it that it was once presented as tribute to emperors in ancient times, hence earning the name "Tribute Rice."
Tobacco leaves are one of the cash crops in Mianchi County and hold an important position in the national economy. There are two types of tobacco produced here: air-cured and flue-cured. Air-cured tobacco was introduced during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, the planting area was not large but relatively widespread. In particular, the air-cured tobacco from Dongzhuanggou in Duan Village Township was known for its rich aroma, strong flavor, smooth taste, and saliva-inducing, phlegm-relieving qualities...