Dongping specialty congee and noodles are made from high-quality soybeans, lotus seeds, gorgon fruit, water chestnuts, millet, maltodextrin, and other ingredients sourced from Dongping Lake. They are produced using traditional methods combined with modern green food processing techniques. Dongping congee and noodles are a pollution-free, green food product that offers both nutritional and health benefits. They contain various amino acids, calcium...
The layered pancake, also known as the "stuffed pancake," is one of the famous local snacks in the Jieshan area. Historically, the version made at roadside inns in Zhangcheng Village was renowned for its exceptional flavor. This pancake is wrapped in an outer layer of dough, yet contains over ten distinct layers inside, each separated from the next. Once baked, it boasts a golden exterior and a fluffy interior, with a crispy, tender, and richly oily texture. It remains delicious when hot and doesn’t dry out when served cold, all while offering a wonderfully fragrant taste…
Dongping Lake lotus seeds are one of the special products of Dongping Lake and have long been famous in domestic and international markets. In the northern part of the old lake area, there used to be vast expanses of lotus fields. The famous classical novel *Water Margin* contains the description “Ambush troops among the reeds, warships hidden in the shade of lotus blossoms,” which gives an idea of how abundant the lotuses were in Dongping Lake historically. Lotus seeds are an extremely nutritious...
Yellow onions have the effects of aiding digestion, invigorating the stomach, regulating qi, and cleansing the intestines. Their medicinal value outweighs their nutritional use, making them an ideal health food. The yellow onion is a leading agricultural product in Pengji Town, Dongping County, with a total cultivation area currently reaching 10,000 mu, and an annual output of 50 million kilograms. The main varieties include Red Leaf No. 3, O…
Dayang Township is located in a mountainous and hilly area with relatively fertile soil. For a long time, walnuts have been a traditional fruit crop here, cultivated over large areas with high yields, excellent quality, and good reputation. The annual total production exceeds about 1,500 tons. There are many varieties of walnuts in Dayang, among which the most renowned is the thin-skinned walnut. It is characterized by its thin and smooth shell, easily removable kernel, and a high kernel yield...
Anshan Rice is cultivated in nine administrative villages located west of Da’anshan Village in Shanglaozhuang Township and east of Balidian. With a long planting history, there are definitive historical records dating back to the Qing Dynasty up to the present. To boost local farmers' income and enhance agricultural efficiency, trademark liaison officers, based on actual conditions, coordinated with the Party Committee and government of Shanglaozhuang Township to apply for the “Anshan Rice”…
Pengji peanuts are a famous specialty of Pengji Town, well known for their high yield and excellent quality. The peanut shells here are thin and glossy, with clear veining, plump kernels, bright red skins, and milky-white kernels that are crispy and delicious to eat. “Hairy shell, red veil, housing a white chubby inside” is a riddle the locals made up for peanuts…
Banjiudian Town is bordered by the Yellow River to the west and Dongping Lake to the east. The area consists of alluvial plains formed by the Yellow River, featuring fertile soil and abundant water resources—ideal conditions for growing garlic. The local variety evolved from Soviet hybrid garlic introduced in the 1960s, with planting scale expanding year by year. By 2001, the town’s garlic cultivation area reached 40,500 mu, and including neighboring…
The town of Shahezhan in Dongping County boasts fertile soil and abundant water resources, with a long history of potato cultivation. The potatoes produced here are large, with yellow skin and flesh, a crisp texture, and are known to help lower blood lipids and blood pressure—making them truly unique within a hundred-mile radius. They are also celebrated for their shallow eyes, long dormancy period, and excellent storage and transport durability, which have made them highly sought after by customers across the country. The “Shahezhan…” brand potatoes grown in this town…
The peanuts produced in Pengji Town feature white skins, superior quality, high kernel yield, and high oil content. Each 100 grams contains 25–36 grams of protein, along with eight essential amino acids for the human body and 26 types of minerals and trace elements. They are known to promote longevity and delay brain function decline, earning them the nickname "longevity fruit." The history of peanut cultivation in Pengji...
Pengji ginger features flat, plump, and round rhizomes with thick, pale-yellow skin and waxy-yellow flesh. It has fine fibers, a strong spicy flavor, and is rich in nutrients. The ginger is known for its large size, minimal fibers, and excellent storage qualities. The growing area boasts fertile soil and abundant surface and groundwater resources, with a pH level between 6.5 and 7—ideal conditions for ginger cultivation. The surrounding area is free from “three wastes” pollution…
Dongping Lake softshell turtle is a specialty of Dongping Lake in Dongping County, Tai’an City, Shandong Province. Dongping Lake provides an excellent natural habitat for softshell turtles, and those produced here are renowned throughout the Shandong region. The softshell turtle, commonly known as yuan yu, tuan yu, jiao yu, wang ba, or lao bie, belongs to the family Trionychidae under the class Reptilia. It is an amphibious, oviparous, cold-blooded reptile. The wild softshell turtles of Dongping Lake have a light…
Euryale ferox is the seed of the aquatic plant "Euryale," also known as "Gorgon fruit" or "chicken head rice." Historical records indicate that Euryale ferox from Dongping Lake has an over 800-year history and is renowned for its high quality, abundant yield, and wide range of culinary and medicinal uses.
Dongping Lake Hairy Crab, scientifically known as the Chinese mitten crab, is also called river crab or simply crab. It belongs to the phylum Arthropoda, class Crustacea, and genus Eriocheir. The hairy crab has a wide, flat body, with a dark green back and a white belly. Its five pairs of walking legs extend symmetrically on both sides of the body. The first pair of pincers is particularly well-developed, shaped like tongs, and densely covered with hair-like bristles on the front part. The surface of the crab shell is uneven...
Dongping Lake Carp, commonly known as red fish, is one of Shandong’s famous and distinctive aquatic products, named after being produced in Dongping Lake. Originally from the Yellow River, Dongping Lake is connected to the Yellow River. During flood seasons, Yellow River carp enter the lake with the water flow. The nutrient-rich waters of the lake provide an ideal environment for fish breeding and growth, leading to the settlement of Yellow River carp in the lake. This fish has a flat and plump body, with a dark grayish-black back...
East Ping Lake lotus roots are primarily produced in the secondary lake area of East Ping Lake (Xinhu Township, Dongping County). Their lotus leaves are as large as umbrellas, the blossoms delicate and elegant, the seeds plump like chestnuts, and the roots white, tender, and crisp. When eaten raw, they are as crisp as sweet pears; when cooked, they are fragrant like melons. They can be served fresh in salads, or prepared by frying, stir-frying, sautéing, or deep-frying. The lotus root banquet made from East Ping Lake lotus roots offers a delightful mix of savory and sweet...
Dongping Town, nestled against Baifo Mountain to the north and bordered by the Daqing River to the south, is the main production area of Yang melons in Dongping County. Since 1996, when Yang melons were first introduced and trial-planted in arched greenhouses, their cultivation scale has expanded year by year, and they have now become an important means for local farmers to increase income and achieve prosperity. Yang melons, also known as thick-skinned sweet melons, belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, genus Cucumis...
【Freshwater Reed Shoots with Shrimp】A traditional dish from Dongping County. Legend has it that during Emperor Qianlong’s southern inspection tour, when he stayed in the region, the local magistrate served him “Freshwater Reed Shoots with Shrimp” and “Jade Pearl Soup,” both of which greatly pleased the emperor, and the dish subsequently gained great fame. The main ingredients of Freshwater Reed Shoots with Shrimp are freshwater reed shoots and shrimp. The freshwater reed shoots are the tender white…
Dongping Lake Big Green Shrimp is a specialty of Dongping Lake in Dongping County, Tai’an City, Shandong Province. When eaten raw, the shrimp are tender, fresh, and delicate, with excellent elasticity. After being gently stewed, their bodies turn a vibrant red, exuding a rich aroma with tender, flavorful meat that melts smoothly in the mouth. It is truly a nutritious, delicious, and visually appealing delicacy. Dongping Lake Big...
Shanglaozhuang figs are a specialty of Shanglaozhuang Township, Dongping County, Tai’an City, Shandong Province. The leaves of Shanglaozhuang figs are large and green, while the fruits come in various shapes such as oblate, spherical, pear-shaped, and jar-shaped. Their skin is yellowish-green, the flesh is milky yellow, and they have a sweet flavor with a rich, refreshing aroma. Figs are also known as Didian Tree, Ayi, Azang, Yingguo, or Udumbara. They first appeared in the "Herbs for Famine Relief"...