Huangshan is located among She County, Taiping, Xiuning, and Qian County in Anhui Province. Its towering and peculiar peaks, robust and graceful pines, clear and unruffled mountain springs, and undulating sea of clouds are known as the "Four Wonders" of Huangshan, captivating visitors. The famous Ming Dynasty traveler Xu Xiake ranked Huangshan as the foremost of China’s renowned mountains, leaving behind the saying “No need to see other mountains after returning from the Five Great Mountains, and no need to see the Five Great Mountains after returning from Huangshan…”
She Inkstone, also known as Longwei Inkstone, is carved from She stone sourced from Longwei Mountain in Wuyuan (now Wuyuan, Jiangxi), Shezhou. Among the many varieties of She Inkstones, Luowen Inkstone is the easiest to release ink and most suitable for brush tips. Among Luowen Inkstones, those with fine textures such as ancient rhinoceros luowen, fish roe luowen, and dark fine luowen are considered the best. Due to its diverse stone patterns, She Inkstone has many elegant names...
A famous local snack in Huangshan. Zongzi can be found all over China, but those from the Huangshan region have a unique flavor, differing in wrapping method, shape, and filling. Most “Huizhou-style wrapped zongzi” are “pillow-shaped zongzi.” They are large and plump, tied with two strands of string, have four corners, and resemble a pillow. There are many varieties, including meat zongzi, spare rib zongzi, date and chestnut zongzi, …
A traditional Huizhou-style snack. The mung beans are first sprouted until their skins crack and the sprouts begin to show. They are then mixed with wheat flour, salt, and water to form a batter. The batter is scooped into a bamboo hoop placed on a spatula and slowly lowered into boiling oil. Once the mixture solidifies into a lump, the hoop is lifted and the spatula removed, and the pockets are fried until they turn a dark yellowish-green. Mung Bean Pockets are crispy, fluffy, and have a unique flavor.…
Butterfly noodles are a specialty snack from Huizhou in Huangshan, Anhui. The noodle sheets are first cut into diamond shapes, deep-fried until puffed up, then transferred to a wok. They are stir-fried with sliced meat, bamboo shoots, dried shrimp, ham, mushrooms, greens, and meat broth until well-flavored and tender. The puffed and simmered noodle sheets are refreshing and not greasy. They are named for their diamond shape, which resembles butterflies.…
A renowned mixed-flavor dish from Huizhou, it is made by stuffing lamb into a fish’s belly, then sealing and cooking it. Legend has it that during the Qing Dynasty, a farmer from Huizhou Prefecture was taking four sheep across the Lianjiang River on a ferry. Due to the small and crowded cabin, he accidentally pushed an adult ram into the river. The sheep, unable to swim, struggled for a while before sinking into the deep water. As…
Qimen shiitake mushrooms are a specialty of Qimen County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province. Qimen is one of the main production areas of Huizhou mushrooms. Based on quality and appearance, Qimen shiitake mushrooms can be divided into flower mushrooms, thick mushrooms, and flat mushrooms—all top-grade Huizhou mushrooms that stand out among similar products. Huizhou mushrooms, short for Huizhou-grown shiitake mushrooms, are among China’s four most renowned mushroom varieties. In December 1990…
Qimen kiwifruit is a specialty of Qimen County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province. The “Qimen No. 9” variety of Qimen kiwifruit is known for its juicy, thin-skinned texture, sweet-and-sour taste, and exceptional flavor. It is also a genuinely natural green food. Locally, kiwifruit is commonly referred to as “yangtao.” During the Ming Dynasty, the famous physician Li Shizhen visited Huangshan and conducted research on kiwifruit...
Qimen Stone Ear is a specialty of Qimen County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province. Known as the “king of mountain vegetables,” it boasts a delicious flavor and is often used in Huizhou cuisine to stew meat or braise pigeon, earning high praise from diners. Qimen Stone Ear is one of the region’s specialties, named for its ear-like shape and its growth in damp crevices of cliffs. Commonly called “stone clothing,” it is also known as…
Fern Starch Dumplings. Fern starch is made from the starch extracted by pounding and washing the roots of mountain bracken. Mountain bracken has surprisingly tangled, brownish-black root systems for such slender plants, spreading in the soil layer about a foot deep beneath the surface, rich in starch. I remember that in the old days, farmers in the countryside would dig up bundles of bracken roots from the hillsides when clearing tea fields or during the winter slack season...
At rural "agritainment" restaurants in Qimen, you can try a type of "tofu" that isn’t made from soybeans—ku zhu tofu and zha zi tofu. The main ingredient of ku zhu tofu is the fruit of the ku zhu tree. Ku zhu is a common deciduous tree in the mountainous regions of southern Anhui, and its autumn seeds resemble hairy chestnuts and are edible. In late autumn, the fruits fall to the ground,…
When dining in the countryside of Qimen, the host will serve a large plate of steamed red chili peppers. These big red chilies are neatly arranged on the plate, each firm and fresh. Take one and bite into it — it’s soft yet crisp, crisp with a kick of spice, spicy with a hint of sweetness, and sweet with a touch of saltiness. Take a closer look, and you’ll discover a secret hidden inside the chili — it’s stuffed with…
Pan-fried Small River Fish with Flour Coating The small river fish from the countryside have an especially delicious flavor, and their taste is even fresher. Making soup or stewing them with tofu are already well-known cooking methods. Pan-frying small river fish with a flour coating is also a nutritious and uniquely flavorful dish in Qimen’s local cuisine. To prepare pan-fried small river fish with flour coating, the small river fish selected should be about three inches…
Heartleaf houttuynia is a perennial herb that serves both medicinal and culinary purposes. It thrives in shady, damp environments, often seen growing in dense patches in the shaded, moist tea fields of the Qimen mountains. The plant is neat in appearance, standing about 40 centimeters tall, with jointed stems and alternate, heart-shaped leaves. The upper leaf surface is green, while the underside is purplish-red. Its leaf juice emits a distinctive odor...
Layered Pot The Layered Pot is a delicious dish from the Qimen mountainous area. Its ingredients mostly consist of rustic farmhouse fare, layered one by one in a large iron pot, then stewed over high heat until thoroughly cooked, and served steaming hot straight from the pot. Typically, the top layer is made of braised pork slices—thick, generous, rich but not greasy—surrounded by neatly arranged meatballs. Below that…
Zhonghe Soup is an authentic signature dish of Qimen. Whenever locals host banquets, Zhonghe Soup is always included—and it’s usually the first dish served. Originally called “Zhonghe” (which translates to “Middle River”). The Middle River is a river that originates in Qimen and flows into Poyang County in Jiangxi Province. To its east, another river flows in from Wuyuan, and to its west, one flows in from Zhide. These...
Qimen kaolin is one of the raw materials used in making porcelain and is one of the specialties of Qimen, renowned since ancient times. The Ming Dynasty scientist Song Yingxing wrote in his work "Tiangong Kaiwu": "Jingdezhen has been a center for firing ceramics since ancient times, yet it does not produce white clay, which comes from the mountains of Wuyuan and Qimen." The Qing Dynasty text "Xu Wenxian Tongkao" states: "There are many types of pottery clay, but the purest...
These cattle are small and agile, heat- and temperature-resistant, making them well-suited to the mountainous natural environment and local breeding and management conditions. They are an important draft animal breed in mountainous paddy farming areas. Southern Anhui Yellow Cattle are primarily raised through grazing and are known for their tolerance to harrowing, coarse feed, heat, and varying temperatures. Notably, they can work continuously in paddy fields without their hooves becoming soft or rotten...
【Fu Green】 A traditional famous tea. “Fu Green” is the abbreviated name for the pan-fired green tea produced in Fufeng Township, Qimen County, and is considered the finest among “Tun Green” teas. It is produced in Fufeng Township, Qimen County. The quality characteristics of Fu Green include tightly rolled, uniform, robust strips; a glossy green color; a high, lasting fragrance with hints of roasted chestnut or underlying orchid aroma. The taste is rich and mellow with an unforgettable aftertaste, and the liquor is...
The production of handwoven cloth in Qimen began during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (1821–1850). It was a type of fabric woven by local farm women. This handwoven cloth was traded primarily in Likou, with many nearby villages producing it, especially Penglong Village. As this area belongs to western Qimen, it came to be known as “Qixi Handwoven Cloth.” Qixi Handwoven Cloth, the…