Made from ingredients such as sesame powder, white sugar, fried rice flour, and walnut kernels, this cake is meticulously crafted. Each jin (500g) consists of two cakes, with about fifty slices per cake. Each slice is golden in color, with evenly embedded peach pieces, offering a fragrant, sweet, soft, and crispy taste. When eaten dry, it is crisp and sweet, with a rich aroma of sesame. When soaked, it releases an overflowing fragrance, refreshing yet not greasy. The ingredients including sesame and walnut kernels contain 17.7% protein, 15.8% fat, and 37.1% sucrose, making it a treat that is both delicious and nutritious. Legend has it that Peach-embedded Hemp Cake has a history of over a hundred years. At that time, in Tongzhou City, there was a man named Xu Songfu who set up a grocery store called “Dingtai” at the east gate, mainly producing tea snacks and pastries, with branches operating in other regions. Later, Xu was granted an official position within the Qing government and often contributed premium tea snacks. Among them, the Peach-embedded Hemp Cake made by the skilled Tongzhou master stood out for its fine selection of ingredients, exquisite processing, delicious taste, and unique characteristics, gaining great renown. Since then, the “Dingtai” Hemp Cake from Nantong has been honored as “Official Gift Tea Snack,” renowned throughout the land. After the introduction of crisp cakes, the hemp cake and crisp cake became equally famous, becoming two of Nantong’s most celebrated specialty products, attracting growing interest from both domestic and international visitors, as well as overseas Chinese.
Nantong City is located in the eastern part of Jiangsu Province, on the north bank of the Yangtze River estuary. Surrounded by water on three sides, the city enjoys a mild climate with relatively consistent wind volume, speed, and force, making it highly suitable for flying large-sized Ban Yao kites. The name "Ban Yao" (literally "flat hawk") comes from the kite’s flat, board-like shape. Its production is concentrated in the suburban areas of Nantong, specifically in Zhadong Township, Zhaxi Township, Qinzao Township, and in places such as…
Shigang Steamed Cake is a specialty of Shigang Town, Tongzhou District, Nantong City, Jiangsu Province. Originally called "Yin Cake" (印糕), Shigang Steamed Cake is snow-white, soft, sweet, delicious, cool to the touch yet not hard. In the thousand-year-old town of Shigang, there is a traditional seasonal tea snack known as Steamed Cake. Speaking of its tradition, according to descendants of the Jiuru Zhai Tea Snack Shop in Shigang: their ancestors moved from Zhenjiang to Shigang to escape war and have been in the business for over 150 years...
The protected geographical indication (PGI) area for Nantong Yangtze River Pufferfish (farmed) is defined by the scope outlined in the Jiangsu Province document “Report on the Delimitation of the Protected Geographical Indication Area for Nantong Yangtze River Pufferfish (Farmed)” (Tong Zheng Fa [2005] No. 62) issued by the Nantong Municipal People’s Government, covering the entire current administrative region of Nantong City, Jiangsu Province. …
Nantong is one of China’s four major kite-producing regions. Nantong kites preserve the ancient characteristic of “soaring melodies in the blue sky,” renowned for their unique acoustic effects. They are categorized as the southern style, distinct from the sculptural kites of the north. Commonly known as “ban yao,” Nantong kites mostly feature flat six-sided shapes or variations such as “seven-star,” “eight-star,” up to “nineteen-star” designs, a…
The *Haiqu Shiyi (Supplements to Coastal Records), Volume 6: Local Products*, compiled by Jin Bang during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, records: “...during the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, sesame cakes came from Qinzhao, while smoked cakes came from Zhengchang...” This indicates that the production of these tea-time pastries and cakes dates back nearly five centuries. Unfortunately, due to various reasons over time, these foods gradually faded into obscurity. However, Zhengchang smoked cake...
In the thousand-year-old ancient town of Shigang, there is a traditional seasonal tea snack called steamed sponge cake. It is considered traditional because, according to descendants of the Jiurushai Tea Snack Shop in Shigang, their ancestors moved from Zhenjiang to Shigang to escape war more than 150 years ago and have been making the snack ever since; it is seasonal because it is available for nearly two months each year from the Awakening of Insects to the Beginning of Summer, and disappears from the market after that...
Mandarin fish, also known as white croaker or longnose catfish, comes in many varieties. There are as many as 13 types found alone in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The mandarin fish from the river section near Langshan Mountain in Nantong is pale with a hint of red, has few bones and tender flesh, making it a rare and precious variety among the longnose catfish of the Yangtze. Yang Shen, a scholar from the Ming Dynasty, believed that the white croaker combined the best qualities of both pufferfish and shad—being both non-toxic and boneless. In his words...
During the Dragon Boat Festival in Nantong, in addition to eating zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), fermented glutinous rice wine (jiangzao), and roasted garlic, the lunch menu also features some festive special dishes. On the dining tables of Nantong locals, there is often a colorful mixed dish called “He Cai” (pronounced similarly to “he” meaning “celebration” in the local dialect). Although this dish is not made of delicacies from land and sea, nor is it refined enough to be featured in gourmet cookbooks,...
Tongzhou redwood carving enjoys a long-standing reputation. It emphasizes artistic design, featuring exquisite structures, clear wood grain, and meticulous craftsmanship. The "Golden Noble" brand of small redwood items and redwood furniture produced by Nantong Redwood Carving Factory were hailed as the "Best in China" and the "Number One Furniture in China" by numerous foreign merchants as early as the 1980s. As a rising star in the redwood craft industry, Ziguang Arts & Crafts Company has carved three famous pavilions of southern China—the Yellow Crane Tower, Yueyang Tower, and Tengwang Pavilion—into exquisite redwood artworks. In 1993, Ziguang Arts & Crafts Company was awarded the "International Highest Gold Award for Redwood Carving Art" by the United Nations International Tourism Federation. Zhu Yu, a young craftsman, received a "First-Class Folk Arts and Crafts Artist" certificate from UNESCO for his outstanding and unparalleled achievements in the carving and production of redwood art boats.
Nantong penjing is divided into Ru-style penjing and Tong-style penjing. A distinctive feature of Nantong penjing is the use of sharp, short-leaved Podocarpus macrophyllus (commonly known as sparrow-tongue Podocarpus) as the material, which is wired and shaped into a “two curves and a half” structure. This means the main trunk is bent into two curves and a half, with three primary branches on each curve, and each branch is then styled into flat, cloud-like layers. The overall appearance resembles...
Originally named Fulongmao White Crispy, it was first produced during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty and has a history of over 100 years. It originates from Xiting Town, Tongzhou District. It once won the Gold Award at the 1995 International Food Expo. This crispy cake is made with carefully selected ingredients, undergoes refined processing, has an elegant shape, distinct layers, is sweet and crunchy, and is nutritious. It is an excellent choice for family consumption, travel, or as a gift...
The Haimen Goat is a high-quality local breed known for producing premium brush hair, and it serves multiple purposes including meat, hide, and wool. The goat is entirely white-furred. In its first year, the coarse hair from the neck and spine of male goats is straight, pointed, and elastic—making it an excellent material for making Hu brushes, which is why the Haimen Goat is often referred to as the brush hair goat. Its meat has little gaminess, is tender and flavorful, and highly palatable...
There are two types of clams in Haimen: the common clam and the lovely clam. Since the region was first cultivated, coastal fishermen have been harvesting and consuming them. In 1984, enclosed farming was organized in Dongxing Township. In 1985, 200 acres of clams were farmed artificially, and measures such as banning the capture of juvenile clams every June and prohibiting artificial egg collection during the spawning season were implemented to protect and support clam production. That year…
Persimmons are one of China’s ancient fruit trees, consumed since ancient times and often referred to as "wooden grain." They are highly adaptable, drought-resistant, flood-tolerant, heat-loving, and cold-hardy, with strong tree vigor. They grow quickly, produce abundant fruit, and are easy to cultivate for stable and high yields, making them very popular among the public. Persimmon trees are not demanding in terms of soil and can thrive behind homes, in front yards, …
Haimen goats are renowned for their tender and flavorful meat, and Haimen Tisoup Lamb has been famous since the late Qing and early Republican period. Local master chefs use castrated and well-fed goats as ingredients, preparing them through a unique cooking method. The result is meat that is tender, juicy, delicious, lean, low in fat, easy to digest, and with a mild gamy taste. It also helps to warm the body, replenish deficiencies, stimulate the appetite, and promote fitness. Tisoup lamb is typically made in winter, and can be served either blanched with vermicelli and choy sum hearts in the original broth, or braised in soy sauce, rock sugar, and a small amount of lamb fat. The three different ways of eating offer distinctive flavors—similar yet subtly different, and wonderfully unique.
Oyster congee is made in two steps: first, a pot of smooth and thick plain congee is simmered over low heat, while garlic, fermented black beans, and spicy stir-fried oysters are prepared separately. The two are then combined. This method ensures the oysters remain tender and not overcooked.…
The tender grass of the lower Yangtze River nurtures the uniquely delicious meat of the “Haimen Goat,” making it one of China’s protected livestock breeds. Combined with centuries of refined cooking techniques, braised Haimen goat meat has become a renowned and beloved local specialty. This product is high in protein, low in fat, and…
Hairtail fish, also known as "phoenix tail fish," "spawn fish," or "roasted spawn fish," is a small but economically important fish species in the Yangtze River system. It is commonly caught between May and June each year. Adult fish typically measure 12–18 centimeters in length. Female fish are larger and carry plump, well-filled egg sacs. Haimen City, located to the south of the Yangtze River, is abundant in hairtail fish. The hairtail produced in Haimen...
Haimen is located at the southern end of the Yellow Sea, on the north bank of the Yangtze River estuary. The coastal tidal flats here are flat, and the area enjoys a mild climate, nutrient-rich water, and suitable salinity—providing ideal conditions for seaweed cultivation. As a result, Haimen produces large quantities of high-quality laver (Porphyra yezoensis), with over 5,000 standard containers of dried laver exported annually to markets such as Hong Kong, Japan, East…