Pingyao Wontuo is a popular local snack commonly found at food stalls and eateries. It has a history of over 100 years. It was created in the early years of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty by the renowned chef Dong Xuan from Nanbao, Pingyao County, and features strong local characteristics. The main ingredient of Wontuo is wheat flour. It combines the best qualities of both liangfen (cold jelly noodles) and sausages—offering the refreshing and smooth taste of liangfen…
A performer stands upright on an “iron stick” carried on someone’s back. As the carrier walks with rhythmic steps, the adorned performer on the stick sways gracefully, creating a dazzling street performance that takes over the town and forms an annual lively spectacle. …
Yellow rice wine is brewed from glutinous rice, featuring a rich, mellow aroma and a mild temperament. It serves as a low-alcohol beverage suitable for all ages, including women, children, and the elderly, and also functions as an ideal cooking condiment. Analysis shows that yellow rice wine contains 18 types of amino acids, 8 of which are essential yet cannot be synthesized by the human body. The lysine content per liter of yellow rice wine is several times higher than that in wine and beer...
It is said that when Empress Dowager Cixi traveled westward to Pingyao, she was weary from the journey. After enjoying the local specialties and fine wine, she prepared to rest. However, being away from the palace and having endured a bumpy, arduous journey, coupled with the internal and external turmoil of the time, Cixi tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep for a long time. The local Pingyao officials attending her quickly presented the unique "Liuhe Pillow" of the region at that time, which helped the Empress Dowager sleep peacefully. The next day, feeling refreshed and in high spirits, Cixi asked why the pillow was called "Liuhe." She was told that "Liuhe" referred to the six holes on the pillow, all interconnected, representing the up, down, east, west, south, and north, symbolizing peace and harmony throughout the land. Delighted, Cixi exclaimed, "Peace under heaven, the nation and its people are safe and sound." She then bestowed the name "Tai" (meaning peace) upon it, and thus the "Liuhe Tai" pillow has been passed down ever since!
Pingyao Beef is one of the essences of China’s profound and time-honored food culture. As early as the Han Dynasty, there were descriptions such as “selling knives to buy calves, selling blades to buy cattle, and handling them with ease” referring to beef processing. With its unique flavor and long-standing reputation, Pingyao Beef was exported to various Asian countries as early as the Ming and Qing dynasties. Historical records from the late Qing Dynasty mention that when Empress Dowager Cixi passed through Pingyao...
Polished lacquerware is a high-end painted lacquer product created through a specialized polishing technique using the palm of the hand — hence the name. A renowned craft from Shanxi, Pingyao polished lacquerware features an elegant and classic appearance, a radiant glossy finish, exquisitely painted patterns in resplendent colors, a smooth and delicate texture, as well as heat and moisture resistance. Its durability makes it a true masterpiece among lacquerware. According to historical records, Ping…
Pingyao Chinese Yam is internationally known as the "Chinese ginseng" and is a long-renowned local specialty. Its products are rich in nutrients, mild in nature, and sweet in flavor, making them an excellent tonic for fitness, spleen support, and stomach care. These products are exported to regions such as the South Sea Islands, Japan, and San Francisco, USA. Also called Huai Yam, the plant is a perennial twining herbaceous species. Long...
Jiexiu Filling-Stuffed Candy is a specialty of Jiexiu City, Jinzhong, Shanxi Province. Known as "Guànxiàn Táng" or "Filling-Stuffed Candy," Jiexiu's version is a renowned food item with over 1,000 years of history. It is made from bran flour, red and white candied strips, walnut kernels, icing sugar, osmanthus, rose petals, and sesame seeds. Jiexiu Filling-Stuffed Candy is a traditional confectionery from the city, one of the "Eight Treasures" of Jiexiu...
Sand Cake, also known as Scarred Cake. This type of scarred cake typically has a diameter of 26 to 33 centimeters. The cake is both thin and crispy, and its surface is uneven due to being baked on river pebbles, hence the name "Scarred Cake." To make scarred cake, first mix ingredients such as flour, cooking oil, eggs, salt, and five-spice powder, then roll them out into a round and thin...
Dragon beard noodles cooking method: Ingredients: 150g dragon beard noodles, two small slices of squid, one egg, one grass shrimp, one clam, one shiitake mushroom, two slices of fish, three snow pea pods. One tablespoon of chopped scallions, half a teaspoon of chili powder. Seasonings: Two cups of fish stock, one teaspoon of fine salt, one teaspoon of ginger wine sauce, one teaspoon of sugar. Method: 1. Place…
【Ingredients】 One jin of soft rice, 6.5 liang of red dates 【Seasonings】 Two qian of flaxseed oil 【Method】 Soak the rice overnight, rinse it twice with clean water, then grind it into fine powder. Steam the red dates until cooked. Place the steamer basket with the pot over the stove, layer the rice flour and red dates alternately — after five or six layers, cover and steam for twenty minutes. Remove from the steamer, let cool, then slice and serve...
is a long-standing traditional noodle snack from Pingyao, first created by Qing Dynasty chef Dong Xuan and with a history of over a hundred years. It is known for its chewy texture and smooth, delicious taste. The process involves mixing wheat flour, warm salted water, and vegetable oil into a paste, which is then ladled into five-inch small dishes, steamed, and left to cool before serving. It can be eaten either...
The southeastern part of Pingyao is a hilly area with an elevation of 800 to 1,000 meters. It enjoys a mild climate, abundant sunlight, fertile soil, ample water, and lush greenery, making it one of the “Top Ten Forestry and Fruit Townships” in central Shanxi. Currently, the township produces over 30 varieties of fruits in eight major categories, including pears, apples, peaches, hawthorn, grapes, red dates, walnuts, and persimmons. …
Made from the heads, trotters, and offal of pigs, these products are meticulously prepared using traditional techniques combined with modern science and technology. They are rich in aroma, visually appealing, and beloved as savory meat products. Representative items include braised pork belly, braised pig liver, braised pork tongue, braised pork trotters, layered crispy pork, and smoked pork face.
Dip糊糊 is a coarse grain dish popular among locals in Pingyao. It is mainly made from sorghum flour. The preparation method is quite simple: stir the flour into water, simmer it over low heat while constantly stirring until it thickens into a paste-like consistency that can be picked up with chopsticks — at this point, the paste is done. Then, pour oil into a wok, sauté scallions, seasonings, and chili powder, and…
At first glance, beef shin has an attractive, ruddy hue, with clearly visible muscle fibers that are truly enticing. When eaten, the meat is tender, rich yet not greasy, and lean without being tough. More interestingly, when the beef is just out of the pot, its full flavor doesn’t emerge until sliced—just a cut with a knife releases an intense aroma that makes one’s mouth water and saliva flow. …
Twenty kilometers south of the ancient city of Pingyao lies Guozigou, a deep valley where springs murmur, streams run clear, forests are lush, grasses thrive, and fruits and trees exude fragrance. The valley is home to a variety of wild fruits, among which Bingguo has the longest history and the finest quality. Since its artificial cultivation during the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty, Pingyao Bingguo from Guozigou has gained fame both at home and abroad for its vibrant color, rich aroma…
Wine-soaked jujubes, also known as drunk jujubes, are made by soaking ripe red jujubes in white liquor. It takes about a month from production to when they’re ready to eat. These jujubes not only retain the color and shape of fresh jujubes but also blend the aroma of the fruit with that of the liquor—resulting in a fragrant, mellow, sweet, crisp taste with a unique flavor. They are a popular treat served to guests during holidays and festivals in Pingyao. …
Tofu pudding is a distinctive snack from Pingyao, beloved by many for its affordability, convenience, and delicious taste. It has remained popular for hundreds of years. Pingyao tofu pudding is particularly unique for its “thick sauce” (“da lu”), made by simmering premium vermicelli, soybeans, starch, and various seasonings. When sold...
Wontuo is a traditional snack in Pingyao County and a great pairing with alcoholic drinks, known for its rich local flavor. Wontuo was created in the early years of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty by Dong Xuan, a renowned chef from Nanbao in Pingyao County, and has a history of over 100 years. In 1900 (the 26th year of Guangxu), when Empress Dowager Cixi and her entourage were fleeing to Xi'an, they passed through…