Lingchuan Black Goat is a specialty of Lingchuan County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province. The goats are raised in the mountainous eastern part of Lingchuan County, where high-quality pasture and mountain streams contribute to their tender meat and excellent flavor. Lingchuan Black Goat is a recognized geographical indication agricultural product. Lingchuan County is located in the Taihang Mountains, featuring vast sloping land...
“Five-Petal Core” Codonopsis Lingchuan County is the genuine producing area of “Lu Codonopsis,” known for its high-quality output. Among Lu Codonopsis varieties, the “Five-Petal Core” from Huangsongbei in Lingchuan County is the most renowned. As the local saying goes: “A thousand-pound or ten-thousand-pound codonopsis root is no match for a single ‘Five-Petal Core’ from Huangsongbei.” The sugar content and medicinal value of the “Five-Petal Core” are one to one-and-a-half times higher than those of ordinary codonopsis.
Cornus officinalis, also known as mountain cornel or dogwood, is commonly called "red milk." It is both an ornamental and medicinal plant. A deciduous tree with brown bark that peels off in flakes, its branches are square-shaped, and flowers grow in clusters at the tips of the twigs. The tree blooms before leafing out—its small, yellowish-green flowers form a loose inflorescence, making them suitable for ornamental use or wearing. The drupe is oblong, smooth, and turns red when ripe, containing a single pit…
Zezhou is one of the province’s diverse fruit production bases, boasting a long cultivation history, extensive planting areas, and wide distribution. Its main cultivated fruit trees include hawthorn, apple, pear, peach, apricot, and grape. It is especially renowned nationwide for its abundant production of hawthorn (also known as red fruit). The history of hawthorn cultivation in our county spans over 300 years, making it one of the eight major...
During the Qing Dynasty, the court official Chen Yanzheng (a native of Zezhou, Shanxi) once presented this local millet as a tribute to Emperor Kangxi. The emperor, upon seeing the millet’s golden hue and tasting its sweet flavor, bestowed upon it the name “Zezhou Fragrant Rice,” also known as “Zezhou Yellow.” It was later listed as an imperial tribute grain. This millet is rich in vitamins and minerals, offering high nutritional, health, and beauty benefits. Its main nutritional components include…
Soybeans are highly nutritious and serve as an excellent dietary supplement in daily life. They are also prime raw materials for industries such as cooking oil, animal feed, soy products, and chemicals. In particular, the double-cropped soybean variety “Jindou 15” and spring-planted soybean variety “Kefeng 6,” both promoted in our county, are high-yield and premium-quality types. They feature good color, superior quality, high yield, and strong market competitiveness…
Jincheng has been historically known as "Zezhou," and hawthorn has long been a traditional resource in the region with a long cultivation history. The area’s unique geographical location and superior natural conditions endow the locally grown hawthorn with excellent internal quality — sweet yet tangy, and notably large in size. Commonly referred to as the "King of Hawthorns," it earns its name "Zezhou Red" from the locality. In the ancient…
Zezhou Sweet Persimmon thrives in warm climates and is mainly grown in hilly and rocky mountainous areas below an altitude of 1,100 meters in regions such as Yangcheng, Zezhou, Qinshui, Gaoping, and Lingchuan. It is often found at the foot of mountains. The cultivation of sweet persimmons in Jincheng City has a history of over 400 years and is a traditional local specialty berry fruit. According to the "Yangcheng County Annals" from the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty: “...
Jincheng Vitex Honey The Shuixian County, where Jincheng Vitex Honey originates, lies at the junction of the Taihang Mountains and the Zhongtiao Mountains. Over 75% of the county’s more than 4 million mu of land is covered by forests and grasslands. Among the diverse vegetation, locust and vitex forests dominate. From May to July each year, the hillsides are blanketed with blooming locust and vitex flowers, which serve as the prime source of high-quality honey...
Li Gezhua Its full name is Lamb Li Gezhua, a unique delicacy among the local snacks of Gaoping. Legend has it that a shepherd surnamed Li loved eating lamb buns but eventually grew tired of them. One day, on a whim, he borrowed a neighbor’s griddle used for making pancakes and tried pan-frying the buns. However, the thick dough made them hard to cook through. So, he greased his hands, stretched the bun wrappers thin...
Besides grilled tofu, stewed pig's head meat in baked wheat cake is also one of the most common snacks among locals in Gaoping. The pig's head meat is tender and bright red in color, with a rich but not greasy taste. This dish consists of cooked pig’s head meat mixed with seasonings like chopped green onions and garlic juice, then stuffed inside a baked flatbread. It’s somewhat similar to Beijing’s Lu Zhou stewed meat flatbread or the Shaanxi-style...
Pork skin jelly is a cold dish made by simmering pork skin. Mishan Dacan, located in Mishan Town, Gaoping City, is the most famous place in Gaoping to try this dish. Pork skin jelly is one of China’s traditional foods — it tastes great, is highly nutritious, and like pig trotters, is rich in collagen, making it a beauty-enhancing food.…
Marinated noodles are a well-known staple dish in northern China, beloved for their delicious taste. Depending on the ingredients used, they can be divided into meat marinated noodles and vegetarian marinated noodles. The green beans are cut into segments and then stir-fried in a pan with chopped scallions and salt. The steamed noodle strands are added to the pan and placed on top of the meat and green beans. The broth is evenly poured over the noodles…
China is the homeland of silk, and its place of origin lies in Gaoping, Shanxi. Xuan Shui is the birthplace of silk reeling, located in the Xuan Valley in the mountainous northwest of Gaoping City — specifically, the Xuan Shui River that originates from the foothills of West Jue Mountain. Fan Wenlan, an early historian of New China, stated: “Gaoping was originally called Xuan County, and there is a river there called Xuan Shui. The banks of the Xuan Shui River...”
The “Ten Bowls” are a unique set of ten individual dishes served to guests in Gaoping, Shanxi. The ten dishes include: Water-White Meat, Chrome-Peach Meat, Bowl Meat, Sichuan Soup Meat, Intestine Soup, Tofu Soup, Egg Soup, Heavenly River Dan, Soft Rice, and Hyacinth Bean Soup. Each bowl has a distinct flavor, resembling a series of classic northern and southern dishes, but instead of plates, the dishes are served in bowls. The food in the bowls can also be referred to as…
"Bagan Scallions" are one of the four earliest renowned local specialties in Shanxi Province. With their unique quality, they are as famous as Shanxi Fenjiu liquor and Qingxu mature vinegar. Their characteristics include thick and plump white stems, single stems per plant, dense and solid inner cores, fine structure, strong and pungent flavor. They contain higher levels of nutrients and bactericidal compounds than ordinary scallions, with an anti-cancer index reaching 2…
In Dayang Town, Zezhou County, there is a long-standing premium noodle dish called "Zhenmian" that is deeply loved by many. Legend has it that Zhenmian originated in the Zhou Dynasty as a royal delicacy. Later, it spread to the public and became an essential staple used to entertain guests during festive celebrations. The making of Zhenmian is more...
Bagong Town, located 20 kilometers from Dayang Town, is famous for its Chinese chives. These chives are large, fragrant, spicy, thick-fleshed, tightly packed, and finely textured, and are known as “Bagong chives,” a specialty of Jincheng. Legend has it that when Empress Dowager Cixi fled westward, she passed through Zezhou, where the locals hosted an elaborate banquet in her honor. But just as the feast was about to begin, the chef realized in the chaos that one dish had been omitted...
Ingredients for Mutton Firecake: 1000g flour, 1500g mutton, 500g chopped scallions, 100g each of seasoning powder, ginger powder, and soy sauce, a small amount of sesame oil, MSG, salt, and rendered lard. Features of Mutton Firecake: Golden in color, crispy and delicious. How to make Mutton Firecake: 1. Cut the mutton into...
Stuffed eggplant is a traditional dish from Jishan County. It has been famous in Hedong since the late Qing Dynasty. At that time, there was a popular rhyme: "Stuffed dishes from Jishan are delicious, fragrant, and fine; without tasting them, your visit to Jishan is a waste of time." Nowadays, whether in towns or villages across Jishan County, this dish is a must at banquets when entertaining guests.…