Also known as Changxindian Crisp Jujube, it is mainly distributed in areas such as Changxindian, Zhujiafen, and Zhangjiafen in Fengtai District, primarily grown in home gardens. This type of jujube has an elongated oval shape, is large in size with an average weight of 13.6 grams; it features thin skin, crisp flesh, a small pit, and is juicy and sweet with superior quality; it ripens in early September. The tree has a semi-spreading posture.
A specialty of Beijing — “Braised Fish in Imperial Gate Style,” also known as “Flower-Bellied Fish,” is made primarily with mandarin fish. It is stewed, deep-fried, and topped with sauce, resulting in vibrant colors, a unique presentation, a fragrant aroma, tender and soft flesh, and delicious flavor. The fish is arranged on the plate to resemble an imperial procession entering a palace gate, hence the name. Legend has it that this dish was personally named by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty and was one of the essential dishes served during imperial court ceremonies.
Over forty years ago, China's first brand dedicated to nutritional supplements—the country's first compound oral liquid, Beijing Royal Jelly Tonic—was born, introducing the Chinese people to the first generation of health-enhancing nutritional products. Today, when a bottle of Beijing Royal Jelly Tonic adorned with the “Old Beijing Central Axis Scenic Painting” reappears before our eyes, it radiates
Beijing Roast Meat includes both beef and lamb. The cooking method uses a specialized roasting tool — an iron grill. It is a round iron plate about two feet in diameter made of wrought iron, with firewood burning underneath and meat roasting on top. First, slices of meat are soaked in a prepared marinade. The iron grill is placed on the table, its surface wiped with sheep tail fat, and pine wood or pine cones are burned beneath it. Scallions are placed on top, and the marinated meat slices are laid over the scallions. Special long chopsticks, about one and a half feet in length, are used to turn the meat. When the beef turns a soy-sauce purple and the lamb turns white, it is ready to eat. Eat as you flip.
Ingredients for Spicy Stir-Fried Mustard Stems: several mustard stems, 1 red chili and 1 green chili. Seasonings: 1 tablespoon each of chili sauce, salt, sugar, vinegar, spicy meat sauce, and MSG, plus a small amount of julienned ginger. Method: 1. Soak the mustard stems in clean water, rinse them by changing the water. Then mix with salt and marinate for 15 minutes. Finally, rub and wash them, then cut into long, thin strips. 2
Breed Name: Peking Duck Breed Description: Origin and Distribution: It is a meat-type breed. Mainly produced in the suburbs of Beijing. Currently distributed across various regions of China and around the world. Known for its fast growth, high reproductive rate, strong adaptability, and excellent meat quality. Roast duck made from Peking Duck enjoys international renown. In 2000, it was listed as a...
Since the Stuffed Soup Yellow Croaker belongs to one of the headlining dishes of the Qing Dynasty’s Manchu-Han Imperial Feast, it naturally involves rare ingredients and elaborate preparation. In today’s Beijing—where imperial and official-style cuisine has been preserved and further developed—it can only be found in a handful of places, and folk tales about it are nothing short of legendary. There are three particularly challenging aspects to preparing this dish:
Beijing crisp candy is the king of all crisp candies and one of China’s three most famous candies (Shanghai milk candy, Guangzhou fruit candy, and Beijing crisp candy), among which the red shrimp crisp candy is considered the finest. Beijing crisp candy has long enjoyed a great reputation. In 1981, the red shrimp crisp candy was awarded the National Silver Medal. The red shrimp crisp candy is characterized by four qualities: “crisp, flaky, fragrant, and sweet.” In its production,
The main process of carved lacquer is carving, and its primary material is lacquer, hence the name "carved lacquer." Beijing carved lacquer comes in two types: metal-bodied and non-metal-bodied. The former has an enamel interior, while the latter has a lacquer interior. Lacquer is applied layer by layer—one coat is applied, dried, then another is added, with two layers typically applied per day. The number of coatings ranges from as few as dozens to as many as three to five hundred. Afterward, artisans use knives as brushes to carve relief patterns such as landscapes, flowers, and figures according to
Ingredients: [flour][alkaline flour][white sugar][osmanthus sugar][old dough starter][peanut oil] Background: A distinctive traditional snack from Beijing. Steamed Flatbread has a sweet and mellow flavor, with a soft yet elastic texture that is chewy and flavorful. Preparation method: Mix the old dough starter, white sugar, alkaline flour, and cold water...
A Beijing specialty — Ice Flower Balls, a unique Beijing-style fried snack. These snacks are spherical in shape and named for their surface coated with white sugar, resembling ice flowers. They have a crispy, sweet taste with a fragrant osmanthus aroma. Specialty production: Mix maltose, oil, baking soda, and water in a basin until well blended, then add flour to form a dough of suitable softness. …
Elm seeds are the fruit of the elm tree, named for their tender green, flat, coin-like shape. Steaming them with flour creates what’s known as elm seed cake. This cake features a mix of white and green hues, with a sweet and pleasant taste. In the past, every spring when the elm seeds ripened, wealthy families considered it a delight to enjoy elm seed cake. For ordinary people, eating a meal of “something fresh” often meant steaming elm seed-filled cornmeal buns, also seeking the auspicious symbolism of having “extra money” (a play on words with “elm seeds” sounding like “extra money”).
Skewered Melon Rind Introduction: Snack preparation: 1. Cut the cucumber into 2.5 cm long sections, then use a small knife to spiral-cut from the outside to the inside into thin strips, like ribbons, rolled up. Remove the seeded core. 2. Mix soy sauce, sugar, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, crushed pepper, whole dried red chili peppers, MSG, and cooking wine. Place the skewered melon rind into the seasoning mixture.
Sheep's Small Intestine Pudding is a uniquely distinctive snack in Beijing. Its preparation method is also quite unique—it involves filtering freshly drawn sheep’s blood, mixing it with a small amount of starch, then filling it into cleaned sheep intestines. The filled intestines are then boiled in a pot with scallions, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and star anise. When sold, it is sliced into small pieces, topped with broth, and served with seasonings such as sesame paste and cilantro. The outer part is white while the inside is red, offering a delicious taste. There is also a way to eat it similar to grilled blood sausage—by slicing the sheep’s small intestine pudding and pan-frying it. To buy sheep intestines, you should go to lamb butchers, as many of them slaughter the sheep themselves and conveniently use the sheep blood to fill the intestines. When selling, they are often hung on hooks for customers to choose from. Because the intestines are white and look as if covered with a layer of frost, some people also call it "Frost Intestine."
Golden Cake is actually hawthorn cake. The making of Golden Cake began in the mid-Qing Dynasty and is a traditional Beijing delicacy. Empress Dowager Cixi was particularly fond of it and would send people out of the palace to buy hawthorn cake. After trying the hawthorn cake from Taixing Hao, she found it quite tasty, but thought the name "hawthorn cake" was inelegant, so she bestowed upon it the name Golden Cake. At that time, there were two most famous Golden Cake shops in Beijing: Taixing Hao and Fu Chuan Zhai, each with their own distinct methods and characteristics. Taixing Hao's Golden Cake was made with alum, giving it a rouge-like color, bright and translucent, but it generally wouldn’t last through the dog days of summer; Fu Chuan Zhai’s Golden Cake, made using a secret family recipe without alum, had a golden hue and could be enjoyed well past the dog days. Although the owners of both Golden Cake shops had the surname Zhang, people only referred to Taixing Hao as “Golden Cake Zhang.” It wasn’t that Fu Chuan Zhai’s Golden Cake was inferior to Taixing Hao’s, but rather that Taixing Hao benefited from the favor of the “Old Buddha.” The Golden Cake produced by Taixing Golden Cake Shop was as renowned as Xinyuanzhai’s plum juice and Tongyizhai’s pear paste. “Taixing Golden Cake Shop” was turned into a joint public-private enterprise in 1956 and was managed by the old owner Zhang Yuantai’s nephew, Zhang Zhongheng. After Zhang Zhongheng passed away in 1964, Taixing Golden Cake Shop merged into the Luomashi Qianmen Food Factory, which was later renamed Xuanwu Food Factory.
Among Beijing snacks, fried dough rings are loved by people of all ages for their crispy, oily aroma that’s simply irresistible. Beijingers often enjoy them sandwiched in baked wheat cakes, and they’re a must-have when drinking fermented mung bean juice. The fried dough ring is an ancient food item, but its preparation is rather labor-intensive. Due to low production efficiency, most food vendors were reluctant to make it, leading to frequent shortages for a time.
Beijing ivory carving mostly consists of small items, generally stationery and decorative ornaments for scholarly pursuits. In the late Qing Dynasty, larger pieces also appeared, mostly in the form of three-dimensional round carvings. These feature fine craftsmanship, smooth knife work, and relatively vivid shapes. Beijing ivory carving primarily catered to the bureaucracy, striving for an exquisite and luxurious style, likely influenced by the imperial court. Many...
Beijing had established glazed tile kilns as early as the Yuan Dynasty, known as Liuli Chang (Glass Kiln Factory), and similar official kilns were built in subsequent dynasties. The raw material for colored glaze is a type of colorful, semi-transparent mineral material, and the key to the craft lies in the technique of “blowing.” Hence, locals in Beijing refer to those who work in this trade as “glaze blowers.” A renowned colored glass artisan in Beijing once crafted a bunch of grapes that looked incredibly lifelike, glistening as if dewy — truly indistinguishable from real fruit.
Grass Bridge Chrysanthemums The Huaxiang Agricultural Service Center of Fengtai District in Beijing is located in Caoqiao Village, Huaxiang, Fengtai District, situated between Yuquanying Bridge on the South Third Ring Road and Majialou Bridge on the South Fourth Ring Road. The village covers a total area of 3.98 square kilometers, with a local resident population of over 4,000 villagers and approximately 20,000 people living in the area. Due to its well-developed flower industry, it is known as the garden community of Fengtai District...
Taiziyu Village is located in a hilly and rolling area with a beautiful ecological environment. The Changxindian jujubes produced there have a history of several hundred years. Compared to winter jujubes, Changxindian jujubes have a shorter ripening period, with an average weight of 13.6 grams. They feature a deep red, smooth, and flat skin, thin peel, juicy flesh, small pits, tender texture, balanced sweet-and-sour flavor, good taste, and rich nutrition.