Minxian is located in the mountainous southeast of Gansu Province, along the middle reaches of the Tao River. The area features a high-altitude, cold, damp climate with abundant rainfall, making it highly suitable for the growth of angelica and other medicinal herbs. Historical records indicate that Minxian angelica has a history of over 1,400 years. Angelica is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Umbelliferae family. …
Longxi Sweet Fermented Grains, also known as laozao, are made from various grains such as naked oats, highland barley, and wheat. Each type has its own unique flavor, allowing you to choose based on your taste preference. The sweet fermented grains are produced through fermentation. First, the grains—naked oats, highland barley, or wheat—are lightly moistened with clean water and left for about half an hour until they feel evenly damp to the touch. They are then placed in a woven bag, rubbed to remove the outer husks, and boiled in a pot…
The buckwheat noodles are a deep, soy-sauce red in color, resembling the weathered face of an elderly person. The noodles are primarily made from buckwheat flour. First, let’s talk about making the noodle dough: the buckwheat is lightly moistened with water, its husk rubbed off, then poured into a basin of clean water to be slowly kneaded and washed. Next, a fine sieve is used to filter out the black husks, after which the mixture is left to settle in the basin. The floating water is poured off, and the residue is dried to form the noodle dough.
Preserved lamb is one of the traditional premium foods of Longxi. The finished product features bright red, attractive meat, snow-white fat as smooth as jade yet not greasy, and muscle as crimson as rosy clouds yet free from gaminess. It has a rich, mellow flavor, tastes delicious, and leaves a long-lasting aftertaste, making it an ideal food for gifting guests. Longxi preserved lamb is made from wholesome, robust lamb sourced from the northwestern plateau, using a scientifically formulated blend, traditional craftsmanship, and ancestral secret recipes...
What? You say you don’t feel like eating meat in the morning. Then we recommend a bowl of rice flour fish. The mildness of ginger powder makes it an excellent choice for winter. The combination of ginger powder and diced scallions in the dish stimulates your taste buds, offering a delightful flavor experience. Rice flour fish originated in the Republican era, and its specific preparation involves dissolving soybean starch in water, pouring it into a boiling pot to cook into a paste…
Huhu originates from ancient meat broth, with the base broth made from sheep bones containing marrow. The method involves chopping the mutton into small pieces, mixing in high-quality japonica rice, and simmering it gently in the broth until it becomes a thick, porridge-like consistency. The seasoning is dominated by pepper, highlighting a strong “spicy” flavor. It is usually prepared in the early morning during winter, after hours of slow cooking, leaving a lingering taste…
Min County pastries are a classic traditional snack from Min County in Gansu Province. With thin crusts, large size, generous portions, rich ingredients, and exquisite production techniques, they are delicious and never tire the palate—truly a rare delicacy. The filling has been enhanced with new ingredients such as green and red silk strips, rose sugar, walnut kernels, peanuts, rock sugar, white sugar, kumquats, flaxseed oil, and various spices...
Wild strawberries, fruits about the size of cherries, are herbaceous plants that grow in clusters on spherical receptacles, available in both red and white varieties. They thrive throughout Min County, especially at elevations below 2,000–2,800 meters in shady, moist grassy slopes, field ridges, roadside areas, and forests. Their fruits are mostly red, with white ones rarely seen, and can be eaten directly…
Every year in June, when the highland barley is about to ripen, women in Min County make masuer. They cut off the awns and stems of the yellowish-green barley, leaving only the bare ears, steam them in baskets, rub off the husks, and grind them into rope-like strips about two to three inches long — these are masuer. When eating, they are served in plates or bowls, drizzled with clear oil, and seasoned with mashed garlic and salt,...
The yellow wine served in the morning at the South Gate of Min County is delicious. The history of yellow wine dates back a long time. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the "Bamboo Branch Lyrics of Minzhou" stated: “In Xichuan, every household brews as crops ripen; by fish-rich wells, every place sets its traps.” “Crops ripen” refers to the local green grain reaching maturity, prompting every household to brew wine. Originally, this beverage was yellow wine, which later evolved into a stronger liquor. In ancient times, people in Minzhou...
Slurry Water Pear, also known as White Pear, has been popular since the Ming and Qing dynasties. According to the *Records of Minzhou Guard*, as early as the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, it was listed under the "produce" category of fruits and was regarded as a major economic tree species in people's lives. After the pears are harvested each year, they are placed in bamboo baskets layered with straw, stored in dark, shaded places without being subjected to heavy pressure...
Black-purple lamb. The black-purple lamb is primarily produced in the Minzhou region, particularly in over ten townships in the Hadapu and Lichuan areas of northern Dangchang County, bordering Min County, which is one of the central production areas of the black-purple lamb, home to hundreds of thousands of them. The northern part of Dangchang belongs to the extension of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, featuring gentle mountain slopes and an elevation of over 2...
Xiacheng Township, Weiyuan County: A production area of Gansu Tao Inkstone Stone.…
Weiyuan County is the birthplace of the ancient Wei River. With its beautiful mountains and clear waters, as well as a cool climate, it is an ideal destination for sightseeing and escaping the summer heat. Located at the junction of the southern geosyncline of the West Qinling Mountains and the Loess Plateau tableland, it also serves as the watershed between the Wei River and Tao River systems. This unique topography and distinctive climate have given rise to...
is a well-known and delicious dish in recent times. It is made from a variety of ingredients such as camel hooves, chicken legs, pig trotters, ham, eggs, and mushrooms. A snow peak is crafted using potato starch batter and placed on the plate, then slices of boneless, cooked camel hooves are arranged between the peaks. When served, it is excellent in color, aroma, taste, and presentation.…
Embroidery made by women living along the Tao River is collectively known as “Tao Embroidery.” There is a wide variety of items, including floral pillows, embroidered pouches, needle holders, floral shoes, decorative vests, waist sashes, embroidered belts, floral knee pants, and floral socks, among others. Tao Embroidery emphasizes both stitching techniques and embroidery methods. Stitching techniques include flat stitch, interlacing stitch, pick stitch, long-and-short stitch, and hollow stitch…
Copper and aluminum casting is a traditional handicraft technique passed down in Qingshui Village, Qingshui Township, Min County, Gansu Province. With a history of several hundred years, it was awarded the title of “China Time-Honored Brand” by the Ministry of Internal Trade in 1982. This craft mainly utilizes sand casting to produce everyday items such as copper-aluminum clad pots, copper braziers, copper incense burners, copper bells, and copper column bases. The products are primarily sold to ethnic minority regions such as Tibet, Sichuan, and Qinghai. The production process has developed into a complete set of traditional manual procedures. Moreover, since each sand mold can only be used once, the products bear a strong handmade imprint and are highly unique and non-replicable. Some items, such as copper pots, copper braziers, and copper incense burners, have become symbols of wealth and culture through long-term use in ethnic minority areas, exerting significant influence. Its production techniques and the shapes of the artifacts preserve China’s most traditional casting methods, possessing high historical and cultural value.
The Taohe River is one of China’s rivers with the highest sediment content, with an average annual sand discharge of 29.2 million tons. Its waters carry “density-current sands” year-round, which, after centuries of abrasion, have turned some into sticky fine sands. Along the riverbanks impacted by these fine sands, there are abundant multicolored pebbles—colorful, mottled, and varied in shape—forming all kinds of patterns. There are…
Min County features rugged mountains and deep valleys, where ancient tree stumps and roots in the mountains are wildly varied, weathered and rustic, with diverse shapes and unique styles, offering high ornamental value. With slight carving based on their natural forms, they can be transformed into birds soaring through the air, eagles, phoenixes, and more—vivid and lifelike. The tree roots not only recreate landscapes such as rocks and pavilions, reflecting the uniqueness of nature...
What to do if you get hungry at night? Craving a late-night snack? Then Xiao Min highly recommends chicken soup jelly — the warmth of the chicken broth, the refreshing texture of the jelly, and the slight numbing kick from the pepper make it one of the most comforting late-night treats. The main ingredient of the jelly is shepherd’s purse gathered from the wild hillsides. After being carefully picked, cleaned, and finely chopped, it’s mixed into the flour base and cooked in a pot until…