Jiangshui noodles are widely enjoyed across Hanzhong, but those from Ya’er’guai in the southern part of the city are especially renowned for their unique sour, spicy, and fragrant taste. The best vegetables for making the pickled brine—jiangshui—are mustard greens (commonly known as huālàcài), though cabbage, celery, and others can also be used. The vegetables are briefly blanched in boiling water until wilted, then placed in an earthen jar and mixed with jiangshui broth. Within one to two days, the greens turn golden yellow...
Shimen Spicy Fish is the all-fish feast at Shimen Plank Road. Dishes include carp, herring, yellow catfish, grass carp, and more, prepared in spicy, peppery, tomato, and pickled vegetable flavors. The fish head is used to make a delicious clear soup — a total of four bowls of fish and one bowl of soup. Many visitors initially worry they won’t finish it, but often end up eating until only the base flavors remain. Best of all, the price is very reasonable…
The snow lotus, a medicinal herbaceous plant of the subgenus Saussurea in the Asteraceae family, grows in rock crevices within the permanent snow zone at altitudes of 4,800 to 6,000 meters. It has functions such as dispelling cold, invigorating yang, and warming the uterus, and is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, back soreness and waist pain, kidney deficiency impotence, excessive uterine bleeding and leukorrhea in women, menstrual disorders, cold uterus, and external injuries with bleeding. …
In Tibet, it’s common to see elderly Tibetans inhaling snuff. Regarding the origin of snuff in China, Zhao Zhixin of the Qing Dynasty recorded in *Yonglu Xianhua* (*Leisurely Talks on Courage*): “Snuff comes from the Kingdom of Italy in the Western Ocean. In the ninth year of the Wanli era, Matteo Ricci entered Guangdong and then went to the capital. He presented tribute goods, thus beginning its introduction into China. Many people in the country started using snuff...” In Tibet, however, snuff inhalation has long become an indispensable part of Tibetan life. With the spread of this custom, the container for snuff—the snuff bottle—gradually evolved into a unique form of ethnic artifact culture. According to experts, snuff bottles originally became popular among nomadic herders. In ancient times, due to their migratory lifestyle, nomads developed the habit of carrying everyday tools such as needle boxes, flint strikers, and waist knives on their persons as ornaments, and snuff bottles were among them. Later, their use spread throughout the entire Tibetan region.
Tibetan cuisine is a general term for the dishes of Tibet and the broader Tibetan-inhabited regions, represented by Lhasa-style Tibetan food. Thousands of years ago, the lives of the ancestors of the Tibetan people living on the snowy plateau were very simple. According to historical records, the first major shift in Tibetan cooking techniques occurred around the time of Princess Wencheng's entry into Tibet, marking the beginning of cultural exchange in food between the Tibetan and Han peoples...
Description of the Lhasa Yellow Cattle Breed Origin and Distribution: Lhasa City. Physical Characteristics: The breed is relatively small in size, with a compact and well-proportioned build, thin skin, and short hair. Coat colors include 42% black, 31% black-and-white, and the rest being brownish-yellow, yellow-and-white, and brown. The head is flat and of moderate length, neither too large nor too small; bulls have slightly wider and more robust heads, while cows have more delicate and refined heads. The horns are small, curving outward, upward, forward, and inward from the base to the tip. The neck is of moderate length, the back and loin are straight, the shoulders of bulls have slight humps, the chest is well-developed, the body is somewhat short, the skeleton is relatively fine, the hindquarters are moderately developed, the legs are slightly long—with those of bulls being somewhat thicker and sturdier, while those of cows are slightly more slender. The hooves are large, solid, and strong.
Lhasa kites are popular in Lhasa, Shigatse, and Tsetang in Tibet, and have also spread to neighboring countries such as Nepal and Bhutan. They were especially favored among the Tibetan upper class during the Qing Dynasty. The 13th Dalai Lama had a particular fondness for kites and even granted an official seal to "Shang Zai," specialists who supplied kites and processed kite strings. August is the season for flying kites in the Ü-Tsang region due to the strong winds. It is believed among locals that...
Tangga Tibetan Chicken Eggs are a specialty of Dazi County, Lhasa, Tibet. The geographical indication certification trademark for "Tangga Tibetan Chicken Eggs," applied for by the Dazi County Agricultural Technology Extension Station, has successfully obtained a trademark registration certificate from the Trademark Office of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. This marks the sixth geographical indication certification trademark successfully registered by Lhasa City and the fifth new one in 2017.
These are a type of shoe worn by Tibetan women. Legend has it that they were introduced when Princess Wencheng entered Tibet. The upper part is made of white nambu fabric, with a piece of black cowhide at the heel and toe. The toe is slightly upturned, and the shaft is high, with a red wool trim at the top. The sole consists of multiple layers of cowhide glued together and stitched with ox sinew thread, making it sturdy and attractive. If travelers buy...
The making of gold and silverware is one of the most complex and challenging traditional crafts in Tibetan ethnic handicrafts. The main tools used are hammers and engraving knives, along with equipment such as furnaces and bellows. The process involves two steps: first, heating the gold and silver over charcoal fire, then hammering them repeatedly into semi-finished products. Next, these semi-finished pieces are meticulously carved and engraved to create…
Ghee is extracted from cow or yak milk. The traditional method involves pouring the milk into a specially made large barrel called a "xuedong" and stirring it vigorously up and down hundreds of times until the oil separates from the water. A pale yellow layer of fat rises to the surface, which is then skimmed off, cooled, and becomes ghee. Ghee is highly nutritious. Tibetan people...
The term "carpet pad" refers to a small Tibetan rug in the Tibetan language. It serves as bedding in Tibetan households. The ancient city of Gyantse is renowned for producing these carpet pads and is honored as the "Hometown of Tibetan Rugs." Historical records indicate that over 600 years ago, soft, beautiful, durable Tibetan rugs with distinct ethnic characteristics were already being woven. The handicraft industry here enjoys a long-standing reputation. From elders to children, many possess the skill of rug weaving, with 80% of the residents engaged in the rug-making trade. The newly established Gyantse Carpet Factory produces a variety of products, including carpets, carpet pads, tapestries, wall hangings, cushions, and lama seating pads, offering hundreds of patterns and designs. In addition, the Lhasa Carpet Factory is also a major production base for Tibetan rugs. Apart from meeting local needs, its products are also exported to countries such as Europe, America, Japan, India, and Nepal.
Gentiana is a plant of the genus Gentiana in the family Gentianaceae. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is known as Longdan, Dancao, or Ku Dancao. It mainly refers to the rough gentian, also called Gentiana. The roots and rhizomes are used medicinally. It has a bitter taste and cold nature, and is associated with the liver and gallbladder meridians. It functions to clear heat, dry dampness, and purge excess fire from the liver and gallbladder. …
Ingredients: 5 liang (approx. 250g) yogurt, 1 bowl cooked rice, 1 liang 5 qian (approx. 75g) butter, 1 liang (approx. 50g) sugar. Method: Fill a large bowl with cooked rice and add the yogurt. Melt the butter over low heat, then pour it evenly over the yogurt after it has slightly melted. Sprinkle with sugar. …
Origin (or distribution) of Sibu Yak: Sibu Valley, Tibet Autonomous Region. Population: 3,500 heads in stock in 1995. Main characteristics: Large body size, roughly rectangular in shape. Horns curve outward, upward, and backward, with wide horn spacing. Deep and broad chest, mostly straight back and waist, large but non-sagging belly, though most have underdeveloped hindquarters. Slaughter rate is 50%, daily milk yield is 1.8 kg, and milk fat content ranges from 5.9% to 10.7%. Sexual maturity at 3.5 years, first breeding age at 4 years, breeding season from July to October, usually one calf per year.
The Black-necked Crane is distributed in the provinces and regions of Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan in China. Internationally, it can be found in Kashmir, India, and Bhutan. The Black-necked Crane (also known as the Tibetan Crane) inhabits plateaus, meadows, and marshy areas around rivers and lakes at altitudes of 3,000 to 5,000 meters. Outside the breeding season, they gather in flocks,...
Fermented Milk Residue Porridge is a specialty snack in Tibet. Fermented milk residue is dried after it has gone bad, then called fermented milk residue. The dish is made by stirring bone broth, slowly adding flour to form a porridge-like consistency, then adding fermented milk residue, shredded beef (or mutton), chili, and other seasonings before cooking it until ready to eat.…
Caterpillar fungus fish balls are a specialty dish of Lhasa. Ingredients: 10 caterpillar fungus stalks, 1 fresh fish, 2 qian (4 grams) salt, 5 liang (200 grams) butter, 2 qian (8 grams) ginger, 1 qian (4 grams) wild garlic, 1 egg, 2 qian (8 grams) bean starch, 1 qian (4 grams) water-mixed bean starch. Method: Place the caterpillar fungus in a bowl with a small amount of cold water and steam it in a steamer. Remove the bones, spines, and…
Stewed Tibetan Chicken with Matsutake Mushrooms is a specialty dish of Tibet. The Tibetan chicken is cut into small pieces and simmered in a broth made from locally unique medicinal herbs such as palmate ginseng, matsutake mushrooms, Tibetan fritillary bulb, gastrodia elata, pepper, and goji berries. It is cooked using pure, unpolluted stream water that flows down from the snow-capped mountains, and served with sides such as old tofu, winter melon slices, Chinese cabbage, and lettuce leaves for dipping at the end.…
Safflower, also known as Carthamus tinctorius, is native to Egypt but has also been cultivated for a long time in places like Pakistan and India. It can be used medicinally for its blood-activating and circulation-improving properties. The seeds of safflower contain up to 55.38% oil, and long-term consumption of this oil can help lower cholesterol levels in the blood, prevent arteriosclerosis, and thus can be used in the treatment of coronary heart disease…