Qingxian Winter Pickles

Qingxian Winter Pickles

　　Qingxian Winter Pickles are a specialty of Qingxian County, Cangzhou City, Hebei Province. The "Little Cowherd" brand winter pickles from Qingxian, as a traditional export product generating foreign exchange for Hebei Province, are sold overseas. These pickles can be used as a seasoning for soups and stews, or as a side dish, helping to eliminate fishy odors, balance greasiness, stimulate appetite, and clear dampness and epidemic influences.

　　The processing of winter pickles in Qingxian began during the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty and production continued into the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty. The Republican-era *Qingxian County Annals* recorded: “Winter pickles are made by cutting Chinese cabbage into cubes, mixing them with salt and garlic while adjusting moisture levels, then sealing and storing them in ceramic or earthenware jars. Merchants from Fujian and Guangdong transported them to Siam (xianluo, now Thailand), Osaka (Japan), and other places.” In 1931, as a uniquely flavored food side dish from Zhili Province, winter pickles were exhibited at the International Exposition in Paris, France, where they won an “Excellence Award.” In 1975, the Qingxian Foreign Trade Company re-established the winter pickle factory. The "Little Cowherd" brand winter pickles were designated as "Hebei Winter Pickles," serving as a traditional export product generating foreign exchange for Hebei Province and being sold overseas. These pickles can be used as a seasoning for soups and stews or as a side dish. They help eliminate fishy odors, balance greasiness, stimulate appetite, and clear dampness and epidemic influences. During the pickling process, no additives or preservatives are used, yet the pickles do not freeze in winter or spoil in summer, making them a green food product. According to scientific testing, winter pickles contain various essential nutrients such as vitamins and amino acids needed by the human body, and long-term consumption may offer special benefits in preventing cancer and aging. The winter pickle factory under Qingxian Foreign Trade Food Co., Ltd. is one of the largest export enterprises of winter pickles in China. In 2012, it was awarded the title of “Famous Trademark of Hebei Province.”