Yiyang Rice Cake

Yiyang Rice Cake

Yiyang Rice Cake is a protected geographical indication product.

Yiyang Rice Cake is a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　  Yiyang Rice Cake, commonly known as "Yiyang rice glutinous cake" in Shangrao, Jiangxi, is a traditional specialty food of Yiyang County and a renowned delicacy of rice cakes both in China and abroad.

The production of Yiyang Rice Cake began in the Tang Dynasty and has a history of over 1,200 years. According to the "Yiyang County Annals" from the tenth year of the Tongzhi reign (1871), one of the earliest surviving local records, it states: “The Dahe rice is white and long-grained. When processed, the rice is firm and requires three rounds of steaming and two hundred poundings to make rice cakes. The rice from Yiyi market absorbs more water, resulting in soft and palatable cakes. Locally, they are commonly called Yiyang rice balls, most famous beyond the county, and often taken by local merchants as gifts to other places.” The 1982 edition of "Jiangxi Specialties" and the 1986 edition of "Jiangxi Local Specialties" detail that “Yiyang rice cakes are snow-white and translucent like jade, glossy, and exceptionally chewy—undoubtedly superior compared to rice cakes from other regions.”

Yiyang Rice Cake is made from a unique local rice variety called Dahe rice, grown exclusively in Yiyang County. Dahe rice is a glutinous, japonica-type, late-season single-crop rice. It is cultivated in cool, mountain valley paddies with low temperatures, high humidity, and limited sunlight—conditions typical of cold-water paddy fields. With a narrow planting area, long growth cycle, and low yield, it is recognized as one of Jiangxi’s four famous rice varieties. Using Dahe rice and employing the distinctive “three steamings and two hundred poundings” technique, the resulting rice cakes are snow-white, translucent like jade, smooth in texture, pleasantly chewy, not sticky or greasy, and hold their shape even when cooked for long periods. They are convenient to eat, suitable for both savory and sweet dishes, and can be steamed, stir-fried, boiled, or baked. Throughout history, they have been selected as tribute for the imperial court. In Yiyang folklore, every household makes rice cakes during the New Year to entertain guests, give to relatives, and send to friends as gifts.