Xiaohé Chinese Cabbage

Xiaohé Chinese Cabbage

　　According to historical records, as early as the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty, Xiaohé Chinese cabbage from Xunxian County was recommended by Wang Yue, Minister of War, and sent to the capital as a tribute, becoming a delicacy in the imperial court. Xiaohé Chinese cabbage is firm, robust, elegantly colored, and highly nutritious, earning the reputation of the “king of vegetables.” It is mainly grown in villages such as Cuibu, Wangwan, Shenwan, Liyuan, Qianxiatan, Houxiatan, and Zhangliuzhuang in Xiaohé Town, Xunxian County, and has now developed into a scaled-up industry.

　　“Big-pressed radishes, fragrant greens, scallions—Xiaohé Chinese cabbage heads to Beijing.” Historical records indicate that during the Ming Dynasty, Wang Yue (courtesy name Shichang) from Xunxian County was a man of both literary and military talent, serving through the reigns of the Jingtai, Tianshun, Chenghua, and Hongzhi emperors, eventually rising to the rank of Minister of War and Left Censor-in-Chief, and later being honored as Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent and Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent. Wang Yue was described in the History of Ming (Volume 156, Biographies 59, “Biography of Wang Yue”) as “exceptionally skilled in interpersonal relations, upright and open-hearted, with no surplus wealth at home.” In his interactions with nobles and ministers, lacking other gifts, he would offer Xiaohé Chinese cabbage, a local specialty, for them to taste. With its excellent texture, rich broth, fine fiber, and high nutrition, Xiaohé Chinese cabbage offered none of the grittiness or stringiness typical of ordinary cabbage, leaving an unforgettable impression on those who tried it. For a time, it became all the rage in the city. Moreover, Wang Yue, who “harmonized family ties, supported the poor, and helped the young and lowly as if fearing he could not do enough,” also provided cabbage and radishes to those in need. From the imperial court to the general populace, praise for Xiaohé Chinese cabbage was unanimous. From nobles and generals to commoners, everyone took pride in eating Xiaohé Chinese cabbage. On one occasion, the head of the imperial kitchen went to Xiaohé in Xunxian County for an on-site inspection and subsequently decreed that Xiaohé Chinese cabbage be designated an official tribute. Each year, it was transported via the Wei River to Tianjin Wei and then on to Beijing—giving rise to the age-old saying, “Xiaohé Chinese cabbage heads to Beijing.”