Three Gorges Sweet Potato Crisps

Three Gorges Sweet Potato Crisps

　　When it comes to specialty products of the Three Gorges, you simply can’t miss the Three Gorges Sweet Potato Crisps. These crisps are based on the traditional Tujia folk food “shredded sweet potato candy,” and are made primarily from fresh red sweet potatoes (also known as sweet potatoes, yams, or taro), high-quality glutinous rice, and eggs—all locally sourced from the Three Gorges region—using time-honored Tujia folk techniques.

　　 The Three Gorges Sweet Potato Crisps retain the unique aroma and flavor of cooked fresh sweet potatoes. They have a crispy texture, moderate sweetness, and a pleasant melt-in-your-mouth feel, making them suitable for all ages. With their distinctive taste, rich nutrition, and elegant yet rustic packaging that highlights regional characteristics, they are highly favored by both local residents and tourists from around the world who visit the Three Gorges.

　　The Story Behind the Sweet Potato Crisps:

　　During the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, Empress Dowager Zhang visited Yiling County in the Three Gorges region. She noticed the abundance of sweet potatoes there and was struck with an idea. She ordered all the confectionery masters in Yiling, Changyang, and Changle (now Wufeng County) to create a pastry that “tasted of sweet potato but showed none” within three days. Among them was Tujia master Zhan Duo, whose wife, seeing he hadn’t returned home in three days, secretly brought him some cooked sweet potatoes to stave off his hunger. The couple politely declined each other’s offer, accidentally breaking the skin of a sweet potato, which fell into the glutinous rice paste. Zhan Duo quickly tasted the mixture and found it deliciously fragrant. Inspired, he came up with the recipe. Working together, the confectioners used sweet potatoes, glutinous rice, and eggs to create a pastry that “contained sweet potato but didn’t show it.” The Empress Dowager tasted it and was full of praise, naming it “Three Gorges Sweet Potato Shredded Candy.” Upon returning to the palace, she had the recipe added to the imperial menu.

　　Later, Zhan Duo passed down the recipe to the people of the Three Gorges, where it has been preserved to this day.