Huaiji Bird’s Nest

Huaiji Bird’s Nest

　　Huaiji Bird’s Nest is produced in Yan Yan (Swallow Cave) in Qiaotou Town, Huaiji County, and is one of the county’s famous local specialties.

　　Huaiji is a livable town blessed with rich natural resources and outstanding people, earning the title “China’s Swallow Capital.” In Qiaotou Town, situated in the southwestern part of Huaiji, there are over 170 caves, among which Yan Yan is the largest and most spectacular. Inside the cave, stalagmites stand like a forest, and stalactite drapes are delicate as flowers and jade. The cave features intricate chambers, creating a mysterious and enchanting atmosphere that attracts thousands of golden swiftlets to nest here, making it the only inland bird’s nest production site in China.

　　The famous Huaiji specialty, bird’s nest, comes from Yan Yan (Swallow Cave) in Qiaotou Town, Huaiji County. Yan Yan is a typical karst cave. Every year after the Spring Equinox, thousands of golden swiftlets fly in from the cliffs and caves of South China’s islands to build their nests and breed. Huaiji bird’s nest contains phosphorus, iron, calcium, and protein. It has a mild and sweet taste, nourishes lung yin, resolves phlegm, relieves coughing, and provides nourishment while clearing heat—making it a premium remedy for building up weak constitutions.

　　Bird’s nest is divided into three main types: First is white official nest (also called white nest), formed purely from solidified saliva, white and clean, built by golden swiftlets on their first nesting attempt; second is feather nest, built on the second attempt when the birds incorporate some feathers and down due to having used much of their saliva the first time, resulting in more impurities; third is blood nest, built on the third attempt when the birds’ saliva is nearly depleted, so they use their own blood to construct the nest. Among these three types—official, feather, and blood—the official nest is considered the highest quality and most nutritious. The bird’s nest produced in Huaiji’s Yan Yan is predominantly the official nest.

　　Nowadays, the Huaiji Qiaotou Yan Yan Winery selects locally treasured tonic ingredients such as golden swiftlet nest along with authentic herbs like turtle gelatin, angelica, cinnamon, morinda root, glossy privet fruit, and ginseng. These are combined with aged rice wine and carefully distilled to produce Golden Swiftlet Nest Wine. Known for its benefits in replenishing qi and blood without causing excessive internal heat, this wine is exported to Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and various Southeast Asian countries.