Lingui Hui-style Salted Duck

Lingui Hui-style Salted Duck

　　The production technique of Huixian Jiucun salted duck originated in the late Qing Dynasty. It has been passed down through five generations of the family of Mr. Bai Chonggao. The background to its creation is as follows: historically, Huixian had poor natural conditions, and people lived in poverty at the time. The Muslim residents of Jiucun did not eat pork, so during festivals and holidays, they mainly consumed chicken and duck. Due to their impoverished circumstances, they preserved chicken and duck through curing methods, only taking them out to eat when guests arrived or during festivals. Over time, manual processing became the main livelihood, and the people of Jiucun gradually became the primary force in the processing and production of salted duck. Jiucun salted duck also became a popular gift item, a tradition that continues to this day.

　　Although the production process of Jiucun salted duck is not very complex, the level of detail and high standards required for each step are stringent. Locally raised live ducks weighing about 3–4 pounds are selected, then go through over ten procedures including slaughtering, curing, shaping, air-drying, and roasting. Since its inception, the technique has been passed down through generations, fostering a village-driven culture of mutual learning in salted duck curing. Moreover, there have been representative inheritors in every generation. The handcrafted artistry of Jiucun salted duck is the crystallization of the long-term labor wisdom of the people of Huixian Town and remains irreplaceable by modern technology.