Pengshan Sweet-Skin Duck

Pengshan Sweet-Skin Duck

　　Pengshan Sweet-Skin Duck is made from healthy young ducks using carefully selected ingredients and refined through traditional craftsmanship. It boasts a bright color, a crisp yet tender texture, rich flavor, balanced saltiness, a sweet aftertaste on the crispy skin, and delicate, smooth meat — all contributing to its unique taste. (Meishan)

　　Pengzu and Pengshan Sweet-Skin Duck

　　　　Pengzu was born in and passed away in Pengshan. Legend has it that he lived to be 146 years old. He is celebrated for curing Emperor Yao’s loss of appetite by creating the first “pheasant soup,” earning him the title of “Forefather of Culinary Arts.” He is also credited with pioneering qigong exercises in China through his mastery of “guiding qi and regulating breath.” His techniques for “prolonging life,” which combined movement, cooking, and health preservation, have been revered by later generations.

　　　　Folklore says Pengzu’s remarkable longevity was partly due to eating Sweet-Skin Duck twice every three days. Legend has it that Pengzu, who was well-versed in medicine, once changed the traditional method of boiling duck in plain water. Instead, he simmered fresh duck in a rich broth made by boiling ginger, Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, cinnamon, fennel, cloves, cardamom, sandalwood, and licorice in fresh stock. After cooking, the entire duck was glazed with hot cooking oil infused with rock sugar before serving. The resulting sweet and crispy skin gave the dish its name. This method of preparing Sweet-Skin Duck is highly nutritious and medicinal, with benefits such as invigorating the body, nourishing the stomach, promoting saliva production, clearing heat, and strengthening the spleen. It became widely loved by the public, and the cooking technique has been passed down to this day.

　　　　Today in Pengshan, Sweet-Skin Duck has become a local delicacy. The most famous versions include those from “Zhong’s Duck,” “Pan’s Duck,” and “Wang Fuhua’s Sweet-Skin Duck,” with over 6,000 ducks sold in Pengshan County every day.