Luocheng Beef

Luocheng Beef

　　Luocheng Beef is a specialty of Luocheng Town, Jianwei County, Leshan City, Sichuan Province. Made from the hind leg meat of Simmental cattle raised on straw at the Luocheng Food Farming Base, it is carefully processed to yield tender, fine-fibered, and resilient meat.

　　Luocheng Ancient Town — this boat-shaped town hidden in the mountains was spotted by Australian and Canadian tourism operators in the 1980s, so it was “brought across the ocean.” Its shape and appearance were recreated abroad, becoming a landmark building in the “Chinatowns” of Australia and Canada.

　　During the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1708), a group of Hui ethnic immigrants settled in Luocheng. The Hui follow Islam, and their cuisine features a significant proportion of beef and mutton dishes. Their preference for beef and mutton is linked to Islamic dietary principles. Islam encourages the consumption of meats such as cattle, sheep, chicken, duck, and fish, while prohibiting the meat of pigs, donkeys, mules, and fierce birds or beasts. The “Tianfang Dianli” states, “Food is for nurturing temperament,” “All birds that eat grains and beasts that eat grass have good natures and are edible,” and further explains, “Only camels, cattle, and sheep possess pure virtues and offer great nourishment, making them suitable for consumption.” The foods advocated by Islam are considered wholesome. The so-called “wholesome foods” refer to those that are pure, delicious, and nutritious — more specifically, they should have an appealing appearance, aromatic taste and smell, and high nutritional value. Take cattle as an example: they are gentle in nature, naturally clean, and their meat is delicious and also offers nourishing and therapeutic benefits to the body. Beef is rich in protein, and its amino acid composition is closer to human needs than that of pork, which can enhance the body’s resistance to disease and is particularly beneficial for tissue repair. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that beef helps tonify the middle energizer and qi, nourish the spleen and stomach, strengthen muscles and bones, transform phlegm and calm wind, quench thirst, and control drooling.

　　Because the Hui people favor beef and mutton, they needed to address the annual issue of beef consumption. Thus, during the end-of-year cattle slaughters, they would select high-quality cuts, cut them into large chunks, remove the sinews, and marinate them with various precious spices. This tradition has a history of over 300 years. Especially renowned were the beef products from the Su family, a Hui family in the ancient town. In 1942, Su Deneng, an ancestor of the Su family, used the family’s traditional beef curing method to professionally produce and sell braised beef, dried beef, and sheep offal soup in the Tieshan Tielong Estate area of Luocheng, Jianwei. He named it Luocheng Beef Restaurant. In 1951, due to government needs, it became collectively operated. In 1988, Su Zunyue took over the business, renaming it the Luocheng Beef Hui Ethnic Processing Factory of Jianwei County. Later, his son Su Rongcong took over and renamed it Sichuan Luocheng Beef Food Co., Ltd. in 2006.

　　Today, “Luocheng Food” has become the representative enterprise of Luocheng Beef. Through continuous in-depth research, it has developed into a diversified beef product line with multiple packaging formats — including gift boxes, bags, and bulk — various flavor profiles, over 10 product series, and dozens of packaging specifications. Upholding the product philosophy of “Creating a New Healthy and Delicious Life,” the company continuously refines its offerings, making Luocheng Beef healthier, tastier, and offering more choices.

　　Nowadays, Luocheng Beef continues to grow stronger, now offering over 20 varieties. Products such as dried beef, beef jerky, beef jerky strips, shredded gold beef, spicy beef, five-spice beef, fire-roasted beef, hand-torn beef, beef slices, and beef cubes have been sold as far as Beijing and Shanghai, becoming popular gifts from Leshan locals to friends and relatives elsewhere. The “Luocheng Beef” brand has been awarded titles such as “Sichuan Time-Honored Brand,” “Leshan Well-Known Trademark,” and “Leshan Famous Specialty Food.” Currently, it is actively striving to become a “Famous Trademark of Sichuan Province” and earn recognition as a “Ninth Sichuan Famous Product.”