Zhidan Lamb

Zhidan Lamb

Zhidan lamb is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Zhidan lamb is a specialty of Zhidan County, Yan’an, Shaanxi Province.

　　Zhidan lamb has long been renowned, with an ancient saying that “In the mountainous region of Bao’an, cattle and sheep roam the hills.” As early as the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, Zhidan was a grazing area for ethnic minorities such as the Di and Rong. By the Northern Song Dynasty, animal husbandry had become highly developed. The imperial court once mandated that the Bao’an Army Market pay an annual tribute of 20,000 sheep. A Qing Dynasty county instructor, Wu Dongxu, wrote in his poem “Four Seasons in the Mountain City”: “The summer scenery in the mountains is fine, / Even the blazing sun overhead is no bother. / No need to worry about guests feeling the heat, / When cool grasses greet them by the window. Though there may be no bamboo mats for sleep, one rests well; even without lotus-flower tubes for drink, the aroma is sweet. Only the persistent flies are hard to drive away— / The smell of cattle and sheep brings greasy odors easily.” The “Brief Chronicles of Bao’an County” recorded that in the late Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, “sheep were the most numerous, followed by cattle and donkeys, while horses and mules were rare.” In 1949, the county had about 70,000 sheep, nearly 50,000 of which were goats. By 1955, the number reached 140,000, including over 100,000 goats. In 1965, it rose to 200,000, with nearly 170,000 goats. By 1997, the total number of sheep reached 250,000, including 230,000 goats, with 90,000 sheep slaughtered that year, 83,000 of which were goats.

　　 Zhidan County is located in the northwest of Yan’an, within the loess plateau hilly and gully region. According to the national classification of goat distribution areas, it lies in the farming-grazing transitional zone and is also a suitable habitat for the Ziwuling goat. The area boasts vast land and abundant forage resources, with a long history of sheep farming, making it the leading industry in the county.

　　　　The county currently has 2.28 million mu of forage land, including 65,000 mu of artificially planted grass, mostly situated at altitudes of around 1,093 to 1,600 meters. The vegetation is dominated by perennial grasses of the Gramineae family, followed by species from the Asteraceae and Fabaceae families. High-quality forage includes needlegrass, feather grass, Achnatherum splendens, various Artemisia species, hazel, yellow rose, thyme, Caragana, and Rosa xanthina.

　　　　There are two types of sheep in Zhidan: goats and sheep. The ones consumed are mainly goats, including the Northern Shaanxi Black Goat, dairy goats, Liaoning White Cashmere Goats, and their hybrid offspring. The annual lamb meat production exceeds one thousand tons. In 1997, the lamb output was 1,160 tons, of which goat meat accounted for 1,080 tons, ranking second in the city.

　　　　Zhidan goats are free-range all year round, have excellent fattening performance, and produce tender, flavorful meat. Especially due to the local presence of thyme, which the goats consume, the meat is delicious, free of strong odors, easy to digest, and has become a distinctive feature of Zhidan lamb, earning it quite a reputation. Local delicacies such as Zhidan Noodle Stew with Lamb Offal, Braised Lamb, and Lamb Offal Soup have long been famous across Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia, with products sold as far as Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, Shanxi, and Hebei, where they are very popular with consumers.

　　　　Zhidan goats graze year-round, have excellent fattening capabilities, and produce tender, delicious meat. Especially because the local thyme is eaten by the goats, the meat is tasty, free from gaminess, easy to digest, forming the unique flavor of Zhidan lamb, which is quite well-known. Local specialties such as Zhidan Noodle Stew with Lamb Offal, stewed lamb, and lamb offal are famous across Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia. These products are exported to Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, Shanxi, Hebei, and other provinces and regions, and are very popular among consumers.

　　Zhidan Lamb

　　 Zhidan County Sheep Development Service Station

　　 11838584

　　 Meat (Lamb)