Hushu Salted Duck

Hushu Salted Duck

　　Salted duck is a long-renowned specialty of Hushu in Jiangning. Legend has it that it has a history of over 300 years. During the Qing Dynasty, it was presented as a tribute to the imperial court and called “Tribute Duck.” It was also commonly exchanged among officials as a gift, known as “Official Gift Salted Duck.” Hushu salted duck maintains the traditional production process of “stir-fried salt curing, clear brine soaking, thorough air-drying, and adequate boiling.” The finished product features white skin, red meat, and tender texture — “deliciously rich yet not greasy, crispy and savory with a sweet aftertaste.”

　　Hushu salted duck is sold in 21 provinces and municipalities across China and exported to countries and regions such as Japan, the United States, South Korea, Germany, Hong Kong, and Macau. It has won numerous honors, including the Gold Award at the National Spark Program Expo during the Seventh Five-Year Plan period and recognition as an Outstanding Famous Product in China’s Food Industry.

　　“Nanjing is famed as the ‘Duck Capital of China,’ and Jiangning’s Hushu is its birthplace.” Nanjing’s brined duck, a traditional delicacy with a thousand-year cultural heritage, originates from Hushu District in Nanjing. Not only is Hushu the cradle of “Hushu Culture,” but its salted and brined duck have a history spanning hundreds of years. As part of Jiangsu Province’s intangible cultural heritage, both of the designated inheritors of Nanjing’s salted and brined duck-making techniques come from Hushu.

　　Known as the “Little Nanjing,” Hushu Subdistrict is located 20 kilometers outside Nanjing’s Zhonghua Gate and is a famous “hometown of salted duck.” During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Hushu salted duck became a tribute to the royal family. In 1910, it won first prize and a gold medal at the Nanyang Industrial Exposition, gaining fame both domestically and abroad. Today, Hushu Subdistrict is home to 25 duck product processing companies, 150 duck-raising households, 38 of which raise over 10,000 ducks annually. The area employs 3,500 workers, processes 1.8 million ducks per year, with over 8 million processed, generating sales of more than 190 million yuan.

　　Hushu duck continues the traditional craftsmanship of salted duck — keeping the brine formulation and cooking ingredients unchanged, as well as maintaining procedures like stir-frying salt, dry curing, and marination. This ensures the duck’s texture remains crystal-clear, rich yet not greasy, and savory with balanced saltiness. Meanwhile, local production enterprises actively adopt standardized manufacturing practices, meet consumer demands, extend the duck industry chain, and enhance product value-added.

　　In 2003, Hushu duck products passed certification for pollution-free agricultural products and pollution-free production bases in Jiangsu Province. In June of the same year, the Hushu Duck Industry Association was established, with 23 companies and 30 major breeders joining. This built a modern operational model of “company + association + farmers.” Through the coordinated efforts of the association, economic and technical exchanges among members were strengthened, trademark management and craft standards were gradually improved, and the integrated “salted duck supply chain” economy — covering incubation, breeding, processing, and sales — was invigorated.