Gaoyou Duck Eggs

Gaoyou Duck Eggs

Gaoyou Duck Eggs are a protected geographical indication product.

Gaoyou Duck Eggs are a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　Geographic Scope

　　　Longitude 119°27′ to 119°50′, Latitude 32°48′ to 33°05′; east to Tangzhi Town of Gaoyou City, south to Cheluo Town of Gaoyou City, west to Tianshan Town of Gaoyou City, north to Linze Town of Gaoyou City, including Gaoyou Town, Cheluo Town, Baqiao Town, Xiejia Town, Hanliu Town, Tangzhuang Town, Sanduo Town, Ganduo Town, Situ Town, Hengjing Town, Chengqiu Town, Mapeng Town, Linze Town, Jieshou Town, Zhoushan Town, Guoji Town, Songqiao Town, Tianshan Town, Lingtang Township, and the Economic Development Zone

　　Special Characteristics

　　　　Gaoyou ducks lay many eggs, with large egg sizes and a high proportion of yolk, especially renowned both domestically and internationally for producing double-yolk eggs. The quality of their eggs can be summarized as egg whites that are “fresh, fine, and tender,” and yolks that are “red, sandy, and oily.” Wang Zengqi vividly described them in his "Hometown Foods": "Having seen the ocean, no other water will do; the salted duck eggs from other places, I truly disdain." "The characteristics of Gaoyou salted eggs are their fine texture and abundant oil. The egg whites are tender, not dry or powdery like those elsewhere that taste like chewing lime. The abundance of oil is also unmatched elsewhere. Typically, they are eaten by tapping the 'air pocket' and scooping out the egg with chopsticks. As soon as the chopstick tip pierces through—squeak—red oil oozes out."

　　Abundant water resources such as rivers, ditches, lakes, and marshes serve as natural feeding grounds for Gaoyou ducks. The various small creatures floating on the surface or living underwater provide the ducks with the most delicious “live feed.” This also offers ideal natural conditions for the development of ecological duck farming and green products in recent years. In recent years, a number of high-quality brands—such as Red Sun, Sanhu, and Qinyou—that have obtained well-known trademarks, famous trademarks, and green food certifications have been developed.

　　Cultural Background

　　　　The practice of raising ducks and curing salted eggs by the people of Gaoyou was mentioned in the poetry and writings of Qin Guan from the Northern Song Dynasty. Yuan Mei, the great poet and gastronome of the Qing Dynasty, spoke highly of Gaoyou salted eggs, making a record of “salted eggs” in his "Suiyuan Menu · Small Dishes." The praise from celebrities and gastronomes has made Gaoyou duck eggs famous throughout the world. The practice of raising ducks in Gaoyou is closely related to the area’s numerous bodies of water. Rivers and lakes such as the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Gaoyou Lake, and Shaobo Lake form an extensive network, covering more than one-third of the region's total area. In these lakes, ditches, grasslands, and marshes, there is an abundance of fish, shrimp, snails, clams, and aquatic plants, providing rich feed for the ducks. Having lived in such an environment for a long time, the Gaoyou duck naturally became a premium breed, laying double-yolk eggs. A treasure of nature, the Gaoyou duck is a generous gift from nature to Gaoyou. Nowadays, Gaoyou ducks and double-yolk eggs are exported to dozens of countries and regions, including the United States, Japan, Germany, Singapore, and Malaysia. In 1993, they won the gold award at the 43rd Venice International Agricultural Fair in Italy; in 1995, Gaoyou double-yolk eggs received the gold award at the Second National Agricultural Expo; in 1993 and 1995, they were twice honored as high-quality products by China’s Ministry of Commerce; in 2002, they were included in the "National Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Protection Catalog" by the Ministry of Agriculture. In October of the same year, Gaoyou duck eggs were approved by the State Administration for Market Regulation as a “geographical indication product.” In 2008, the “Gaoyou Duck” received a “certification trademark” from the State Administration for Industry and Commerce.