Nanli Celery

Nanli Celery

　　Nanli Celery is a variety of water celery grown in Zhujialong, Fengxing Village (now Jingu Village), Fenghuang Town. Known for its superior quality, it has gained fame in markets such as Caojiadu in Shanghai and South Gate in Suzhou, where it is called “Nanli Celery.”

　　 Nanli Celery has a long history. Legend has it that during the Song Dynasty, the famous general Han Shizhong and his wife, Lady Liang Hongyu, led troops to garrison Qing’an. Besieged by Jin forces and facing a food shortage, Lady Liang Hongyu led her troops in search of wild vegetables. Upon reaching the Nanli area, they discovered large patches of wild celery with a fragrant taste, which they gathered to stave off hunger. Later, people transplanted the wild celery for home cultivation, calling it “Jade Celery.” Over generations, it has been carefully cultivated and improved right up to the present day. Varieties include Large Green, Small Green, Red, and Hemp Chestnut. These celeries are known for their long tender stems (commonly called “white heads”), green leaf stalks, crisp texture, rich aroma, and long shelf life. Whether stir-fried plainly, cooked with tofu products, or mixed with meat, they all offer delicious and distinct flavors. When briefly blanched in boiling water and then tossed with seasonings like soy sauce and sesame oil as a cold dish, they become crispy, tender, refreshing, and effective in cutting greasiness and soothing the stomach. It is a common dish in everyday meals and casual banquets across Jiangsu, Wuxi, and Shanghai.

　　 Currently, the cultivation area of Nanli Celery exceeds 100 acres, with an annual output value of nearly 1.5 million yuan and a per-acre profit of over ten thousand yuan. Going forward, efforts will focus on the protection and development of germplasm resources, as well as further expanding production scale. This will help preserve, inherit, develop, and strengthen this traditional specialty industry, bringing greater benefits to local farmers.