Tianjin Wei Chives

Tianjin Wei Chives

　　Tianjin Wei Chives are a specialty of Tianjin. Leeks are one of China’s native vegetables and have a long history of consumption. Records of leeks date back to the Xia Dynasty, and by the Shang and Zhou periods, they were already regarded as a delicacy. Although Tianjin began producing and consuming leeks somewhat later, it eventually surpassed others in quality, making the vegetable a renowned dish.

　　The leeks grown in Tianjin feature broad, long leaves, tender texture, and high yield, and are adaptable to various cultivation methods. They are mainly divided into three major varieties: large yellow seedling, large green seedling, and curly-haired, commonly known as “Wei Chives,” and have become one of the favorite foods for people. In earlier years, around Chinese New Year, local farmers would tie the yellow chives with red strings and take them to the market to “sell fresh.” As a result, yellow chives became a unique variety among Tianjin vegetables, ranked alongside purple crabs, whitebait, and sparrows as one of the “Four Delicacies” of New Year dishes. This is why the *Tianjin Bamboo Branch Ci* poem mentions, “Chives turn half-yellow as spring begins; by Brocade-Robed Bridge, their price runs high,” showing how highly valued Tianjin yellow chives were at the time.

　　Legend has it that during the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty, a gardener surnamed Zhu accidentally discovered leeks in his flower cellar, which led to them being called “yellow chives.” Due to their delicious taste, they were widely cultivated by farmers in the outskirts of Tianjin during the Guangxu reign. The leeks grown in Tianjin feature broad, long leaves, tender texture, and high yield, and are adaptable to various cultivation methods. They are mainly divided into three major varieties: large yellow seedling, large green seedling, and curly-haired, commonly known as “Wei Chives,” and have become one of the favorite foods for people. In earlier years, around Chinese New Year, local farmers would tie the yellow chives with red strings and take them to the market to “sell fresh.” As a result, yellow chives became a unique variety among Tianjin vegetables, ranked alongside purple crabs, whitebait, and sparrows as one of the “Four Delicacies” of New Year dishes. This is why the *Tianjin Bamboo Branch Ci* poem mentions, “Chives turn half-yellow as spring begins; by Brocade-Robed Bridge, their price runs high,” showing how highly valued Tianjin yellow chives were at the time.