Handmade Qingtang rice noodles trace their origins back to the Chen clan of Juziyan during the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1723–1735), passed down through generations to the present day. Milled from premium non-glutinous rice and crafted with traditional techniques, the noodles are pure white, uniform, pliable and highly elastic. Suitable for stir-frying or soup noodles, they do not turn mushy when boiled and rarely snap when dry-fried, delivering a smooth, springy bite. Cooked with vegetables or broths, they remain intact and taste even better.

Yingde natives from Qingtang working away from home always bring boxes of Qingtang rice noodles as gifts for relatives and friends when returning for holidays. Even passing travellers cannot help but praise them wholeheartedly after tasting: "Truly delicious!"

An irresistibly tempting local Yingde snack, golden yellow in colour with a unique fragrant, crispy flavour.

You may wonder if they are made with old oil lamps — indeed, the batter is fried using lamp-shaped iron moulds, named after ancient oil lamps unfamiliar to modern generations. Fans of Journey to the West may recall monks using thin wicks inside small lamp holders to hold oil and flames, which gave the pastry its name.

Around the corner of bluestone alleyways, elderly ladies prepare fresh Dengzhan Ci in just one or two minutes with a wok, coal stove, rice batter bucket and vegetable basin.

Holding a five-inch lamp-shaped iron mould in one hand, the vendor ladles milky white rice batter into the mould and rotates it to coat evenly. A chopstick full of pre-marinated shredded radish, pork or sweet potato is piled in the centre, covered with another scoop of batter, and the entire mould is lowered into hot oil. A sizzling sound fills the air as the batter and fillings cook through. After roughly one minute, flip the pastries and fry briefly until pale golden, then lift onto wire racks by the wok to drain excess oil, ready to be eaten hot.

As a folk saying goes: "Eat mugwort cakes around Qingming Festival, stay healthy all year long."

Mugwort is a common ingredient on Hakka dining tables. Wild mugwort grows abundantly by field edges and riverbanks each spring. Glutinous rice is steamed, mixed with pounded mugwort leaves to form a green paste, stuffed with peanut or sesame fillings, shaped into small green cakes and steamed to create this famous Hakka delicacy.

Mugwort is traditionally hung inside homes during the Dragon Boat Festival to ward off bad luck. Dried mugwort stalks are steeped in water for fumigation to disinfect and soothe itching, and new mothers often bathe or fumigate with mugwort-infused water. Traditional Chinese medicine holds mugwort capable of regulating qi and blood, dispelling cold-dampness, warming meridians, stopping bleeding and calming foetuses. Modern research confirms mugwort has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-asthmatic, anti-tussive, expectorant, haemostatic, sedative, anti-allergy and liver-protective effects. It can be brewed into tea, soup or congee to boost immunity against illnesses.

Taking a bite of mugwort cake reveals a soft, chewy texture with oozing smooth sweet red bean paste. A fresh herbal fragrance lingers on your palate, as if holding a mouthful of spring, too delightful to swallow quickly.

A traditional Hakka speciality. Branches from ash trees and myrtle bushes native to local mountains are burned into ashes, filtered through wooden tubs to make alkaline ash water, then blended with glutinous rice flour to create this rustic treat with a subtle astringent initial taste followed by a sweet afterglow.

Main raw materials include glutinous rice, alkaline water and assorted fillings. Soak glutinous rice for two to three hours until soft enough to crush by hand, drain and grind into fine flour. Alkaline water can be bought at markets or made from filtered plant ash. Pour boiling alkaline water slowly into the rice flour while stirring continuously with chopsticks, then knead firmly into smooth dough — thorough kneading yields chewier cakes. Fillings are tailored to taste; classic options include diced stir-fried lean pork, shiitake mushrooms, dried bamboo shoots and wood ear fungus, or shredded radish fried with meat.

Huang Ci can be steamed or deep-fried, enjoyed either sweet or savoury according to personal preference.

Every local Yingde resident is familiar with Jiulong Tofu.

Renowned for its fresh, tender, silky texture, it is crafted from premium local soybeans and pure natural mountain spring water sourced in Jiulong Town. Its exterior is milky white without excessive gloss, smooth as solidified cream; tender yet firm to the touch, it holds its shape when shaken in the palm with great elasticity. It does not disintegrate even after prolonged boiling in soup, offering a clean, delicate flavour that leaves a lingering savoury aroma on the tongue, beloved by diners far and wide.

Visually pale white without shine, silky as cream to the eye; soft yet resilient to the touch, holding firm when cupped in hands; submerged in boiling broth it remains intact through long simmering. On the palate it tastes clean, tender, rich and aromatic, leaving an unforgettable flavour that stays with you long after eating.

Two key factors account for its exceptional taste: first, the completely unpolluted, highly alkaline mountain spring water used in production; second, its unique traditional crafting process. Large wooden vats are used to press excess water out of curds, forming firm tofu sturdy enough to be lifted with chopsticks without breaking, even enduring lengthy boiling — this is the signature hallmark of authentic Jiulong Tofu.