Top 10 Local Specialties of Cangzhou, Hebei

As an old saying goes: "Dragon meat in the sky, donkey meat on earth." Donkey meat features ruddy, tender flesh with fine muscle fibers and a firm texture. It is less greasy than pork and free of the gamey taste of mutton, truly ranking among the finest terrestrial meats.

Among all donkey meat dishes, the donkey meat burger is the most popular, and those from Hejian are widely regarded as the premium choice. Hejian was blessed with lush water and grass in ancient times, yielding exceptionally delicious donkey meat. Authentic donkey meat burger shops across Hebei source their meat from here. Combined with generations-old secret cooking techniques, the stewed donkey meat turns a glossy reddish color and tastes fresh and savory.

The burger must be eaten piping hot. A little fatty meat is added to enhance the flavor, and only the heat from the freshly baked bun can melt the fat, letting the savory aroma permeate the meat and the crust. Taking a bite of the crispy bun, you will be greeted by the rich fragrance of donkey meat. The tender meat paired with the crunchy bun creates an unforgettable delicacy.

Also known as West River Red Jujube, it has an oblong shape with a reddish-brown peel and yellowish-green flesh. When split open, glistening sugar threads stretch out, hence its name. This jujube has a thin skin, thick flesh, tiny pit and delicate, sweet pulp. Its sugar content reaches 67%, with a flesh-to-pit ratio of 5.6:1.

It is rich in protein, fat, starch, calcium, phosphorus, iron and various vitamins. The vitamin C content is over 70 times that of apples, making it an ideal tonic for the elderly, the weak and the sick.

For new mothers, boiling the jujubes with brown sugar or cooking them into millet or glutinous rice porridge helps speed up physical recovery. Similar to jujube honey, it can be used for supplementary feeding for infants, boosting growth, sterilizing the mouth and protecting teeth. It also works well in relieving constipation, conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers. Additionally, it benefits the liver and spleen, clears internal heat and nourishes the lungs, replenishes blood and beautifies the skin, and regulates vital energy.

Fresh jujubes taste sweet, crisp and refreshing. Dried ones have mellow, honey-like flesh with a distinctive flavor. Soaked in liquor to make drunken jujubes, they are tasty and help dispel phlegm and reduce internal heat. Processed into various traditional sweet and glutinous snacks such as jujube rice dumplings, glutinous rice cakes, steamed cakes and fried cakes, as well as Laba porridge and Laba cakes, they are popular treats among locals.

Huanghua winter jujube boasts a history of over 3,000 years, dating back to before the Qin and Han dynasties. Historical records mention vast jujube groves in the Yan and Zhao regions, known for abundant fish, salt and jujubes. In ancient Liu and Zhangwu counties (within present-day Huanghua), jujubes were a staple food, and every household brewed wine with them, living a well-off life.

Large-scale cultivation took shape during the reign of Kublai Khan of the Yuan Dynasty. The winter jujube forest in Juguan Village, Qijiawu Town, was planted in that period. Today, it remains the world’s largest and oldest original winter jujube forest, home to 1,067 ancient trees aged over 100 years, including 198 trees more than 600 years old. Despite enduring wind and frost for centuries, these old trees still flourish with luxuriant branches and heavy fruit.

The winter jujube has a thin skin, thick flesh and small pit. Its crisp, tender flesh delivers a perfect balance of sweet and sour. Praised as a premium fruit, it is described as refreshing as morning dew in summer and lingeringly flavorful as mist among clouds. Tests show it contains 32.2% total sugar and 0.367% total acid. Every 100 grams of fresh jujube contains 354 milligrams of vitamin C, plus abundant other vitamins and minerals. Valued highly for nutrition and health care, it is hailed as the "Longevity Fruit". At a symposium in October 1996, experts named it the finest among more than 260 fresh-eating jujube varieties across China.

Horn melon from Qingxian County is a signature specialty of Cangzhou.

With a history of more than 1,000 years tracing back to the Song Dynasty, it is famous for its attractive appearance, tender texture, superior quality and high yield. Currently, the planting area spans 3,000 hectares, with an annual output of 240,000 tons and an output value of 1.15 billion yuan, accounting for 26% of the county’s total vegetable output. Qingxian has grown into China’s largest production base for horn melons. This crop has become a pillar industry driving local farmers’ income and rural economic development. Its sales network covers 15 provinces and municipalities including Beijing, Tianjin, Henan, Shandong, Guangdong and Hunan, reaching major vegetable markets nationwide.

The three-spotted swimming crab is China’s largest crab species. It is skilled at swimming and burrowing into sand, often lurking on the seabed or near river estuaries. Fierce and aggressive, it features strong fertility and rapid growth.

In late March, crabs migrate to shallow waters to spawn. The largest egg-bearing female crab can weigh up to 750 grams, with the peak spawning period falling in mid-to-late April. It generally takes three years for a young crab to reach maturity. Female crabs make up over 80% in nearshore spawning grounds, while male crabs prevail in offshore waters. The main fishing season is April. Veteran fishermen note that temperature in wintering grounds greatly affects crab catches.

Crabs are plumpest around the Grain Rain solar term. Though available in autumn, they are less meaty. Male crabs are especially fat before overwintering, locally called "stubble-field male crabs". Male crabs are known as "pointed bellies" and immature males as "half bellies", while females are called "round bellies". Female crabs are more sought-after, and large egg-bearing females are nicknamed "pomegranate roe". There is a notable price gap between male and female crabs.

The crab boasts white, tender and plentiful meat, and creamy roe with an exquisite taste. The meat in its pincer legs is stringy and slightly sweet, and the bright-colored roe is richly aromatic. Long celebrated as a top-tier seafood, it enjoys a nationwide reputation.

The cultivation of Botou Yali pears dates back more than 2,000 years to the Western Han Dynasty. There are over a hundred pear varieties in the region, among which Yali pear is the most famous, followed by yellow pear. It gets its name for resembling a domestic duck, and was once called Jiao Pear or Ying Pear in history due to its location.

Pear planting became widespread in the Sui and Tang dynasties, and expanded further in the Ming Dynasty. During the Xuande reign, Lin Jun, magistrate of Jiaohe County, ordered local residents to grow pears and jujubes as reserves against famine. The industry nearly collapsed amid natural disasters and wars, before reviving rapidly in the late Qing and early Republican periods thanks to the Grand Canal shipping and Tianjin-Pukou Railway.

With a long history, Xianwang Liquor derives from the ancient imperial brewing technique "Six Arts of Han Cellar" of the Han Dynasty. It is named after Liu De, Prince Xian, a great master of Confucianism. The craftsmanship has been passed down for over 2,100 years without interruption.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, private distilleries were incorporated into rural grain stations. In 1979, the Xianxian Grain Bureau merged these workshops and established a state-owned distillery in Huai Town to produce the Xianwang Chun liquor series. In 2002, the enterprise completed shareholding reform and founded Hebei Xianwang Liquor Co., Ltd. The factory was relocated to Xianwang Industrial and Trade Park. The company increased investment in technological upgrading, improved production techniques and built supporting facilities including expanded fermentation cellars, a 10,000-ton liquor storage base, Xianwang Cultural Winery and North China’s largest liquor bottling workshop. It has obtained ISO9001:2008 quality management system and HACCP certifications.

Upholding the corporate philosophy "Pursue learning and tradition, make fine liquor with a realistic attitude", the company taps into the profound historical culture of Prince Xian. It infuses products with rich cultural and regional features, striving to build China’s top liquor brand featuring Han culture.

The producing area covers all administrative regions under the jurisdiction of Xianxian County, Cangzhou, Hebei Province.

Suning County, under the administration of Cangzhou, is located in the heart of the North China Plain. Covering 525 square kilometers, it has 6 towns, 3 townships and 253 administrative villages with a population of 330,000. Situated between Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang, it enjoys convenient transportation.

Fur processing is Suning’s pillar industry. It has been awarded titles including National Standardized Special Animal Breeding Demonstration Zone, China Fur Base and Hebei Provincial Fur Garment Processing and Export Base. In October 2005, it was officially named the "Capital of China’s Fur Industry" by the China National Light Industry Council and China Leather Association. The county is developing into a national hub for fur raw material trading, product manufacturing, garment trade, R&D, industrial information and quality inspection.

Suning’s fur industry originated in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, earning it worldwide fame. The industry is mainly concentrated in Shangcun Town, where 35 large-scale enterprises engage in fur tanning, dyeing and garment making with advanced technologies. They undertake massive processing orders for farms and garment factories every year. Finished furs, semi-finished quilts, fur collars and fur strips are exported to Europe, America, Japan and South Korea.

Shilixiang Liquor is a specialty of Botou City, Cangzhou, Hebei Province. Sanjing Shilixiang adopts unique brewing techniques, using medium and high-temperature Daqu starter combined with mud cellar fermentation.

Liquor brewed this way is mellow rather than harsh at high alcohol content, and rich rather than bland at low alcohol content, with a smooth finish and well-balanced flavor. After long-term constant-temperature storage in century-old wooden wine vats and specially made Yixing pottery jars, it delivers an elegant aroma before drinking, a smooth and sweet taste while drinking, and a lingering fragrance afterwards. It is a classic representative of mellow aromatic Chinese liquor.