Local Specialties of Anqing | Recommended Anqing Local Products

A time-honored specialty from Huaining County, Anqing City. Its pale white hue resembles snow atop mountain peaks, hence the name "Dingxue (Top Snow) Cake". In the 32nd year of the Guangxu reign (1906 AD), it participated in the local products exhibition in Nanjing and ranked among the top entries. After being presented to the imperial court, it won high praise from Empress Dowager Cixi, earning it the formal title "Dingxue Tribute Cake".

This cake boasts a pure white color, soft, fluffy and crisp texture with a sweet, pleasant taste. Its slices feature uniform thickness, roll smoothly like playing cards, bend thinly as paper, and can even be ignited directly. It has been awarded the titles of Anhui Provincial High-Quality Product and Ministry of Light Industry High-Quality Product. In 1988, it claimed the Silver Medal at China’s First Food Expo.

A signature product of Tongcheng. Local raw jujubes are split open and soaked in sugar syrup, boiled in copper pots first, then simmered over gentle heat for roughly seven hours until the liquid fully reduces. The jujubes are then taken out and dried, yielding sweet, crisp premium silken jujubes. Legend has it that Tongcheng silken jujubes were once tributed to Qing emperors and designated an imperial tribute.

A special type of green tea covered in fine white tea hairs, shaped like sharp swords, grown on Tianzhu Mountain in Qianshan County, Anqing City. As early as the Tang Dynasty, it was celebrated for its sweet, fragrant and delicate flavor. It presents emerald green leaves with prominent white hairs, a fresh, mellow and rich taste, clear jade-green tea liquor and an orchid-like aroma. It was named one of China’s "Top Ten New Famous Teas" at the National Famous Tea Appraisal and granted the title of Ministry-level High-Quality New Product.

Cultivated in Snow Lake at Tianning Stockade, Qianshan County. All lotus flowers blooming in the lake in summer are pure white; when in full bloom, the lake looks covered in snow, giving the lake its name. Each lotus root harvested here weighs 3 to 5 kilograms, featuring nine holes and thirteen fine fibrous veins inside. The flesh is white as jade, crisp, tender, sweet, juicy and full of liquid.

According to legend, when Zhu Yuanzhang fought against Chen Youliang, he passed through Qianshan and tasted fresh Snow Lake lotus root, lavishing constant praise on it. After Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne as the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, he designated this lotus root an imperial tribute, hence the name "Snow Lake Tribute Lotus Root". It claimed second place in the Provincial Famous Special Vegetable Competition for its exceptional quality.

Grown in mountainous areas of Taihu, Yuexi and Qianshan Counties, Anqing City. Fresh chestnuts can be eaten raw or cooked, boasting a sweet, delicious flavor and rich nutrition. Taihu Large Red Chestnut stands out as a superior variety: reddish-brown in color with bright luster, it ripens early and features large size, tough husks, plump flesh and an intensely sweet taste.

Legend goes that when Empress Dowager Cixi was a young girl living in Anqing with her father, she suffered from persistent coughs every autumn and winter. A local official sent her some Susong snow jujubes, and her cough gradually faded after eating them. After Cixi seized power and ruled the court, she ordered Susong to supply the jujubes as imperial pastries on a regular basis, making Susong snow jujubes renowned nationwide.

In fact, the so-called imperial snow jujubes are a traditional Susong specialty with a history of over a thousand years. They are exquisitely crafted from premium glutinous rice, taro paste, white granulated sugar, peanut oil and other raw materials. Shaped like jujubes with melon-pulp-like interiors, they look as white as jade, featuring thin, crisp crusts that melt instantly on the tongue. With a unique sweet aroma, they are easy to digest and nutrient-dense, and are believed to relieve asthma, stop coughing and clear phlegm.

Production involves two core procedures: preparing raw blanks first, then refining them into finished treats. Originally, blanks could only be made after Frost’s Descent, yet modern techniques allow year-round production even in the hottest summer months. The Yu Family’s workshop in Liangting Township holds exclusive traditional craftsmanship for making snow jujubes. Since the reform and opening-up, the ancestral craft has spread across the whole county as people’s mindsets evolved. Annual output keeps rising, and the jujubes sell well in Hubei, Jiangxi, Henan, Shandong and other provinces.

A premium nutritional health fruit valued for both edible and medicinal uses. Every 100 grams of fresh fruit contains 120 to 420 milligrams of vitamin C — 10 times the amount in citrus and 80 times that in apples. It also abounds in protein, various amino acids, enzymes, calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, pectin and more, earning it the reputation of "King of Fruits". It helps prevent cancer and tumor growth, and delivers positive therapeutic effects on hyperlipidemia, ischemic vascular diseases, cerebral arteriosclerosis, periodontitis, gastrointestinal disorders and other ailments.

With a thousand-year history, Huating Lake dried tofu is elaborately produced from high-quality soybeans, natural spring water from ancient wells, wood-pressed sesame oil and traditional blended seasonings. It has a distinctive flavor suitable for all ages, serving as a green tourist snack ideal for tea pairings, wine accompaniments and stir-fry cooking.

In the 32nd year of the Guangxu reign (1906 AD), Hu Yumei Sauce Workshop drew inspiration from Sichuan chili sauce to develop Hu Yumei Broad Bean Chili Sauce. Reddish in color, it carries a delicate aromatic taste with mild spiciness and underlying sweetness, possessing an unparalleled flavor that quickly gained nationwide fame and was exported worldwide.

It won the International Gold Medal of Honor at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, followed by the National Glory Silver Medal at the Shanghai International Exhibition and West Lake Expo. It has been rated an Anhui Provincial High-Quality Product and Ministry of Light Industry High-Quality Product. The Zhenfeng Brand Hu Yumei Broad Bean Chili Sauce remains a well-known staple sold domestically and internationally.

Founded in 1904 by Bai Shaoqing, the brand started with nothing but a carrying pole. He baked pastries and brewed syrup under the wind and moon with sincerity and perseverance, eventually building the century-old brand Bai Zhaoji.

It is currently the only enterprise in Anhui Province specializing in halal food processing and production. Its Mid-Autumn mooncakes are flagship products, featuring thin wrappers, rich fillings, smooth soft textures, premium taste and reliable quality. Forged by centuries of history, Bai Zhaoji now shines as a standout star in Anqing’s food industry, offering locals a wide selection of high-end pastries and gourmet treats for leisure.

Bai Zhaoji’s products cater well to travelers with a sweet tooth, among which Mozi Crisp is the most famous. Nutrient-rich, it nourishes hair to turn grey strands black, emits a rich sweet aroma and moisturizes the throat and lungs, making it an ideal nourishing snack for after meals or gifting to relatives and friends.

Most of its products have a soft, tender texture, perfect for elderly consumers. If you have seniors with poor dental health at home, Bai Zhaoji will be your top choice.