Special Local Products of Huaibei

Huaibei boasts an abundant array of native specialties, including juicy, soft-seed Huangli pomegranates, brightly colored, thick-fleshed Huangli Badou apricots, thin-skinned and sweet Tuxing watermelons, and large, sweet Dazhuang grapes. Additionally, the world-famous Kouzi Liquor is crafted into an award-winning Baijiu with a rich, mellow aroma, drawing on the region’s fine spring water and high-quality sorghum and other grains as raw materials.

Produced in Suixi County, Kouzi Liquor is a Nongxiang-Jianxiang blended aroma Baijiu with a time-honored brewing heritage stretching back thousands of years.

As early as the 15th year of Duke Huan of Lu in the Spring and Autumn Period (697 BC), Duke Xiang of Song hosted numerous alliance gatherings with feudal lords, serving the local liquor on all occasions. It is recorded that during the Warring States Period, when the State of Song moved its capital to Xiangshan, liquor brewing flourished on a large scale. Mass production of Kouzi Liquor continued through the Southern Song, Jin and Yuan dynasties.

After a thousand years of refinement, Kouzi Liquor delivers a smooth, sweet taste and leaves drinkers feeling relaxed and pleasant. It has long been hailed by the line: "Its fame spreads three thousand li north of Jizhou; its flavor ranks foremost south of the Yangtze River." Numerous literati, poets and wealthy dignitaries gathered here, boating on the Suixi River, drinking wine and composing poems. When the Qianlong Emperor traveled south of the Yangtze and passed through Xuzhou, he greatly praised the Kouzi Liquor presented by local officials of Suixi. The most widely circulated verse comes from Ren Roujie, a hermit of Xiangshan: "A single jar unsealed perfumes ten li, intoxicating a thousand neighboring households."

One of Suixi’s renowned local delicacies, Kouzi Pastries feature a wide variety, superior quality and strong market demand.

They fall into two main categories: regular pastries and fine pastries. Regular varieties include Sandaozi, Yangjiaomi, Xiaojingzao, Mazhatui, Doujiaopi, Liaohua and Mabi. Fine pastries feature Cunjin, Mapian, Honggao, Fenggao, Yunpian, Hawthorn Cake, Pitang, Sponge Cake, Jigutang and Jingmi.

Seasonal offerings are also available, such as crisp sugar, papaya cake, mung bean cake and mooncakes. There are also sacrificial confectioneries collectively known as "Migong (honey offerings)". Made purely from white sugar, Migong is molded into lifelike figurines and ornaments: the Eight Immortals, Buddhist statues, palaces, memorial archways, pagodas, incense burners, candlesticks, pots, bowls, basins, vases, as well as dragons, tigers, lions, horses, cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, flowers, birds and fish. Exquisitely crafted and vividly shaped, these Migong treats taste sweet and delicious.

Legend has it that when the Qianlong Emperor journeyed south of the Yangtze, he grew hungry upon arriving here. An elderly woman nearby was simmering chicken soup, so the emperor sat down by the road and had a bowl. He found the broth incredibly savory, dotted with wheat kernels—unaware the grains had been left inside the chicken due to incomplete cleaning.

The emperor asked the old lady, "What soup is this?" Hard of hearing in her old age, she repeated his question: "What soup?" The emperor mistook these words as the dish’s name, hence the moniker "Sha Tang (What Soup)" stuck. Locals in Suixi still call it Sha Tang today; thanks to its bright spicy flavor, it is also known as Spicy Soup or Hu Spicy Soup.

Wang Hanzi, birth name Wang Xincong, created a signature camellia paste soup that stands out among all old-town snacks. A nourishing delicacy unique to Suixi, it inspired the folk saying: "The old town’s camellia paste soup fills the air with fragrance."

Street vendors store the pre-made soup in large insulated kettles wrapped in cotton cloth to retain heat. Before eating, diners add vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil for a tangy, spicy, fresh and aromatic flavor. Smooth, creamy and rich in butter aroma, the soup is highly nutritious and beloved by both the elderly and children. Beyond its delicious taste, it boosts energy, aids digestion, invigorates the stomach, dispels dampness and miasma, and relieves cold symptoms.

Manufactured at Huaibei Liuxiangge Brush Factory, these Xuan-style writing brushes are made from premium raw materials with well-balanced softness and stiffness, boasting over 200 distinct varieties.

Building upon traditional Xuan brush craftsmanship, Liuxiangge retains the core merits of Xuan brushes while absorbing the peak-tip techniques of Hu brushes to forge an original style. Its brushes embody the four classic virtues of fine writing tools: sharp tip, round barrel, even hair ends and resilient body, blending softness and firmness with pure, long-lasting bristles. Characterized by long, clear tips, slim bodies and large ink capacity, they enable unrestrained brushwork and heavy, saturated ink washes, achieving the subtle beauty of "iron-thin centered strokes".

Top varieties including Dancing Cranes Soaring in Sky, Ink Dragons Playing at Sea, Butterfly Longevity and Purple Bamboo Studio have been tested and highly praised by master painters and calligraphers such as Liu Haisu, Shu Tong, Li Kuchan, Lai Shaoqi and Fei Xinwo, who all commented the brushes glide effortlessly across paper and left calligraphic inscriptions in praise. Renowned Japanese artists Kato Hoisui and Shibata Bokuseki also spoke highly of the craft. Liuxiangge brushes sell far and wide to Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, Thailand and other regions, earning a stellar reputation in global painting and calligraphy circles.