Difference between revisions of "Jiangsu Food"

From Chinese Food Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
m ([CFWK] Fix syntax / page anomalies)
(Reorganize as a sourced province-wide food directory; retain existing SEO title, keywords and image; add infobox, all 13 city selections, noodles, snacks, tea, alcohol, regional products and culinary traditions.)
 
Line 2: Line 2:
|title=Jiangsu Food Su Cuisine Jiangsu Cuisine 江苏菜 - Chinese Food Wiki
|title=Jiangsu Food Su Cuisine Jiangsu Cuisine 江苏菜 - Chinese Food Wiki
|keywords=Jiangsu cuisine,Jiāngsū cài,Jiangsu Food,Su cuisine
|keywords=Jiangsu cuisine,Jiāngsū cài,Jiangsu Food,Su cuisine
|description=Jiangsu cuisine (Jiāngsū cài) Jiangsu Food, also known as Su cuisine, is one of the Eight Great Cuisines of China. Due to its similarity with Zhejiang cuisine, it is sometimes grouped with it as Jiangzhe cuisine. It primarily consists of regional styles such as Jinling cuisine, Huaiyang cuisine, Suxi cuisine, and Xuhai cuisine. Jiangsu cuisine originated over two thousand years ago, with Jinling cuisine tracing its roots to the pre-Qin period when the people of Wu were skilled in preparing grilled fish, steamed fish, and fish fillets. Over a thousand years ago, duck was already a famous dish in Nanjing. During the Southern Song dynasty, Su cuisine and Zhejiang cuisine were considered the two main pillars of "Southern food" (南食). Su cuisine is the second largest imperial cuisine, and state banquets today still primarily feature Su cuisine.  
|description=Jiangsu Food is a guide to Su cuisine and the province’s wider food traditions, with city specialties, street snacks, noodles, tea, alcoholic drinks, ingredients and cooking techniques.
}}
}}


'''Jiangsu cuisine (Jiāngsū cài) Jiangsu Food''', also known as Su cuisine, is one of the [[Chinese Food Map|Eight Great Cuisines]] of China. Due to its similarity with [[Zhejiang Food|Zhejiang cuisine]], it is sometimes grouped with it as Jiangzhe cuisine. It primarily consists of regional styles such as Jinling cuisine, Huaiyang cuisine, Suxi cuisine, and Xuhai cuisine. Jiangsu cuisine originated over two thousand years ago, with Jinling cuisine tracing its roots to the pre-Qin period when the people of Wu were skilled in preparing grilled fish, steamed fish, and fish fillets. Over a thousand years ago, duck was already a famous dish in Nanjing. During the Southern Song dynasty, Su cuisine and [[Zhejiang Food|Zhejiang cuisine]] were considered the two main pillars of "Southern food" (南食). Su cuisine is the second largest imperial cuisine, and state banquets today still primarily feature Su cuisine.
{{Breadcrumb|parent=Chinese Food Map}}
[[File:JiangSu.jpg|alt=JiangSu|thumb|JiangSu]]
Su cuisine is skilled in stewing, braising, steaming, and stir-frying. It emphasizes the preparation of broth, preserving the original flavors of ingredients. Its taste is fresh and light, rich but not greasy, subtle but not bland. Meat is often cooked until tender and falling off the bone while retaining its shape, and vegetables are cooked until tender yet crisp while retaining their flavor.
----


== History ==
{{Infobox food region
Jiangsu cuisine (short for Su cuisine) began in the Northern and Southern Dynasties period. During the Tang and Song dynasties, economic development promoted the prosperity of the catering industry, and Su cuisine became one of the two main pillars of "Southern food." During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Su cuisine developed more rapidly along the Grand Canal north-south and the Yangtze River east-west. The geographical advantage of the coastal region expanded the influence of Su cuisine at home and abroad.
| name          = Jiangsu Food
----
| simplified    = 江苏美食
 
| traditional  = 江蘇美食
== Characteristics ==
| pinyin        = Jiāngsū měishí
Characteristics of Jiangsu cuisine include: extensive use of ingredients, with a focus on fresh seafood from rivers, lakes, and the sea; meticulous knife skills; diverse cooking methods, excelling in stewing, braising, simmering (煨), and steaming (焐); pursuing the original flavor, resulting in fresh and mild tastes (fresh and light, salty with a hint of sweetness, favoring the five pungent flavors, emphasizing the original taste); dishes are elegant in style and beautiful in both appearance and quality, with strong adaptability.
| image        = JiangSu.jpg
 
| caption      = Food traditions across Jiangsu
Jiangsu is known as the "land of fish and rice," with abundant resources providing a strong foundation for its cuisine. Famous aquatic products include the "Three Freshness of the Yangtze River" (Reeves Shad, Coilia, Pufferfish), Taihu whitefish, Yangcheng Lake hairy crab, Nanjing Longchi crucian carp, and various other seafood. Excellent vegetables include Taihu water shield, Huaian bulrush, Baoying lotus root, chestnuts, Euryale ferox seeds (jitoumi), jiaobai (wild rice shoots), winter bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts. Additionally, various game birds and animals contribute to the rich variety of ingredients.
| level        = Province
 
| parent        = [[Chinese Food Map|China]]
The elegant and refreshing style of Jiangsu cuisine is reflected in its meticulous and versatile knife skills. Whether for elaborate cold dishes, decorative hot dishes, or fruit and vegetable carvings, techniques like deboning while keeping the shape or intricate carving demonstrate superb mastery.
| capital      = Nanjing
----
| cuisine       = Su cuisine (苏菜), including Huaiyang, Jinling, Su-Xi and Xuhai traditions
| last_verified = 2026-09-26
| dishes        = [[Nanjing Salted Duck]], [[Squirrel Mandarin Fish]], [[Wuxi Spare Ribs]], [[Lion's Head Meatballs]], [[Crystal Salted Pork Hock]]
| snacks        = Duck blood and vermicelli soup, Aozao noodles, Yangzhou breakfast foods, Xuzhou sha tang
| ingredients  = freshwater fish, river and lake produce, rice, wheat, seasonal vegetables, soy and vinegar
| drinks        = Dongting Biluochun, Nanjing Yuhua tea, Yangzhou Lüyangchun, Yanghe and Shuangou spirits
| heritage      = Huaiyang knife skills, traditional tea-making, rice-wine brewing and regional pastry crafts
}}


== Classic Dishes ==
'''Jiangsu Food''' covers Su cuisine (苏菜) and the wider food traditions of Jiangsu Province. It includes the cooking of the Yangtze and Huai river regions, Taihu Lake, the Grand Canal corridor and the coast, as well as street snacks, noodles, tea, alcoholic drinks, ingredients and food-making crafts. The selections below are examples documented in regional food lists, not a ranking or a complete inventory.<ref name="city-list">China Jiangsu Net, [https://jsnews.jschina.com.cn/shms/201910/t20191024_2411898.shtml “Jiangsu’s 13 Prefecture-Level Cities Publish Landmark Foods”]. The 2019 list was assembled from recommendations by municipal catering associations, consumer surveys and expert review; names are retained here as a reference selection, not a current ranking.</ref>
* '''羊方藏鱼''' (Yángfāng cáng yú) - Lamb with Fish Inside
* '''霸王别姬''' (Bàwáng bié jī) - Farewell My Concubine (dish name, traditionally made with turtle and chicken)
* '''三套鸭''' (Sān tào yā) - [[Three-Nested Duck]]
* '''煮干丝''' (Zhǔ gānsī) - [[Boiled Shredded Tofu]]
* '''狮子头''' (Shīzi tóu) - [[Lion's Head Meatballs]]
* '''水晶肴蹄''' (Shuǐjīng yáo tí) - [[Crystal Salted Pork Hock]]
* '''金陵盐水鸭''' (Jīnlíng yánshuǐ yā) - [[Nanjing Salted Duck]]
* '''松鼠鳜鱼''' (Sōngshǔ guìyú) - [[Squirrel Mandarin Fish]]
* '''[[Liangxi Crispy Eel|梁溪脆鳝]]''' (Liángxī cuì shàn) - Liangxi (Wuxi) Crispy Eel


----
Jiangsu’s regional cuisine is often described through Jinling (Nanjing), Huaiyang, Su-Xi (Suzhou–Wuxi) and Xuhai (Xuzhou-area) traditions. These labels are useful guides; boundaries and classifications vary across culinary sources and do not describe every local food tradition.<ref name="styles">Huaiyin District Government, [https://www.zghy.gov.cn/col/943_813862/art/d40b2be3b46e413d83e6b63106d0add1.html overview of Su cuisine styles and representative dishes]; Jiangsu Provincial Local Records Office, [https://jssdfz.jiangsu.gov.cn/n98/20241126/i37268.html discussion of the Huaiyang name and region].</ref>


== Main Branches ==
== Jiangsu Food by City ==
Su cuisine is composed of Jinling cuisine, Huaiyang cuisine, Suxi cuisine, and Xuhai cuisine. Its taste is fresh and light, salty with a hint of sweetness, and it emphasizes the original flavor. Cooking techniques excel in stewing, braising, simmering, and steaming. Ingredient selection is broad, and ingredients are used to their fullest potential. The Jiangsu cuisine system was originally separated from the Jiangzhe cuisine system. The original Jiangzhe cuisine system could be divided into Nanjing style, Huaiyang style, Southern Jiangsu style, Zhejiang style, and Huizhou style. Later, Zhejiang cuisine and Huizhou cuisine became two of the [[Chinese Food Map|Eight Great Cuisines]] due to their distinct characteristics. The Xuhai style from the original [[Shandong Food|Shandong cuisine]] system, along with the Nanjing, Huaiyang, and Southern Jiangsu styles from the original Jiangzhe cuisine system, now form Su cuisine.
The city entries collect selected local dishes, snacks and staple foods. Many recipes travel across city and county boundaries; the place names identify well-known associations rather than exclusive origins.<ref name="city-list" />


=== Jinling Cuisine (Jīnlíng cài) ===
* '''Nanjing:''' Jinling salted duck, duck blood and vermicelli soup, duck-oil crisp biscuits, soup dumplings, sugar taro seedlings and Qinhuai snack assortments. Nanjing’s official historical account documents a broad duck-cooking tradition, while the Jiangsu food list also names salted duck and local snacks.<ref name="nanjing-duck">Nanjing Municipal Local Records Office, [https://dfz.nanjing.gov.cn/gzdt/202407/t20240729_4725753.html “Nanjing Memories: How Much Did People in Dream of the Red Chamber Like Duck?”]; China Jiangsu Net, [https://jsnews.jschina.com.cn/nj/a/202004/t20200424_2538266.shtml Nanjing foods and snack selections].</ref>
Jinling cuisine is one of the four representative styles of Su cuisine, centered in Nanjing and extending to areas like Jiujiang in Jiangxi. Jinling cuisine originated in the pre-Qin period, was already famous by the Sui and Tang dynasties, and formed a distinct style in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Ingredients in Jinling cuisine primarily consist of aquatic products, emphasizing freshness. It features meticulous knife skills and is skilled in cooking methods such as stewing, braising, roasting, and simmering. The taste is mild, fresh, fragrant, crispy, and tender. Dishes are delicate and exquisite, with an elegant style. Jinling cuisine emphasizes knife skills, excels in controlling heat, features versatile techniques, and has a taste that is suitable for both northern and southern palates. Representative dishes include Jinling roast duck, salt-cured duck (yan shui ya), duck soup, duck intestines, duck liver, and duck blood.
* '''Wuxi:''' Wuxi-style soy-braised ribs, Liangxi crispy eel, mirror-box tofu, Taihu fish dishes, Wuxi steamed buns and osmanthus taro.
* '''Xuzhou:''' ground-pot chicken, lamb soup, sha tang (savory wheat-and-meat soup), lamb hidden with fish, lamb dishes and baked flatbread.
* '''Changzhou:''' Tianmu Lake casserole fish head, Liyang zha-gan (pork and offal wrapped with dried tofu), silver-thread noodles, sesame cake and Liyang black rice.
* '''Suzhou:''' squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, Aozao noodles, Fengzhen pork noodles, three-shrimp noodles, Suzhou-style pastries and seasonal Taihu-area freshwater dishes.
* '''Nantong:''' Haimen goat, razor clams and other coastal shellfish, Langshan chicken, white-braised river fish, crab-roe soup dumplings and local baked cakes.
* '''Lianyungang:''' coastal seafood, stir-fried cuttlefish, sea urchin and laver preparations, Guanyun dou-dan (a local insect-larva food), fish-soup noodles and Banpu mung-bean jelly.
* '''Huai’an:''' soft-simmered rice-field eel, Pingqiao tofu, bulrush dishes, Qingong meatballs, Xuyi crayfish, Wenlou soup dumplings, tea fritters and Huai’an spicy soup.
* '''Yancheng:''' Dongtai fish soup noodles, rice dumplings, seafood and freshwater crab dishes, Yancheng-style braised goose, Funing layered cake and Wuyou twisted pastries.
* '''Yangzhou:''' Yangzhou fried rice, lion’s head meatballs, boiled shredded tofu, Wensi tofu soup, three-nested duck, shrimp-seed wontons, three-cube buns and layered oil cake. Yangzhou was named a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2019.<ref name="yangzhou-unesco">UNESCO, [https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-designates-66-new-creative-cities-including-valparaiso-chile Creative Cities designation announcement, 30 October 2019].</ref>
* '''Zhenjiang:''' crystal salted pork hock, Zhenjiang vinegar ribs, river fish dishes, Yangzhong pufferfish, crab-roe soup dumplings and pot-cover noodles.
* '''Taizhou:''' five-spice dried tofu, Qintong lake foods, braised river eel, crab-roe lion’s head and Huangqiao sesame flatbread.
* '''Suqian:''' Huangou pig’s head, Hongze/Sihong lake crab, fish-head dumplings, Xincheng-style lamb and local baked pastries. Suqian is associated with the Yanghe and Shuangou baijiu distilleries.<ref name="suqian-liquor">Jiangsu Provincial Committee News, [https://www.zgjssw.gov.cn/shixianchuanzhen/suqian/202304/t20230421_7910703.shtml Suqian’s brewing history and Yanghe and Shuangou]; Ministry of Commerce, [https://lzhbwg.mofcom.gov.cn/edi_ecms_web_front/thb/detail/051ff1519af84643a6874847b15d268e Yanghe heritage profile].</ref>


Jinling snacks are one of the Four Great Snacks of China, ranking first among them. With a long history, unique flavors, and diverse varieties, they have been passed down since the Six Dynasties period, spanning over a thousand years and comprising over a hundred varieties. Famous snacks include both savory and sweet items, with various shapes. The Qinhuai River-Fuzimiao (Confucius Temple) area is a representative hub, where Fuzimiao Qinhuai snacks are characterized by delicate craftsmanship, beautiful presentation, carefully selected ingredients, and unique flavors. Besides Fuzimiao, areas like Hunan Road, Xinjiekou, Chaotian Palace, Changle Road, Shanxi Road, Zhongyang Gate, Huimin Bridge, and Yanzi矶 have also gradually formed concentrations of snack stalls.
The 2019 association list supplies further city-by-city examples, including several dishes and wheat or rice snacks not repeated in the short guide above.<ref name="city-list" />


=== Huaiyang Cuisine (Huáiyáng cài) ===
== Su cuisine and regional styles ==
Huaiyang cuisine is represented by Yangzhou and Huaian. It is mainly popular along the Grand Canal, extending south to Zhenjiang, north to Hongze Lake and the Huai River area, and east to the coastal region. It is referred to as "State Cuisine" (国菜) alongside the Kongfu cuisine of Shandong.
Su cuisine is a broad culinary family rather than a single fixed menu. Huaiyang cooking is associated especially with Yangzhou and Huai’an; Jinling cooking with Nanjing; Su-Xi with the Taihu region; and Xuhai with Xuzhou and northern Jiangsu. Jiangsu government and local-history sources describe Huaiyang’s regional connections and the role of Huai’an and Yangzhou in the name.<ref name="styles" />


Within the entire Su cuisine system, Huaiyang cuisine possesses both the fresh, crisp, and tender characteristics of Southern dishes and integrates the salty, colored, and rich characteristics of Northern dishes, forming its own style that is moderately sweet and salty, with a hint of sweetness in the salty taste. Huaiyang cuisine features the most meticulous knife skills; a piece of dried tofu 2 cm thick can be sliced into 30 thin pieces, and shredded finer than hair. Cold dish preparation and plating techniques are extremely demanding. Even seemingly simple techniques like "fan-shaped three-piece" (扇面三拼), involving detailed slicing and arrangement, require immense skill. The meticulous knife work, skillful plating, combined with appropriate color coordination, make Huaiyang cuisine resemble intricately carved artwork.
Across these traditions, representative preparations include braising, simmering, steaming, stir-frying and careful handling of broths and seasonal ingredients. Dishes such as boiled shredded tofu and Wensi tofu are associated with fine knife work; Jiangsu cooking also includes robust local dishes and everyday noodle, rice and snack traditions. These techniques and flavor descriptions vary by place and dish rather than defining every Jiangsu meal.<ref name="knife-work">Huai’an Municipal CPPCC, [https://zx.huaian.gov.cn/col/14068_734855/art/17329824/17337274068917ej5ySPG.html discussion of seasonal ingredients and Huaiyang knife work]; Huaiyin District Government, [https://www.zghy.gov.cn/col/943_813862/art/d40b2be3b46e413d83e6b63106d0add1.html Su cuisine characteristics].</ref>


=== Suxi Cuisine (Sūxī cài) ===
== Street food, breakfast and snacks ==
Suxi cuisine covers the Suzhou and Wuxi areas, extending west to Changzhou and east to Shanghai. It is similar to Zhejiang cuisine and the Southern Anhui and Yangtze River styles of [[Anhui Food|Anhui cuisine]]. Some experts believe Southern Jiangsu cuisine should belong to Zhejiang cuisine. The biggest difference between Southern Jiangsu cuisine and Zhejiang cuisine is that Southern Jiangsu cuisine is sweeter, especially in Wuxi. [[Shanghai Food|Shanghai cuisine]], within Southern Jiangsu cuisine, has been greatly influenced by Zhejiang, showing a trend towards becoming a new cuisine called Hù cài in the 21st century.
Street foods and breakfast foods are prominent in city food traditions. Examples include Nanjing duck blood and vermicelli soup, soup dumplings and Qinhuai snacks; Xuzhou sha tang and baked flatbread; Huai’an tea fritters and spicy soup; Yangzhou buns, wontons and layered pastries; Taizhou fish-soup noodles and Huangqiao sesame flatbread; and Suzhou Aozao noodles and market pastries. The provincial city list groups these foods with local dishes and records a much wider selection.<ref name="city-list" />


Its dishes emphasize presentation, focusing on aesthetics with harmonious colors and vibrant shapes. Dishes cooked in clear broth (bai zhi qing dun) are unique, and some dishes incorporate fermented (zao) and red yeast rice (hong qu) flavors, offering a special aroma. The taste is generally sweeter, especially in Wuxi. It is rich but not greasy, subtle but not bland, cooked until tender and falling off the bone while retaining its shape, and tender and crisp while retaining its flavor.
== Noodles, rice and flour foods ==
Jiangsu’s staple foods include rice dishes and wheat-based noodles, dumplings, buns, flatbreads and pastries. Well-known examples include Yangzhou fried rice, Suzhou Aozao and Fengzhen noodles, Dongtai fish soup noodles, Xuzhou baked flatbread, Zhenjiang pot-cover noodles, Huai’an Yangchun noodles and Taizhou fish-soup noodles. Local forms vary by city and county; “Jiangsu noodles” is not a single recipe or style.<ref name="city-list" />


Suzhou snacks are one of the Four Great Snacks of China, offering the largest variety. Main items include spiced soy bean curd, pine nut candy, rose seeds, shrimp roe soy sauce, date paste sesame cakes, lard rice cakes (zhuyou nian gao), xiaolongbao, Suzhou tangbao (soup dumplings), Cangshu lamb, and A灶 noodles (Ao Zao Mian).
== Tea, non-alcoholic drinks and tea foods ==
Regional teas include Suzhou Dongting Biluochun, Nanjing Yuhua tea, Yangzhou Lüyangchun, Yixing black tea and Liyang Tianmu Lake white tea. The traditional processing skills and associated customs of Dongting Biluochun, Yuhua tea and Yangzhou Fuchun tea snacks were included among Jiangsu projects in China’s 2022 UNESCO listing for traditional tea processing techniques and related customs.<ref name="tea-heritage">China Jiangsu Net, [https://jsnews.jschina.com.cn/kjwt/202212/t20221212_3127740.shtml Jiangsu’s Biluochun, Yuhua tea and Fuchun tea-snack projects in the tea-heritage listing]; UNESCO, [https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/traditional-tea-processing-techniques-and-associated-social-practices-in-china-01884 Traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China].</ref>


Wuxi dishes and snacks also emphasize the integration of context in their preparation, with harmonious color schemes and vibrant shapes. Traditional Wuxi dishes like "Mirror Box Tofu," "Taihu Boat Snacks," and "The World's Best Vegetable Dish," innovative dishes like "Phoenix Valley Brocade Chicken" and "Fish and Rice Abundant," and famous Wuxi banquets like the "Xishi Banquet" and "Qianlong Banquet" all incorporate the charm of the Taihu water town, fully reflecting the cultural depth of Wuxi cuisine. They emphasize integration with life, the natural environment, and reality, fully demonstrating the characteristics of Wuxi's food culture: the pursuit of beauty and a high standard.
Tea is also part of local food service: Yangzhou’s morning tea pairs tea with small dishes and pastries, while Suzhou and Nanjing have their own tea snacks and drinking customs. These are regional practices, not a single province-wide tea ceremony.<ref name="tea-heritage" />


=== Xuhai Cuisine (Xúhǎi cài) ===
== Alcohol and fermentation ==
Xuhai cuisine is represented by Xuzhou cuisine. It is popular in the Xuhai and Henan regions, and is relatively close to the Kongfu cuisine of Shandong. It was once considered part of Lu (Shandong) cuisine.
Jiangsu’s alcoholic drinks include Suqian baijiu such as Yanghe and Shuangou, as well as locally made rice wines and sweet fermented rice preparations. Jiangsu’s intangible-heritage register records brewing traditions in multiple localities, including Jintan sealed-jar wine, Yuqi Shuangtao wine, Tongluo yellow rice wine, Houcheng yellow rice wine and Haimen Yisheng wine. These are distinct local products and techniques rather than one uniform Jiangsu wine style.<ref name="wine-heritage">Jiangsu Provincial Government, [https://www.jiangsu.gov.cn/art/2011/9/2/art_46788_2680472.html provincial intangible cultural heritage list, including traditional brewing skills]; National Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum, [https://www.ihchina.cn/project_details/14598 traditional sealed-jar wine brewing in Jintan]; Jiangsu Provincial Committee News, [https://www.zgjssw.gov.cn/shixianchuanzhen/suqian/202304/t20230421_7910703.shtml Suqian distilling].</ref>


Xuhai cuisine is moderately fresh and salty, favoring the five pungent flavors (onion, garlic, chives, ginger, mustard) and respecting all five tastes; it is clear but not bland, rich but not heavy. Regardless of the ingredients used, its dishes pay attention to "food therapy" and "food tonic" effects. Additionally, Xuzhou cuisine often uses large crabs and dog meat, with the "Whole Dog Banquet" being particularly famous. Cooking techniques often include boiling, pan-frying, and deep-frying. Representative Xuhai dishes include: 霸王别姬 (Bàwáng bié jī), 沛公狗肉 (Pèi gōng gǒu ròu), and 彭城鱼丸 (Péngchéng yúwán).
== Ingredients, condiments and regional products ==
Local cooking draws on rice and wheat, river and lake fish, shellfish, crabs, water plants, poultry, pork and seasonal vegetables. The city food list includes Taihu fish, coastal shellfish, Huai’an bulrush, Xuyi crayfish and dishes made with local river and lake produce. Regional products and protected names include Zhenjiang aromatic vinegar, Suzhou-area Yangcheng Lake hairy crab, Nanjing salted duck and rice and tea products. A product’s protected geographical name applies to its defined production area; it does not mean every similarly named food comes from that area.<ref name="regional-products">Suzhou Municipal Government, [https://www.suzhou.gov.cn/szsrmzf/mszx/202509/f79b288557964e0abed343fcbbb86e85.shtml Yangcheng Lake crab’s designated geographical-indication area]; Jiangsu Provincial Committee News, [https://www.zgjssw.gov.cn/shixianchuanzhen/zhenjiang/202208/t20220825_7671834.shtml Zhenjiang vinegar’s geographical-indication protection]; China Jiangsu Net, [https://jsnews.jschina.com.cn/shms/201910/t20191024_2411898.shtml regional ingredients and dishes by city].</ref>


All regional styles have undergone development and change. Huaiyang cuisine has become slightly sweeter from being mild, seemingly influenced by Suxi cuisine. Suxi cuisine, especially Suzhou cuisine, has shifted from a sweeter taste to a milder one, influenced by Huaiyang cuisine. Xuhai cuisine has significantly reduced its saltiness and its colors have become more elegant and lighter, aligning with Huaiyang cuisine.
== Food brands and named regional products ==
Several Jiangsu food names are tied to established producers or place-based protection systems. Suqian is home to the Yanghe and Shuangou distilleries; Zhenjiang’s vinegar industry includes Hengshun, a long-established producer associated with the city’s vinegar-making tradition. Dongting Biluochun, Yuhua tea, Yangcheng Lake hairy crab and Nanjing salted duck are regional products whose names point to particular places or production traditions. This short list identifies examples for further reading, not a ranking of companies or a guarantee that a product is made in a particular district; check the applicable geographical-indication label and production area.<ref name="named-products">Ministry of Commerce, [https://lzhbwg.mofcom.gov.cn/edi_ecms_web_front/thb/detail/051ff1519af84643a6874847b15d268e Yanghe and Shuangou heritage profile]; China Jiangsu Net, [https://tour.jschina.com.cn/lyzx/202410/t20241024_3515652.shtml Hengshun vinegar-making and Zhenjiang vinegar]; Suzhou Municipal Government, [https://www.suzhou.gov.cn/szsrmzf/mszx/202509/f79b288557964e0abed343fcbbb86e85.shtml protected Yangcheng Lake crab production area]; China Jiangsu Net, [https://jsnews.jschina.com.cn/kjwt/202212/t20221212_3127740.shtml tea-making traditions].</ref>


 
== Cooking techniques and food crafts ==
For further reading, see the English Wikipedia overview.<ref name="wp">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiangsu_cuisine English Wikipedia]</ref>
Knife work, stock and broth preparation, braising, simmering, steaming, noodle making, pastry shaping, tea processing and fermentation are all represented in Jiangsu food traditions. Huaiyang sources specifically discuss seasonal ingredient selection and fine slicing; documented craft traditions also include Biluochun and Yuhua tea processing, Fuchun tea snacks and several local rice-wine methods.<ref name="knife-work" /><ref name="tea-heritage" /><ref name="wine-heritage" />


== See also ==
== See also ==
* [[Crispy Fragrant Duck]]
* [[Nanjing Salted Duck]]
* [[Duck Blood and Vermicelli Soup]]
* [[Duck Blood and Vermicelli Soup]]
* [[Stir-fried Nian Gao]]
* [[Mung Bean Cake]]
* [[Ba Bao Fan]]
* [[Yangfang Cang Yu]]
* [[Kaofu]]
* [[Drunk Chicken]], [[Drunk Crab]]
* [[Wuxi Spare Ribs]]
* [[Wuxi Spare Ribs]]
* [[Nanjing Salted Duck]]
* [[Liangxi Crispy Eel]]
* [[Bawang Bie Ji]]
* [[Squirrel Mandarin Fish]]
 
* [[Lion's Head Meatballs]]
* [[Three-Nested Duck]]
* [[Boiled Shredded Tofu]]
* [[Crystal Salted Pork Hock]]
* [[Chinese Food Map]]
* [[Anhui Food]]
* [[Anhui Food]]
* [[Shandong Food]]
* [[Shandong Food]]
* [[Shanghai Food]]
* [[Shanghai Food]]
* [[Zhejiang Food]]
* [[Zhejiang Food]]
* [[Chinese Food Map]]
* [[Hunan Food]]
* [[Chinese Candy]]
* [[Chinese Snack]]


== References ==
== References ==
 
<references />
{{reflist}}

Latest revision as of 19:07, 26 September 2026


Jiangsu Food
江苏美食 / 江蘇美食
Jiāngsū měishí
JiangSu.jpg
Food traditions across Jiangsu
Level Province
Parent area China
Capital / seat Nanjing
Cuisine Su cuisine (苏菜), including Huaiyang, Jinling, Su-Xi and Xuhai traditions
Last verified 2026-09-26
Foods
Representative dishes Nanjing Salted Duck, Squirrel Mandarin Fish, Wuxi Spare Ribs, Lion's Head Meatballs, Crystal Salted Pork Hock
Snacks Duck blood and vermicelli soup, Aozao noodles, Yangzhou breakfast foods, Xuzhou sha tang
Ingredients and drinks
Condiments and ingredients freshwater fish, river and lake produce, rice, wheat, seasonal vegetables, soy and vinegar
Tea and drinks Dongting Biluochun, Nanjing Yuhua tea, Yangzhou Lüyangchun, Yanghe and Shuangou spirits
Recognition
Intangible heritage Huaiyang knife skills, traditional tea-making, rice-wine brewing and regional pastry crafts
More
Foods
Representative dishesNanjing Salted Duck, Squirrel Mandarin Fish, Wuxi Spare Ribs, Lion's Head Meatballs, Crystal Salted Pork Hock
SnacksDuck blood and vermicelli soup, Aozao noodles, Yangzhou breakfast foods, Xuzhou sha tang
Ingredients and drinks
Condiments and ingredientsfreshwater fish, river and lake produce, rice, wheat, seasonal vegetables, soy and vinegar
Tea and drinksDongting Biluochun, Nanjing Yuhua tea, Yangzhou Lüyangchun, Yanghe and Shuangou spirits
Recognition
Intangible heritageHuaiyang knife skills, traditional tea-making, rice-wine brewing and regional pastry crafts

Jiangsu Food covers Su cuisine (苏菜) and the wider food traditions of Jiangsu Province. It includes the cooking of the Yangtze and Huai river regions, Taihu Lake, the Grand Canal corridor and the coast, as well as street snacks, noodles, tea, alcoholic drinks, ingredients and food-making crafts. The selections below are examples documented in regional food lists, not a ranking or a complete inventory.[1]

Jiangsu’s regional cuisine is often described through Jinling (Nanjing), Huaiyang, Su-Xi (Suzhou–Wuxi) and Xuhai (Xuzhou-area) traditions. These labels are useful guides; boundaries and classifications vary across culinary sources and do not describe every local food tradition.[2]

Jiangsu Food by City

The city entries collect selected local dishes, snacks and staple foods. Many recipes travel across city and county boundaries; the place names identify well-known associations rather than exclusive origins.[1]

  • Nanjing: Jinling salted duck, duck blood and vermicelli soup, duck-oil crisp biscuits, soup dumplings, sugar taro seedlings and Qinhuai snack assortments. Nanjing’s official historical account documents a broad duck-cooking tradition, while the Jiangsu food list also names salted duck and local snacks.[3]
  • Wuxi: Wuxi-style soy-braised ribs, Liangxi crispy eel, mirror-box tofu, Taihu fish dishes, Wuxi steamed buns and osmanthus taro.
  • Xuzhou: ground-pot chicken, lamb soup, sha tang (savory wheat-and-meat soup), lamb hidden with fish, lamb dishes and baked flatbread.
  • Changzhou: Tianmu Lake casserole fish head, Liyang zha-gan (pork and offal wrapped with dried tofu), silver-thread noodles, sesame cake and Liyang black rice.
  • Suzhou: squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, Aozao noodles, Fengzhen pork noodles, three-shrimp noodles, Suzhou-style pastries and seasonal Taihu-area freshwater dishes.
  • Nantong: Haimen goat, razor clams and other coastal shellfish, Langshan chicken, white-braised river fish, crab-roe soup dumplings and local baked cakes.
  • Lianyungang: coastal seafood, stir-fried cuttlefish, sea urchin and laver preparations, Guanyun dou-dan (a local insect-larva food), fish-soup noodles and Banpu mung-bean jelly.
  • Huai’an: soft-simmered rice-field eel, Pingqiao tofu, bulrush dishes, Qingong meatballs, Xuyi crayfish, Wenlou soup dumplings, tea fritters and Huai’an spicy soup.
  • Yancheng: Dongtai fish soup noodles, rice dumplings, seafood and freshwater crab dishes, Yancheng-style braised goose, Funing layered cake and Wuyou twisted pastries.
  • Yangzhou: Yangzhou fried rice, lion’s head meatballs, boiled shredded tofu, Wensi tofu soup, three-nested duck, shrimp-seed wontons, three-cube buns and layered oil cake. Yangzhou was named a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2019.[4]
  • Zhenjiang: crystal salted pork hock, Zhenjiang vinegar ribs, river fish dishes, Yangzhong pufferfish, crab-roe soup dumplings and pot-cover noodles.
  • Taizhou: five-spice dried tofu, Qintong lake foods, braised river eel, crab-roe lion’s head and Huangqiao sesame flatbread.
  • Suqian: Huangou pig’s head, Hongze/Sihong lake crab, fish-head dumplings, Xincheng-style lamb and local baked pastries. Suqian is associated with the Yanghe and Shuangou baijiu distilleries.[5]

The 2019 association list supplies further city-by-city examples, including several dishes and wheat or rice snacks not repeated in the short guide above.[1]

Su cuisine and regional styles

Su cuisine is a broad culinary family rather than a single fixed menu. Huaiyang cooking is associated especially with Yangzhou and Huai’an; Jinling cooking with Nanjing; Su-Xi with the Taihu region; and Xuhai with Xuzhou and northern Jiangsu. Jiangsu government and local-history sources describe Huaiyang’s regional connections and the role of Huai’an and Yangzhou in the name.[2]

Across these traditions, representative preparations include braising, simmering, steaming, stir-frying and careful handling of broths and seasonal ingredients. Dishes such as boiled shredded tofu and Wensi tofu are associated with fine knife work; Jiangsu cooking also includes robust local dishes and everyday noodle, rice and snack traditions. These techniques and flavor descriptions vary by place and dish rather than defining every Jiangsu meal.[6]

Street food, breakfast and snacks

Street foods and breakfast foods are prominent in city food traditions. Examples include Nanjing duck blood and vermicelli soup, soup dumplings and Qinhuai snacks; Xuzhou sha tang and baked flatbread; Huai’an tea fritters and spicy soup; Yangzhou buns, wontons and layered pastries; Taizhou fish-soup noodles and Huangqiao sesame flatbread; and Suzhou Aozao noodles and market pastries. The provincial city list groups these foods with local dishes and records a much wider selection.[1]

Noodles, rice and flour foods

Jiangsu’s staple foods include rice dishes and wheat-based noodles, dumplings, buns, flatbreads and pastries. Well-known examples include Yangzhou fried rice, Suzhou Aozao and Fengzhen noodles, Dongtai fish soup noodles, Xuzhou baked flatbread, Zhenjiang pot-cover noodles, Huai’an Yangchun noodles and Taizhou fish-soup noodles. Local forms vary by city and county; “Jiangsu noodles” is not a single recipe or style.[1]

Tea, non-alcoholic drinks and tea foods

Regional teas include Suzhou Dongting Biluochun, Nanjing Yuhua tea, Yangzhou Lüyangchun, Yixing black tea and Liyang Tianmu Lake white tea. The traditional processing skills and associated customs of Dongting Biluochun, Yuhua tea and Yangzhou Fuchun tea snacks were included among Jiangsu projects in China’s 2022 UNESCO listing for traditional tea processing techniques and related customs.[7]

Tea is also part of local food service: Yangzhou’s morning tea pairs tea with small dishes and pastries, while Suzhou and Nanjing have their own tea snacks and drinking customs. These are regional practices, not a single province-wide tea ceremony.[7]

Alcohol and fermentation

Jiangsu’s alcoholic drinks include Suqian baijiu such as Yanghe and Shuangou, as well as locally made rice wines and sweet fermented rice preparations. Jiangsu’s intangible-heritage register records brewing traditions in multiple localities, including Jintan sealed-jar wine, Yuqi Shuangtao wine, Tongluo yellow rice wine, Houcheng yellow rice wine and Haimen Yisheng wine. These are distinct local products and techniques rather than one uniform Jiangsu wine style.[8]

Ingredients, condiments and regional products

Local cooking draws on rice and wheat, river and lake fish, shellfish, crabs, water plants, poultry, pork and seasonal vegetables. The city food list includes Taihu fish, coastal shellfish, Huai’an bulrush, Xuyi crayfish and dishes made with local river and lake produce. Regional products and protected names include Zhenjiang aromatic vinegar, Suzhou-area Yangcheng Lake hairy crab, Nanjing salted duck and rice and tea products. A product’s protected geographical name applies to its defined production area; it does not mean every similarly named food comes from that area.[9]

Food brands and named regional products

Several Jiangsu food names are tied to established producers or place-based protection systems. Suqian is home to the Yanghe and Shuangou distilleries; Zhenjiang’s vinegar industry includes Hengshun, a long-established producer associated with the city’s vinegar-making tradition. Dongting Biluochun, Yuhua tea, Yangcheng Lake hairy crab and Nanjing salted duck are regional products whose names point to particular places or production traditions. This short list identifies examples for further reading, not a ranking of companies or a guarantee that a product is made in a particular district; check the applicable geographical-indication label and production area.[10]

Cooking techniques and food crafts

Knife work, stock and broth preparation, braising, simmering, steaming, noodle making, pastry shaping, tea processing and fermentation are all represented in Jiangsu food traditions. Huaiyang sources specifically discuss seasonal ingredient selection and fine slicing; documented craft traditions also include Biluochun and Yuhua tea processing, Fuchun tea snacks and several local rice-wine methods.[6][7][8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 China Jiangsu Net, “Jiangsu’s 13 Prefecture-Level Cities Publish Landmark Foods”. The 2019 list was assembled from recommendations by municipal catering associations, consumer surveys and expert review; names are retained here as a reference selection, not a current ranking.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Huaiyin District Government, overview of Su cuisine styles and representative dishes; Jiangsu Provincial Local Records Office, discussion of the Huaiyang name and region.
  3. ↑ Nanjing Municipal Local Records Office, “Nanjing Memories: How Much Did People in Dream of the Red Chamber Like Duck?”; China Jiangsu Net, Nanjing foods and snack selections.
  4. ↑ UNESCO, Creative Cities designation announcement, 30 October 2019.
  5. ↑ Jiangsu Provincial Committee News, Suqian’s brewing history and Yanghe and Shuangou; Ministry of Commerce, Yanghe heritage profile.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Huai’an Municipal CPPCC, discussion of seasonal ingredients and Huaiyang knife work; Huaiyin District Government, Su cuisine characteristics.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 China Jiangsu Net, Jiangsu’s Biluochun, Yuhua tea and Fuchun tea-snack projects in the tea-heritage listing; UNESCO, Traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jiangsu Provincial Government, provincial intangible cultural heritage list, including traditional brewing skills; National Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum, traditional sealed-jar wine brewing in Jintan; Jiangsu Provincial Committee News, Suqian distilling.
  9. ↑ Suzhou Municipal Government, Yangcheng Lake crab’s designated geographical-indication area; Jiangsu Provincial Committee News, Zhenjiang vinegar’s geographical-indication protection; China Jiangsu Net, regional ingredients and dishes by city.
  10. ↑ Ministry of Commerce, Yanghe and Shuangou heritage profile; China Jiangsu Net, Hengshun vinegar-making and Zhenjiang vinegar; Suzhou Municipal Government, protected Yangcheng Lake crab production area; China Jiangsu Net, tea-making traditions.
Retrieved from "https://www.chinesefoodwiki.org/index.php?title=Jiangsu_Food&oldid=3068"