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'''Anhui Food''' covers the varied food traditions of Anhui Province, including Hui cuisine (徽菜), the region's best-known named culinary tradition. The terms ''Anhui food'' and ''Hui cuisine'' overlap, but are not exact synonyms: Hui cuisine developed in historic Huizhou, a six-county area that today lies across southern Anhui and Wuyuan County in Jiangxi.<ref name="ich-hui">[https://www.ihchina.cn/project_details/23584.html Hui Cuisine Cooking Techniques], China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum.</ref>
'''Anhui Food''' spans the cooking of the Huai River plain, the Yangtze corridor, the Dabie Mountains and historic Huizhou. A breakfast of wheat noodles in northern Anhui, tofu and beef soup around Huainan, and fermented fish or baked pastries in the south show how much this one province contains.<ref name="ah-four-regions">[https://www.ctnews.com.cn/zt/content/2022-04/15/content_122353.html “A Taste of Anhui” food map], China Tourism News, reporting on the Anhui provincial culture and tourism food program.</ref>


Hui cuisine is commonly counted among China's Eight Great Cuisines, and its cooking techniques were added to China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2021.<ref name="mct-eight">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zwgk/public/6615714/11339683.html Third China (Huangshan) Hui Cuisine Food Carnival and Industry Development Conference], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref><ref name="ich-hui" /> Anhui's food map is broader than Hui cuisine alone: local specialties from places such as Hefei, Sanhe and Huainan have their own ingredients and foodways.
Hui cuisine (徽菜) is Anhui's best-known named culinary tradition, and is commonly counted among China's Eight Great Cuisines.<ref name="mct-eight">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zwgk/public/6615714/11339683.html Third China (Huangshan) Hui Cuisine Food Carnival and Industry Development Conference], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref> It developed in historic Huizhou, whose six counties now lie across southern Anhui and Wuyuan in Jiangxi. ''Anhui food'' therefore includes Hui cuisine without treating every food in the province as a Huizhou dish.<ref name="ich-hui">[https://www.ihchina.cn/project_details/23584.html Hui Cuisine Cooking Techniques], China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum.</ref>


{{Food hub cards
== Introduction ==
|link1=#Regional food traditions |label1=Regions |desc1=Local foodways across Anhui
|link2=#Historic Huizhou and southern Anhui |label2=Historic Huizhou |desc2=Southern Anhui traditions
|link3=#Hefei and the Jianghuai area |label3=Hefei and Sanhe |desc3=Central Anhui specialties
|link4=#Huainan and the Huai River area |label4=Huainan |desc4=Local soup and tofu
|link5=#Ingredients and cooking methods |label5=Cooking |desc5=Ingredients and techniques
|link6=#Representative dishes and local foods |label6=Local dishes |desc6=Signature Anhui foods
|link7=#History and recognition |label7=Food heritage |desc7=Trade and tradition
|link8=Chinese Food Map |label8=Food map |desc8=Explore food across China
}}


== Regional food traditions ==
Anhui lies between northern wheat-growing areas and the wetter river valleys and mountain districts of the south. Local ingredients and everyday meals change across that landscape: noodles and stuffed flatbreads appear prominently in northern city selections; Hefei and Huainan have their own goose, rice, soup and tofu specialties; Wuhu's snack shops and Huangshan's Hui cooking tell different stories again.<ref name="ah-200-food">[https://www.shucheng.gov.cn/group3/M00/2D/8D/wKgSG2I2sl-AGT9_AATZfa0hvNU709.pdf First Anhui “Must-Try” Specialty Foods and Snacks selection (200 items)], Anhui provincial tourism selection, reproduced by Shucheng County Government.</ref>


Anhui stretches from the Huai River plain in the north to the Yangtze basin and the mountain country of the south. The names below are a practical guide to local food traditions, not a claim that every town belongs to one rigid culinary school.
For a first taste, begin with [[Stinky Mandarin Fish|Huizhou stinky mandarin fish]], Huainan beef soup, Sanhe rice dumplings, Taihe banmian and Wuhu shrimp-roe noodles. The city guide below covers all 16 prefecture-level cities, while the later sections follow the foods people buy at bakeries, tea shops and markets.<ref name="ah-200-food" />


=== Historic Huizhou and southern Anhui ===
== Origin ==


Hui cuisine's historical home is the mountainous Huizhou region. The landscape of hills, narrow valleys and a mild, rainy climate supplied varied plant and animal ingredients; local food traditions also developed alongside household customs, seasonal life and the movement of Huizhou merchants.<ref name="ich-hui" /> Today, many of the best-known Hui dishes are associated with Huangshan, She County, Jixi and other communities in southern Anhui. Wuyuan, also part of historic Huizhou, is now in Jiangxi.
Hui cuisine grew from the foodways of historic Huizhou, an area associated today with Huangshan, She County, Jixi and Wuyuan. The mountainous environment supplied bamboo shoots, wild greens and freshwater ingredients, while households developed ways of salting, curing and fermenting foods. Huizhou merchants also carried local cooking beyond the region.<ref name="ich-hui" /><ref name="huangshan-techniques">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zjhs/rwhz/hc/8294043.html Hui Cuisine Cooking Characteristics], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref>


=== Hefei and the Jianghuai area ===
The historical Huizhou area crosses today's provincial boundary: Wuyuan is in Jiangxi, and Jixi is in Anhui's Xuancheng municipality. This history explains why the culinary name ''Hui'' does not map neatly onto every modern administrative border.<ref name="ich-hui" />


Hefei and nearby towns have specialties distinct from the Huizhou dishes most often used to represent Hui cuisine. Sanhe, a historic town in Feixi County, is associated with Sanhe rice dumplings and Sanhe shrimp paste; local descriptions also mention these among the area's traditional breakfast and food customs.<ref name="hefei-food">[https://www.hfyaohai.gov.cn/mlyh/yhgl/msmf/10909099.html Food Customs], Yaohai District Government, Hefei.</ref> Luzhou roast duck and Wushan imperial goose are among foods featured in official Anhui visitor guides.<ref name="mct-visitor">[https://www.mct.gov.cn/preview/special/9160/llxl/202009/t20200923_875332.htm Anhui cultural-tourism food guide], Ministry of Culture and Tourism.</ref>
== Culture ==


=== Huainan and the Huai River area ===
Family meals, seasonal ingredients, travel and trade all shaped the regional repertoire. Huizhou merchant activity helped spread dishes and restaurants associated with their home region. Modern food tourism highlights both that culinary heritage and the separate traditions of Anhui's towns and counties.<ref name="ich-hui" /><ref name="ah-four-regions" />


Huainan is known for beef soup and tofu foods. The municipal government lists Huainan beef soup as a local specialty, while the city's agriculture bureau describes Bagongshan tofu as a product associated with the Huainan area.<ref name="huainan-soup">[https://www.huainan.gov.cn/zjhn/hntc/1259063166.html Huainan Beef Soup], Huainan Municipal Government.</ref><ref name="bagongshan-tofu">[https://nyncj.huainan.gov.cn/mycp/551759640.html Bagongshan Tofu], Huainan Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau.</ref> These examples help show why a page about all Anhui food should not treat every dish as a Huizhou recipe.
There is no single meal that represents the whole province. A layered Yipin pot is associated with Huizhou; a bowl of beef soup is strongly tied to Huainan; and Wuhu's soup buns and shrimp-roe noodles are familiar city snacks. Each deserves its own local context.<ref name="yipin-pot">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/site/tpl/4636?id=19735&type=food Huifu Yipin Pot], Huangshan Municipal Government, Culture and Tourism Bureau.</ref><ref name="huainan-soup">[https://www.huainan.gov.cn/zjhn/hntc/1259063166.html Huainan Beef Soup], Huainan Municipal Government.</ref><ref name="wuhu-snacks">[https://ct.wuhu.gov.cn/xwzx/bmyw/8267834.html Wuhu dishes selected as Anhui signatures], Wuhu Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau.</ref>


== Ingredients and cooking methods ==
== Characteristics ==


Traditional Hui cooking makes careful use of heat and is known for braising, stewing and steaming. Historical descriptions of the cuisine also emphasize oil, color and fire control: these refer to the flavoring and texture of particular regional cooking traditions, rather than a rule that every modern Hui dish must be oily or dark.<ref name="huangshan-techniques">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zjhs/rwhz/hc/8294043.html Hui Cuisine Cooking Characteristics], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref>
Traditional Hui cooking pays close attention to heat and often uses braising, stewing and steaming. Older descriptions emphasize oil, color and control of the fire, but these describe certain dishes and cooking styles rather than a fixed rule for all modern Anhui meals.<ref name="huangshan-techniques" />


The historic Huizhou repertoire draws on mountain and valley produce and on methods that preserve ingredients for later use. Fermented mandarin fish and fermented tofu are two very different examples: one brings a pronounced aroma to freshwater fish, while the other transforms the texture of tofu. Bamboo shoots, cured foods and slow-cooked combinations also appear in local dishes.<ref name="ich-hui" /><ref name="huangshan-techniques" />
Fermentation and preservation are especially visible in well-known Huizhou foods: stinky mandarin fish is salted and aged before cooking; Mao tofu develops a white surface growth during fermentation; and cured pork, preserved greens and bamboo shoots appear in other southern Anhui dishes.<ref name="stinky-fish">[https://lzhbwg.mofcom.gov.cn/edi_ecms_web_front/thb/detail/5ce9832c72c5409ca8875336796958db Ziyun Restaurant], China Time-honored Brand Digital Museum, Ministry of Commerce.</ref><ref name="mao-tofu">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zwgk/public/6615714/11237125.html Huizhou Mao Tofu], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref><ref name="ah-200-food" />


== Representative dishes and local foods ==
== History ==


The table highlights foods tied to different parts of Anhui. It is a selection, not an exhaustive list: an Anhui provincial cultural-tourism selection reviewed signature dishes at provincial, city and county levels, reflecting the range of local foodways.<ref name="mct-dishes">[https://www.mct.gov.cn/whzx/qgwhxxlb/ah/202102/t20210208_921444.htm Results of the Anhui Food: 100 Cities, 1,000 Flavors Selection], Ministry of Culture and Tourism.</ref>
The history of Anhui food includes the regional development of Hui cuisine and the growth of distinct foods around the Huai River, the Yangtze and the Dabie Mountains. Accounts of particular dishes sometimes connect them with historical figures; those stories should be read as food lore unless historical evidence supports a specific invention claim.


{| class="wikitable"
Hui cuisine cooking techniques were added to China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2021. The listing recognizes a culinary practice rooted in Huizhou culture; it does not turn all of Anhui's local foods into one recipe tradition.<ref name="ich-hui" />
! Dish
! Local association
! Description
|-
| [[Stinky Mandarin Fish]] (臭鳜鱼)
| Historic Huizhou; Huangshan
| Freshwater mandarin fish is salted and aged to develop its characteristic aroma, then cooked as a savory dish. It is one of the best-known foods associated with Hui cooking.<ref name="stinky-fish">[https://lzhbwg.mofcom.gov.cn/edi_ecms_web_front/thb/detail/5ce9832c72c5409ca8875336796958db Ziyun Restaurant], China Time-honored Brand Digital Museum, Ministry of Commerce.</ref>
|-
| Mao tofu (毛豆腐)
| Huizhou and Huangshan
| Tofu is fermented until a white growth forms on the surface, then commonly pan-fried or fried and seasoned.<ref name="mao-tofu">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zwgk/public/6615714/11237125.html Huizhou Mao Tofu], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref>
|-
| Huifu Yipin Pot (徽府一品锅)
| Huangshan and Huizhou
| A layered casserole of meats, tofu and other ingredients, slowly simmered; it is described locally as a winter favorite.<ref name="yipin-pot">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/site/tpl/4636?id=19735&type=food Huifu Yipin Pot], Huangshan Municipal Government, Culture and Tourism Bureau.</ref>
|-
| Wenzheng Mountain bamboo shoots (问政山笋)
| She County
| A traditional Huizhou dish made by braising bamboo shoots from Wenzheng Mountain.<ref name="wenzheng">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zwgk/public/6615714/11585776.html Wenzheng Mountain Bamboo Shoots], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref>
|-
| Huainan beef soup (淮南牛肉汤)
| Huainan
| A local soup specialty whose cooking technique is also included in Huainan's intangible cultural heritage listings.<ref name="huainan-soup" /><ref name="huainan-ich">[https://wlj.huainan.gov.cn/public/118319856/1260564333.html Huainan Municipal Intangible Cultural Heritage List], Huainan Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau.</ref>
|-
| Bagongshan tofu (八公山豆腐)
| Huainan
| A regional tofu product associated with Huainan's long-running soybean and tofu culture.<ref name="bagongshan-tofu" />
|-
| Sanhe rice dumplings and shrimp paste (三河米饺、三河虾糊)
| Sanhe, Feixi County
| Two local foods named in accounts of traditional Sanhe food customs.<ref name="hefei-food" />
|-
| Li Hongzhang chop suey (李鸿章大杂烩)
| Anhui
| A mixed-ingredient dish included in Anhui's cultural-tourism selection of signature foods. Stories linking dishes to historical figures are part of food lore and should not be treated as verified authorship without historical evidence.<ref name="mct-dishes" />
|-
| Luzhou roast duck (庐州烤鸭) and Wushan imperial goose (吴山贡鹅)
| Hefei area
| Roast duck and goose specialties featured in an official Anhui visitor food guide.<ref name="mct-visitor" />
|}


== Cooking skills ==
The same ingredient can lead to very different preparations. A cook may simmer a layered Huizhou casserole slowly, pan-fry fermented Mao tofu, braise mountain bamboo shoots, or make a clear beef soup in Huainan. These techniques are better understood through particular dishes than through a single claim about the province's taste.<ref name="yipin-pot" /><ref name="mao-tofu" /><ref name="wenzheng">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zwgk/public/6615714/11585776.html Wenzheng Mountain Bamboo Shoots], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref><ref name="huainan-soup" />
In baked foods, craft is equally visible. Huangshan shaobing uses flour, preserved greens, meat and sesame; the dough is filled, shaped and baked into a small crisp pastry. County recipes and fillings vary.<ref name="huangshan-shaobing">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zwgk/public/6615714/11719825.html Huangshan shaobing and its local baking tradition], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref>
== Development ==
Anhui's official food programs now document local foods well beyond the classic Hui repertoire. A provincial tourism selection recorded 200 signature foods and snacks—148 dishes and 52 snacks—from all 16 prefecture-level cities, and a separate “100 Cities, 1,000 Flavors” program reviewed provincial, city and county signatures.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="mct-dishes">[https://www.mct.gov.cn/whzx/qgwhxxlb/ah/202102/t20210208_921444.htm Results of the Anhui Food: 100 Cities, 1,000 Flavors Selection], Ministry of Culture and Tourism.</ref>
The selections are useful starting points for discovery. They include famous restaurant dishes, everyday noodles, sauces, teas, sweets and preserved foods; the fact that an item appears in a tourism selection is not proof that it originated in only one town.
== Famous Food ==
=== Fermented flavors of Huizhou ===
'''[[Stinky Mandarin Fish]]''' (臭鳜鱼) is among the best-known Hui dishes. Mandarin fish is salted and aged to develop a distinctive aroma, then cooked into a savory main dish. The name describes the aroma of the prepared fish; it is not a reference to spoiled fish.<ref name="stinky-fish" />
'''Mao tofu''' (毛豆腐) begins with tofu, but fermentation changes its surface and texture. Huangshan's local description notes the white growth that gives the food its name; it is commonly fried or pan-fried before seasoning. Its method and eating experience are separate from Huainan's fresh Bagongshan tofu tradition.<ref name="mao-tofu" /><ref name="bagongshan-tofu">[https://nyncj.huainan.gov.cn/mycp/551759640.html Bagongshan Tofu], Huainan Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau.</ref>
=== Layered pots and mountain ingredients ===
'''Huifu Yipin Pot''' (徽府一品锅) is a layered casserole of meats, tofu and other ingredients simmered together, associated with Huizhou winter meals. '''Wenzheng Mountain bamboo shoots''' (问政山笋) put a local mountain ingredient at the center of a braised dish. Both illustrate Hui cooking's attention to the order and duration of cooking.<ref name="yipin-pot" /><ref name="wenzheng" />
=== Jianghuai and Huai River dishes ===
'''Huainan beef soup''' (淮南牛肉汤) is a city specialty with a recognized local cooking technique. '''Bagongshan tofu''' (八公山豆腐) represents Huainan's soybean and tofu foods; it is an ingredient in many possible preparations, not one fixed dish.<ref name="huainan-soup" /><ref name="huainan-ich">[https://wlj.huainan.gov.cn/public/118319856/1260564333.html Huainan Municipal Intangible Cultural Heritage List], Huainan Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau.</ref><ref name="bagongshan-tofu" />
Around Hefei, '''Sanhe rice dumplings''' (三河米饺) and '''Sanhe shrimp paste''' (三河虾糊) mark the food customs of Sanhe in Feixi County. The wider area also has Luzhou roast duck and Wushan imperial goose. '''Li Hongzhang chop suey''' (李鸿章大杂烩) appears in the province's signature-food selections; its name and associated stories are part of local food culture, while recipes vary.<ref name="hefei-food">[https://www.hfyaohai.gov.cn/mlyh/yhgl/msmf/10909099.html Food Customs], Yaohai District Government, Hefei.</ref><ref name="mct-visitor">[https://www.mct.gov.cn/preview/special/9160/llxl/202009/t20200923_875332.htm Anhui cultural-tourism food guide], Ministry of Culture and Tourism.</ref><ref name="mct-dishes" />


== Anhui food by city ==
== Anhui food by city ==
The province's food culture is often described through four broad cultural regions: southern Anhui, the Yangtze River corridor, central Anhui and northern Anhui. These are useful guides, not rigid borders. A 2021 Anhui tourism selection named 200 signature foods—148 dishes and 52 snacks—from all 16 prefecture-level cities and their counties. The examples below provide a starting index; county dishes and everyday food streets deserve their own deeper coverage.<ref name="ah-200-food">[https://www.shucheng.gov.cn/group3/M00/2D/8D/wKgSG2I2sl-AGT9_AATZfa0hvNU709.pdf First Anhui “Must-Try” Specialty Foods and Snacks selection (200 items)], Anhui provincial tourism selection, reproduced by Shucheng County Government.</ref><ref name="ah-four-regions">[https://www.ctnews.com.cn/zt/content/2022-04/15/content_122353.html “A Taste of Anhui” food map], China Tourism News, reporting on the Anhui provincial culture and tourism food program.</ref>


{| class="wikitable sortable"
The provincial 200-food selection offers a practical way to start exploring all 16 cities. The groupings below follow broad landscapes; they are a reading guide, not hard culinary borders.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="ah-four-regions" />
! City !! Examples in the provincial selection and local guides !! Food notes
 
|-
=== Northern Anhui and the Huai River plain ===
| Hefei || Sanhe rice dumplings (三河米饺), Feixi old hen soup (肥西老母鸡汤), Luzhou duck-oil shaobing (庐州鸭油烧饼), Wushan imperial goose (吴山贡鹅) || Jianghuai home cooking, river-lake ingredients and filling breakfast snacks.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="mct-visitor" />
 
|-
'''Fuyang''' is a good place to begin with wheat foods: Taihe banmian (太和板面), Gela tiao (格拉条) and large pillow-shaped bread (枕头馍) all appear in the provincial selection. Taihe banmian is worked and stretched against a board before being served with a seasoned meat broth. '''Bozhou''' adds beef-stuffed flatbread (牛肉馍) and Guoyang gan-kou noodles (涡阳干扣面), alongside dishes known as Cao Cao chicken and Huatuo ten-herb soup.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="jinzhai-16">[https://www.ahjinzhai.gov.cn/zwzx/mtjz/38178737.html “Treasure Anhui: Every City Has Its Own Set”], Jinzhai County Government, reprinted from Anhui Daily.</ref>
| Huaibei || Zhou-style mianpi (周氏面皮), Linhuan pickled baogua (临涣酱培包瓜), stone-street oil tea (石板街油茶), charcoal-pot dishes || Northern Anhui wheat foods, savory preserved vegetables and hearty hot-pot cooking.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="jinzhai-16">[https://www.ahjinzhai.gov.cn/zwzx/mtjz/38178737.html “Treasure Anhui: Every City Has Its Own Set”], Jinzhai County Government, reprinted from Anhui Daily.</ref>
 
|-
'''Huaibei''' offers mianpi (面皮), Linhuan pickled baogua and the hot charcoal-pot dishes described in an Anhui Daily city guide. In '''Suzhou''', Fuliji roast chicken (符离集烧鸡), Huangzangyu mushroom chicken and Xiao County lamb soup have stronger local identities than a generic label of “Anhui chicken”. '''Bengbu''' brings in the waterways: the selection names Tuo Lake crab, braised river shrimp, river clam with vermicelli and Xueyuan tangyuan.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="jinzhai-16" />
| Bozhou || Cao Cao chicken (曹操鸡), Huatuo ten-herb soup (华佗十全汤), beef-stuffed flatbread (牛肉馍), Guoyang gan-kou noodles (涡阳干扣面) || Wheat-based breakfasts, braised foods and soups are prominent local examples; the article's herbal dish names describe culinary traditions, not medical advice.<ref name="ah-200-food" />
 
|-
=== Jianghuai towns and the Dabie Mountains ===
| Suzhou || Fuliji roast chicken (符离集烧鸡), Huangzangyu mushroom chicken (皇藏峪蘑菇鸡), Xiao County lamb soup (萧县羊肉汤), Dangshan pear dishes (砀山酥梨盏) || Poultry, lamb and wheat-based foods feature among the selected specialties.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="jinzhai-16" />
 
|-
'''Hefei''' connects Sanhe rice dumplings and Feixi old hen soup with snacks such as Luzhou duck-oil shaobing and Wushan goose. Nearby '''Huainan''' is strongly associated with beef soup, Bagongshan tofu and foods of Shouxian, including Dajiujia pastry and tofu pudding.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="huainan-soup" /><ref name="bagongshan-tofu" />
| Bengbu || Tuo Lake crab (沱湖螃蟹), braised river shrimp (红烧蚂虾), river clam with vermicelli (河蚌烧粉丝), Xueyuan tangyuan (雪园汤圆) || The Huai River and its lakes shape a local repertoire of freshwater foods alongside street snacks.<ref name="ah-200-food" />
 
|-
Across eastern Anhui, '''Chuzhou''' has Machang lamb noodles, Qinlan braised goose, Fengyang tofu and Langya sesame brittle. To the west, '''Lu'an''' brings tea and mountain food together: Lu'an Guapian, Jinzhai hanging pot, Wanfo Lake fish head and mugwort rice cakes belong to distinct local settings.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="luan-tea">[https://www.luan.gov.cn/zwzx/dtxx/10670903.html Lu'an tea varieties and tea culture], Lu'an Municipal Government.</ref>
| Fuyang || Taihe banmian (太和板面), Gela tiao (格拉条), pillow-shaped wheat bread (枕头馍), Fuyang fenji (阜阳粉鸡) || A particularly visible wheat-food tradition, including hand-worked noodles and substantial breads.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="jinzhai-16" />
 
|-
=== The Yangtze corridor ===
| Huainan || Huainan beef soup (淮南牛肉汤), Bagongshan tofu (八公山豆腐), Shouxian Dajiujia pastry (寿县大救驾), tofu pudding (一品豆腐花) || Soybean and tofu dishes sit alongside beef soup and foods associated with the old city of Shouzhou.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="huainan-soup" /><ref name="bagongshan-tofu" />
 
|-
'''Wuhu''' has one of the clearest city-snack identities in Anhui's official selections: shrimp-roe noodles, Xiaolong soup buns, radish pastry, fried stinky tofu and red-skin duck appear alongside Wuwei duck. The city's commerce bureau also highlights red-bean fermented-rice drinks, malatang and steamed rice with pork as parts of its wider food scene.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="wuhu-food">[https://swj.wuhu.gov.cn/openness/public/6596631/40337896.html Wuhu local food and snack brands], Wuhu Municipal Commerce Bureau.</ref>
| Chuzhou || Machang lamb noodles (马厂羊肉面), Qinlan braised goose (秦栏卤鹅), Fengyang Hongwu tofu (凤阳洪武豆腐), Langya sesame brittle (琅琊酥糖) || A mix of noodle, goose, tofu and confectionery traditions across eastern Anhui counties.<ref name="ah-200-food" />
 
|-
'''Ma'anshan''' has Caishiji tea-dried tofu, Hanshan sealed fish and Dangtu pork noodles. '''Tongling''' is associated with white ginger and Shun'an sesame brittle, as well as Zongyang rice cakes and fish dishes. In '''Chizhou''', the provincial selection lists chili zha, Jiuhua huangjing cakes, Guichi xiaoba and Qiupu mandarin fish.<ref name="ah-200-food" />
| Lu’an || Jinzhai hanging pot (金寨吊锅), Wanfo Lake fish head (万佛湖清炖鱼头), Lu'an Guapian tea (六安瓜片), mugwort rice cakes (蒿子粑粑) || Dabie Mountain foods include communal stews, freshwater fish, wild greens and tea.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="luan-tea">[https://www.luan.gov.cn/zwzx/dtxx/10670903.html Lu'an tea varieties and tea culture], Lu'an Municipal Government.</ref>
 
|-
'''Anqing''' links a different set of everyday foods and makers: Hu Yumei broad-bean chili sauce, Tongcheng water-banquet dishes, Jiangmao dumplings and Nanmen beef buns. The sauce is both a food product and part of the city's old sauce-making trade.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="huyumei">[https://zhlzh.mofcom.gov.cn/news/getNews/49463 Hu Yumei sauce-making and the Anqing time-honored brands], Ministry of Commerce.</ref>
| Ma'anshan || Caishiji tea-dried tofu (采石矶茶干), Hanshan sealed fish (含山封扁鱼), Dangtu pork noodles (当涂大肉面), Yuncao breakfast foods (运漕早点) || Riverside and county foodways include preserved tofu, fish and noodle breakfasts.<ref name="ah-200-food" />
 
|-
=== Southern Anhui and historic Huizhou ===
| Wuhu || Shrimp-roe noodles (虾籽面), Xiaolong soup buns (小笼汤包), radish pastry (萝卜丝酥烧饼), fried stinky tofu (油炸臭干), red-skin duck (红皮鸭子), Wuwei salted duck (无为板鸭) || A dense street-food tradition accompanies the city's Yangtze River food culture; these snacks are listed together in the provincial selection.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="jinzhai-16" />
 
|-
'''Huangshan''' is associated with Hui classics such as stinky mandarin fish, Mao tofu and layered Yipin pot, but also small baked foods such as Huangshan shaobing, dried Wucheng tofu and Taiping topping noodles. '''Xuancheng''' connects Jixi Ta-guo and Hu Shi Yipin Pot with Shuiyang's preserved duck and tofu foods, Guangde mugwort buns and Jing County braised noodles.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="huangshan-shaobing" />
| Xuancheng || Jixi Ta-guo (绩溪挞馃), Hu Shi Yipin Pot (胡适一品锅), Shuiyang three treasures (水阳三宝), Guangde mugwort buns (广德蒿子馍馍), Jing County braised noodles (泾县焖面) || Southern mountain-county specialties span stuffed flatbreads, layered stews, preserved foods and noodles.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="jinzhai-16" />
|-
| Tongling || Tongling white ginger (铜陵白姜), Shun'an sesame brittle (顺安酥糖), Zongyang rice cakes (枞阳糍粑), red-braised Huayu fish (红烧华鱼) || Ginger is used both as a local agricultural product and as a table food; rice cakes and freshwater fish broaden the picture.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="jinzhai-16" />
|-
| Chizhou || Chizhou chili zha (池州辣椒鲊), Jiuhua huangjing cake (九华黄精饼), Guichi xiaoba (贵池小粑), Qiupu mandarin fish (秋浦花鳜) || Mountain produce, rice snacks and river fish are represented in the provincial selection.<ref name="ah-200-food" />
|-
| Anqing || Hu Yumei broad-bean chili sauce (胡玉美蚕豆辣酱), Tongcheng water banquet (桐城水碗), Jiangmao dumplings (江毛水饺), Nanmen beef buns (大南门牛肉包) || Fermented sauce, banquet dishes and breakfast foods are all part of the city's culinary identity.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="huyumei">[https://zhlzh.mofcom.gov.cn/news/getNews/49463 Hu Yumei sauce-making and the Anqing time-honored brands], Ministry of Commerce.</ref>
|-
| Huangshan || Huizhou stinky mandarin fish (徽州臭鳜鱼), Mao tofu (毛豆腐), Huangshan shaobing (黄山烧饼), Wucheng dried tofu (五城干), Huizhou knife-board cured pork (刀板香), Taiping noodles (太平浇头面) || Historic Huizhou cookery combines fermented and cured foods, mountain produce, pastries and layered dishes.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="huangshan-shaobing">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zwgk/public/6615714/11719825.html Huangshan shaobing and its local baking tradition], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref>
|}


== Street foods, snacks and noodles ==
== Street foods, snacks and noodles ==
Anhui's street-food traditions are not limited to one city. Many are breakfast foods, market snacks or portable foods that travel well between villages and towns.


* '''Noodles:''' Taihe banmian and Gela tiao in Fuyang, shrimp-roe noodles in Wuhu, Guoyang gan-kou noodles in Bozhou, Machang lamb noodles in Chuzhou, Dangtu pork noodles in Ma'anshan, Huainan beef soup with noodles, and Taiping topping noodles in Huangshan are useful starting points for a province-wide noodle map. The official selection also records Feidong loach noodles, Jing County braised noodles and other county-level noodle dishes.<ref name="ah-200-food" />
=== A Wuhu snack route ===
* '''Breads and filled pastries:''' Huangshan shaobing (also called Huizhou baked cake in local sources), Jixi Ta-guo, Bozhou beef flatbread, Mengcheng flaky shaobing, Bengbu shaobing with pork tenderloin, and Suzhou pillow bread show how wheat dough becomes both a meal and a portable snack. Huangshan shaobing traditionally combines flour, preserved greens and sesame in a crisp baked pastry.<ref name="huangshan-shaobing" /><ref name="ah-200-food" />
 
* '''Dumplings and buns:''' Sanhe rice dumplings, Wuhu Xiaolong soup buns, Anqing Jiangmao dumplings and Nanmen beef buns are distinct local specialties; they should not be collapsed into a generic “Anhui dumpling” category.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="hefei-food" />
Wuhu's official food selection names shrimp-roe noodles (虾籽面), Xiaolong soup buns (小笼汤包), radish pastry, fried stinky tofu and red-skin duck together. The city government describes the soup bun's thin wrapper, tender filling and savory broth; the noodles and buns were also among five Wuhu foods selected as provincial signatures. These foods make a more useful city introduction than one generic “street food” label.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="wuhu-buns">[https://amr.wuhu.gov.cn/xwdt/sjdt/8798246.html Wuhu Xiaolong soup buns], Wuhu Municipal Administration for Market Regulation.</ref><ref name="wuhu-snacks" />
* '''Other market and night-market foods:''' Wuhu fried stinky tofu and red-skin duck; Huainan tofu pudding; Huaibei mianpi and stone-street oil tea; Lu'an mugwort rice cakes; and Guangde mugwort buns each deserve dedicated entries when further sources and photographs are available.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="jinzhai-16" />
 
Other Wuhu snacks include malatang, steamed pork with rice and red-bean fermented-rice dessert. They reflect a living city food scene alongside the older restaurant and market specialties.<ref name="wuhu-food" />
 
=== Northern noodles and substantial breads ===
 
Taihe banmian and Fuyang Gela tiao, Bozhou's Guoyang gan-kou noodles, Chuzhou's Machang lamb noodles and Ma'anshan's Dangtu pork noodles belong to different local noodle traditions. The province's food selection also names Feidong loach noodles, Jing County braised noodles and Huangshan's Taiping topping noodles. There is no single standard recipe for “Anhui noodles”.<ref name="ah-200-food" />
 
Bozhou beef flatbread, Mengcheng flaky shaobing, Bengbu shaobing with pork tenderloin and Fuyang's pillow bread show how wheat dough is filled, baked or steamed for everyday meals. Sanhe rice dumplings and Anqing Nanmen beef buns are different kinds of filled foods; their names, wrappers and local contexts matter.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="hefei-food" />
 
=== Huizhou's portable baked foods ===
 
Huangshan shaobing is a small pastry often filled with preserved greens and meat and finished with sesame. Local accounts describe the succession of kneading, filling, shaping and baking that produces its crisp crust. Jixi Ta-guo, a filled flatbread from neighboring Xuancheng, is another southern Anhui snack with its own local fillings.<ref name="huangshan-shaobing" /><ref name="ah-200-food" />


== Tea, drinks and alcoholic beverages ==
== Tea, drinks and alcoholic beverages ==
Tea is one of Anhui's most prominent agricultural and drinking traditions. Huangshan's traditional teas include Huangshan Maofeng, Qimen black tea and Taiping Houkui; Lu'an Guapian and Huoshan Huangya are further well-known Anhui teas. These names cover different growing areas and processing traditions, so they should not be used interchangeably. Huangshan's tea-making techniques are part of China's recognized traditional tea knowledge, and the city's government documents protections for its traditional tea names.<ref name="huangshan-tea">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zwgk/public/6615714/11685907.html Traditional teas of Huangshan and local protections], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref><ref name="tea-ich">[https://www.ihchina.cn/project_details/28516.html Traditional tea processing in Anhui], China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum.</ref><ref name="luan-tea" />


Local non-tea drinks also belong in the food map: sweet fermented-rice drinks such as Wuhu red-bean and fermented-rice dessert, seasonal chrysanthemum drinks, and contemporary local milk-tea shops. These are modern and traditional drinking habits with different histories; they should be documented as such rather than presented as one ancient beverage tradition.<ref name="jinzhai-16" />
Huangshan Maofeng, Qimen black tea and Taiping Houkui are linked to different production areas and processing traditions in and around Huangshan. Lu'an Guapian and Huoshan Huangya broaden the tea map into western Anhui. The tea names refer to regional products, not to one company's brand; the traditional processing techniques of four Anhui teas appear in national heritage records.<ref name="huangshan-tea">[https://www.huangshan.gov.cn/zwgk/public/6615714/11685907.html Traditional teas of Huangshan and local protections], Huangshan Municipal Government.</ref><ref name="tea-ich">[https://www.ihchina.cn/project_details/28516.html Traditional tea processing in Anhui], China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum.</ref><ref name="luan-tea" />
 
Beyond brewed tea, Wuhu's red-bean fermented-rice dessert (赤豆酒酿) is a sweet local drink or spoonable snack. Anhui Daily also describes contemporary tea drinks in Hefei and chrysanthemum drinks in Chuzhou. These are useful subjects for future city entries because their products and shops change over time.<ref name="wuhu-food" /><ref name="jinzhai-16" />
 
Baijiu is another part of the province's food economy. Gujing Gongjiu is based in Bozhou, Kouzi liquor in Huaibei and Yingjia Gongjiu in Huoshan County, Lu'an. Their distilleries and styles have separate histories; the place association here does not imply that one brand represents every local drinking custom.<ref name="gujing">[https://static.cninfo.com.cn/finalpage/2026-04-29/1225237621.PDF 2025 Annual Report], Anhui Gujing Distillery Co., Ltd.</ref><ref name="kouzi-huaibei">[https://www.huaibei.gov.cn/ljhb/whzl/ttmc/64629915.html Kouzi liquor], Huaibei Municipal Government.</ref><ref name="yingjia-mofcom">[https://lzhbwg.mofcom.gov.cn/edi_ecms_web_front/thb/detail/1527d903d9514797b0b0570ff8a605e4 Yingjia and its brewing tradition], China Time-honored Brand Digital Museum, Ministry of Commerce.</ref>
 
== Condiments, preserved foods and ingredients ==


Anhui also has several prominent distilled-liquor producers and local brewing traditions. Bozhou is associated with Gujing Gongjiu; Huaibei with Kouzi liquor; and Huoshan in Lu'an with Yingjia Gongjiu. These are commercial distillers and brands, not a single uniform “Anhui liquor” style. The page records their place in the regional food economy and leaves production histories to separately sourced entries.<ref name="gujing">[https://static.cninfo.com.cn/finalpage/2026-04-29/1225237621.PDF 2025 Annual Report], Anhui Gujing Distillery Co., Ltd.</ref><ref name="kouzi-huaibei">[https://www.huaibei.gov.cn/ljhb/whzl/ttmc/64629915.html Kouzi liquor], Huaibei Municipal Government.</ref><ref name="yingjia-mofcom">[https://lzhbwg.mofcom.gov.cn/edi_ecms_web_front/thb/detail/1527d903d9514797b0b0570ff8a605e4 Yingjia and its brewing tradition], China Time-honored Brand Digital Museum, Ministry of Commerce.</ref>
'''Sauces and pickles.''' Anqing's Hu Yumei broad-bean chili sauce belongs to a documented local sauce-making tradition. The provincial food selection also records Linhuan pickled baogua in Huaibei, Gaogong sweet-and-sour garlic and Guoyang tribute greens in Bozhou, and Huizhou pickled vegetables farther south.<ref name="huyumei" /><ref name="ah-200-food" />


== Condiments, preserved foods and pantry ingredients ==
'''Soy foods.''' Fresh Bagongshan tofu from Huainan, fermented Mao tofu from Huangshan, Wucheng dried tofu, Taiping fermented tofu and Caishiji tea-dried tofu from Ma'anshan are different products with distinct methods and uses. A province-wide ingredient guide should keep those differences visible.<ref name="bagongshan-tofu" /><ref name="mao-tofu" /><ref name="ah-200-food" />
Preserving and seasoning are essential to many local foodways, but local products differ substantially from county to county. Examples documented in provincial and municipal selections include:


* '''Fermented sauces and pickles:''' Anqing Hu Yumei broad-bean chili sauce; Linhuan pickled baogua and fermented meat in Huaibei; Gaogong sweet-and-sour garlic and Guoyang tribute greens in Bozhou; and Huizhou pickled vegetables and sauces in southern Anhui.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="huyumei" />
'''Cured foods and local produce.''' Huizhou knife-board cured pork, cured ham with bamboo shoots and Tunxi's drunken fish and crab sit alongside Tongling white ginger, mountain bamboo shoots and river fish in the province's food selections. Some are pantry ingredients; others are prepared dishes sold ready to eat.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="huangshan-techniques" />
* '''Tofu and bean foods:''' Bagongshan tofu and Huainan tofu dishes; Sanhe shrimp paste; Wucheng dried tofu, Taiping fermented tofu and preserved tofu from other Huangshan counties; plus Caishiji tea-dried tofu in Ma'anshan. These range from fresh tofu dishes to fermented and dried foods.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="bagongshan-tofu" /><ref name="hefei-food" />
* '''Cured meats and fish:''' Huizhou knife-board cured pork, cured ham with winter bamboo shoots, drunken fish and crab in Tunxi, sealed fish from Hanshan and preserved meats from southern Anhui. These are ingredients and preparations as well as finished dishes; recipes and local names vary.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="huangshan-techniques" />
* '''Regional produce used as food:''' Tongling white ginger; Huangshan and Xuancheng bamboo shoots; Dabie Mountain kudzu starch, mushrooms and mugwort; Huizhou mountain vegetables; and lakeside fish, shrimp and crab from the Huai, Yangtze and Chaohu water systems.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="jinzhai-16" />


== Local food businesses and brands ==
== Food makers and brands ==
Food pages benefit from recording makers and shops alongside dishes, while keeping a clear distinction between a local food tradition and a particular company's product. These are examples to begin a directory, not a ranking:


{| class="wikitable"
Historic shops and modern firms tell different parts of Anhui's food story. In Huangshan, Huiweihe / Maixiangcun is connected with Huizhou shaobing and Huimo pastries; in Anqing, Hu Yumei is associated with broad-bean chili sauce. Wuhu's Gengfuxing is a local restaurant name linked to shrimp-roe noodles and soup buns.<ref name="huiweihe">[https://lzhbwg.mofcom.gov.cn/edi_ecms_web_front/thb/detail/c0d5cba7ad4f4dc1a3282c03c2c84d97 Huiweihe], China Time-honored Brand Digital Museum, Ministry of Commerce.</ref><ref name="huyumei" /><ref name="gengfuxing">[https://amr.wuhu.gov.cn/xwdt/xqdt/8870481.html Gengfuxing and Wuhu heritage foods], Wuhu Municipal Administration for Market Regulation.</ref>
! City or area !! Brand or business !! Food connection
|-
| Huangshan || Huiweihe (徽味和) / Maixiangcun || A Huangshan bakery associated with Huizhou shaobing and Huimo pastries; the Ministry of Commerce's time-honored-brand museum documents its role in transmitting local pastry techniques.<ref name="huiweihe">[https://lzhbwg.mofcom.gov.cn/edi_ecms_web_front/thb/detail/c0d5cba7ad4f4dc1a3282c03c2c84d97 Huiweihe], China Time-honored Brand Digital Museum, Ministry of Commerce.</ref>
|-
| Anqing || Hu Yumei (胡玉美) || A long-running sauce maker associated with broad-bean chili sauce and local sauce-making traditions.<ref name="huyumei" />
|-
| Bozhou || Gujing Gongjiu (古井贡酒) || A distiller based in Bozhou and a prominent company in the city's liquor industry.<ref name="gujing" />
|-
| Huaibei || Kouzi liquor (口子窖) || A distiller located in Huaibei, with city-recorded links to the area's liquor-making industry.<ref name="kouzi-huaibei" />
|-
| Lu'an / Huoshan || Yingjia Gongjiu (迎驾贡酒) || A liquor producer based in Huoshan County; its local brewing and brand history are documented by the Ministry of Commerce's brand museum.<ref name="yingjia-mofcom" />
|-
| Wuhu || Three Squirrels (三只松鼠) || A Wuhu-founded packaged-snack company and a useful example of a contemporary food business, distinct from traditional Wuhu restaurant snacks.<ref name="three-squirrels">[https://www.3songshu.com/news-detail.html?id=1&source=breakingNews About Three Squirrels], company website.</ref>
|-
| Hefei / Feixi || Laoxiangji (老乡鸡) || A restaurant chain whose brand profile centers on chicken soup and home-style chicken dishes; list it as a modern food business, not as a representative of all Hefei cooking.<ref name="laoxiangji">[https://www.lxjchina.com.cn/ Laoxiangji company profile], company website.</ref>
|-
| Huangshan tea areas || Xie Yuda (谢裕大) and local tea makers || Commercial tea brands that produce and market several Anhui tea types; brand profiles should be distinguished from the protected tea names and their broader production areas.<ref name="xieyuda">[https://www.xieyudatea.com/index.php/category/jj.html Xie Yuda company profile], company website.</ref><ref name="huangshan-tea" />
|}


== What to expand next ==
Tea firms such as Xie Yuda sell Anhui teas, while the regional tea names cover many growers. Liquor brands include Gujing Gongjiu, Kouzi and Yingjia Gongjiu. Their brand histories belong beside, rather than in place of, the traditional foods and drinks of their cities.<ref name="xieyuda">[https://www.xieyudatea.com/index.php/category/jj.html Xie Yuda company profile], company website.</ref><ref name="huangshan-tea" /><ref name="gujing" /><ref name="kouzi-huaibei" /><ref name="yingjia-mofcom" />
This article is a province-wide index, not a complete inventory of every county, market, restaurant or producer. The provincial “200 specialty foods” selection alone includes foods from all 16 cities and many counties, and the broader “100 Cities, 1,000 Flavors” program also recorded provincial, city and county signature dishes.<ref name="ah-200-food" /><ref name="mct-dishes" /> Future additions can deepen each city with neighborhood food streets, breakfast dishes, noodle variants, seasonal drinks, local beers and wines, sauces and preserved foods, protected-origin products, shop histories, photographs and links to standalone dish pages. Each specific origin, heritage, recipe or date should be paired with a reliable source; local stories should be identified as stories when they cannot be independently verified.


== History and recognition ==
Contemporary businesses also have a place in the index: Three Squirrels is a packaged-snack company founded in Wuhu, and Laoxiangji is a restaurant chain associated with Feixi chicken soup and home-style chicken dishes. Their products are commercial examples, not universal versions of the province's recipes.<ref name="three-squirrels">[https://www.3songshu.com/news-detail.html?id=1&source=breakingNews About Three Squirrels], company website.</ref><ref name="laoxiangji">[https://www.lxjchina.com.cn/ Laoxiangji company profile], company website.</ref>


Hui cuisine's development is closely connected with the history of Huizhou merchants. As merchants travelled for business, they carried local tastes with them and helped Hui-style restaurants and dishes reach wider markets. The national intangible heritage record describes Hui cuisine as part of Huizhou culture and Chinese food culture, and records its protection and transmission in present-day Anhui.<ref name="ich-hui" />
== Explore further ==


The 2021 national listing recognizes ''Hui cuisine cooking techniques'' as a traditional craft. It is a recognition of the culinary practice and its cultural setting; it does not mean that every dish in Anhui belongs to one single cuisine or follows one fixed recipe.<ref name="ich-hui" />
This overview names a fraction of Anhui's local foods. The provincial 200-food selection is organized by all 16 cities and many counties; its list is a useful route to further county dishes, neighborhood markets, protected regional products and individual food pages.<ref name="ah-200-food" /> Continue with the [[Chinese Food Map]] or the related pages below.


== See also ==
== See also ==

Revision as of 09:10, 26 September 2026


Anhui Food
安徽美食
Ānhuī měishí
Anhui Food.jpg
Anhui regional food
Level Province
Parent area China
Capital / seat Hefei
Cuisine Hui cuisine (徽菜)
Last verified 2026-09-25
Foods
Representative dishes Stinky Mandarin Fish, Huainan soup
Recognition
Intangible heritage Hui cuisine cooking techniques (national intangible cultural heritage, 2021)[1]
Places
Related places Henan Food, Hubei Food, Jiangsu Food, Jiangxi Food, Zhejiang Food
More
Foods
Representative dishesStinky Mandarin Fish, Huainan soup
Recognition
Intangible heritageHui cuisine cooking techniques (national intangible cultural heritage, 2021)[1]
Places
Related placesHenan Food, Hubei Food, Jiangsu Food, Jiangxi Food, Zhejiang Food

Anhui Food spans the cooking of the Huai River plain, the Yangtze corridor, the Dabie Mountains and historic Huizhou. A breakfast of wheat noodles in northern Anhui, tofu and beef soup around Huainan, and fermented fish or baked pastries in the south show how much this one province contains.[2]

Hui cuisine (徽菜) is Anhui's best-known named culinary tradition, and is commonly counted among China's Eight Great Cuisines.[3] It developed in historic Huizhou, whose six counties now lie across southern Anhui and Wuyuan in Jiangxi. Anhui food therefore includes Hui cuisine without treating every food in the province as a Huizhou dish.[1]

Introduction

Anhui lies between northern wheat-growing areas and the wetter river valleys and mountain districts of the south. Local ingredients and everyday meals change across that landscape: noodles and stuffed flatbreads appear prominently in northern city selections; Hefei and Huainan have their own goose, rice, soup and tofu specialties; Wuhu's snack shops and Huangshan's Hui cooking tell different stories again.[4]

For a first taste, begin with Huizhou stinky mandarin fish, Huainan beef soup, Sanhe rice dumplings, Taihe banmian and Wuhu shrimp-roe noodles. The city guide below covers all 16 prefecture-level cities, while the later sections follow the foods people buy at bakeries, tea shops and markets.[4]

Origin

Hui cuisine grew from the foodways of historic Huizhou, an area associated today with Huangshan, She County, Jixi and Wuyuan. The mountainous environment supplied bamboo shoots, wild greens and freshwater ingredients, while households developed ways of salting, curing and fermenting foods. Huizhou merchants also carried local cooking beyond the region.[1][5]

The historical Huizhou area crosses today's provincial boundary: Wuyuan is in Jiangxi, and Jixi is in Anhui's Xuancheng municipality. This history explains why the culinary name Hui does not map neatly onto every modern administrative border.[1]

Culture

Family meals, seasonal ingredients, travel and trade all shaped the regional repertoire. Huizhou merchant activity helped spread dishes and restaurants associated with their home region. Modern food tourism highlights both that culinary heritage and the separate traditions of Anhui's towns and counties.[1][2]

There is no single meal that represents the whole province. A layered Yipin pot is associated with Huizhou; a bowl of beef soup is strongly tied to Huainan; and Wuhu's soup buns and shrimp-roe noodles are familiar city snacks. Each deserves its own local context.[6][7][8]

Characteristics

Traditional Hui cooking pays close attention to heat and often uses braising, stewing and steaming. Older descriptions emphasize oil, color and control of the fire, but these describe certain dishes and cooking styles rather than a fixed rule for all modern Anhui meals.[5]

Fermentation and preservation are especially visible in well-known Huizhou foods: stinky mandarin fish is salted and aged before cooking; Mao tofu develops a white surface growth during fermentation; and cured pork, preserved greens and bamboo shoots appear in other southern Anhui dishes.[9][10][4]

History

The history of Anhui food includes the regional development of Hui cuisine and the growth of distinct foods around the Huai River, the Yangtze and the Dabie Mountains. Accounts of particular dishes sometimes connect them with historical figures; those stories should be read as food lore unless historical evidence supports a specific invention claim.

Hui cuisine cooking techniques were added to China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2021. The listing recognizes a culinary practice rooted in Huizhou culture; it does not turn all of Anhui's local foods into one recipe tradition.[1]

Cooking skills

The same ingredient can lead to very different preparations. A cook may simmer a layered Huizhou casserole slowly, pan-fry fermented Mao tofu, braise mountain bamboo shoots, or make a clear beef soup in Huainan. These techniques are better understood through particular dishes than through a single claim about the province's taste.[6][10][11][7]

In baked foods, craft is equally visible. Huangshan shaobing uses flour, preserved greens, meat and sesame; the dough is filled, shaped and baked into a small crisp pastry. County recipes and fillings vary.[12]

Development

Anhui's official food programs now document local foods well beyond the classic Hui repertoire. A provincial tourism selection recorded 200 signature foods and snacks—148 dishes and 52 snacks—from all 16 prefecture-level cities, and a separate “100 Cities, 1,000 Flavors” program reviewed provincial, city and county signatures.[4][13]

The selections are useful starting points for discovery. They include famous restaurant dishes, everyday noodles, sauces, teas, sweets and preserved foods; the fact that an item appears in a tourism selection is not proof that it originated in only one town.

Famous Food

Fermented flavors of Huizhou

Stinky Mandarin Fish (臭鳜鱼) is among the best-known Hui dishes. Mandarin fish is salted and aged to develop a distinctive aroma, then cooked into a savory main dish. The name describes the aroma of the prepared fish; it is not a reference to spoiled fish.[9]

Mao tofu (毛豆腐) begins with tofu, but fermentation changes its surface and texture. Huangshan's local description notes the white growth that gives the food its name; it is commonly fried or pan-fried before seasoning. Its method and eating experience are separate from Huainan's fresh Bagongshan tofu tradition.[10][14]

Layered pots and mountain ingredients

Huifu Yipin Pot (徽府一品锅) is a layered casserole of meats, tofu and other ingredients simmered together, associated with Huizhou winter meals. Wenzheng Mountain bamboo shoots (问政山笋) put a local mountain ingredient at the center of a braised dish. Both illustrate Hui cooking's attention to the order and duration of cooking.[6][11]

Jianghuai and Huai River dishes

Huainan beef soup (淮南牛肉汤) is a city specialty with a recognized local cooking technique. Bagongshan tofu (八公山豆腐) represents Huainan's soybean and tofu foods; it is an ingredient in many possible preparations, not one fixed dish.[7][15][14]

Around Hefei, Sanhe rice dumplings (三河米饺) and Sanhe shrimp paste (三河虾糊) mark the food customs of Sanhe in Feixi County. The wider area also has Luzhou roast duck and Wushan imperial goose. Li Hongzhang chop suey (李鸿章大杂烩) appears in the province's signature-food selections; its name and associated stories are part of local food culture, while recipes vary.[16][17][13]

Anhui food by city

The provincial 200-food selection offers a practical way to start exploring all 16 cities. The groupings below follow broad landscapes; they are a reading guide, not hard culinary borders.[4][2]

Northern Anhui and the Huai River plain

Fuyang is a good place to begin with wheat foods: Taihe banmian (太和板面), Gela tiao (格拉条) and large pillow-shaped bread (枕头馍) all appear in the provincial selection. Taihe banmian is worked and stretched against a board before being served with a seasoned meat broth. Bozhou adds beef-stuffed flatbread (牛肉馍) and Guoyang gan-kou noodles (涡阳干扣面), alongside dishes known as Cao Cao chicken and Huatuo ten-herb soup.[4][18]

Huaibei offers mianpi (面皮), Linhuan pickled baogua and the hot charcoal-pot dishes described in an Anhui Daily city guide. In Suzhou, Fuliji roast chicken (符离集烧鸡), Huangzangyu mushroom chicken and Xiao County lamb soup have stronger local identities than a generic label of “Anhui chicken”. Bengbu brings in the waterways: the selection names Tuo Lake crab, braised river shrimp, river clam with vermicelli and Xueyuan tangyuan.[4][18]

Jianghuai towns and the Dabie Mountains

Hefei connects Sanhe rice dumplings and Feixi old hen soup with snacks such as Luzhou duck-oil shaobing and Wushan goose. Nearby Huainan is strongly associated with beef soup, Bagongshan tofu and foods of Shouxian, including Dajiujia pastry and tofu pudding.[4][7][14]

Across eastern Anhui, Chuzhou has Machang lamb noodles, Qinlan braised goose, Fengyang tofu and Langya sesame brittle. To the west, Lu'an brings tea and mountain food together: Lu'an Guapian, Jinzhai hanging pot, Wanfo Lake fish head and mugwort rice cakes belong to distinct local settings.[4][19]

The Yangtze corridor

Wuhu has one of the clearest city-snack identities in Anhui's official selections: shrimp-roe noodles, Xiaolong soup buns, radish pastry, fried stinky tofu and red-skin duck appear alongside Wuwei duck. The city's commerce bureau also highlights red-bean fermented-rice drinks, malatang and steamed rice with pork as parts of its wider food scene.[4][20]

Ma'anshan has Caishiji tea-dried tofu, Hanshan sealed fish and Dangtu pork noodles. Tongling is associated with white ginger and Shun'an sesame brittle, as well as Zongyang rice cakes and fish dishes. In Chizhou, the provincial selection lists chili zha, Jiuhua huangjing cakes, Guichi xiaoba and Qiupu mandarin fish.[4]

Anqing links a different set of everyday foods and makers: Hu Yumei broad-bean chili sauce, Tongcheng water-banquet dishes, Jiangmao dumplings and Nanmen beef buns. The sauce is both a food product and part of the city's old sauce-making trade.[4][21]

Southern Anhui and historic Huizhou

Huangshan is associated with Hui classics such as stinky mandarin fish, Mao tofu and layered Yipin pot, but also small baked foods such as Huangshan shaobing, dried Wucheng tofu and Taiping topping noodles. Xuancheng connects Jixi Ta-guo and Hu Shi Yipin Pot with Shuiyang's preserved duck and tofu foods, Guangde mugwort buns and Jing County braised noodles.[4][12]

Street foods, snacks and noodles

A Wuhu snack route

Wuhu's official food selection names shrimp-roe noodles (虾籽面), Xiaolong soup buns (小笼汤包), radish pastry, fried stinky tofu and red-skin duck together. The city government describes the soup bun's thin wrapper, tender filling and savory broth; the noodles and buns were also among five Wuhu foods selected as provincial signatures. These foods make a more useful city introduction than one generic “street food” label.[4][22][8]

Other Wuhu snacks include malatang, steamed pork with rice and red-bean fermented-rice dessert. They reflect a living city food scene alongside the older restaurant and market specialties.[20]

Northern noodles and substantial breads

Taihe banmian and Fuyang Gela tiao, Bozhou's Guoyang gan-kou noodles, Chuzhou's Machang lamb noodles and Ma'anshan's Dangtu pork noodles belong to different local noodle traditions. The province's food selection also names Feidong loach noodles, Jing County braised noodles and Huangshan's Taiping topping noodles. There is no single standard recipe for “Anhui noodles”.[4]

Bozhou beef flatbread, Mengcheng flaky shaobing, Bengbu shaobing with pork tenderloin and Fuyang's pillow bread show how wheat dough is filled, baked or steamed for everyday meals. Sanhe rice dumplings and Anqing Nanmen beef buns are different kinds of filled foods; their names, wrappers and local contexts matter.[4][16]

Huizhou's portable baked foods

Huangshan shaobing is a small pastry often filled with preserved greens and meat and finished with sesame. Local accounts describe the succession of kneading, filling, shaping and baking that produces its crisp crust. Jixi Ta-guo, a filled flatbread from neighboring Xuancheng, is another southern Anhui snack with its own local fillings.[12][4]

Tea, drinks and alcoholic beverages

Huangshan Maofeng, Qimen black tea and Taiping Houkui are linked to different production areas and processing traditions in and around Huangshan. Lu'an Guapian and Huoshan Huangya broaden the tea map into western Anhui. The tea names refer to regional products, not to one company's brand; the traditional processing techniques of four Anhui teas appear in national heritage records.[23][24][19]

Beyond brewed tea, Wuhu's red-bean fermented-rice dessert (赤豆酒酿) is a sweet local drink or spoonable snack. Anhui Daily also describes contemporary tea drinks in Hefei and chrysanthemum drinks in Chuzhou. These are useful subjects for future city entries because their products and shops change over time.[20][18]

Baijiu is another part of the province's food economy. Gujing Gongjiu is based in Bozhou, Kouzi liquor in Huaibei and Yingjia Gongjiu in Huoshan County, Lu'an. Their distilleries and styles have separate histories; the place association here does not imply that one brand represents every local drinking custom.[25][26][27]

Condiments, preserved foods and ingredients

Sauces and pickles. Anqing's Hu Yumei broad-bean chili sauce belongs to a documented local sauce-making tradition. The provincial food selection also records Linhuan pickled baogua in Huaibei, Gaogong sweet-and-sour garlic and Guoyang tribute greens in Bozhou, and Huizhou pickled vegetables farther south.[21][4]

Soy foods. Fresh Bagongshan tofu from Huainan, fermented Mao tofu from Huangshan, Wucheng dried tofu, Taiping fermented tofu and Caishiji tea-dried tofu from Ma'anshan are different products with distinct methods and uses. A province-wide ingredient guide should keep those differences visible.[14][10][4]

Cured foods and local produce. Huizhou knife-board cured pork, cured ham with bamboo shoots and Tunxi's drunken fish and crab sit alongside Tongling white ginger, mountain bamboo shoots and river fish in the province's food selections. Some are pantry ingredients; others are prepared dishes sold ready to eat.[4][5]

Food makers and brands

Historic shops and modern firms tell different parts of Anhui's food story. In Huangshan, Huiweihe / Maixiangcun is connected with Huizhou shaobing and Huimo pastries; in Anqing, Hu Yumei is associated with broad-bean chili sauce. Wuhu's Gengfuxing is a local restaurant name linked to shrimp-roe noodles and soup buns.[28][21][29]

Tea firms such as Xie Yuda sell Anhui teas, while the regional tea names cover many growers. Liquor brands include Gujing Gongjiu, Kouzi and Yingjia Gongjiu. Their brand histories belong beside, rather than in place of, the traditional foods and drinks of their cities.[30][23][25][26][27]

Contemporary businesses also have a place in the index: Three Squirrels is a packaged-snack company founded in Wuhu, and Laoxiangji is a restaurant chain associated with Feixi chicken soup and home-style chicken dishes. Their products are commercial examples, not universal versions of the province's recipes.[31][32]

Explore further

This overview names a fraction of Anhui's local foods. The provincial 200-food selection is organized by all 16 cities and many counties; its list is a useful route to further county dishes, neighborhood markets, protected regional products and individual food pages.[4] Continue with the Chinese Food Map or the related pages below.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Hui Cuisine Cooking Techniques, China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 “A Taste of Anhui” food map, China Tourism News, reporting on the Anhui provincial culture and tourism food program.
  3. ↑ Third China (Huangshan) Hui Cuisine Food Carnival and Industry Development Conference, Huangshan Municipal Government.
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 First Anhui “Must-Try” Specialty Foods and Snacks selection (200 items), Anhui provincial tourism selection, reproduced by Shucheng County Government.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Hui Cuisine Cooking Characteristics, Huangshan Municipal Government.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Huifu Yipin Pot, Huangshan Municipal Government, Culture and Tourism Bureau.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Huainan Beef Soup, Huainan Municipal Government.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Wuhu dishes selected as Anhui signatures, Wuhu Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Ziyun Restaurant, China Time-honored Brand Digital Museum, Ministry of Commerce.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Huizhou Mao Tofu, Huangshan Municipal Government.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Wenzheng Mountain Bamboo Shoots, Huangshan Municipal Government.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Huangshan shaobing and its local baking tradition, Huangshan Municipal Government.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Results of the Anhui Food: 100 Cities, 1,000 Flavors Selection, Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Bagongshan Tofu, Huainan Municipal Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau.
  15. ↑ Huainan Municipal Intangible Cultural Heritage List, Huainan Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Food Customs, Yaohai District Government, Hefei.
  17. ↑ Anhui cultural-tourism food guide, Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 “Treasure Anhui: Every City Has Its Own Set”, Jinzhai County Government, reprinted from Anhui Daily.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Lu'an tea varieties and tea culture, Lu'an Municipal Government.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Wuhu local food and snack brands, Wuhu Municipal Commerce Bureau.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Hu Yumei sauce-making and the Anqing time-honored brands, Ministry of Commerce.
  22. ↑ Wuhu Xiaolong soup buns, Wuhu Municipal Administration for Market Regulation.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Traditional teas of Huangshan and local protections, Huangshan Municipal Government.
  24. ↑ Traditional tea processing in Anhui, China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 2025 Annual Report, Anhui Gujing Distillery Co., Ltd.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Kouzi liquor, Huaibei Municipal Government.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Yingjia and its brewing tradition, China Time-honored Brand Digital Museum, Ministry of Commerce.
  28. ↑ Huiweihe, China Time-honored Brand Digital Museum, Ministry of Commerce.
  29. ↑ Gengfuxing and Wuhu heritage foods, Wuhu Municipal Administration for Market Regulation.
  30. ↑ Xie Yuda company profile, company website.
  31. ↑ About Three Squirrels, company website.
  32. ↑ Laoxiangji company profile, company website.
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