Duck Breeding

Since the Ming Dynasty moved its capital from Nanjing to Beijing in the early 15th century, the duck breeding industry in Beijing has gradually developed. At that time, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty mobilized a large number of migrant workers to dredge the canal in order to transport grain and rice from the south of the Yangtze River for the palace. After the canal was unblocked, thousands of grain-carrying grain-carrying ships often came one after another, which was known in history as "four million dans of grain were transported every year." The officials who supervised water transportation made a fortune from this. Due to poor management of water transportation, countless grains and rice fell into Hanoi. The ducks in the Beijing canal area have been feeding on these scattered grains and rice for a long time, and their body shape and meat quality have gradually changed. Just as Yuan Mei, a talented scholar during the Qianlong period, said: "A duck with a grain flavor is fat and white." After that, after long-term careful feeding by the working people in Beijing, superior varieties were continuously developed and inferior varieties were eliminated. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties of my country, That is, under the influence of the recorded duck-raising "stuffing" method, an original artificial "duck-stuffing" method was created, and finally a new breed of Peking duck (also known as Peking duck) with white coat, graceful and plump flesh, fat and tender meat, large body and thin skin was created. Called Beijing cramming). The duck roasted with Peking stuffed duck is far more delicious than all previous roast ducks, so it is called "Peking roast duck".

There have been various opinions about the origin of Peking duck. One theory is that boatmen traveling on the canal at that time brought a kind of white "lake duck" from the south. After domestication, it bred in the canal area and became the ancestor of today's Peking duck. Another theory is that Peking duck originated in the Ming Dynasty and is a "little white-eyed duck" produced in the Chaobai River in the eastern suburbs of Beijing. Old duck workers call it "Baihe Pu duck". To this day, Peking duck is still called "Baihe duck" or "Pu duck". The third theory is that Peking duck originated in the Liao Dynasty. The emperor of the Liao Dynasty often went hunting in the Beijing area, and specially sent people to manage the geese and ducks he captured. During a safari, I caught a pure white duck by chance, and thought it was a lucky thing, so I kept it in the gardens and lakes. Although dynasties continued to change in the future, pure white ducks survived and multiplied in this area.

Judging from the ecological characteristics of the Pekin duck, it seems unconvincing to say that the ancestors of the Pekin duck were brought from the south. The Peking duck has flawless white feathers, a long and wide body, a very large head, a tall stork, large and bright eyes, dark gray-blue, a short and thick bill, orange-yellow color, no black spots, a plump and protruding chest, and a protruding abdomen. The legs are deep and wide, drooping but not touching the ground, the legs are thick and short, and the toes are also orange. The entire appearance is huge and beautiful for viewing. It likes cold and hates heat, and can swim in icy rivers in winter. Moreover, while playing in the water, Peking ducks particularly like a clean and dry habitat. As some veteran duck workers say: Peking ducks like to "see wet and dry". Judging from these characteristics, the Peking duck is really an independent branch that is not similar to any other breed of duck, and there is no sign of hybridization. As the saying goes, "The phoenix chooses a phoenix tree to roost in," and ducks will naturally find a place to live that is suitable for their growth and development. The climate in Beijing is dry, the annual rainfall is small and concentrated, and the winter is relatively cold and lasts a long time. Such climate characteristics, coupled with the geographical conditions of mountains and water in Beijing, are suitable for the reproduction and development of Peking ducks. Therefore, it should be said that the Peking duck is an original species of white duck that grew up in northern my country in ancient times. After hundreds of years of domestication and breeding, the Canal Valley's exceptionally superior feed conditions, and the careful selection and breeding of duck farmers Gradually - this is a logical conclusion.