Yangchang tea and food

Qianxi tea and food have long been the royal order of the Qing Dynasty. The late Qing court’s imperial pastry master, Zhang Nun, secretly taught her female disciple, Monk Zhang Er, in Yangchang Township, Qianxi. , and later spread to the people in sheep farms. To make it, you only need to use high-quality glutinous rice as raw material, soak it in water for 40 days, change the water every three days, dry it and grind it into powder, mix it with water to make it into blocks, cook it into honeycombs, take it out and put it in a stone pot and stir until it soaks, and add wild adzuki beans in proportion. Stir the root powder well, spread it on the chopping board and let it dry, cut it into various patterns and hang it up, let it dry and soak it in mixed oil for a few minutes, then put it in a fan and drizzle it with hot oil until it swells and is ready for consumption. This product is crispy in the mouth. Sweet and fragrant, it is a great gift and delicacy when visiting relatives and friends.

Yangchang Tea Food is a specialty delicacy in Qianxi County, Bijie City, Guizhou Province. Tea food, because of its good color, aroma and taste, crisp and sweet taste, and the effect of strengthening the stomach and sobering up alcohol, has become a flavorful delicacy that people use to accompany food when drinking.

The production method of Yangchang tea food is exquisite. High-quality glutinous rice is soaked at low temperature for about 45 days (the water is changed every 3-5 days), fished out and drained, then ground into flour with a hammer, and sieved with a basket. Knead the flour and water into a round thin cake, put it into boiling water and cook until it forms a honeycomb shape. Take it out and stir it in a pot until it bubbles. Add the prepared peeled and finely pounded wild adzuki bean roots and other plants. Go in and stir together until foaming again. When the pieces can be hung on the stirring rod, take out the small and large pieces and spread them out on a wooden board sprinkled with dry flour to dry. After 5 or 6 days, dry the semi-dry noodles. Cut the pieces into various shapes, such as fish, rabbits, birds, butterflies, or cut into strips and braid them into hydrangea, flower shapes, etc., and then continue to dry.

The name "tea food" began in the Song Dynasty, and generally refers to cakes eaten with tea. It was introduced to the palace as tribute food during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. It has a history of more than 100 years when it was introduced to Qianxi. According to legend, tea food was introduced to the world in the late Qing Dynasty by a Sichuan native called Aunt Yang (also known as a nun surnamed Zhang) who was a descendant of the "imperial pastry maker". Her ancestor was once the imperial pastry chef in the palace and was responsible for making tea food in the palace. After retiring from old age and returning to her hometown, she disobeyed the palace ban and spread the crafts of making tea and food to the people, which led to the execution of her family. After escaping, Aunt Yang begged for food and went to Qianxi, Guizhou. She became a nun in the remote Yangchang Township and lived in Yangchang. In Wenchang Pavilion, Township. Decades passed in the blink of an eye. After the Qing government was overthrown, Aunt Yang became an old woman. She thought that she was old and would die soon, and the sheep farm was far away from the capital. As the sky was high and the emperor was far away, there was no need to go there. I'm worried that the court will investigate. So, she secretly made "tea food" to offer sacrifices to her exterminated ancestors. After the sacrifice, she couldn't finish the "tea food" by herself, so she shared it with the nuns in Wenchang Pavilion and the nearby villagers who usually supported her. Everyone After eating it, they were full of praises and said that it was worthy of being called "the imperial dish of the Qing Dynasty", and they all asked to learn this craft making method from her. Unable to resist the warm welcome, Aunt Yang was determined to spread the tea-making skills and continues to this day.

"Tea snacks" are one of the famous snacks in Qianxi County. Their health-care properties are beneficial to people's health. Research on tea snacks technology will help expand the market of Qianxi snacks and develop tourism products. Development will contribute to the inheritance, protection and development of intangible cultural heritage.

In June 2006, the Sheep Farm "Tea Food" was announced by the People's Government of Qianxi County as the first batch of county-level intangible cultural heritage.