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How did the Peking duck come
According to legend, the beauty of the duck, the Department of origin of the valuable varieties of Peking duck, which is the world's best quality of a meat duck.
It is said that this special pure white Peking duck breeding, about a thousand years ago or so, is due to the Liao Jin Yuan generations of emperors hunting, occasionally obtained this pure white duck species, after the hunting and raising, has been continued, only to get this excellent pure seed, and cultivated into today's valuable meat duck species. That is, a kind of white duck fattened by filling feeding method, so it is called "filling duck". Not only that, Peking Duck was once spread to Europe and America a hundred years ago, and it was a great success after breeding. Therefore, as a high-quality varieties of Peking duck, become the world's valuable duck breed source for a long time.
"Duck of grain flavor, its fat is fat and white"-the origin of Peking duck
Since the Ming Dynasty moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing at the beginning of the fifteenth century, the duck raising business in Beijing was gradually developed. At that time, the Ming emperor in order to transfer the grain and rice for the court to spend, had mobilized a large number of workers to dredge the canal. After the canal was opened, the grain transporting vessels often traveled one after another by thousands, which was known as "four million stones per year". The officials in charge of the canal made a fortune. Due to the mismanagement of the canal, countless grain and rice fell into the river. Ducks along the Beijing Canal fed on these scattered grains and rice for a long time, and their body shape and meat quality gradually changed. As Yuan Mei, a talented scholar in the Qianlong period, said, "The ducks of grain flavor, their fat is fat and white." Later, after a long period of careful feeding by the working people of Beijing area, constantly developing superior breeds, eliminating inferior breeds, and under the influence of the duck raising "filling crop" method which has been recorded in the North and South Dynasties of our country, we created the artificial "filling duck" method, and finally cultivated the ducks with white fur, graceful, plump and tender meat, which is very popular among the people. Finally, we have cultivated a new breed of Peking duck (also known as Beijing duck) with white fur, fullness, fat and tender meat, and large body and thin skin. Ducks roasted with Peking duck, its freshness and flavor far exceeded the previous variety of roast duck, known as "Peking duck".
There have been different stories about the origin of Peking duck. One theory is that the boatmen who traveled to and from the canal brought a kind of white "lake duck" from the south, and after the terroir was domesticated, it reproduced along the canal and became the ancestor of today's Peking duck. Another theory is that the Peking duck originated in the Ming Dynasty, and it is the "small white-eyed duck" produced by Chaobai River in the eastern suburb of Beijing, and the old duck workers called it the "White River Duck". To this day, the Peking Duck is still called "White River Duck" or "Pu Duck". The third theory is that the Peking duck originated in the Liao Dynasty. The Liao emperors often hunted in the Beijing area, and the geese and ducks they captured were managed by special people. In the hunting, by chance caught pure white ducks, it is thought to be auspicious, released in the garden lakes and swamps. In the future, despite the change of dynasties, but the pure white species of ducks in this area to survive and reproduce.
From the ecological characteristics of the Peking duck, it seems unconvincing to say that the ancestor of the Peking duck was brought from the south. Peking duck body feathers white and flawless, body long and wide, head is very large, forehead stork towering, eyes large and bright, was a deep gray-blue, short and thick beak shell is orange-yellow, no black spots, chest full protruding, abdomen deep and wide sagging but not rubbing the ground, legs thick and short, toes Puru was also orange-yellow. The whole appearance, large and beautiful, can be ornamental. Pekin Ducks are good at playing in icy river water in winter, and they like cold and fear heat. Moreover, the Pekin duck is especially fond of the clean and dry habitat while playing in the water. As some old duck workers say: Peking duck likes to "see wet and dry". From these characteristics, the Peking Duck is an independent species that is not similar to any other species of ducks, and there is not the slightest sign of hybridization. As the saying goes, "the phoenix chooses the wutong and roosts in it", the duck will also look for a place where it can adapt to its own growth and development. Beijing has a dry climate, with low and concentrated annual rainfall and long, cold winters. Such climatic characteristics, coupled with the geographical conditions of the Beijing area with mountains and water, are suitable for the reproduction and development of the Peking duck. Therefore, it should be said that the Peking duck is an ancient growth in the north of China's original species of white duck, after hundreds of years of domestication, feeding, and the Canal Valley exceptionally superior feed conditions, as well as duck farmers carefully selected species cultivation and the gradual formation of the - this is the logical conclusion.
The rulers of the Ming and Qing dynasties used to breed Peking ducks in the area of Yuquan Mountain in western Beijing for the convenience of enjoyment. The area around the Yuquan Mountain is interspersed with streams, rich in water and food; it is surrounded by mountains in the northwest, so it can be protected from the northwestern winds in winter; the rivers and streams, originating from the springs, are not frozen in winter and cool in summer, which is very favorable to the growth and development of Pekin ducks. Together with the laborers' long-term careful breeding, selecting the best and removing the worst, the Peking ducks of excellent breeds were finally cultivated. In the Ming Dynasty, the purpose of raising ducks was often to take duck oil to make store heart, because the dim sum made with duck oil has a unique flavor, which is difficult to compare with other fats and oils. The Peking duck body fat, fat, and therefore had been called "oil duck".
As for the final name "Peking Duck", it is in the Peking Duck breed spread abroad. According to records, in 1873, the American James brought the Peking duck eggs to North America through Shanghai, the first Peking duck species imported to the United States. In the same year, Kyle, an Englishman, got Pekin duck eggs near Beijing and imported Pekin duck to England. Japan also imported Pekin ducks from China in 1888, and in 1875, the British shipped a batch of Pekin ducks to the U.S., which immediately caused a sensation in the American market. Europe and the United States original duck species, meat flavor coarse, rich in stink and sour taste, not to cook. Now suddenly in the market to see the appearance of beautiful, tender Peking duck, really eye-opening. According to records: Peking duck in the United States, "samples are out, the social ear for the new, the gentleman and the celebrities, the reputation is not placed. Buyers suddenly more, the lack of supply. A price expensive, each egg twelve, even the price of ten to thirteen dollars U.S. dollars, and each egg, when the price of gold dollar one dollar. American society, so there is duck that gold brick of the name. And because it comes from China's Beijing also, and give the Peking Duck's good name."
From then on, "Peking Duck" became famous in the world. Fill fat Peking duck as the raw material roasted duck, crispy skin, tender meat, colorful, flavorful, oil more than not greasy, never tire of tasting, become the first specialties of the capital. To the Qing Dynasty, Peking duck has become the city food species common delicacies, relatives and friends are often roasted duck as a gift to each other.