The name of Yongjia began to be known in the Eastern Jin dynasty (317-420), and it became a county in the Sui dynasty (581-618). Literally “long and beautiful river”, Yongjia is notable for its picturesque scenery, with the Nanxi River, from which Yongjia derived its name, coursing through the county from north to south. One of the most beautiful Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze River) waterways, the Nanxi River is lined with green mountains and lush bamboo forests on both sides. “The scenery at the river head gets people drunk, with fine wine, fat crabs, oranges so sweet,“ a poet writes of Yongjia. While travelling, don’t forget to try local treats and delicacies, and learn about its culinary traditions that can only be found in Yongjia and along the Nanxi River!

Yongjia Wheat Cake

With over a history of over 1,000 years, Yongjia wheat cake was believed to be first made by the Zhu family in Huatan village. Instead of rice, the local soil is more suited for wheat, which, when harvested, is ground into flour. Wrap pickles and fresh meat into flour doughs and then fry and bake them several times, you get the wheat cakes.

One big fan of the wheat cakes is Zhu Xi (1130-1200), philosopher and one of the most influential Neo-Confucianists. Another one is Emperor Jiajing (1507-1567) of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), who even designated wheat cakes as a dish of the imperial banquets.

Over the years, as the descendants of the Zhu family brought the wheat cake to different places, it has become a national favorite.

Nanxi Plain Noodle

Easily digestible and good for your stomach and intestines, the noodle is suitable for people of all ages, children and the elderly in particular, with a diameter usually less than 1.3 mm. While the noodle is made in every county of Wenzhou, the Yongjia variety has the longest history, commonly referred to as the Nanxi plain noodle because of the Nanxi River.

After the noodle is made, it needs to be hung in the sun for a few days. During this time, the walls of the courtyards in the villages are overflown with white noodles. Fluttering in the wind, these noodles become a scene itself to behold.  

As a prized local specialty, the noodles are traditionally served to relatives, visitors, friends, and matchmakers, and usually taken together with gravy, meat balls or seafood-flavored soy sauce.

Yongjia Rice Paddy Fish

According to local tales, Yongjia people have been farming fish in rice paddies since the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). It resembles carp in shape and tastes better than crucian carp, with a similar color and similar scales to gold fish. The rice paddy fish is in fact a variant of carp, easy to raise in paddy fields and rich in proteins, micronutrients and amino acids. It is also known for possessing a number of medicinal values.

“Gold Powder” Dumpling

A local delicacy in Yantou township, “gold powder” dumplings are usually served to guests during winter solstice and the Chinese New Year. The wrappers are made of sweet potato starch, as the plant is abundantly available along the Nanxi River. The fillings are made of minced meat, winter bamboo shoots, tofu, carrots, among other things. Often wrapped in a triangle or half-moon, the “gold powder” dumplings are slightly larger than the regular ones, and, when fully steamed, look like amber stones. Hence the name “gold powder”.

Yongjia Zaoxiang Pomelo

Also known as Yongjia Xiangpao, the Yongjia Zaoxiang pomelo is believed to be a variant of the more well-known Wendan pomelo. Similar in shape to calabash or gourd, the Zaoxiang pomelo is thin in skin and sweet in taste, with juicy and crisp flesh and very few seeds.  

Nanxi River Snail Soup

Growing upon the river bed rocks in Nanxi River, the river snails here are considered one of the most natural and organic food, as the water is so lucid and crystal clear that not only fish can be seen, it is actually drinkable. After catching the river snails, put them in water with a few drops of vegetable oil and wait for a few hours before they spit out the soil and sediment stored in their bodies. They are then ready to be made into soup after a final round of cleaning. Only some garlic and ginger will be needed to remove the fishy smell, apart from a little local cooking wine. When everything is fully cooked, always try the light and fresh soup first, before tasting the flesh.

Home-made Roasted Whole Lamb

Roasted whole lamb is quite popular in some areas of the Nanxi River. When the whole lamb is fully roasted, its skin is so thin that the flavors come directly from the inside. Even the bones are crisp and chewy. In Luochuan village, Hesheng township, an ancient hamlet with a history of over 400 years called “Lingshang Renjia”, or Families on the Mountainside, is particularly known for the dish. Back against the mountains and facing the Nanxi Rvier, the hamlet is enveloped by a “natural oxygen bar” and the lambs raised there are among the best. During weekends, family-run restaurants are always full of customers seeking to get a bite of the tender lamb.

Nanxi River Dried Sweetfish

Called the “king of freshwater fishes”, the Nanxi River sweetfish has long been known. Records from the Wanli period (1573-1620) of Ming dynasty described the species thus: the sweetfish “is usually three to four cun [10-14 centimeters] in length, fresh in taste and with no fishy smell; it lives in clear streams and only to be found in October [Chinese lunar calendar].”

A sweetfish generally weighs between 100 and 250 grams, with a small head and a pointed mouth, its back black and belly silver white. In the past, sweetfish used to be presented as tribute to the imperial court. Along the Nanxi River, fishermen often dry and bake the sweetfish for food, as the unique sweetness of its flesh can only be released through this method.