Bountiful harvests in a land that’s perfect for growing
Print Edition
JIADING is a fertile land rich in farm produce and natural resources thanks to its location in the hinterland of Yangtze River Delta. The abundant rainfall, sufficient sunlight and moderate climate is good for the growth of plants.
Jiading had many more varieties of local produce in the past. According to the county annuals of Jiading, Baoshan and Gaoqiao area in Pudong were also part of Jiading County.
Rice, cotton, garlic, beans are major crops that feature in the history of Jiading. Others include wheat, sorghum, sesame and rapeseed. In the 800-year history of Jiading, these crops have been cultivated and developed continuously to improve the varieties and increase the yield.
Jiading has many wild plants of ornamental or medicinal value. In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), dozens of medicinal plants can be found in Jiading, including incense, perilla, fennel, fleece-flower root and ophiopogon root.
There are a wide variety of trees in Jiading such as pine, cypress, locust trees, elm and willow. However, practical varieties such as Chinese tallow tree and honey locust are rarely found now.
Ginkgo is also one of the native breeds of Jiading. The tree has a long life and slow growth. It is also known as the “Gongsun Tree,” which means a tree planted by a grandfather and harvested by his grandson. The oldest tree in Shanghai is a 1,200-year-old ginkgo in Jiading Ancient Tree Park.
In recent years, Jiading has introduced cashmere, cantaloupe, strawberries and other cash crops.
According to the county annuals of the Ming Dynasty, poultry bred in Jiading mainly included geese, ducks and chicken. At that time, Dachang Town had a unique chicken variety which had a yellow beak, claws and skin. The chicken was nine jin (4.5 kilograms) in weight and called jiujinhuang, which in Chinese means “the yellow chicken weighing nine jins.”
In the past, Jiading has various wild poultry including pheasants, sparrows, magpies, partridges, orioles, larks, thrush, myna, Jade Birds, cuckoos, pigeons, woodpeckers and cranes. Cranes were commonly found in the south of Yangtze River in ancient times but rare to see today. However, egrets have been seen flying again in Jiading as the natural environment has been improved in recent years.
In the past, aquatic products in Jiading included marine products such as sturgeon, river beluga, drumfish, pomfret, puffer, shad and jellyfish. All of them were found in the outer sea areas in current Baoshan District.
However, some of them have become extinct. Freshwater products mainly included mandarin fish, perch, crucian, eels, clams, snails, shrimps and crabs. Crabs produced in Yangjing area were popular at that time.
Nowadays, although these aquatic products can be seen on the dining table, most of them are grown in waters or farms from other places of the country.
Mammal livestock mainly included cows, horses, sheep, pigs, dogs, cats, donkeys and mules. Foxes, weasels, badgers, otters and other wild mammals were commonly seen in Jiading. However, most of the animals have disappeared as a result of the changes taking place in living and production environment.
The number of cattle once reached 30,000. With the development of productivity and production methods, the number of cattle significantly reduced and only a small amount of dairy and beef cattle remained.
In the 1970s and 80s, almost every rural family in Jiading raised pigs and now only “Meishan Pigs” still exist in Jiading.
The lost varieties
During the Kangxi Period (1654-1722) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a local named Wang Jia selected 23 representative specialties of Jiading at that time and wrote prose for each one. Introducing the origins and characteristics of the 23 specialties, they were later recorded in the county annuals. Some of these local products still exist today and others have completely disappeared.
A kind of local evergreen shrub named Tianzhuzi was usually planted in the garden or before windows. The shrub had red fruit which could be made into medicine, ornaments and decorations.
Bonsai, also called penshu, can be found in houses of locals in the past. A quality bonsai usually needs 10 years of cultivation and pruning. At that time, people decorated their yards with bonsai and Xuanzhou stones to create an atmosphere like a Chinese painting.
Osmanthus pie, a dessert made of Osmanthus and sugar, was mostly paired with tea. In the past, the Osmanthus pie was a popular gift for guests from other places.
Huju Bamboo was a unique variety only found in Jiading. This kind of bamboo with tall branches and big leaves was built as a barrier to protect the yard. Its shoots had a tender texture and special fragrance.
Shiyuebai, a homemade Chinese spirit, was brewed with the rice harvest in November. A cup of quality Shiyuebai was usually purely white in color. Nowadays, rural families in Jiading still maintain the practice of brewing liquor.
Yulushuang was made of the root of a vine plant named Trichosanthes Kirilowi. Locals grounded it into powder, filtered the bitter flavor, dried it in the sun and added sugar and mint before steaming. Yuluhuang has medical value in slaking thirst and moistening the throat.
Ganlangua was a kind of water melon shaped like olive. The melon with its red flesh and sweet taste was a good summer food for locals to beat the heat.
Shixie, extremely small crabs, were brought by the waves on the sea and caught by local fishermen. These small crabs were crushed into paste and cooked with eggs to produce a smooth and tender taste.
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