Wenzhou is a city steeped in history and rich in cultural heritage, boasting a diverse array of local specialties. Here are some must-buy local products:
Handicrafts and Specialties
Ou embroidery, also known as painted curtains, is a traditional handicraft of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. Ou embroidery, also known as painted curtains, boasts a rich history, originating in the Tang Dynasty and flourishing during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is considered one of China's five famous embroidery styles, alongside Shu embroidery, Yue embroidery, Xiang embroidery, and Su embroidery. Ou embroidery integrates traditional techniques with innovation, resulting in increasingly vibrant colors and a richer variety of patterns. Its clear themes, varied stitching techniques, glossy surfaces, even stitches, and vibrant charm make it a vibrant craft.
Boxwood carvings are a staple of Wenzhou's traditional arts and crafts. Made from boxwood, they employ techniques such as round carving, openwork carving, and relief carving, resulting in three-dimensional sculptures. Boxwood carvings have developed a unique art form, beloved for their vivid, socially relevant forms and captivating portrayals. Themes often depict figures from Chinese mythology and legends, such as the Eight Immortals, the God of Longevity, Guan Gong, Maitreya Buddha, and Guanyin.
Fine-grained paper carving: Wenzhou's most famous folk art form. Its intricate patterns and delicate lines, created with a chisel, earn it the name "fine-grained paper carving." This handicraft embodies the essence of Chinese artistic talent and is known as "the pinnacle of Chinese paper-cutting." Known for its meticulous craftsmanship, a piece of fine-grained paper carving undergoes a complex and intricate process from design to completion.
Fruit Specialties
Ouang (Ougan): Wenzhou folk have a saying that "Ouang (Ougan) during the Dragon Boat Festival resembles antelopes." When discussing Wenzhou's specialty fruits, Ouang (Ougan) is the first thing that comes to mind. Ou oranges are a renowned traditional local citrus variety in my country, a tribute to the imperial court throughout history. Their cultivation history spans approximately 2,400 years, including being included as tribute during the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. In 1990, they were designated as the athletes' fruit for the Beijing Asian Games. Ou oranges have a well-proportioned pear-shaped or tall, oblate fruit with a prominent top. The peel is smooth, glossy, orange-yellow or golden yellow, with a bright green stem. The skin is tightly bound to the flesh, making it easy to peel. The flesh is soft, juicy, and sweet.
Dingao Bayberry: Native to Dingao Village, Chashan Subdistrict, it is known as the "Crown of Wenzhou Bayberries." Its sweet and sour flavor, purple-black color, and long stalk give it the nickname "red plate with green stem." It is a traditional premium fruit in Wenzhou and one of Zhejiang Province's four renowned bayberry varieties. Dingao bayberries have a long history and were already famous during the Ming Dynasty. The bayberries produced here are shiny purple-black, large in size with a small core, and are sweet, juicy, and tender, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour.
Taishun kiwifruit: A specialty of Taishun County, Wenzhou, and one of Wenzhou's most famous local fruits. Taishun kiwifruit is cultivated on the mountainside, using traditional methods for over 30 years, growing and ripening naturally. At an altitude of over 600 meters, the fertile soil, fresh air, and abundant sunshine create a delicate, sweet, and juicy kiwifruit. Taishun kiwifruit has been recognized as a National Agricultural Product with Protected Geographical Indication, "Wenzhou Safe Agricultural Product," "Zhejiang Forest Food," "Zhejiang Famous Brand," and "China Green Product."
Seafood Specialties: Yellow croaker and its products: A specialty seafood product from Nanji Island, Pingyang County, Wenzhou, Zhejiang. Its firm, fresh, and delicious meat offers an excellent taste, far superior to traditional shallow-water farmed yellow croaker. Nanji has long been a rich source of large yellow croaker, known as its home. Nanji Island large yellow croaker and its products have been designated as National Geographical Indication Protected Products and have been listed as both Zhejiang Province Famous Brand Products and Zhejiang Province Famous Authentic Agricultural Products.
Yanting Swimming Crab: Yanting is known as the "Hometown of Chinese Swimming Crab." Yanting's swimming crabs are renowned for their large, delicious, plump, and meaty bodies, earning them acclaim both domestically and internationally. The unique geographical environment contributes to the exceptional quality and nutritional value of Yanting's swimming crabs, earning them the admiration of countless crab lovers.
Tea Specialties
Three Cups Fragrant Tea: A specialty of Taishun County, Wenzhou, it is both a National Geographical Indication Protected Product and a National Agricultural Product Protected Product. It is a renowned Wenzhou specialty tea, classified as a green tea. This tea is renowned for its lingering fragrance even after three infusions, earning it the reputation of being "fragrant, mellow, and long-lasting." Three Cups Fragrant Tea boasts slender, tight, and graceful tea leaves, with distinct tips, uniform size, and a vibrant green color. Its interior boasts a tender or chestnut aroma, a rich, lingering aroma, and a fresh, rich flavor. Its tea soup is bright green, and its leaves are vibrant and tender.
Wuniu Morning Tea: A specialty of Yongjia County, Wenzhou, and a National Geographical Indication protected product, named after the town of Wuniu in Yongjia, it is a green tea, a recent innovation, and a renowned Wenzhou specialty morning tea. Wuniu Morning Tea is a particularly early-budding variety in my country, ready for harvest in early March. The "Wuniu Morning Longjing" tea, made from it, boasts a flat shape, a mellow and fragrant flavor, and a vibrant green color, making it a treasure among teas.
Other Specialties:
Wenzhou Duck Tongue: Marinated in rock sugar, it boasts a rich, sweet, and purplish purple color, making it a perfect accompaniment to alcohol and a delicacy. Yandang Mountain Dendrobium Officinale: A specialty of Yueqing City, Wenzhou, and a nationally protected agricultural product with a geographical indication, it is one of Wenzhou's renowned agricultural specialties. Its superior quality earned it a place in the imperial courts of the Ming and Qing dynasties, earning it the title of one of the "Five Treasures of Yanshan."