Qiaotou Township in Guidong County, Hunan: New Contributions to Rural Revitalization with Local Delicacies

Recently, local leaders and foodies systematically compiled over 60 Hakka delicacies at Qiaotou Chaihuo Restaurant in Qiaotou Township, Guidong County, Hunan Province. The township's first Hakka Cuisine Illustrated Book will soon be finished.

Zongzi series delicacies [Photo via Qiaotou Township]

An industrial revolution is taking shape in the Hunan-Jiangxi border region, driven by the prominence of Hakka cuisine. With key ingredients such as tea leaves, bamboo leaves, and tortoise-shell bamboo, the CPC Qiaotou Township Committee has made innovation to introduce seven major food categories. These cover tea, zongzi (rice dumplings), bamboo products, cured meat, local featured products, Hakka delicacies, and specialty drinks. These initiatives aim to revitalize this millennium-old tea township by leveraging its rich culinary heritage to promote rural development.

Qiaotou Township is currently home to 32,000 mu (about 2,133.33 hectares) of high-quality tea gardens, 12,000 mu (800 hectares) of bamboo leaf bases, and 20,000 mu (about 1,333.33 hectares) of tortoise-shell bamboo forests. The township features over 50 tea enterprises and processing plants, including notable names like LILO TEA, Qiaoyuanchun, and Baohong Yunwu, along with ten bamboo leaf processing plants, four bamboo shoot processing plants, and two bamboo product and bamboo charcoal factories. These enterprises and factories provide jobs for over 4,000 people and contribute to a four-season industrial pattern featuring tea products in spring, bamboo leaf products in summer, bamboo products in autumn, and bamboo shoots in winter.

Currently, Qiaotou Township is working to establish a comprehensive food IP matrix. Efforts are underway to support the century-old Hakka cuisine 'Changminggan' to be included on the World Heritage List. A training program for 70 rural food masters is already in progress. The Qiaotou Hakka Taste short video series will soon be available on new media platforms.

By leveraging the rich culinary traditions found in Hakka kitchens in the deep mountains, as well as positioning itself as a key food landmark on the Hunan-Jiangxi cultural tourism map, Qiaotou Township is making significant contributions to rural revitalization with its delicacies. The traditional culinary delights of the local area are being transformed into a golden key to drive industrial upgrade and rural revitalization.