Shanghai, a global metropolis, blends modern prosperity with the gentle charm of Jiangnan water towns. Located in Jinshan District, Fengjing Ancient Town is the first Chinese Historical and Cultural Town in Shanghai, featuring picturesque small bridges, flowing streams and white-wall black-tile houses. In this thousand-year-old town, there is a century-old intangible cultural heritage delicacy — Fengjing Diti, which ranks first among the “Four Treasures of Fengjing”. It is not only a classic name card of Shanghai’s food Culture, but also a must-try flavor for foreign tourists to deeply understand Jiangnan’s culinary culture.
Fengjing Diti has a history dating back to 1852 (the second year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty), created by the Ding brothers at their store “Dingyixing” in the Ancient Town. With more than 170 years of inheritance, it has been passed down to the seventh generation of inheritors. Since its birth, it has gained wide reputation for its unique flavor. A century ago, it was best-selling in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, and exported to more than 20 countries and regions including Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States. It has won many international awards, such as the silver medal of the Nanyang Industry Exposition, the gold medal of the Panama International Exposition, and the gold medal of the Leipzig Exposition in Germany. During the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and 2015 Milan World Expo, Fengjing Diti represented Shanghai’s catering industry to show the charm of traditional Chinese food to the world. In 2007, the making technique of Fengjing Diti was listed in the Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage List, becoming a living heritage carrying Jiangnan’s food Culture.
The delicious taste of Fengjing Diti comes from strict raw material selection and exquisite traditional craftsmanship. It takes the local unique “Fengjing Pig” as the core raw material, a black-haired pig with moderate fat and lean meat, fine bones and tender meat, which is a high-quality breed of the black pig system in the Taihu Lake Basin. The production process follows the original 36 procedures and “ten ingredients and eight crafts” standards, going through core steps such as hoof trimming, shaping, blanching, depilation, seasoning, cooking with “three high heats and three low heats”, boning and cooling, without any preservatives or artificial additives. When stewing, natural spices such as old soybean sauce, rock sugar, star anise and cinnamon are used, and the hoof is slowly stewed in ancient soup for 6 to 8 hours, allowing the spices and meat aroma to fully integrate. The precise heat control ensures the hoof is crispy but not mushy and rich in collagen.
The finished Fengjing Diti has a bright red and glossy color, with a unique taste that perfectly interprets the “rich oil and red sauce” flavor characteristic of Jiangnan. It is sweet but not greasy, fat but not oily, lean but not dry. The hoof skin is soft, glutinous and elastic, rich in collagen, and the hoof meat is crispy and tasty. The bone and meat can be separated easily with a gentle sip. The most special feature is that Fengjing Diti tastes better when cold. The cooled hoof has firm meat, penetrating marinade aroma and refreshing taste, which is suitable for meals, wine or snacks.
For foreign tourists, the best place to taste Fengjing Diti is the time-honored Dingyixing stores in Fengjing Ancient Town. Laojie Diti Store and Dingyixing Flagship Store in the ancient town serve fresh cut and cooked Diti, allowing visitors to feel the century-old atmosphere of the time-honored brand. In addition to on-site tasting, vacuum-packed Fengjing Diti is an excellent travel souvenir, with a shelf life of about 7 days, easy to carry home so that family and friends can also taste the authentic Jiangnan flavor.
When visiting Fengjing Ancient Town, you can combine the delicacy of Diti with the scenery of the ancient town for a one-stop tour. Stroll along the stone roads of the ancient town, view ancient bridges such as Zhihe Bridge and Three Fengjing Bridges, visit cultural attractions such as Ding Cong Art Museum and Farmer Painting Village, and feel the cultural heritage of the water town. When tired of walking, walk into a time-honored store, order a portion of Fengjing Diti, and match it with special snacks such as Fengjing rice wine and shaomai, to immerse yourself in the slow life of Jiangnan water town.
Travel Tips: 1. Fengjing Diti has various specifications such as whole hoof, half hoof and sliced pieces, which can be selected according to needs; 2. Vacuum-packed products are recommended to be stored in refrigeration, eaten directly after opening, and the original flavor can be better retained without heating; 3. All time-honored stores in the ancient town are formal with guaranteed quality, so you can buy with confidence.
Fengjing Diti is not only a delicacy, but also the crystallization of Jiangnan’s historical Culture and craftsmanship. With a century of unchanged ingenuity, it locks the flavor and memory of the water town, becoming an important window for foreign tourists to understand Shanghai and fall in love with Chinese food. When coming to Shanghai, you may walk into Fengjing Ancient Town to meet this intangible cultural heritage delicacy, and feel the unique charm of Jiangnan’s culinary culture with the lingering fragrance on your lips and teeth.
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