In Shenzhen, a city renowned for its speed and innovation, lies a culinary icon that has grown alongside the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) — Guangming Pigeon. As the crown jewel of the “Three Treasures of Guangming”, this delicacy, hailed as “the Best Pigeon Under Heaven”, not only captivates diners with its crispy skin, tender meat, juicy texture and fragrant bones but also records Shenzhen’s dramatic transformation from a rural farmland to a modern metropolis over 40 years. More than just a dish on the table, it is a gustatory embodiment of Shenzhen’s reform and opening-up spirit, waiting for every foreign traveler to explore its stories and flavors.
The birth of Guangming Pigeon is deeply rooted in Shenzhen’s pioneering era. Dating back to 1958, Guangming Farm was established in a barren land, once jokingly called “Shenzhen’s Siberia”, yet it nurtured hope through the sweat of generations of builders. Pioneers in the late 1950s, educated youth in the 1960s, and returned overseas Chinese in the 1970s reclaimed land and built roads here, while Guangming Guest House, initially an internal canteen of the farm, quietly witnessed the dedication and perseverance of these builders. When the Shenzhen SEZ was founded in 1980, the spring breeze of reform and opening-up swept across the city, and Guangming Farm ushered in a historic turning point — in 1982, the farm cooperated with Hong Kong merchants to build Dabao Pigeon Farm, the earliest and largest meat pigeon breeding base in China at that time. Importing American落地皇 pigeon seedlings from Hong Kong laid the crucial foundation for the birth of Guangming Pigeon.
In 1983, Guangming Guest House officially opened to the public, and its innovative braised pigeon became an instant hit in Shenzhen, leaping from a farm canteen dish to a city culinary landmark. The popularity of this pigeon is a vivid reflection of the SEZ’s spirit of “daring to explore and try”. To create a unique taste, Dabao Pigeon Farm spent more than a decade acclimatizing and cross-breeding, successfully developing a high-quality breed called “Dabao Royal Pigeon”. This breed features a plump body, firm chest muscles, white feathers and skin, and strong disease resistance. Guangming Guest House has always adhered to strict standards, selecting only 25-28 day-old pigeons weighing 500-600 grams — at this age, the pigeon meat is the most tender, with flavor permeating even the bones, earning it the reputation of “one pigeon equivalent to nine chickens” in terms of nutrition.
The ultimate delicacy stems from the adherence to and innovation of craftsmanship. Unlike the complex traditional Cantonese method of “applying crispy skin water, air-drying and then frying”, Guangming Pigeon pioneered the “braise first, then fry” technique. This not only adapts to Guangdong’s fire-prone climate but also locks in the meat juice to the maximum extent, embodying Shenzhen’s pragmatic and innovative spirit in cuisine. The braising process is the soul: more than 20 kinds of natural Chinese medicinal materials and spices, such as licorice, star anise, cinnamon and momordica grosvenori, are boiled into a secret aged brine according to a strict ratio. The pigeons are fully soaked in the brine, absorbing the herbal aroma and savory base flavor. For frying, high-quality peanut oil is used with precise temperature and time control, making the pigeon skin golden and crispy while the inside remains tender and juicy, creating a wonderful texture of “crispy outside and tender inside”.
Over the past 40 years, Guangming Pigeon has long transcended being just food, becoming an emotional sustenance and urban symbol for Shenzheners. Inside Guangming Guest House, the unchanged greenhouse-style lobby and the constantly rotating old ceiling fans retain traces of time; the head chef has stuck to the kitchen for more than 20 years, ensuring that every generation of pigeons maintains the same flavor; some regular customers travel across districts every week just for this taste that has grown with the SEZ. Today, Guangming Pigeon sells over 2 million pieces annually, winning numerous honors such as “Top 10 World Famous Dishes” and “Shenzhen Catering Landmark Cuisine”. It has also spawned innovative dishes like Braised Pigeon Buddha Jumps Over the Wall and Pigeon Matsutake Soup, gaining new vitality in inheritance.
Tasting Guangming Pigeon also has a unique ritual — it should be eaten whole, not cut into pieces, to retain all the juice. Start with the pigeon head to enjoy the essence, then the firm wings, and finally the plump body. Every bite allows you to feel the crispness of the skin and the tenderness of the meat, with the herbal brine aroma blooming layer by layer in your mouth. When visiting Shenzhen, besides checking in at skyscrapers and science and technology parks, you may wish to go to Guangming Guest House in Guangming District. Taste the story of the SEZ in this pigeon amid the bustling atmosphere, and experience the perfect integration of traditional craftsmanship and urban spirit.
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