- March 10,2023
In ancient city of Pingyao, Pingyao Beef has been "flavored" as a New Year's staple for over a hundred years, and is now a time-honored snack sold throughout country.
In Pingyao Beef shop on South Street of ancient city, shopping guide Dong Haifang said, "Pingyao Beef has more than 10 series and more than 100 specifications."
On January 27th, at Pingyao Beef Store on South Street of Pingyao Ancient City, employees displayed a beef product. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yang Chengguang
Cooked Pingyao beef is tender and delicious, with a ruddy and bright color. The thick beef fiber is changed. Even older people with bad teeth can chew it with umami.
In 2008, traditional processing methods of Pingyao beef were inscribed on National Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The Pingyao beef production process is reportedly hundreds of years old. The Pingyao Beef Cultural Center, located in Guanyun Beef Group Factory, details history of Pingyao Beef. The information says: The origin of Pingyao Beef has not been verified, and production process was very mature during Qing Dynasty. .
Workers pack ready-made Pingyao beef on production line. Photo courtesy of interviewees
"Pingyao beef, Taigu cakes, Qingxu grapes are sweet..." Shanxi's popular folk song "Praise Local Products" begins with Pingyao beef. As one of Pingyao's regional symbols, Pingyao people buy it to eat when they miss home and decorate their dinner table with it during Spring Festival reunion.
The rigorous master-apprentice training method allows Pingyao beef production skills to be passed on from generation to generation. Wang Tianming, a sixth-generation heir to traditional Pingyao beef processing methods, National Intangible Cultural Heritage Project, told reporters that production of Pingyao beef is very specific, with clear requirements for producers. The inheritance of skills is passed down by experienced masters, it must be divided into procedures and trained strictly according to time of training, sometimes it takes several years to receive a diploma.
The picture shows Pingyao beef. Photo courtesy of interviewees
