Hunan
embroidery
Hunan embroidery originates from the folk embroidery
of Hunan. It forms its unique art style by the hardwork of the artisan in
the past ages in long period of time. It is one of the four famous Chinese
embroideries, and the other three are Jiangsu embroidery, Guangdong embroidery
and Sichuan embroidery.
Compared with the other embroideries, the
art style of Hunan embroidery is unique, and the characteristic of it is distinct.
The skill of Hunan embroidery is high, and the technique of expression is
vivid. In recent years, Hunan embroidery seeks the integration of the skills
and the plot on the basis of inheriting the traditional skills. A new embroidery
skill of two sides with totally different embroidery has been developed. It
is called ＾Super embroidery￣ because of its high art value and the difficult
skill. Yangyuhuan is the representative of embroidery which is of two sides
with different pictures based on the meaning of the poem, Changhengge of Baijuyi.
The subject of the embroidery is wide, and
the embroidery is of many varieties. It can be the valuable art treasure,
and it also can be practical and tasteful things for daily use, such as clothes,
tapestry, handkerchief and quilt cover. It can be the large work which is
grand and bold, and it also can be small pieces which are exquisite and ingenious.
Some are sumptuous, and some are elegant. Every one has its own characteristic,
and they suit both refined and popular tastes.
Brocade of Tujia
Xiangxi
in Hunan is one of the regions that Tujia inhabits. They are good at singing
and dancing, and the disposition of them is plain and firm. The traditional
culture is passed on from 
generation
to generation. Brocade of Tujia which is one of the four famous brocades in
China is the proud traditional handicraft.
Phoenix blue prints
Phoenix Miao self-governed county which is
located in the remote mountain area of the west of Hunan gets us unforgettable
expression with its plain feature and rich products. In recent years, many
visitors come here out of admiration. When they leave, they always take few
pieces of blue prints. The texture of the phoenix blue prints is soft and
ventilate; the design of it is refinement. The composition of the picture
is of deep artistic conception, and it holds strong national feature. It not
only has broad value for partice, but also has high value for enjoy. The foreground
is good both in the country and in the world.
Ramee textile
Early in Ming Dynasty, the grass cloth in
Luiyang was very famous and many merchants scrambled for buying. Wearing the
clothes made by grass cloth, one can feel comfortable and bright, well-pressed
and ventilate. It has the characteristics of moisture absorption, preventing
mould, easy for washing and dry quickly. Many people like it very much. The
raw material for Luiyang grass cloth is ramee which is abounded in Hunan.
Ramee textile industry is one of the superiorities
in Hunan. The quality and the development of the technology of ramee textile
in Hunan are at the leading space of the same industry in China. The exported
are: ramee yarn, blending yarn, interweave with ramee and pure hemp, blending
grey, blending knitting cloth, knitting clothes, handwork grass cloth, handkerchief,
towel, bedsheet and cloth for operation. They are mainly sold to United States,
Japan, Western Europe, South-east Asia, HongKong, Macau and other countries
and regions.
Tongguan
pottery
Tongguan pottery which is with long history
is famous for its particularity technics, various breed, rich glaze color
and unique sculpt.
Tongguan town of Wangcheng county which is
30km away from the provincial capital, Changsha is always called pottery city
with ten miles, and it is one of the five biggest pottery center in ancient
China.
With the development and perfect of the technology
and equipment, the glaze color of Tongguan pottery has been enlarged to dozens
of the color and the kinds of the products are enlarged to five kinds with
nearly thousands of production. The colorful and varied new products replace
the traditional style pottery. They are widely used in the daily life and
are welcomed by the people. The art pottery of Tongguan is with wide themes;
they are straightfoward and bold, and are rich with the traditional characteristic.
Recently, Tongguan pottery company succeeds
in inventing a new product, stoneware, which is between pottery and porcelain.
It is sold to United States, Japan and other 33 countries and regions.
Liling underglaze d└cor
porcelain
Liling of
Hunan is the second biggest porcelain city in China. The underglaze d└cor
porcelain is famous for exquisite porcelain, novel shape, gorgeous decration
and unique characteristic. It is called the jewel of eastern art, and the
first old porcelain in the world.
The Liling underglaze d└cor porcelain is white
as jade, clear and mirror, thin as paper . It can be used as daily facilities,
and it is also the priceless art craft which can bring us aesthetic feeling.
In 1964, Prime Minister Zhouenlai chose the Liling underglaze d└cor porcelain
tableware as the tableware for state banquet in person. Liling underglaze
d└cor porcelain are used as present given to foreign head.
Recently, Liling underglaze d└cor porcelain
is sold to over 250 high grade hotels in China and over 60 countries and regions
in the world
Liuyang chrysanthemum stone
carving
No matter how beautiful and proudly bloomed
in winter, it will wither and fall sooner or later. Liuyang chrysanthemum
stone carving can bloom all the time and never fade. The art craft is
carved according to the natural figure of the stone; the figure is unique
and it looks like chrysanthemum. The figure is of different shapes and very
vivid. The stone carving is only produced in Hunan in the world. The history
of Liuyang chrysanthemum stone carving is over 200 years. In 1915, the chrysanthemum
stone vase and the stone screen with plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum
caved by famous stone cave handicraftsman, Zhangqingsheng, won the first golden
model in Panama International Fair. That make chrysanthemum stone cave famous
all over the world.
Dongkou smoky quartz stone
caving
The history of Dongkou smoky quartz stone caving
is about 300 years. Smoky quartz is also called ＾Moyu￣, ＾Zhishi￣, and ＾Chushi￣;
it is the special product of Xuefeng Mountain area. Its texture is exquisite.
It is black and smooth. After polishing, it is especially glittering and translucent;
it is called black agate. The local pay lots of attention to inheriting and
developing this traditional skill, and organize the folk handicraftsmen to
unearth and create. They make over ten thousand new work of caving. The work
is glittering and exquisite like jade caving, and also maintain the straightforward
and bold of stone caving. It can place in the room, and it suit both refined
and popular tastes. All these features differ the smoky quartz stone caving
from other stone caving, and develop a school of its own.
Shaoyang Fanhuang bamboo
caving
Shaoyang fanghuang bamboo caving is an excellent
folk art craft in China. It began from Qianlonng Period of Qing Dynasty, and
the history of it is over 200 years. It is famous for caving the bamboo on
the basis of it own natural color. There are over 80 processes before the
product is done. Shangyang fanghuang bamboo caving is based on traditional
Chinese painting, but it is much graver and much vivid than the painting.
It has the feeling of metal and stone, and has much variations without binds.
So it forms the unique art style. The breed of the bamboo caving is a lot,
and they are different colors. The work is elegant and easy, fresh and brightly.
It is harmonious with the nature of bamboo, and they reflect each other to
bring out the best in each other. It is the desirable art craft both for enjoying
and practising.
Yiyang Bomboo summer
sleeping mat
Yiyang Bomboo summer sleeping mat is famous
all over the world for the singular function of eliminating the hot. Yiyang
is the famous village for Bomboo summer sleeping mat in China. The history
for the people near Maozhu Lake of Yiyang making the mat by Bomboo is about
600 years. In Ming and Qing Dynasty, Bomboo 
summer
sleeping mat was listed as tribute. The thin bamboo strips of the mat are
slender and shiny; the color of them are green and soft. That makes it very
beautiful. It also can be folded like cloth. When you fold the whole set of
the mat, it will not become deformed, and the thin bamboo strips will not
break. It is surprised that even if in the dog days, if you sleep on the mat,
the sweat will disappear very soon, and the body temperature will low down.
One can feel that there is a cool breeze blows gently. After several summers,
the color of the mat will change into orange or brown from green, and it is
glittering and translucent. There are 13 processes from cutting the bamboo,
preparing the material, breaking the thin strips, wiredrawing, boiling, knitting
and making the edge. All the processes are made by hand. After boiling, the
strips are soft and not easy to be broken. Also, it is not easy to have worms
in it.
Qiyang straw mat
The history of Qiyang straw mat is very long.
About 1400 A.D. mat were produced in Qiyang. Qiyang straw mat shows fine workmanship,
and the surface of the mat is neat and smooth. The picture is beautiful, the
color is shinning; it is soft and wearproof. Sleeping on the mat in summer,
one can¨t feel sweaty, and it is comfortable and cool. Especially the natural
fragrance of the mat can make one feel the fresh of the mountain area. Qiyang
straw mat is well sold all over the countries, and seven to eight foreign
countries and regions. The straw can not only be used for mat, but also be
the material of making paper. The white fuse of its perennial root and stem,
rush, can be used as medicine. It has the function of antipyreting, detoxify,
diuresis, and good for stomach.
Linwu Chinese alpine rush mat
The Chinese alpine rush mat which is warm
in winter and cool in summer and suitable for all the seasons is produced
in Linwu county of Xiangnan mountain area. It began from the end of Northern
Song Dynasty and it is the traditional famous brand product in Linwu. It is
still a check-free exported commodity. The producing process is very stress.
The demand of choosing the rush, preparing the material, knitting and produce
is very high. Linwu Chinese alpine rush mat is welcomed in Southeastern Asia.
In recent years, a lot of products are sold to Singapore, Thailand, Chinese
Taiwan, Mid-Africa and other countries and regions. 
Yuezhou fan
The history of Yuezhou fan began from the joining
era of Ming and Qing. It is called the three famous fans in China with Suzhou
fan and Hangzhou fan. There are over 200 kinds of Yuezhou fan. They are mainly
paper fan, feather fan, tough silk fan, born fan, palace fan, portable fan,
fragrance wood fan, opera and dancing fan, large decorative fan, etc. All
are surprised at the beauty of the fan.
Liuyang fireworks and firecrackers
Liuyang is a world famous place for fireworks
and firecrackers. The history of it is very long. The shape of the fireworks
is beautiful and the color is bright. The quality is high. It is always said
that the fireworks and firecrackers in Liuyang can quake the whole world.
The breed of the fireworks is of large number. There are over a hundred products.
Longhui tough paper
The well-known Longhui tough paper is produced
in Siaosha River, Longhui county which is of 1800 metres over the sea level
in Hunan. The reason why Longhui tough paper is famous is that the unique
resource. The tough paper can used to make umbrella, fireworks, fuse, and
slip paper, and it is also an important industrial material. Longhui tough
paper is well sold all over the world for its white, good toughness, average
thin and thick.Recently, the output of the product in Xiaosha river is 30000kg;
that is the half of the output of Hunan. Apart from selling to ten provinces,
cities and autonomous regions including Guangdong, it is sold to Japan, Taiwan,
HongKong, Macau, Southeastern Asia and other countries and regions.
Yiyang iron pot
The iron pot production in Yiyang, Hunan began
from Song Dynasty, and the history of it is over 800 years. The Yiyang iron
pot is always called ＾South Pot￣, and it is also called ＾Guang Pot￣. It is
sold all over the country since 150 years ago, and to Taiwan later.
Wuling white spirit
Wuling white spirit is produced by Changde
wine-making industry group company, and it is named after the old name of
Changde, Wuling. Wuling white spirit is famous for limpid, smooth, and mellow.
The color of it is light yellow, and it is of thick tastes. The aftertaste
is excellent.The package of Wuling white spirit is elegant and unique. The
shape of the bottle is like stone chimes in ancient China, and there is bamboo
slip picture with Chinese characteristic on the box. The whole package is
like a special art craft.
Xiangquan white spirit
The special taste Xiangquan white spirit is
produced in the beautiful west part of Hunan. Although the history of it is
not very long, it is the latecomers surpass the old-timers and compete with
several famous white spirits in China. In June, 1993, 
Xiangquan
white spirit and new-developed Jiugui white spirit won the highest prize,
special honour prize in the 7th Brodeaux Wine Fair in France for the unique
style and high quality. The package of Xiangquan white spirit is designed
by famous painter, Huangyongyu. It is special and surprising. The bottle is
made of redware which is antique; the cork is used as the seal, and it is
of national feature with a read handwoven cloth covering it. The label of
it is a picture called "A picture of drinking wine" made by Huangyongyu, and
there is a person who is happy with drinking in the picture. A bottle is a
beautiful art craft.
Baishaye white spirit
Baishaye white spirit is produced in the old
city, Changsha. In December, 26, 1974, Chairman Mao named the white spirit
Baishaye in person. There are four kinds of white spirits, they are special
level with 54 degree(special), 54 degree, 46 degree and 39 degree. The raw
material for Baishaye white spirit is high grade Chinese sorghum. It is made
by the famous spring, Baisha mineral spring. The liquid is clear, and the
taste is thick. The aftertaste is excellent. It is one of the famous white
spirits in Hunan. Baishaye is not only good at its taste, but also has a wonderful
package.
Guishe white spirit
After 1970¨s, Yueyang brewery collects and
arranges the folk recipe. They made a valuable Guishe white spirit on the
base of inheriting the traditional wine-making skill. It is welcomed by the
people all over the world.
Jiahedaogang wine
The Daogang wine produced by Jiahe winery
is a famous folk wine which is traditional in Hunan. It belongs to yellow
rice wine which is sweet.
West Han wine
West Han wine is a famous high grade nourishing
wine. It is made according to the unearthed secret recipe, Yangsheng recipe,
and it is based on the medicine book and food unearthed from Mawangdui Han
Tomb Site. It is made by Mawangdui pharmaceutical factory and some medicine
experts.
Xiangxiang beer
Xiangxiang beer is the only one which get
the name of the famous beer in Hunan in the beer industry in Hunan. In the
17 years, it often gets prize in national and international competence. It
is called Qingdao beer of Jiangnan by the consumer. It is made by the natural
mineral water, and it contains zinc, strontium, phosphorus, selenium, molybdenum,
fluorine, vitriol, sodium, manganese and other trace elements which people
need. That make the beer hold the function of nutrition and health protection.
Xiang vermicelli
Xiang vermicelli is also called ＾South vermicelli￣,
and it is named because it is produced in Hunan. It is as famous as Longkou
vermicelli in Shandong and Qinghe vermicelli in Beijing. It is well sold all
over the world.
Liuyang fermented soya beans
Fermented soya beans is a special tasted condiment.
The most famous one is produced in Liuyang of Hunan. The history of making
fermented soya beans is over 200 years. Liuyang fermented soya beans is welcomed
with special taste and rich nutrition. It is sold to Japan, Singapore, HongKong,
Macao, Southwestern Asia and other countries and regions.
Yiyang preserved egg
Yiyang preserved egg is Hunan traditional product,
and it is made by fresh duck¨s egg.
Yiyang Jinhua fermented bean curd
In the flavour and non-staple food industry
of Yiyang, Jinhua fermented bean curd produced by Yuda sauce and pickle shop
is the best. It absorbs the advantages of the fermented bean curd of Guilin
and Guangzhou on the basis of the traditional making method of Yiyang fermented
bean curd, and take modern technology to make it.
Yongfeng chilli sauce
Yongfeng chilli sauce produced in Yongfeng
of Shuangfeng county is very famous. The main material of the chilli sauce
is fresh hot pepper, wheat, soya bean, and polished glutinous rice. After
the processes of washing, chopping, mixing, drying, putting into the bottle
and sealing, it cam be made Yongfeng chilli sauce.
Xiangtan Dragon brand soy sauce
Dragon brand soy sauce is famous product in
Xiangtan of Hunan.
The history of it began from the end Qianlong period of Qing Dynasty, and
it is nearly 200 years. It is a good product in the soy sauce in China.
Xiangtan rush cake
Rush cake is traditional non-staple food in
Xiangtan of Hunan. It began from Jiaqing period of Qing Dynasty. The history
of it is over 200 years. It is strip shaped food, and it is white, smooth.
It is named after the shape which is like rush. It is said that rush cake
is not that famous early, and it is just favorite by the local people.
Baoqing pig blood bolus
Baoqing pig blood bolus is also called Xueba,
and it is traditional food in Shaoyang. It begins from Kangxi period of Qing
Dynasty. It is succeeded among people. It has hundreds of years¨ history.
The main material of it is been curd.
Fried strong-smelling preserved bean
curd
The famous snack of Changsha, strong-smelling
preserved bean curd is of special taste. Its main characteristic is smelly
but delicious when you eat it. The best fried strong-smelling preserved bean
curd in Changsha is made by Huogong Dian which has hundreds of years¨ history.
It is charred outside and crisp inside, and it is soft and delicious inside.
Changsha special snack
Deyuan Baozi, Jiaoyansanzi、Zimeituanzi、Juhuashaomai、Longzhi
pig blood 、Yangyuxing noodle.
The selected dishes in Xiang food Xiang
Food is also called Hunan dishes, and it is one of the eight dish styles
in China. It inherits the traditional cooking skill, and it is with strong
local characteristic. The making is 
careful,
and the material is excellent. It pays attention on good smell and fresh,
hot and sour, soft and tender on the taste. It focuses on the natural taste
of the material. Its favorite cooking methods are roast, stew, fry, steam,
cured. The following are the main introduction of several representative Xiang
dishes.
A duck with four ways of eating
Duck is well raised in Hunan, so there are a lot of dishes whose
material is duck. A duck with four ways of eating is a famous dish. So-called
a duck with four ways of eating is just the four dishes about duck. They are
toasted duck and pancake.
Three beat thing of the cow
Three best thing of the cow mean stomach,hoof muscle,and brains. It is the
best dish for the famous Islamic restaurant, Lihesheng.
Others
Ｒice, Dongting whitebait, mandarin fish, pig, Xianghuang chicken, Wugang goose,Xuefeng
orange, Liuyang kumquat, Chinese Yangtao, JingzhouMudong red bayberry, Daozhou
red seed, Longya lily, Chengbu Job¨s tears, Baoqing dried slices of tender
bamboo shoots, Xiangtan lotus seeds, Shaodong day lily, Xiangxi mushroom,
Hunan hot pepper,etc.
