Rambling Baoding Three Treasures

Liu Simon comprehensive collation, image source network

There is a proverb circulating in the anecdote: Baoding has three treasures; iron balls, noodle sauce, and spring never grow old. The first treasure: "Baoding Iron Ball" (commonly known as a fitness ball) is not only an entertainment tool, but also has a mass view of fitness functions. The second treasure: "Baoding noodle sauce", which was first produced in the Qing Kangxi Dynasty ten years ago, has a history of nearly 400 years, excellent quality, long-standing reputation, is the ideal cooking seasoning. The third treasure: "Baoding Spring Is Not Old", also known as "Xueli Hong", a common vegetable, has a long history of cultivation in Baoding, and is loved for its cheap price and excellent quality.

The first treasure "Baoding Iron Ball" (commonly known as the fitness ball) is not only an entertainment tool, but also has the function of mass viewing fitness. The outside of the ball shows that the light is bright, its internal structure is complex, there is a ball inside the ball, and the soundboard is installed, two for one pair, commonly known as "one male and one female". Holding the workshop in your hand, the sound is different, there are high and low, crisp and pleasant, not only can receive the effect of regulating the gods, but also cultivate temperament in the lingering and pleasant sound of the iron ball. In the old days, when officials and eunuchs and merchants entered Beijing to travel to and from Baoding Yuzhong, they would buy this item as a gift for relatives, friends or dignitaries.

Baoding iron ball, in the inheritance of the ming and qing dynasty ancient production technology, after improvement and innovation developed, the process is more refined, the structure is more scientific.

Practice has proved that the fitness ball is not only a kind of exercise tool, but also has a conditioning spirit, strong muscles and bones of the fitness work, for some common diseases, such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, neurasthenia, cervical spondylosis, frozen shoulder, hemiplegia sequelae, finger dysfunction, etc., have a certain effect.

The second treasure, "Baoding Noodle Sauce", was first produced in the Qing Kangxi Dynasty, with a history of nearly 400 years, excellent quality, long-standing reputation, is an ideal cooking seasoning. Baoding's sweet noodle sauce is brewed from high-quality flour. The texture is thick and sweet, the color is reddish brown, and it is placed upside down in a bowl without flowing. Traditional brewing is made by making flour into a ball, steaming it, putting it in a bamboo plaque or wooden box for a few days, and then taking it out of the pool and adding light brine to the sun for half a year.

Nowadays, on the basis of traditional brewing technology, modern biotechnology is used to artificially cultivate Aspergillus oryza, and solar energy is used to ferment and brew at low temperature and low salt. Sweet noodle sauce is sweet and nutritious, which can be eaten raw and is a good condiment for cooking. One of the main reasons why Baoding's snacks are fragrant is to add noodle sauce to the cooking stew.

The third treasure "Baoding Spring Is Not Old", also known as "Snow Red", a common vegetable, has a long history of cultivation in Baoding, and is loved for its cheap price and excellent quality.

There is also a legend about the immortality of spring. Legend has it that during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, a minister went south through Qingyuan County. The minister, who was tired of eating the taste of mountains and treasures, suddenly wanted to eat some clear food, so he brought him a plate of pickled spring age. Tender green and fresh spring is not old, as if it has just been pulled out of the ground. This minister put it in his mouth to taste, crisp and tender, and praised the good dish, the good dish! Before leaving, the minister specially asked him to prepare spring immortality, part of which was carried south, and part of which was carried back to the Beijing court. Since then, Baoding's reputation for spring immortality has been far and wide. Although this is folklore, Baoding's spring immortality does have a unique feature.