Zhongyang Cypress-Fed Goat Meat 中阳柏籽羊肉
Zhongyang Cypress-Fed Goat Meat is featured among the local specialties of Shanxi.
Zhongyang Cypress-Fed Goat Meat (中阳柏籽羊肉) comes from goats raised in Zhongyang County (中阳县) among cypress-covered hills. Traditionally, they eat cypress seeds and leaves and drink spring water. Luliang Daily (吕梁日报) describes the meat as finely textured, purple-red and carrying a light cypress aroma.
A local livestock product
Mature cypress seeds are collected in late autumn for the goats' feed. The newspaper links this feeding tradition with the meat's distinctive aroma and its evenly distributed fat. The local product received agricultural geographical-indication recognition in 2011.
Cooking variations
Clear-stewed goat gives a clear broth and tender meat. A braised version is golden and savoury, paired with local preserved mustard greens. Another preparation is offal soup with vermicelli and tofu, finished with mature vinegar and chilli oil.
Sources & reading
Written from the linked sources and checked sentence by sentence against quoted extracts by a separate reviewer on 2026-09-30. Recipes and servings vary between kitchens.