Jiahe County 嘉禾县

History

The county was carved out of the Hecang fort (禾仓堡) area of Guiyang (桂阳) in 1639, late in the Ming. Its name, meaning "fine grain", comes from a legend that in the age of the Yan Emperor (炎帝) an auspicious grain fell from the sky and the emperor picked it up to teach farming. Chenzhou Daily records that the first local Communist Party organisation in the Chenzhou area, the Jiahe special branch, was founded here, and Xiao Ke's former residence is a Hunan provincial protected site.

What to see

Leigongjing Old Village (雷公井古村) in Jinping Town (晋屏镇) keeps 26 old houses, most built between the Chongzhen reign of the Ming and the Guangxu reign of the Qing, with ancestral halls, bridges, wells and a trading path; it is also a base for passing on the bride-escort songs. The Qing-dynasty Fengxian memorial archway (风宪牌坊) in Chetou Town (车头镇) is a provincial protected site. The county's hot-spring water comes from Devonian strata below 2,500 metres at more than 53°C, and Zhuquan Town (珠泉镇) is listed as one of Chenzhou's six hot-spring towns.

Food, songs and local products

Jiahe bride-escort songs (嘉禾伴嫁歌) were added to the national intangible-heritage list in 2021. When a local woman marries, female relatives and neighbours gather at the bride's home to sing, and the repertoire runs to more than 1,300 traditional songs. Jiahe lantern opera (花灯戏), which grew out of duets between a clown and a young female role, is on the provincial list.

A local saying holds that "for all China, eat in Guangzhou; for Hunan, eat in Jiahe". Classic dishes include blood duck with young ginger (子姜血鸭), blood sausage (血灌肠) and fried pork (油炸肉). Daogang wine (倒缸酒) takes its name from pouring distilled spirit or rice wine into the vat of lees during brewing; it is brownish yellow, sweet and around 22 degrees, and its brewing technique joined the provincial heritage list in 2021.

Highlights

• Jiahe bride-escort songs 嘉禾伴嫁歌: Wedding songs sung by women at the bride's home; national intangible heritage since 2021.
• Leigongjing Old Village 雷公井古村: 26 old houses from the late Ming to the late Qing, and a base for the bride-escort songs.
• Former residence of Xiao Ke 萧克故居: Hunan provincial protected site honouring the general born in Jiahe.
• Daogang wine 倒缸酒: Sweet, brownish-yellow wine of about 22 degrees; brewing technique on the provincial heritage list since 2021.
• Blood duck with young ginger 子姜血鸭: One of the classic Jiahe dishes named by Chenzhou Daily.