Xieqiao Memories | Visiting the Xieqiao Pickles Memory Hall

A bowl of white porridge and a dish of pickles is a common breakfast for the people of Haining. "The surging tides of Haining are a world wonder, and the Xieqiao pickles are renowned throughout the four seas." Xieqiao pickles have a long history and are a famous specialty of Haining, distinguished by their fresh green color, crisp and delicious taste, and rich nutrition. They are known as one of the three major international pickled vegetable cuisines, alongside Japan's pickled vegetables and Europe's sauerkraut. In Zhongle Village of Xieqiao Town, there is a pickle hall that was recently selected as part of the third batch of rural museums in Zhejiang Province. The Zhongle Village Pickle Hall covers an area of 430 square meters and includes a pickle history area, a pickling experience area, and a pickle wall of honor. The pickle hall, relying on the intangible cultural heritage project of Xieqiao pickle-making skills, focuses on displaying pickle culture and industry style, showcasing old objects related to pickle planting and production, old photos of pickle farming, and honors in the development process of Xieqiao pickle-making skills. Zhongle Village in Xieqiao Town is known as the thousand-year-old ancient vegetable market, the hometown of pickles, and the birthplace of Xieqiao pickles. Xieqiao pickles originated in 1931 when a nun's nephew in a lotus temple to the north of Zhongle Village sent a packet of seeds from Sichuan. A local farmer, Qian Xingzu, tried planting them and found they were similar to the local lumpy mustard. After selective planting to retain plants with larger lumps, people began to salt and press the vegetable heads to remove some of the moisture for longer preservation, hence the name 'pickles'.