Try out Zhucheng barbecue – a culinary trek through time

Editor's note: Shandong province in East China has cultivated a range of well-known brands across several sectors including manufacturing, tourism, culture, agriculture and food. The "Friendly Shandong, Remarkable Shandong" brand strategy has increasingly become a key engine for driving the province's high-quality growth. China Daily is publishing a series of stories to display various renowned brands, specialties and handicrafts in Shandong.

The Zhucheng barbecue has been officially honored as an intangible cultural heritage item of Weifang city – located in East China's Shandong province – since 2006.

This revered culinary tradition, rooted in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) and over 2,000 years old, celebrates the rich history of grilling meat in the region.

At the heart of the Zhucheng barbecue are classic favorites like pig head meat, chicken wings and chicken legs.

Most notably, leftover chicken has been repackaged as Zhucheng grilled chicken, which can be paired with a refreshing beer or used in a salad by mixing it with onions and vegetables.

Zhucheng grilled chicken is a golden brown culinary triumph. [Photo by Zhang Minmin for chinadaily.com.cn]

A stone carving, Pao Chu Tu, from the Han Dynasty, is now housed in the Zhucheng Museum. It provides the earliest recorded depiction of the entire grilling process in China.

Nowadays, the Zhucheng barbecue has not only fine-tuned the craft of grilling but also broadened the variety of gastronomic options, transforming it into a thriving local industry.

Join us in savoring the flavors and history of the Zhucheng barbecue – a cultural gem that has stood the test of time! (Edited by Zhou Yunlai)