Shandong

Yantai is rich in various products and natural resources. Its mineral, marine, biological, aquatic and agricultural resources have laid the foundation of its economic development. The ascertained mineral resources include gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron, molybdenum, marble, magnesite, etc. over 40 types of minerals in all. More than 20 of them have been opened to mining, among which gold, speckstone, marble and magnesite have proved to be rich ores in China. Yantai also has abundant agricultural resources. The fertile soil along the rivers and the sea, in combination with the superb climatic conditions, is most suitable for growing fruits and crops such as wheat, corn, sweet potatos, peanuts etc.

1）Yantai Apples and Laiyang Pears
Yantai, a well-known "land of fruits", is China's largest cultivation area of cash apples. The Yantai Apples and the Laiyang Pears are famous all over the country. The annual output of the Yantai Apple, which is the principal variety of fruits in Yantai, is 1.9 million tons, accounting for one ninth of the total yield of apples in the country, and the export volume of the Yantai Apple constitutes one quarter of that of the whole country. At a national appraisal Conference 1994, fifteen varieties of the Yantai Apple were rated, with seven at the top of the list, among the twenty-one high-quality fruits in northern China. Famous equally to the Yantai Apple is the Laiyang Pear, the time-honoured fruit of the "land of fruits", with a cultivation history of over 300 years. The cultivation area of Laiyang pears has increased to over 3300 hectares and the annual yield is about 80,000 tons. Rough of peel but fine of pulp, the crisp, sweet and juicy Laiyang Pear with a sugar content as high as 9.76% is not only a fresh luscious fruit but also the staple of Laiyang Pear Syrup, which is good for restoring energy, reducing phlegm and relieving coughs. Yantai is also the growing area of China big cherries, the only concentrated area for cultivating big cherries in present-day China. The big cherry is praised as the "Champion of Fruits", the "the first fruit of Spring" that ripens earlier than any other northern fruits. In addition, each year Yantai supplies the whole country with tens of millions of kilograms of grapes and peaches, and millions of kilograms of red persimmons and haws.

2）Fishes
With a coastline (including island coastlines of 909 kilometers and over 600,300 hectares of exploitable shoals and mudflats, Yantai has abundant aquatic resources. There are over 30 varieties of cash fishes and crustaceans, such as hairtails, small yellow croakers, Spanish mackerels, Chinese herrings, Japanese mackerels, spotted maigres, snappers, perches, skates, mullets, prawns, prawns with falcon talon-like claws, swimming crabs, sea cucumbers, etc, and 20-odd varieties of molluscs and algae, such as oysters, mud blood clams, clams, scallops, abalones, razor clams, kelp, belt weeds and red laver, etc. Its yield of scallops accounts for over 70% of the national total, ranking first in the country. The most delicious of all the aquatic delicacies of Yantai are the big, tender and nourishing prawns of the Bohai Gulf, known as the "big Prawns of the Orient" to the international markets. The Yantai sea cucumber, a type of stichopus japonicus, is rich in protein, the best among the 20-odd varieties of edible sea cucumbers found in China. The main production area of abalones, which have been considered to be the "Champion of Seafoods" since ancient times, is coextensive with the sea waters around the Changshan Islands. Apart from its tender and tasty meat, the abalone's shell is a traditional Chinese medicine named "concha habiotidis". Besides, the palatable "Swan's Egg", Zishifang clams and prawns with falcon talon-like claws are all precious aquatic products of Yantai.

3）Fresh Date King - Chinese Winter Date

Chinese winter date, namely Fresh Date King, is a kind of rare fresh date. With an average weight of 25 grams, the fruit of Chinese winter date takes a round shape and is very like a small apple. It has a red and sheeny surface and tastes delicious, crisp, succulent and sweet. Rich in nutrition, winter dates is a kind of fruit of high quality. Analysis by Academy of Medical Sciences of China shows that it is rich in protein and fat and contains 19 aminoacids and many kinds of mineral substances and vitamins, especially Vitamin C. The content of Vitamin C in 100 grams of winter date is over 380 milligrams which is as much as 80 times of that of apple, 16 times of that of orange, 100 times that of pear, 8 times of that of Chinese gooseberry and so it is famously called living vitamin pill. Modern medicine proves that Vitamin C is apt to combine with nitrosamine, a kind of carcinogen, to prevent cancer. It is also found that winter dates contains high content of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (CAMP).

4）Yellow River Estuary Mitten Crab

The Yellow River Estuary Mitten Crab is a particular kind of aquatic product in the Yellow River Delta area. It lives and breeds in the Yellow River Estuary and feeds in water of the Yellow River and on all kinds of wild fishes in the Yellow River. The specially abundant resources and pollution-free environment of the Yellow River Estuary make the mitten crab become a kind of good-quality aquatic product with safe, delicious flesh and distinct regional features. With great nutritive value, heath-care value and pharmaceutical value, the mitten crab is also an important industrial raw material. For one thing, its flesh is delicate, delicious but not fatty. With a high content of protein, vitamins and microelements and low content of fat, it is a fine invigorant and can strengthen memory, enrich the blood, tonify the kidney, build up health, nourish face and prolong life. Secondly, with high pharmaceutical value, it can eliminate fever, dissipate hematoma, strengthen bones and muscles, have cure functions for trauma, acariasis, scald, cancer and gynecopathy and can promote children's growth and development. Thirdly, the soluble chitins extracted from the crabs' shell are important auxiliary raw materials for textile, printing and dying, paper-making, synthetic fiber, plastic and medicine, etc. The crabs was given the title of famous-brand products at China International Agricultural Exhibition in 1999.

5）Yellow River Estuary Turtle

The Yellow River Estuary Turtles are a particular kind of aquatic product in the Yellow River Delta, which mainly live in Shangdong section of the lower reaches of the Yellow River. The body of a turtle takes elliptical shape, with buff lateral-cut flecks on its back. Several clear gold lateral cuts form the Chinese character of Wang in order. A turtle's belly is cream and flat, with light cyan flecks which fade away as the turtle grows. Its skirt section and four limbs are golden yellow, with fat brim. This kind of turtles have distinct features. 1) Their colors are bright and their bodies are round and fleshy; 2) They have a strong aptitude and resisting power to diseases; 3) Their flesh is safe, free of promoting substances and harmful residues; 4) Their flesh is nutritious, delicious and has values of nutrition, health care and medicine; 5) They have a high economic value and are popular in culturists and consumers.

6）Chinese Tamarisk

With purple black skin, a Chinese tamarisk is usually 3 to 7 meters high. Its top tress is slim and soft and hangs down. Its greatly degenerated shiplash-like leaves keep closely to the slim branches of one or two years and most of them are greenish yellow.

Chinese tamarisks are important plants for improving salty and alkali land for they are tolerant to retention of water, salt and alkali, barren land.

7）Hard Clam

Hard clam, also called glyptic clam, is a rare aquatic product with delicate and delicious flesh and is renowned as the most delicious food in the world. The clams often live in bays or estuaries which are under affect of fresh water. They often inhabit in flat fine sand or silt coast. For their flesh is fresh, tender and delicious, they have found their markets in such distant places as Korea, Japan and America. For its advantaged natural condition, the Yellow River Delta is one of the three leading producing areas of hard clams.

8）Guangrao Donkey Beef

Guangrao donkey beef is a popular traditional food. According to historical data, Guangrao donkey beef was recommended to Chaiwu Agency of Beijing Board of War by a military officer named Cui Wanqing in 1873. The donkey beef has serves specially for warriors for many years and has the reputation of Guangrao famous food. It is cooked with traditional seasonings, well-chosen donkey's meat, aged meat soup, all kinds of cooking techniques and vacuum packing. It is delicious, with bright color, high protein and low fat and is worthy of its famous name.