1. Broad bean

Broad beans begin hitting shelves at the start of spring. The beans are so tender in early spring that even their shells are edible.

Peas [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

Peas appear on shelves at about the same time as broad beans. Fresh peas don’t need additional flavoring – just boil the pea pods in clear water and sink your teeth into the fresh goodness.

3. Gou qi tou

Gou qi tou is the sprout of a Chinese wolfberry. Zhangjiagang natives prefer to stir-fry the sprouts with oil and salt, creating a delicate fragrance.

4. Dandelion

Dandelions in early spring are a favorite among people in Zhangjiagang. The herb is often stir-fried, blanched, and dressed with sauce or made into filling for wontons.

5. River snails

There is a local saying that goes “River snails before the Qingming Festival taste as good as geese.” This is because river snails during this time have only a faint soil smell and there is no baby snail in the shell. Locals often stir-fry the snails or fry their flesh with jiucai or Chinese chives.

A green rice ball filled sweet bean paste and a yolk [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

Qingtuan, or green rice balls, are widely consumed in China's Jiangnan area (the region south of the Yangtze River) around Qingming Festival. These seasonal delicacies are usually made from glutinous rice mixed with pounded mugwort - an edible wild herb thought to prevent toxic insect bites. They are usually filled with a sugary pastry, sweet bean paste, or minced meat.

7. Yanduxian

Yanduxian is a type of spring bamboo shoot soup with fresh and pickled streaky pork. The dish usually shows up on tables around the Spring Equinox, the fourth solar term in the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, when fresh bamboo shoots hit the market.

Yanduxian [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

8. Puffer fish

Zhangjiagang is swimming in puffer fish, and one of the locals’ favorite ways to prepare the delicacy is to stew them in brown sauce.