Where is the traditional settlement of Qiang nationality?

In the southwest corner of Shaanxi Province, there is such a nation, bordering Qinling Mountains in the north and Bashan Mountain in the south, which has always retained its traditional and simple tranquility and pure beauty. The residents here eat naturally, eat naturally, respect nature, think that everything is animistic, and live an isolated Xanadu life. "Qiang" was originally a general term for nomadic tribes living in western China. The ancient Qiang people have been living in the vast grassland in the northwest, and then gradually moved south with the changes of the times. BC 1046, when Zhou was cut, the Qiang people helped each other with their teachers. Since then, this part of the Qiang people have been divided into Qinba area (Ningqiang, Mianxian, Lueyang and other places). Most Qiang people still live in seclusion in high mountains or mid-levels areas, also known as "the people on the cloud". Over time, Shaanxi Lueyang, Ningqiang and other places have become places where Qiang people live together. Ningqiang was even named after the word "Qiang" and later changed to Qiang. In 2008, the Ministry of Culture officially established the scope of Qiang cultural and ecological protection zones, including ningqiang county and Lueyang County. Qiang nationality has a long history, and still retains profound cultural heritage and distinctive local characteristics, which is an important part of Chinese civilization. In the process of creating nomadic civilization, the ancient Qiang people believed that everything was animistic and respected nature. They have adhered to their own folk culture for thousands of years, and their unique language, clothing, diet, customs and habits are intertwined with the centuries-old Bashu culture, which has accumulated mysterious and special customs in Hanzhong area. The Qiang people have a rich diet, with corn, potatoes, wheat and highland barley as the main food, buckwheat, oil wheat and various beans as the supplement, as well as various vegetables. With the passage of time, the traditional food of the ancient Qiang people has also entered the streets and high-end restaurants from the depths of history and people's emotions, and has become a regional representative specialty food. Canned tea is a life custom of the ancient Qiang people and an important origin of the tea culture of the ancient Qiang people. In 2006, it was listed in the intangible cultural heritage list of Shaanxi Province. In ancient times, Qiang people lived as nomads, and pots and pans were easy to carry. The food is a mixture of batter and vegetables. Rich ingredients, rich nutrition, hunger tolerance and easy digestion. When they are nomadic, they can cook tea anytime and anywhere to quench their thirst. Up to now, there is a saying among young people that drinking canned tea in winter can keep them warm and strong all day. Traditional pots and pans are made of three ceramic pots and pans, and each pot has its own purpose: one is a tea pot, which is used to cook the most basic tea soup "moss tea"; The second is a noodle pot, which is used to cook all kinds of condiments: agastaches, fennel, ginger, batter and so on. The third one is used to hold the boiled teapot. After several changes, now the hostess usually prepares the ingredients of canned tea at home: scrambled eggs, walnuts, twist, fried soybeans, diced tofu, diced potatoes, crispy rice and so on. When you want to drink canned tea, add Pogostemon, fennel, tea and ginger. Remove the white flour and cook it in a noodle pot into thick soup, then pour in the prepared ingredients. Rich ingredients, rich tea fragrance, appetizing and refreshing. The vegetable tofu festival is a traditional food of the Qiang people, which is created by the Qiang people adapting to the natural living conditions and environment in mountainous areas and using local materials, and embodies the wisdom crystallization and food culture of the Qiang people. In ancient times, Qiang people liked to eat sauerkraut, and the juice of sauerkraut was called pulp, which was widely used in Qiang cuisine. Tofu at the Vegetable Tofu Festival is made of pulp. Authentic traditional vegetable tofu is full of ritual, consisting of "vegetables", tofu and festivals. After the soybean milk is boiled, order tofu with sour water, attach the golden section (6-inch long noodles made of corn flour and wheat flour), and serve it with more than a dozen "dishes". Sour tofu with sour water and rich seasonal dishes are simply enjoyment on the tip of the tongue. The dishes and plates are exquisite, delicious and varied. Usually, it takes more than an hour for a capable and clever woman to cook a delicious dish of tofu at home. In addition to cold bean sprouts, there are pickles, pickles and shredded potatoes that can be eaten all year round. Dishes change with seasons: shredded lettuce, cowpea, cucumber, zucchini, celery, shredded Chinese cabbage, shredded radish, shredded eggplant and so on. And the methods are even more varied: only one kind of pepper, there are red oil pepper, green fried pepper, green rolled pepper and so on. These discs are green, green, purple, purple and red, and they are colorful together, symbolizing colorful life. Deep in the forest in Qinba Mountain area, there is a perennial bracken seedling covered with mountains. Every July and August of the lunar calendar is a good time for the Qiang people to "take root" (the process of planing fern root starch is called "taking root"). Because fern root starch deposits the most this season, and farm work is not too busy. "Rooting" begins with digging fern roots in the mountains. Pteridophytes generally grow on mountains, with deep roots and intertwined roots, which is very difficult to dig. Digged roots should be tidied up like firewood, tied tightly, carried to the place where there is a river ditch at the foot of the mountain, soaked in water, washed away the sediment, and then placed on a big stone and smashed with a wooden hammer to make it filiform. Fern root starch is also called root noodles, and Qiang people use it to make root noodles balls, root bumps, root vermicelli, root vermicelli and so on. Root dumpling is a dish in the traditional vegetarian feast of Qiang nationality: wild fern root powder is used as the skin, seasonal fresh vegetables are used as the stuffing, steamed into a light brown translucent shape, and then dipped in hot and sour juice to eat. The waxy skin is fragrant, fresh but not greasy. Root dumplings are delicious vegetarian dishes and have been popular for a long time. Later, in order to meet the needs of different diners, it became a rich flavor, so vegetarian food and meat were juxtaposed. Yellow rice cake is a representative staple food in northwest China, generally made of yellow rice and glutinous rice, which is sweet, soft and delicious. Similar to tofu, the yellow rice and glutinous rice in the yellow rice cake should be soaked in acid slurry before use. If the rice is well fermented and the acidity is appropriate, the taste of the cool cake will naturally be good. The traditional yellow rice cake is simple and easy to make. In addition to yellow rice and glutinous rice, you can also add red dates, raisins, coconut milk and other ingredients according to your personal preferences, which is rich in taste, moistening lung and kidney, nourishing yin and moistening dryness. Now yellow rice cake is not only a traditional food, but also a network celebrity food in small restaurants and high-end restaurants. It has been passed down from generation to generation and is loved by countless diners. Qiang people advocate nature and are grateful for natural food culture. It is naturally green, simple and natural. Until now, the descendants of the Qiang people still cook and eat naturally. They made a rich natural meal with natural spices and ingredients and a special sense of ceremony (some pictures in this article are from the Internet).