The Dayuan mantou, a type of Chinese steamed bun from Dayuan town – located in the southern part of Jinyun county, in Lishui city in East China's Zhejiang province – has recently been sought after nationwide.

It used to be the Red Army's food, but now is seen as a traditional delicacy in the local culture.

On Mantou Day, which falls on the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, villagers steam buns to prepare for the first lunar month, epitomizing the town's special way of celebrating the Chinese New Year.

The Dayuan mantou bun is renowned for its delicious smell, light and fluffy texture and fermentation technique. Its taste carries the delightful aroma of rice fermentation and it is resistant to spoilage, making it easy to store.

Unfortunately, specialty agricultural products, including the Dayuan mantou bun, have long struggled to reach outside the mountainous region due to transport and sales channel limitations.

To boost its rural vitalization, Dayuan town has created an agricultural product marketing platform, organized an array of events – such as the thriving Mantou Festival – as well as developed a series of products under the title of Revolutionary Army Food, all aimed at ramping up the Dayuan mantou's penetration in the market.

In March, the Dayuan mantou bun was listed in the top 10 favorite products of Lishui residents and contributed 250,000 yuan ($34,290) to the town's collective income.