Hanshou County lies on the western shore of Dongting Lake in Hunan Province. Its980,000 mu of pristine natural waters are rich in mussels, fish, shrimp, and plankton. The authentic Hanshou turtle belongs to the Dongting Lake variety. It is a taste found nowhere else but Dongting Lake. Slow-raised in a near-natural environment, these turtles are rich in selenium and flavor-enhancing amino acids, giving them greater nutritional value than other varieties. Recognized for its pure and distinctive germplasm resources, the Hanshou soft-shelled turtle was later granted national geographical indication protection.
Today, Hanshou County is home to33 large-scale soft-shelled turtle farms,20 advanced processing companies and72 specialist cooperatives. As the regional Hanshou brand continues to gain recognition, local producers have developed eighteen value-added products including ready-to-cook dishes and seasoned, ready-to-eat turtle. The industry's annual output value now exceeds10 billion yuan, with1,500 metric tons exported each year.