As autumn descends upon the northeastern part of China, local people actively devote themselves to a special custom – storing autumn vegetables.

With the dropping temperatures, a variety of autumn vegetables such as green onions, Chinese cabbages, radishes, shepherd's purse, and potatoes are placed on shelves. Strolling through the streets and alleys of northeast China, one can witness the bustling scenes of people buying and sun-drying these vegetables, creating a truly spectacular scene.

For people from the southern part of China, this tradition may seem a little confusing: Why is it necessary to store over 10 kilograms of vegetables? In fact, this custom is passed down from older generations. In earlier years, northeast China faced challenges with transportation and had limited access to greenhouses. The long and harsh winters left the region lacking fresh vegetables. Hence, as autumn arrives, every household in this region will store sufficient vegetables for the upcoming winter.

Vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, potatoes, radishes, and carrots, with their high yield, affordability and easily-stored capabilities, became the top choices for the locals.

Today, with a more convenient and efficient supply chain, the region has evolved towards a new mode of "buy less, buy better, and buy fresh." Although there is no longer a need to hoard such a large number of vegetables, for many locals, it has become a sense of ritual. Storing vegetables has not only become a tradition, but it also carries the collective memories of countless families enduring the long winter. What they are storing now is not just vegetables, but the beautiful life stories passed down through generations.