Nanjing's love for ducks is well-known nationwide. Duck Duck Goose, a computer-animated comedy film released last year, which was produced by a Nanjing company, tells the story of two ducklings and a goose who gradually form a bond as they fly south.

However, many netizens said the storyline for the movie was unrealistic.

One of the comments made was, "No duck can fly out of Nanjing alive because it will have been made into savory dishes in the city — let alone two ducks journeying south together."

Qin Lin, a Nanjing resident, said: "There are more than 10 shops selling duck products within 1 kilometer of my home. Visitors to Nanjing ask seniors they meet where they can find the best one. Another way is to look for the shop with the longest lines of customers, which must make it the most popular in the neighborhood," she said.

The 20-year-old, who is studying at university in Shanghai, said the first thing she does when she gets off the bullet train in Nanjing is to head home to eat duck.

"My parents buy the ducks in advance and put them on the dining table. I like the smell and flavor. To me, this is the smell and taste of my hometown."