Food

Out of all the Changzhou snacks that cultural historian Cheng Pei-kai tried, thin egg noodles were his favourite. (Photo provided by Cheng Pei-kai)

Changzhou noodles: So good it evokes the wisdom of Confucius

While on an intangible cultural heritage expedition in Changzhou with a group of global experts, cultural historian Cheng Pei-kai tucks into Changzhou’s local delights. Trying more than 20 snacks all at once, he was full but could not resist having a taste of thin egg noodles that was a perfect marriage of Suzhou and Shanxi noodles. This is the last article of a four-part series on Changzhou food and drink.
Haidilao opened its first overseas branch in Singapore, and quickly became a big hit among Singaporean diners. (SPH Media)

Grilled fish, mala tang? Chinese restaurant chains from China doing well in Singapore

Chinese restaurant chains from China have been making their presence felt in Singapore, satisfying fickle tastebuds with street food favourites and regional specialities. Will the increasing number of these restaurant chains affect the local food culture? Jiang Yuxuan shares the findings of a Zaobao study of 12 Chinese restaurant chains from China.
Tourism heads in China have been dressing up to attract tourists to their regions. (SPH Media)

China's local officials doing cosplay to jumpstart tourism

China’s local tourism chiefs have been dressing up in elaborate costumes and starring in high-quality promotional videos to find online fame to drive tourism in their respective regions. However, netizens observe that not all of them are doing it right, or for the right reasons, and the state media has also spoken against the trend.
Changzhou's rich sesame cake.

When the Changzhou people made a rhyme for their sesame cake

While on an intangible cultural heritage expedition in Changzhou with a group of global experts, cultural historian Cheng Pei-kai tries Changzhou’s famed sesame cake. This large local snack is a little like the common shaobing, but also very different in terms of its richness of flavour. This is the third article of a four-part series on Changzhou food and drink.
A scenic view of Tianmu Lake. (Photo: 李炆静/Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0)

A taste of Changzhou: Best from the rivers and lakes

Situated between Zhenjiang and Wuxi, Changzhou belongs to the Wu-speaking (吴语) region of Jiangnan. As the city sits in the Jiangnan circle comprising Nanjing, Yangzhou and Suzhou, its food and lifestyle patterns are influenced by Yangzhou and Suzhou culture. As cultural historian Cheng Pei-kai embarks on his Changzhou food extravaganza, will he get to taste the much-anticipated Tianmu Lake claypot fish head? This is the first article of a four-part series on Changzhou cuisine.
A crowd of people eating Zibo barbecue. (Internet)

Chinese are flocking to this Shandong city for barbecues, but it's not all rosy

Zibo, a third-tier former industrial city in Shandong, has been revitalised by a somewhat unlikely source: the humble barbecue skewer. Starting with university students back in March, there has been an influx of visitors hankering for a taste of Zibo barbecue. What is behind this sudden trend?
Mother in her teenage years, studying at a normal university in Xi’an. (Photo provided by Chiang Hsun)

Taiwanese art historian: What my mother taught me about blessings in life

Ordinary is beautiful, says art historian Chiang Hsun. That’s what the frenzy of war taught his mother; that’s what the simplicity of home cooking reminds us.
A farmer fills pesticide in a drone before spraying a wheat field in Taizhou, Jiangsu province, China, on 28 February 2023. (AFP)

China's declining farmland and food self-sufficiency: Should we worry?

China’s food self-sufficiency ratio has plummeted to 76% in 2020, sparking worries of a food shortage. While the government reassures the people that food reserves are plentiful, China is highly dependent on imported food and its area of arable land is declining. China clearly needs to come up with innovative economic, social, environmental and agricultural policies if it hopes to become an “agricultural power” and avoid a food crisis.
The eight "aquatic immortals". (Photo taken by Jin and provided by Chiang Hsun)

Heavenly dishes in a little Shanghai restaurant

Chiang Hsun ruminates on a myriad of ingredients, marvelling most at the eight vegetable ‘aquatic immortals’ in Chinese cuisine, which showcase the pure and delicious flavours of the season. Best of all, he enjoyed the heavenly dishes during autumn, in a little Shanghai restaurant that feels like home.