*Water brings excellent dishes

Rich water, together with rich soil and a mild climate, has made Xinghua a rice production and agricultural base for centuries.

Aside from rice, Xinghua is rich in many agricultural products like ginkgo trees, silkworms, herbal medicines, and freshwater products like shrimp, fish and crabs. The abundant yields make life here easy and relaxing.

Breakfast is the most important and most delicious meal.

Tang Gansi (scaled tofu threads)

The scaled tofu threads are tossed with sliced vegetables, ginger slices, peanuts, sugar and sesame oil.

Though most of the ingredients are the same, gansi in each teahouse is different from the others, depending on the special ingredients and secret ratios of the owner¡¯s recipe.Huaiyang Dim Sum

Gansi is usually followed by steamed Huaiyang dim sum.

Unlike the Cantonese version, Huaiyang dim sum is sweet and heavy with sesame oil, river shrimp, small fish, crabs and vegetable stuffing.

Yang Chun Mian (Sunshine Spring Noodles)

Yang Chun Mian used to be a daily lunch of the poor: a bowl of noodles with pieces of vegetable on top. Today, people has developed more delicious toppings. You can order a bowl from a street vendor any time and anywhere for 2-3 yuan.

Other noteworthy dishes include shizitou, or ¡°lion heads¡± (crab oil meatballs), fish balls, fried small eels and dried big eels.

*Water brings culture

Due to its rich natural resources and long history of agriculture, the people of Xinghua have, for centuries, had a strong respect for education and knowledge.

The city has raised art and cultural masters like Zheng Banqiao, famous for his bamboo-themed ink paintings, and Shi Nai'an, author of the great Outlaws of the Marsh (Water Margin).

Si Pai Lou (Square Pavilion)

In traditional Chinese agricultural society, people preferred to improve their political and social positions through the system, rather than through radical military force.

Many scholars throughout history came out of small towns and cities like Xinghua. Xinghua scholars have served as prime ministers, ministers or counselors. The local government hung an inscribed board on the pavilion for each.

Today, there are over 47 boards hung from the pavilion roof.

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