Chaozhou offers food for thought
By Zhan Lisheng (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-10-09 08:29

Natural attractions

With all its historical and cultural heritage, Chaozhou does not lack natural scenic attractions, such as the Fenghuang (Phoenix) Mountain, Paradise of Aigrettes, and the Qinglan Wonder of Glacier Traces.

Fenghuang Mountain, 1,497 metres above sea level, is the highest mountain in east Guangdong. The mountain is said to be the originating place of the She people, an ethnic minority with a population of around 700,000 in China.

Also well remembered about this mountain is the first-rate Fenghuang Tea produced here. The finest tea leaves come from just one tree believed to be planted in the Tang Dynasty.

Even if one could get hold of a handful of very old leaves from the tree, one can be sure of savouring a cup of golden tea whose fragrance lingers on the tongue for days to come.

The Paradise of Aigrettes in Raoping County is home to yellow-mouth aigrettes all year around.

And the Qinglan Wonder of Glacier Traces in Raoping County preserves glaciers traces formed in the long history of 2 or 3 million years for sightseeing as well as for scientific studies.

Short breaks

An ancient chaozhou styled porcelain vase.

Over the centuries, local people have developed distinctive local handicraft ranging from Chaozhou ceramics, embroidery, woodcut, gold and silver jewelry.

Being named recently the nation's ceramic base, Chaozhou can trace its pottery and porcelain production back more than 1,000 years. Chaozhou not only produces ceramic products for daily use, but also supplies value-added ceramic products for ornaments.

Of the short breaks during the tour of historical or scenic sites, tourists can take a look at the Fengxi Ceramics Gallery, where they can learn about the city's ceramic tradition and latest achievements.

Better still would be a casual visit to the local's houses, where two sorts of decorations are always indispensable.

Most local people seem to hold a strong favour for a colourful porcelain vase which is decorated with so many fragile ceramic flowers that render natural ones quite redundant.

Then at the low-set tables surrounded by stools is always a set for savouring Gongfu Tea. The strength of the golden tea, if never tasted before, could well be a shock for a visitor. But once the first shock is overcome, the unique sweetness can prove a joy worth another sip.

And Chaozhou's embroidery, one of the four famous Chinese embroidery styles, has helped to turn the city into the nation's night dress base.

Lunch and supper, naturally, features worldwide renowned Chaozhou cuisine, which is primarily based on seafood, both light and tasty.

A meal traditionally starts with cold pre-cooked dishes followed by the main courses.

Two favourite starters are cold boiled crab and spiced goose, both served with a slightly sweet vinegary dipping sauce.

Seafood, duck and goose are often enjoyed with specialty Chaozhou sauces and condiments like preserved limes, olive kernels and fermented bean sauces that give the cuisine a distinctive flavour.

Chaozhou cuisine is also famous for its shellfish dishes and a wide range of sweet dishes made from pumpkins or taros.

Chaozhou chefs are proud of their vegetable carving skills. Carved vegetables in the forms of flowers, birds, dragons and phoenixes are used as garnishes on cold dishes and on the banquet table, pleasing to the eye and appealing to the palate.

Some famous Chaozhou dishes include shark's fin soup, bird's nest soup, steamed goose, cold crab, steamed dumpling, shrimp balls and oyster pancake.

Cups of Chaozhou Gongfu Tea will quickly refresh one after a meal.

Musical munching

At the local teahouse, tea service is often accompanied with Chaozhou music.

String music, the gong and drum music, the ancient music of set flutes are the traditional play forms of Chaozhou music.

Chaozhou string music is made up of mostly plucked and bowed string instruments, and on some occasions, wind instruments are used.

The most characteristic instruments are the erxian, tihu and yehu (all two-stringed bowed lutes), the pipa, the four-stringed plucked instrument as well as other plucked lutes; the zheng and the hammered dulcimer.

The number of instruments and performers in the ensemble is flexible and depends on the availability of instruments and musicians to play them - but to have an even and balanced texture only one of each instrument is preferred.

Chaozhou drum music includes the big drum and gong, the small drum and gong, the dizi set drum and dong and su drum and gong ensembles.

The current Chaozhou drum music is said to be similar to the form of the Drum and Wind Music of the Han and Tang Dynasties.

A day's tour of Chaozhou is not complete without attending a typical Chaozhou opera.

Based on the local folk dances and ballads, Chaozhou opera has formed its own style under the influence of Nanxi Opera.

Nanxi is one of the oldest Chinese operas that originated in the Song Dynasty.

Its tunes are graceful and pleasant, full of local colour. The old form of choral accompaniment still remains its special features.

Clowns and females are the most distinctive characters in a Chaozhou opera.

Female performers are good at imitating the movements of animals, shadow figures and puppets, creating very pleasing and amusing effects.

And fan-playing and acrobatic skills are rather unique.

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