Shaxian County, a district in Sanming City, southeast China's Fujian Province has a worldwide reputation for its Chinese Shaxian County delicacies. It has about 88,000 eateries with over 300,000 employees, generating a yearly turnover of nearly 50 billion yuan (about $7.3 billion) in 2020, according to the local government. 

Stewed beef, wontons filled with juicy meat, peanut butter noodles, fried rice noodles, sesame seed cakes – all with widely acclaimed flavors and reasonable prices that have gained great popularity. 

The food chain brand that's a pillar of the county can be found at high-end shopping malls of Chinese first-tier cities, train stations and on the streets of distant villages. Menus and prices may vary depending on the location. 

Shaxian County delicacies' cooking techniques were listed in the fifth batch of representative items of China's national Intangible Cultural Heritage on May 24, 2021. 

Sanming City is not just well-known for food. It's a green city with a forest coverage rate of 78.14 percent and a negative oxygen ion content 3.4 times the national average level, earning it the title "Green Capital of China."

The lush Taojin mountain is one of the best-known scenic spots in the city. It has more than 200 tree species, such as Osmanthus, millennial sago cycas and black bamboo. 

In addition to its time-honored food culture, Sanming is an ideal place if you want to get closer to nature.

Also check out the previous episodes of the series:

Caoxian, more than an internet fad

Xuwen County, a sea of pineapples

Yunhe, beyond the terraces

Suichang County, a relaxing getaway

Songyang County, awakening thousand-year-old villages

Jiajiang, home of Chinese hand-made paper

The eye-catching Liyang No. 1 Road

Small-Town Stories: Sanmen, a county for seafood lovers

(Cover image by Xing Cheng)