A dish of Cantonese poached chicken made of jade

No feast is complete without chicken in south China's Guangdong. One of the signature dishes of Cantonese cuisine, poached chicken – or white-cut chicken, as it is known locally – is not only a dinner table favorite, but also a dazzling dish served up to museum visitors.

These two Cantonese poached chicken sculptures carved from jade, one on display at the Guangdong Provincial Museum in Guangzhou City, and the other at the Zhaoqing Museum in Zhaoqing City, vividly depict the dehiscent skins and pimples on the skin as if the chickens had just come straight out of the pot.

Cantonese poached chicken is a dish that is usually boiled whole in plain water, then cooled in cold water before hot oil is poured over it. Only then can it be cut into smaller pieces and dressed with sauce just before serving.