Hangzhou cooks up food festival for continental gathering

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As part of the upcoming Conference on the Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, Hangzhou is joining three other major Chinese cities to prepare for a food festival with cuisines from across the continent. Today, let’s go to East China’s Hangzhou city to get a taste of the local food.

Chih-Chung Tsai is one of the most notable comic artists from China's island of Taiwan. It has been 10 years since he set up his studio in Hangzhou. For the Asian Food Festival scheduled in mid-May, the accomplished artist is creating illustrations of 108 dishes most representative of Hangzhou food. He lists his favorites, such as West Lake Sour Fish, Dragon Well Shrimp and Dongpo Pork Stew.

Weng Renkang is a practitioner of a traditional storytelling art called Lian Hua Lao. Born and bred in Hangzhou, he has never grown tired of the local delicacy, Yan Du Xian, a dish of cured chicken simmered in savory juice for hours. Each district of the city has its own proud version of the chicken dish – Kang prefers the recipe from his home village in the suburbs.

Feng Guoxu enjoys a reputation as a storyteller in the local dialect and has fans from across east China and even from overseas. At his teahouse, he often elaborates on the food traditions of his hometown.

Zi Mao Rou Yuan, or hairy pork meatball, is his favorite topic. The dish dates back over three hundred years. It was a highlight of the feasts for the Qianlong Emperor, a Qing Dynasty ruler of the 18th century.

(Head Image: Zi Mao Rou Yuan, or hairy pork meatball. /CGTN Photo)