Eating and Drinking Around the Heavenly Land of Abundance

Fingertip: The only love in life is that beautiful scenery and delicious food should not be let down.

Some say that when we mention Chengdu, what comes to mind is not the city name but a variety of foods. Because Chengdu is a city filled with food. In every alley and every street of this city, you can always encounter a lot of delicious food and many interesting snacks anytime, anywhere.

And the enthusiasm of Chengdu people for eating has also led to the high development of the catering industry in Chengdu. Almost every out-of-town visitor to Chengdu is full of interest in Chengdu's hot pot, Sichuan cuisine, snacks, and spicy hot pot. Going to Chengdu without eating the local food always leaves one with the feeling of entering a treasure mountain and returning empty-handed.

A city has its own history and culture, as well as its own characteristic neighborhoods. To understand the history and culture of a city, one should step into its characteristic neighborhoods, understand the cultural origins and stories of famous people it carries, touch the lingering warmth of its history up close, and feel the prosperous commercial atmosphere and the flavor of indulgence that continue along with the changes of the times.

With rare leisure time and family accompanying us, we decided to wander around Jinli, strolling and enjoying, savoring slowly. If Kuanzhai Alley is classical and literary, like a crescent moon in a mirror of time, then Jinli is bustling and worldly, like a few fireworks blooming outside the mirror of time.

Entering Jinli, the temptation of delicious food hits you in the face. Shops are wide open, mainly selling food and drinks. Fresh fruits and delicacies carefully arranged appear faintly in the light mist. Looking at their beautiful shapes, discerning their fresh colors, smelling their fragrant scents, it makes your mouth water and you can't resist.

Next to the shop doors, there are Sichuan opera actors in makeup greeting guests. They imitate the movements in the opera script, suddenly shrinking their necks and stretching their heads, changing from a white face to a red face, giving you a startle. Before you can even be surprised or angry, they pull you in, make a funny face, and make you burst into laughter. With this teasing and amusement, your mood instantly improves.

When we first went, the sky was clear. Strolling through Jinli, there were relatively few visitors, giving it a unique hazy and classical charm. The streets and alleys of Jinli are not wide, but the ancient buildings on both sides face each other. Strings of red lanterns hang high and low, some under the flying eaves and upturned corners, some on tree branches. In the hazy rain, they twinkle and shimmer, having a unique charm.

Strolling through the ancient street feels like walking in a poetic artistic conception with harmonious rhythm. The carved and hollowed-out doors and windows, the ancient walls covered with creeping vines, and the winding corridors leading to secluded spots are like the background of a poem. In the strong and light elegance, there is a contrast between the vicissitudes of time and the vitality of life.

Jinli is an ancient street suitable for nostalgia, and also a place that appeals to both refined and popular tastes. Here you can find memories of Chengdu during the Three Kingdoms period, and also enjoy a leisurely life in the fast-paced city.

After strolling through Jinli, we got hungry. It seems that the temptation of food is quite strong. We decided to take the family to Gua Chuanchuan (Melon Skewers) at Jinfangyuan East Road. We heard it was pretty good. When we arrived, we found that the environment of this Gua Chuanchuan shop was really nice.

The overall decoration is made of blue bricks and green tiles, with walls mainly in red giving a festive feeling. The space is also spacious, with clear functional divisions. The Chinese retro style adds a unique charm to this shop, making it antique and elegant.

Although we thought it was still early, once we entered, we found it was a different world inside. There were really a huge number of people, and the whole main hall was full. The sound of conversation was non-stop, but it didn't affect the enthusiasm of the foodies waiting in line outside. Indeed, delicious food is the king, and this is the true nature of Chengdu foodies.

Soup base: The soup base is prepared in authentic Chengdu style. The cold pot skewers are spicy and satisfying. The super rich soup base is freshly boiled every day, with red oil covering the secret broth base. Full of ingredients, it's boiled from morning until noon opening. It's aromatic but not numbing, spicy but not dry. This flavor simply cannot be imitated; only the recipe passed down from the older generation can be called the old Chengdu taste.

70+ kinds of skewers to choose from: 6 large freezers offer a dizzying selection. The ingredients are protected by five-star cold chain logistics. Fresh ingredients carefully selected every day are marinated with care, then skewered. You can choose meat or vegetables as you like. After eating, the skewers are weighed by the kilogram. Whatever you want to eat, just take it, and start the crazy skewer-eating mode!

Handmade signature dipping sauces: How fragrant is the dry dipping sauce? The combination of crushed peanuts + chili powder easily wins first place. Roll it lightly and you'll taste the peanut aroma. The complicated handmade process determines its uniqueness. The oil dipping sauce uses sesame oil, minced garlic, and chopped green onions, and it's also a great helper for relieving spiciness and adding fragrance.

Beef skewers are versatile: Give me a piece of beef, and I can wrap a world. Five-spice, spicy, cilantro, pickled pepper, green onion. The beef needs to be marinated with secret sauce for two to three hours. Plump pickled peppers with tender beef, a hint of green especially striking among the red beef. The heavy flavor bursting on the tip of the tongue when eaten, the solid beef pieces wrapped with pickled peppers ready to burst with juice. Your mouth says no, but your body is very honest, sending skewer after skewer to your mouth.

Mini sausages: Mini sausages are a Chengdu specialty. The round little sausages have a good balance of fat and lean meat, cut into bite-sized pieces. The slightly sweet taste is very Cantonese-style. The sweet and spicy dual taste is captivating. While relieving the spiciness, the satisfaction also doubles! You won't regret coming to this shop; it's really so delicious you can't stop.

Two| No.1 Bar 'Boss', Finding Your Own Intoxication

Hearing the name 'Wuhou', anyone who has read the Three Kingdoms must be familiar with it. That's right, it is the alias of the famous Zhuge Liang, 'Zhuge Wuhou'. If your favorite kingdom in 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' is Shu, then the famous Chengdu attraction—Wuhou Shrine—is a place you must visit; it will definitely satisfy all your desires.

Soon it was afternoon, and my family and I were ready to visit Wuhou Shrine, to experience the legendary stories of the Three Kingdoms period together, and fulfill our Three Kingdoms dream.

It is said that Wuhou Shrine was first built in AD 223. Initially, it was built as a mausoleum for Liu Bei. Later generations combined Liu Bei's mausoleum with Zhuge Liang's ancestral hall, forming the existing joint temple of ruler and minister at Wuhou Shrine, which is the only joint temple of ruler and minister in China.

The heroes of Shu, with their changing fortunes, turned to dust here. Their great achievements were buried and rested here. All the historical stories have been precipitated and brewed here, resulting in the weighty Wuhou Shrine, the place of worship for Shu Han heroes.

From Sanyi Temple to Wuhou Shrine, from the Oath of the Peach Garden to three visits to the thatched cottage, we arrived at the main hall of Zhuge Liang's temple. In the center of the hall hangs a horizontal plaque that reads 'Ming Chui Yu Zhou' (Famous in the Universe), which is probably the highest praise for Mr. Zhuge. The first couplet reads: 'If you can attack the heart, opposition will naturally disappear; since ancient times, those who know war are not fond of fighting.' The second couplet reads: 'If you do not judge the situation, leniency or severity will both be wrong; later generations governing Shu need deep consideration.'

These two lines highly summarize Zhuge Liang's lifelong loyalty and ambition to serve Shu with all his heart and soul, even unto death. He used his entire life to repay the kindness of the three visits to his thatched cottage, the grace of recognition. Wuhou Shrine is not large; as a shrine located in the bustling city, it doesn't occupy much land, and it takes about an hour to tour. But Wuhou Shrine is also very large, because it carries not just a scenic spot, but also the history of a dynasty, a tribute and remembrance of that era.

We walked and stopped, strolled through quiet paths, admired bonsai, viewed flowers and plants, smelled faint fragrances. We looked at the gnarled ancient trees, observed the exquisite arched bridges and water reflections, sighed at the scarred remnants of the Han Palace pillars. With respect for the memory of Shu, we slowly walked out.

In the city of Chengdu, which prides itself on leisure, there are many bars of all sizes. But a bar like Bieyuan Li, surrounded by greenery, lit by neon lights, and enriched with various drinks and snacks, is the only one of its kind in Chengdu. To provide customers with a better in-store experience, they specially invited a lighting design company to design the lighting effects.

The evening time shouldn't be wasted; we needed to have some fun. I planned to take my family to Bieyuan Li to enjoy the cozy night atmosphere.

After entering the store, as the lights turned on, the whole bar looked like a colorful neon world. Under the interplay of light and shadow, various colored lights shone like stars in the sky, brilliantly illuminating the bar. The entertainment and leisure atmosphere was instantly elevated.

The drinks in the bar are as plentiful as their lights: foreign liquor, Chinese-style cocktails, cocktails, pure imported beer—they have it all! As long as you want to drink something, you can basically find it here!

Dress of the Night Mask Kiss: Just its appearance is enough to make ladies adore this rose wine, which has a refreshing rose blossom fragrance. Because the alcohol content is low, it's suitable for a small gathering of girlfriends or a leisure moment. When you first taste it, the rose flavor is not strong, but as you continue, the taste of the wine becomes clearer and more captivating.

Ancient Qiang Wheat Straw Zha Wine: The blue and white porcelain bottle is full of a Jianghu vibe! Wheat straws serve as straws, and you sip the wine amidst laughter and joy, which has a unique charm.

Barbecue Platter: Fine wine and grilled skewers are always an inseparable pair. Eating barbecue without wine seems to let down the gathering! Mini sausages, shrimp, corn kernels, dried tofu, green beans, and many other dishes are spicy, numbing, fresh, and fragrant, satisfying different people's cravings.

Lemongrass Grilled Fish: Besides the barbecue, this grilled fish is also a must-order dish. Although the fish is not big, I was already hooked by its aroma. Because the fish is grilled with lemongrass, the aroma is fresher! After frying, the fish is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, tender and delicious, with an excellent taste. Sitting and playing in such a music bar is the best way to enjoy leisure and comfort.

|No.2 Taste of Sichuan Cuisine on the Tongue, Unforgettable Love in Yuan Gong

What people call Chengdu's leisure lifestyle is not the office buildings in the High-tech Zone, not the crowded Kuanzhai Alley, not even the street photography on Chunxi Road. Come to People's Park; this is the place Chengdu people most look forward to in life.

With a history of 100 years, People's Park serves as a material and spiritual carrier, storing the real old Chengdu life. On weekends, People's Park becomes the most lively again.

There are two old tea houses in the park, Yongju and Heming, of which Heming is the most famous. It was first built in the 1920s, nearly a hundred years ago, almost as old as People's Park. Hence it is called the Hundred-Year Heming. You have to learn to 'strike first', because Heming is always full. As soon as someone leaves, grab the seat immediately. After sitting down, a waitress in a blue and white porcelain-style uniform will come to clean the table and then let you order tea.

The playground is the place with the highest decibels. The sounds of children playing and laughing are endless. The little train, carousel, roller coaster—every child and big child can find their source of joy.

But the most popular activity in People's Park is still rowing boats. The color-chipped small boats are imprinted with the childhood of Chengdu people since the last century. When the weather is good, there are the most people, and you need to line up to row a boat. Young parents bring their children here to row boats, enjoying the happiness of the whole family. Of course, there are also young couples on dates. In short, no matter who is on the boat, they are all happy like children.

After strolling through the park, we planned to take the family to Yuan Gong on Chunxi Road. A friend had told me before that this restaurant is an authentic Zigong-style Sichuan cuisine restaurant, quite popular and very hot. So we came especially today to taste it.

By the time we arrived, many people were already dining! The decoration of this restaurant is quite down-to-earth. The antique environment is very attractive, highlighting the characteristics of old Chengdu. The private rooms, main hall, and booth seats all have a sense of design, decorated with clusters of flowers, revealing a unique charm.

Many of the customers here are tourists visiting Chengdu. The dishes they ordered are very typical Chengdu-style dishes like Maoxuewang (blood curd and tripe in chili sauce). The local chicken slices and the signature rabbit are the reasons I must patronize this place. I haven't eaten such flavorful spicy dishes for a long time. Big thumbs up!

Yuan Gong Local Chicken Slices: The chicken slices are tender and fine, with excellent taste. Topped with chopped green onions and scallion white slices, it's refreshing and delicious. Drizzled with secret chili oil dressing, the spiciness is just right.

Longmen Hanging Meat: The preparation is like deep-frying whole crispy pork. The waitress cuts it while saying auspicious words, adding a nice ceremonial touch. The meat is tender, smooth, and very satisfying. Dipping it in chili powder makes it even better.

Yuan Gong Signature Rabbit: Tender and smooth rabbit meat paired with fresh and juicy clams instantly elevates the texture and flavor. It's fragrant and spicy, extremely enjoyable to eat.

Yuan Gong Braised Duck: The duck meat is tender and delicious, with a rich braised aroma. Especially the skin part is smooth and tasty, with excellent texture.

Huoshui Silver Carp: The silver carp is quite large. The back of the fish is sliced a few times to make it more flavorful. The fish meat is snow-white and tender. The celery and green pepper segments are especially delicious, simply my favorite. Such delicious food should not be missed. Actions speak louder than words.

|No.2 Natural Humanities, Refined Sentiments｜ The Exotic Charm of Jiaoliao

Jiaoliao is a place whose name alone makes you want to learn more about it. This name comes from Zhuangzi's 'Xiaoyao You' (Free and Easy Wandering): 'The wren nests in the deep forest, but only occupies one branch; the mole drinks from the river, but only fills its belly.' In this insatiable world, we must not be too greedy. We should try to be 'Not praised by the whole world, and not discouraged by the whole world; determined on the distinction between inner and outer, discerning the boundary between honor and disgrace.' Perhaps such a state is indeed too difficult, which is why Jiaoliao exists, allowing us to slow down and let go of the pursuit of one corner of the world.

Jiaoliao Hotel is a strong branch in this vast forest, seeking only freedom, unwilling to drag its tail in the mud. It absorbs the nutrition of old Chengdu culture, pursuing a 'slow life' in the busy city, returning to the natural state of life.

Pushing the door open, a corridor comes into view. At the end of the corridor, a plaque reads 'Cheng Wu Yi You Xin' (Riding on things to wander with the mind). It comes from Zhuangzi's 'Renjian Shi' (In the World of Men). After understanding its meaning, one cannot help but admire the great wisdom of the old man Zhuangzi.

After entering the hotel, we took a look at all four floors. The design and decoration of this hotel are really good, giving a comfortable and cozy feeling. During the visit, we found that each room has its own unique name, such as Yanqian, Youwei, Shijia, etc. We planned to stay in Yanqian, because when we first saw this name, my friend and I liked it immediately. It seemed to contain a profound meaning between the two characters, leaving us with endless imagination.

The hotel also has good security. The guest rooms require a card to enter, or the butler can open the door. After confirming our stay, the butler gave us a key card in the shape of a wren, which looked cute! Upon closer inspection, there is a butler service window outside the door. When opened, we found that the inside and outside are connected. When we call, the butler will put what we need inside, and we can just take it directly. This design is very thoughtful, convenient and not disturbing to guests.

Although Jiaoliao looks simple and elegant from the outside, the items used in the rooms are consistent with five-star hotels. For example, the mattress, linens, bathroom fixtures, and automatic toilets—the hardware facilities are excellent. Various decorations are complete and neatly arranged, everything appearing comfortable and cozy. Various brand-name equipment invisibly reflects the high-end nature of the hotel, making us love it so much! My friend kept saying that this place is even more cozy than home.

After coming in, we found that at the head of each room's bed, there is a deep-feeling wren, gazing deeply, as if in deep thought or listening. In each room, the wren's expression and posture are different. My friend and I treated it as our listener, trying to have a conversation with it. Those troubles that are hard to put into words can all be poured out to this little creature that can only be understood but not explained. After speaking out all the unhappiness, I felt much more comfortable in my heart.

On the TV wall, there is a large handmade Shu embroidery of blooming peonies, and also a carp leaping out of Shu brocade. When touching them, we couldn't help but marvel at the skilled craftsmanship of our ancestors and the long-standing culture. Overall, the rooms are full of traditional Sichuan cultural elements. While staying, you can also experience the cultural influence. My friends and I often travel and have stayed in some good hotels, but it's rare to find one as thoughtful and attentive as this. This stay was definitely the right choice.

The room also provides four top-quality teas from Mount Mengding. Usually, we drink too many carbonated drinks, which can be a burden. When we calm down, we brew a cup of tea and savor the gift of nature, and immediately feel refreshed and revitalized.

My friend and I also discovered that the most thoughtful aspect of this hotel is not just the room configuration and decoration, but also the excellent butler service. They can customize travel routes, itineraries, and solve any problems encountered in the hotel for guests. Even our breakfast every morning can be customized according to our taste and schedule, delivered to the room for enjoyment. For lunch, we have a meal at Zifei, which is the first restaurant on Kuanzhai Alley themed on Zhuangzi's culture. It uses a set-menu format, integrating culture, Sichuan cuisine, drinking games, and performances, taking you into a dynasty of pavilions, ancient zithers, and opera songs. Waking up in the morning, pushing open the wooden window, breathing in the first breeze and first ray of sunlight of Kuanzhai Alley, it feels so refreshing and pleasant. After washing up, we enjoyed the hotel's customized breakfast, our hearts filled with emotion.

After eating, we stood in the small garden, breathing fresh air, admiring the clear night sky, brewing a cup of hot tea, and exploring the stories of the years in this ancient alley up close.

Looking carefully, we saw a spider weaving its web on the opposite roof, and a falling leaf landing on the table... Look, everything is striving to grow!

In the busy and noisy city, there is always a place of leisure and comfort where you can relax your body and mind.