Dreaming of Old Jinling, Savoring Huaiyang Flavors: Unlocking the Pandora’s Box of Nanjing’s Hanbi Lou

The mighty Yangtze River, mother river of the Chinese nation, rushes along the border of Jiangsu and Anhui. Blocked by the Jiangnan hills, it turns from southwest to northeast, and near Xiaguan in northern Nanjing, it makes an almost right-angled turn to the east, forming a great bend shaped like the Chinese character '厂'. The Jiangnan region is thus called 'Jiangzuo' or 'Jiangdong' (Left of the River or East of the River). Because of this unique course of the Yangtze in the Nanjing section, Nanjing became the city in the lower Yangtze that is closest to the Huai River and also closest to the Central Plains. For separatist regimes in Jiangnan, the Yangtze served as a natural moat to defend against northern invasions, so Nanjing naturally became one of China's Four Great Ancient Capitals along the Yangtze. I have always yearned for Nanjing. Its geographic location, its status as the ancient capital of six dynasties, how many civilizations were nurtured here. Jinling is Nanjing's most elegant byname. In 333 BC, King Wei of Chu, Xiong Shang, built Jinling Yi at Stone City, hence the name. Jinling is an important birthplace of Chinese civilization, with a history of over 7,000 years of civilization, nearly 2,600 years of city building, and almost 500 years as a capital. Jinling is a representative city of classical Chinese culture and refined elegance, standing for classical Chinese civilization and known as the 'Center of Culture Under Heaven'. In the Six Dynasties period, Jinling and Rome were referred to as the two great centers of classical world civilization, with Jinling representing the Southern Dynasties culture. The imperial palace of the Six Dynasties, Taicheng, was magnificent with towering halls and pavilions, which were emulated by the capitals of the Northern Wei and various East Asian countries, inheriting from Qin and Han and inspiring Sui and Tang. 'Among these four ancient capitals, Jinling excels in flourishing literature, outstanding talents, beautiful mountains and rivers, grand atmosphere, and the closest sharing of the nation's weal and woe.' I like Nanjing's gentility, the delicate refinement of Huaiyang cuisine, and the soft-spoken politeness of Jiangnan people. Misty capital of Jiangzuo, a scenic gem of the Southeast, a dream of Jinling, and memories only of the Qinhuai River. Ancient capital of six dynasties, splendid tapestry of Wu and Yue; former prefecture of the Southern Dynasties, misty rain of Song, Qi, Liang, and Chen. A crouching tiger and coiling dragon, with mighty waves and a natural moat, Purple Mountain is a place of outstanding beauty; songs and dances, waterside pavilions, ten miles of Qinhuai romance. Twenty-four bridges, poems of budding maidens; Wuyi Lane, sunset shimmer on misty waves. Painted boats drift slowly, night cool as water, ripples cold, reflecting glowing light. There are only three Hanbi Lou hotels worldwide, each in a unique location: one at Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan, one in Nanjing, and one in Qingdao. And in this best of seasons, I entered Nanjing's Hanbi Lou. The three Hanbi Lou hotels each have their own character. From Sun Moon Lake to the banks of the Yangtze to the Golden Beach, they stretch across China from south to north. Sun Moon Lake and Nanjing are 1,365 kilometers apart, gazing at each other from afar. At Sun Moon Lake's Hanbi Lou, Kerry Hill described it as an 'Ongoing Style' architectural form, meaning a 'progressive' unique style. It consists of only horizontal and vertical lines, much like Chinese ink-wash landscape paintings. If you reduce a painting to its simplest form, it is composed of horizontal and vertical line structures. The horizontal lines represent the imagery of Sun Moon Lake's waters, while the vertical lines represent the surrounding mountains. This architectural style ensures that even after ten or twenty years, it will never feel outdated and remains a masterpiece of lasting value. Culture is the most luxurious and captivating thing. The indigenous culture of each place is often the accumulation of hundreds or even thousands of years. The design of every Hanbi Lou strives to reflect the local culture as much as possible; it is culture that makes Hanbi Lou unique. If you want a deeply relaxing journey, to experience the ultimate beauty of harmony between man and nature, and to re-experience the world, then Hanbi Lou will exceed your expectations. The 'Six Senses of Ultimate Beauty' experience at Hanbi Lou means that everything seen by the eyes, smelled by the nose, tasted by the mouth, touched by the body, heard by the ears, and felt in the heart is the ultimate of beauty.

Unlike other star-rated hotels that dazzle with gold and splendor, it features symmetrical Chinese design in a 'Chinese courtyard' layout. The architecture and interiors were entirely created by the design team of the Sanya EDITION, SCDA, integrating elements of nature, architecture, and landscaping seamlessly. The modern minimalist Zen philosophy is the ultimate expression of the architectural approach, presenting a moving space, scene, atmosphere, and mood.

The stone carvings, bronze bells, ancient books at the hotel entrance, along with the central courtyard's landscape and antique-style screens, everywhere showcase the hotel's oriental elements.

On a peaceful afternoon, the clouds are light and the breeze gentle. When the bright moon rises, with clear moonlight and candle shadows glowing, it becomes a unique romantic scene.

The sunset in Nanjing is breathtaking. The sky begins to change, and the Yangtze River and Hanbi Lou together greet the beauty of the setting sun. The building's design resembles a giant mirror, dazzling and colorful under the refraction of the sunset, glittering brilliantly. The reflection of the sunset in the water is like an otherworldly paradise, with no hint of mortal life. The whole sky is patched with various colors. My friend even rushed back to the hotel room to take a bath while facing the sunset, while I watched the sunset glow on the restaurant's large lawn. It's a poetic scene: 'Just cleared away by the setting sun, yet soon sent again by the bright moon' — both mysterious and profound. At that moment, Nanjing Hanbi Lou was like a Pandora's box, its hidden mechanism unlocked by the key of the setting sun.

During the turndown service in the evening, a snack is delivered: a piece of chocolate and a pineapple cake. Candles are also lit, creating a strong sense of ceremony. The clear, moving sound from the acacia wood speakers and the satisfying bedtime snack make one most yearn to enjoy a glass of red wine with a loved one, chatting about work and life.

The Chinese restaurant, Shuishalian, is open daily, offering Huaiyang cuisine infused with Taiwanese specialties. Huaiyang cuisine, along with Kunqu opera, Ming and Qing furniture, and Yixing purple clay pottery, exudes a subtle literati temperament. Among the four great Chinese cuisines, Huaiyang has the richest cultural depth.

The 'Yangzhou Pleasure-Boats Record' notes the skills of salt merchants' home chefs: 'Cooking techniques, the family kitchen excels the most. Wu Yishan's stir-fried tofu, Tian Yanmen's flash-fried chicken, Jiang Zhengtang's ten-variety pig head, Wang Nanxi's mixed sturgeon, Shi Pangzi's pear-shredded stir-fried pork, Zhang Sihuijizi's whole lamb, Wang Yinshan's boneless fish, Wang Wenmi's clam pancake, Guan Da's bone soup and horseshoe crab chowder, Kong Qian'an's crab noodles, Wensi Monk's tofu, Xiaoshan Monk's saddle bridge... all flavors reach ultimate excellence.' A 16-character adage: 'Eat in Guangzhou, taste in Sichuan, soup in Shandong, knife skills in Huaiyang.' From 'A Bite of China' to 'Once Upon a Bite', every hit food documentary never ignores Huaiyang cuisine. Where Huaiyang cuisine flourishes, literati gather. Most were scholars who found joy in simplicity, believing that 'every bean and every pickle is precious'. Thus in cooking, they strove to bring out the utmost from ordinary ingredients, like painting, using meticulous, slow work to achieve a realm of pure and elegant perfection. Nanjing's climate is pleasant with four distinct seasons, crisscrossed by rivers and water networks, with abundant natural produce. As the saying goes, 'Spring has anchovies, summer has tapertail anchovy and Reeves shad, autumn has crabs and duck, winter has wild greens.' Throughout the year, aquatic products, livestock, poultry, vegetables, and game are continuously available. Not only are river and lake delicacies plentiful, but as a transport hub, seafood and dried goods are also common. Even though thousands of mountains and rivers nurture countless living things, they cannot match the taste of a single bite of Huaiyang cuisine for a Jiangnan native.

Apart from Huaiyang dishes, the buffet is also astonishingly stunning.