China News Service, Shaoxing, February 14 (Reporter Xiang Jing) Making sausages, learning to sing, tasting rice wine, and writing blessing characters... In recent days, Anchang Ancient Town in Keqiao District, Shaoxing, Zhejiang has been crowded with tourists. Pavel's family of four from Russia Taste the Jiangnan New Year customs and experience the first authentic "Chinese New Year".
Pavel writes the word "福" with a brush. Photo by Xiang Jing
"The Chinese New Year is not something that stays in books, but something that can be touched, felt, and experienced." After immersing himself in the customs of the thousand-year-old town, Pavel said bluntly in a recent interview, "The Chinese New Year is very interesting and romantic. .”
Because he fell in love with the water town customs, Pavel came to Shaoxing with his wife and two children more than a year ago and started a new life. Pavel said frankly that he originally thought that the romance in the water town was only "small bridges and flowing water and people living there", "I didn't expect that the Spring Festival is the most romantic moment."
The ancient town of Anchang, where Pavel's family visited, was built near the water and prospered because of the water. The long water culture gave birth to the authentic sauce culture. During the Chinese New Year, every household will hand-make sauced meats and sausages and dry them on the streets along the river or in front of their homes, forming a beautiful landscape painting and igniting the "ritual sense" of the Spring Festival.
Daughter Tamara experiences enema. Photo by Xiang Jing
Chop the meat, add soy sauce, add old wine, stir, stuff the meat, and dry it... Under the guidance of local chefs, Pavel and his family made a meaty sausage by hand, and also tasted the steaming slices of sausage.
His son Victor ate ten slices of sausage in one go. He said bluntly, "It's very fragrant and chewy!"
"The process of making sausage seems easy, but it actually requires skills. The meat should be fat and lean, the amount of soy sauce should be appropriate, and the mixing should be even." Pavel mentioned, "Russian sausage is also very famous, but the production method is different from the sausage here, and the taste Each has its own merits.”
In Pavel's view, special food is a must-have for Chinese people during the New Year, and it is also a bridge between people. "Different regions have given birth to different food cultures, which is wonderful."
In addition to the "Chinese New Year" on the tip of the tongue, the strong New Year flavor in the opera also surprised the "foreigner" family.
In Jiangnan ancient towns, water and drama are often integrated. Lively singing and opera has always been an annual activity in Anchang Ancient Town.
Pavel's two children (middle) wear costumes and learn Yue opera. Photo by Xiang Jing
Wearing costumes, learning Yue opera, waving sleeves... On the banks of the long river in the ancient town of Anchang, Pavel's son and daughter walked onto the old stage to experience the Yue opera culture immersively. Daughter Tamara wore Chinese costumes for the first time. The long sleeves made her feel elegant and unique. "The Yue opera is very beautiful and the costumes are also very beautiful."
Pavel's two children write Spring Festival couplets. Photo by Xiang Jing
The Spring Festival also entrusts people with their best wishes for the new year. In the past few days, Pavel and his family have also experienced writing Spring Festival couplets and the word "福" to experience the splendid traditional Chinese culture. “It’s delicious and fun Chinese New Year, I like it very much!” Tamara said. (over)