Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1730

After bidding farewell to Quanzhou, a city full of historical charm, Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei set off on a journey to Zhangzhou. Along the way, they were full of expectations for Zhangzhou. They heard that Zhangzhou not only has beautiful coastal scenery, but also has a profound cultural heritage and is known as the "Zou Lu of the Seaside". "I heard that Zhangzhou's Dongshan Island is particularly beautiful, with blue sea and golden sand, and the magical wind-moving stone. I really want to see it with my own eyes." Zhang Yuedong said excitedly.

Lin Yifei also nodded in agreement: "Yes, and Zhangzhou also has many special foods, such as hand-pulled noodles and four-fruit soup. Just hearing the names sounds very tempting."

Li Xiao smiled and said: "Not only that, Zhangzhou's Jin Ge is also a national intangible cultural heritage. We must appreciate it this time."

After arriving in Zhangzhou, they took a short rest and headed straight to Dongshan Island. Dongshan Island is the second largest island in FJ Province. It has a vast bay, a flat beach, shady trees, and many scenic spots. It is full of southern coastal scenery. As soon as they got on the island, the fresh sea breeze blew in their faces, bringing a light smell of sea water, making people feel relaxed and happy instantly.

They first came to the Fengdong Stone Scenic Area, which attracts countless tourists with its unique natural landscape and profound cultural heritage. The Fengdong Stone is the landmark of the scenic area. It is 4.37 meters high, 4.47 meters wide, 4.69 meters long, and weighs about 200 tons. It is pointed at the top and round at the bottom.

It looks like a fairy peach, and is "resting" majestically on a rock that is protruding from the ground and tilted toward the sea. The contact area between the two rocks is only more than ten square centimeters. When the wind blows, the rock sways slightly. If a person lies on the rock and pushes with his feet, the rock will also sway, but it will not fall down. It is known as "the most unique rock in the world".

Standing in front of the Wind-Moving Stone, Li Xiao was shocked by the scene before him: "This Wind-Moving Stone is really amazing. It feels like it can be moved with just a slight push."

Zhang Yuedong also exclaimed: "Yes, the uncanny workmanship of nature is really amazing. How did this stone manage to stand here without falling?"

Lin Yifei was more interested in the history and culture of the Wind-Moving Stone: "There are many legends about this Wind-Moving Stone. It is said that it is the magic stone left by Nuwa when she repaired the sky. Some people also say that it is a meteorite that fell here from the sky."

In the Fengdongshi Scenic Area, they also visited Dongshan Guandi Temple and Tongshan Ancient City. Dongshan Guandi Temple is one of the four major Guandi Temples in China and the ancestral temple of many Guandi Temples in Taiwan. The statue of Guan Yu is enshrined here and the incense is very strong. Tongshan Ancient City was built in the Ming Dynasty to defend against Japanese pirates. The city walls are tall and solid. There are many ancient buildings and cultural relics preserved in the city. Walking in it, you can seem to feel the war years of the past.

After leaving the Fengdongshi Scenic Area, they came to Maluan Bay. Maluan Bay is one of the most famous bathing beaches on Dongshan Island, with a wide beach and clear water. The beach here is fine and soft, and it feels like walking on cotton, which makes people feel very comfortable. The sea water is crystal clear, and under the sunshine, it sparkles with blue light, like a huge sapphire.

As soon as he arrived at Maluan Bay, Zhang Yuedong couldn't wait to rush to the beach and shouted: "Wow, the beach and the sea are so beautiful, I want to play in the water!" After that, he took off his shoes and ran to the beach.

Li Xiao and Lin Yifei followed with a smile. They played on the beach, feeling the coolness of the sea water and the beating of the waves. Zhang Yuedong also rented a surfboard and surfed on the sea to his heart's content, his face filled with excitement and happiness.

"It's so fun, the waves feel so great!" Zhang Yuedong shouted while surfing.

Li Xiao smiled and said to Lin Yifei: "Seeing how happy he is, let's try it too."

Lin Yifei nodded: "Okay, let's experience the fun of surfing."

So, they rented surfboards and began to learn surfing under the guidance of the coach. Although they were a little uncomfortable at first, they gradually mastered the skills through constant attempts and efforts and were able to glide freely on the waves. At that moment, they felt the power and freedom of the sea and were filled with a sense of accomplishment.

When they were tired, they lay on the beach and enjoyed the sun. The sea breeze blew, bringing a touch of coolness, making people feel very comfortable. In the distance, there were several sailboats sailing on the sea, which formed a beautiful picture against the backdrop of blue sky and white clouds.

"The scenery here is so beautiful. I really wish time could stop at this moment." Li Xiao said with emotion.

Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, after staying in the city for a long time, coming to a beach like this is really a pleasure."

Lin Yifei looked at the sea and said thoughtfully: "The sea is really magical. It has infinite power and endless tolerance."

After coming out of Maluan Bay, the three of them started to feel hungry. They decided to try the specialties of Zhangzhou, so they came to a local snack bar. As soon as they entered the store, they smelled the aroma of various delicacies, which made them salivate.

"There are so many delicious foods here, I don't know what to choose." Zhang Yuedong looked at the menu, dazzled.

Li Xiao smiled and said: "When you come to Zhangzhou, you must try the hand-pulled noodles and four-fruit soup, which are the signature delicacies of Zhangzhou."

Lin Yifei also nodded in agreement: "Let's order some oyster omelette and five-spice rolls, I heard they are also very good."

Soon, the food they ordered was served. The hand-pulled noodles were chewy and had a unique taste when paired with special sauces and pickled mustard, sweet and spicy sauces, etc. The four-fruit soup was made with four ingredients, red beans, mung beans, lotus seeds, and coix seeds, and added with sugar water and ice cubes. It was sweet and delicious, and was a great choice for cooling off. The oyster omelet was fragrant, the oysters were tender and juicy, and the combination of eggs and starch was just right. The five-spice rolls had a crispy skin and delicious fillings, which made people linger.

"This hand-pulled noodle is really delicious, and the sauce has a strong flavor." Zhang Yuedong praised it while eating.

Lin Yifei also ate with gusto: "This four-fruit soup is also very authentic, icy and cool, especially suitable for summer."

Li Xiao picked up a piece of oyster omelette and said, "The oysters in this oyster omelette are very fresh and taste great."

Zhang Yuedong took a bite of the five-spice roll: "This five-spice roll is also good, the skin is crispy and the meat filling inside is very tender."

After eating the delicious food, they came to a Jinge Pavilion to enjoy a Jinge performance. Jinge, formerly known as Gezai or Shijinge, is also known as Qishidiao. It is one of the traditional folk arts in the southern Fujian region of FJ Province. It is popular in the southern Fujian plain area centered on Zhangzhou, including Xiamen, Jinjiang, Longxi, as well as in Taiwan Province and the Chinese settlements in the Nanyang Islands.

The performance began, with actors wearing traditional costumes and holding musical instruments, and began to sing. Their singing was melodious and the melody was beautiful. The lyrics told the history, culture and folk stories of the southern Fujian region, making people feel as if they had traveled through time and space and returned to the past. The three of them sat quietly in the audience, immersed in this wonderful music, and felt the unique charm of Jin Ge.

After the performance, the three of them gave warm applause. "This Jin Ge performance was wonderful. I have never heard such beautiful music before." Li Xiao said. Zhang Yuedong nodded: "Yes, the actors' performance was very dedicated, which made people feel the profoundness of Minnan culture."

Lin Yifei said with emotion: "This is the charm of traditional culture, which we need to inherit and carry forward."

After leaving Jinge Pavilion, they strolled along the streets of Zhangzhou, enjoying the night view of the city. Zhangzhou's night is brightly lit and full of fireworks. There are many small shops on the street, selling various local specialties, such as Pinghe Guanxi honey pomelo, Baishui tribute sugar, etc.

Li Xiao was attracted by a fruit shop filled with various fruits, the most eye-catching of which was the Pinghe Guanxi Honey Pomelo. Pinghe Guanxi Honey Pomelo is a specialty of Zhangzhou, with a cultivation history of more than 500 years. It was listed as a tribute to the court as early as the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty.

The fruit is large with thin skin, small flesh and seeds, rich and sweet juice, and high content of vitamins and minerals. There are many varieties including white-fleshed honey pomelo, red-fleshed honey pomelo and three-red honey pomelo.

"Boss, is there anything special about this Pinghe Guanxi Honey Pomelo?" Li Xiao asked.

The boss introduced enthusiastically: "Pinghe Guanxi honey pomelo is our treasure in Zhangzhou. It has a sweet taste, full flesh, and rich nutrition. Look at this white-fleshed honey pomelo, which has a suitable sweet and sour taste; the red-fleshed honey pomelo has a sweet and sour taste; the three-red honey pomelo, not only has red flesh, but also the skin and sponge layer are a light rose red, which is particularly beautiful."

Lin Yifei picked up a honey pomelo and looked at it carefully: "This honey pomelo looks good in quality and the packaging is also very beautiful."

The boss smiled and said: "Our honey pomelo is authentic Pinghe Guanxi honey pomelo, which is suitable for eating yourself or giving to others."

The three of them picked some honey pomelo in the store as souvenirs of this trip. After leaving the fruit store, they visited several small shops and bought some Baishui Gongtang. Baishui Gongtang is made by mixing and pounding peanuts, white sugar, and maltose. It has a strong peanut flavor and is suitable for drinking with tea.

"Today was a really fulfilling day. I saw so many beautiful scenery, ate so many delicious foods, enjoyed wonderful performances, and bought my favorite specialties," Zhang Yuedong said with satisfaction.

Lin Yifei said with a smile: "This is only the first day in Zhangzhou, there are more fun places waiting for us later."

Li Xiao looked at the brightly lit streets and said expectantly, "Yes, I am really looking forward to tomorrow's trip to see what surprises Zhangzhou will bring us."

On the first day in Zhangzhou, the three of them experienced the seaside scenery on Dongshan Island, tasted authentic food, appreciated the unique Jinge performances, and bought exquisite specialties. Every moment made them fall in love with this city.

After bidding farewell to the beautiful Zhangzhou, Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei set off on their journey to Putian. Along the way, they were very excited because Putian is the hometown of Mazu and has a strong Mazu culture. They had heard of the name of Meizhou Island and were full of yearning for it. "I heard that the Mazu Temple on Meizhou Island is very spectacular, and countless believers go there to worship every year. This time we can also feel the sacred atmosphere." Li Xiao said excitedly.

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, Mazu blesses people who go out to sea to return safely. Her story is really touching. I also heard that the scenery of Meizhou Island is also very beautiful, with golden beaches and clear waters."

Lin Yifei smiled and said: "Not only that, Putian also has many delicacies, such as Putian braised noodles and red balls, which make people salivate just thinking about it."

After arriving in Putian, they took a short rest and headed straight to Meizhou Island. After taking a ferry from Putian Wenjia Wharf, they set foot on this mysterious island about 20 minutes later. As soon as they got off the boat, the fresh sea breeze blew in their faces, with a light smell of sea water, making people feel instantly relaxed and happy.

They first came to the Mazu Ancestral Temple, which is the first Mazu temple in the world and the birthplace of Mazu belief. It is known as "The ancestor of Mazu in the world is in Meizhou."

As soon as he arrived at the gate of the Mazu Temple, Li Xiao was shocked by the magnificent architecture: "This gate is so magnificent, it is worthy of being the Mazu Temple."

Zhang Yuedong looked up at the plaque above the mountain gate and read: "Meizhou Mazu Ancestral Temple. These words are written in a vigorous and powerful way, full of momentum."

Lin Yifei noticed a pair of stone lions in front of the mountain gate. They squatted there majestically, guarding this sacred temple: "These stone lions are carved so lifelike that it feels like they are telling the story of Mazu."

When you enter the temple, the first thing you see is the Imperial Edict Gate, a majestic memorial archway built in the air. In the middle hangs a vertical plaque with the words "Imperial Edict", symbolizing that Mazu was honored by successive emperors. When ancient officials passed through this gate, civil officials got off their sedan chairs and military officials got off their horses. Li Xiao looked at the Imperial Edict Gate curiously and asked, "Which emperors honored Mazu?"

Zhang Yuedong replied: "I have looked up information before. Since the Song Dynasty, Mazu has been valued by the imperial court. She has been given titles such as 'Madam', 'Concubine', 'Heavenly Concubine', 'Queen of Heaven', 'Holy Mother of Heaven', etc. The emperors of all dynasties have bestowed titles on her dozens of times."

Lin Yifei said with emotion: "The fact that Mazu is respected by so many emperors shows how high her status is in people's hearts."

After passing through the Imperial Edict Gate, there is a wide square with a tall stone statue of Mazu standing on it. Mazu is wearing a long robe and a phoenix crown on her head. She has a kind face and looks firmly at the sea, as if she is guarding the people going out to sea. The three of them walked to the stone statue of Mazu with reverence and bowed deeply.

"Mazu is truly great. She has spent her entire life rescuing fishermen and protecting safety at sea. This spirit is truly worthy of our admiration," Li Xiao exclaimed sincerely.

Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, Mazu's story has inspired generations of people. She has become a belief and a spiritual sustenance."

Lin Yifei looked at the stone statue of Mazu and said softly, "I hope Mazu can bless us with a safe and smooth journey, and bless all the people in the world with happiness and health."

Then, they came to the main hall, where the statue of Mazu was enshrined. The statue was solemn and lifelike. The hall was filled with incense, and believers came to burn incense and pray. They put their hands together, closed their eyes, and silently made their wishes. The three of them also bought incense, burned incense and prayed devoutly, feeling the tranquility and sacredness.

"In such an atmosphere, I feel my soul has been purified." Li Xiao said softly.