Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

As the sun gradually set, the three of them left Huangling with reluctance. On the way back to the hotel, they were still immersed in the beautiful scenery, food and culture of Huangling. Li Xiao said with emotion: "Today's experience in Huangling is really unforgettable. Everything here makes me feel the charm of nature and the profoundness of traditional culture." Zhang Yuedong also said: "Yes, this trip to Jiangxi is really worth it. Every stop brought us different surprises and touches." Lin Yifei said with anticipation: "There are still many places we haven't visited. The next journey will definitely be more exciting." The three returned to the hotel with anticipation for the next stop, ready to meet new challenges and surprises.

Jingdezhen: The legend of kiln fire in the thousand-year-old porcelain capital

After spending a picturesque time in Wuyuan Huangling, Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei became more attached to the culture and beauty of Jiangxi. They set off on a journey to Jingdezhen with great anticipation. This thousand-year-old porcelain capital, famous for its porcelain, seemed to be calling them with endless charm.

Along the way, the three of them were discussing Jingdezhen enthusiastically. Li Xiao said excitedly: "Jingdezhen, that's the porcelain capital. I've long wanted to see with my own eyes how those exquisite porcelains are made." Zhang Yuedong also smiled and said: "Yes, I heard that the porcelain there is not only beautiful, but also contains a deep cultural heritage. This time I must experience it well." Lin Yifei added: "And Jingdezhen has many special foods that we can't miss." Thinking of the upcoming Jingdezhen, the three of them were full of expectations, as if they had already seen the exquisite porcelain and tempting food.

Finally, they arrived in Jingdezhen. As soon as they got off the car, the air seemed to be filled with the scent of porcelain. On both sides of the street, there were all kinds of porcelain shops, and the porcelain displayed in the windows sparkled charmingly under the sunlight. Li Xiao couldn't wait to walk into a porcelain shop. There were many kinds of porcelain in the shop, including blue and white porcelain, pastel porcelain, colored glaze porcelain, exquisite porcelain, etc. Each piece was exquisitely made and made people love it. Li Xiao picked up a blue and white porcelain bottle and looked at it carefully. The bottle was painted with exquisite landscape patterns, with smooth lines and bright colors, like a flowing scroll. "This blue and white porcelain is so beautiful, it deserves to be one of the four traditional famous porcelains in Jingdezhen." Li Xiao exclaimed. Zhang Yuedong also picked up a pastel porcelain bowl. The pattern on the bowl was a blooming peony, with soft colors and lifelike, as if you could smell the fragrance of flowers. "The craftsmanship of this pastel porcelain is too exquisite, and every detail is handled just right." Zhang Yuedong said. Lin Yifei developed a strong interest in colored glaze porcelain. Looking at the colorful porcelain, he exclaimed: "The colors of these colored glaze porcelain are so rich and varied, and each one has its own unique charm."

After leaving the porcelain shop, the three came to the Jingdezhen Ancient Kiln Folk Customs Expo Area. There are green trees here, and the quaint buildings are full of charm. Many small decorations are made of porcelain, and even the trash cans at the door are made of porcelain. The ubiquitous ceramic culture makes people feel the unique charm of this thousand-year-old porcelain capital. Entering the Ancient Kiln Folk Customs Expo Area, they first came to the handmade porcelain display area, where there is the world's oldest porcelain production line, and the inheritors of intangible cultural heritage are demonstrating the traditional handmade porcelain process on site. Throwing, sharpening, glazing, painting, one by one, the ancient production process is presented in front of you, and each process has a live demonstration by the master, their superb skills are impressive. Li Xiao curiously asked an old master who was throwing the pottery: "Master, is it difficult to throw the pottery?" The old master smiled and replied: "Throwing the pottery is a technical job, which requires a long time of practice to master, but as long as you are patient and willing to work hard, it is not very difficult." Li Xiao listened and was eager to try. Under the guidance of the master, he tried to throw the pottery, but at the beginning, the clay was not obedient and could not be pulled out of shape. Li Xiao was a little frustrated, and the old master encouraged him, "Don't worry, take your time. It's great that you can do it like this for the first time." Under the patient guidance of the old master, Li Xiao gradually mastered the technique of throwing the pottery, and finally pulled out an irregular shape. He said happily, "It's so fun. Although it's not very good, I feel the joy of making porcelain." Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei also experienced the processes of trimming the pottery and glazing respectively. They were all attracted by the charm of traditional handmade porcelain making, and were full of admiration for the perseverance and inheritance spirit of these craftsmen.

Then, they visited the porcelain kilns of various dynasties, including the town kiln of the Qing Dynasty, the lion kiln of the Qing Dynasty, the gourd kiln of the Ming Dynasty, the steamed bun kiln of the Yuan Dynasty, the dragon kiln of the Song Dynasty, and the imperial kiln of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Kiln firing is the last step in the production of finished porcelain. The fire temperature of the traditional wood-fired kiln in Jingdezhen is controlled by the eyes of the kiln operators. They use their naked eyes to judge whether the kiln temperature is appropriate, which is also the admirable part of the older generation of porcelain makers. Walking into the cave, they felt the magic of the cave and learned about the culture and characteristics of each kiln. It is said that the folk customs expo area will hold a re-firing and ignition in the ancient firing method every month, and truly feel the magic of the last fire in ceramic production. Li Xiao exclaimed: "These ancient kilns carry the thousand-year history of porcelain making in Jingdezhen. Each kiln is like a witness to history, witnessing the gorgeous transformation of porcelain from clay to art." Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, by visiting these ancient kilns, I have a deeper understanding of the production process of porcelain, and I cherish every exquisite porcelain more." Lin Yifei said: "These ancient kilns are not only places where porcelain is made, but also a symbol of culture. They represent the glorious history and unique cultural heritage of Jingdezhen."

Before they knew it, it was already noon, and the three people's stomachs began to growl. They decided to find a restaurant near the scenic spot to taste the special food of Jingdezhen. After walking for a while, they found a small restaurant with various signs hanging at the door, which said the special food of Jingdezhen. When they walked into the restaurant, it was full of diners and very lively. They found an empty seat and sat down, and ordered local specialties such as alkaline cake, cold noodles, and dumpling cake.

Soon, the food was served. Alkaline cake is a classic specialty snack in Jingdezhen. It was originally only eaten during the Chinese New Year, but now it has become a must-have meal for every household in Jingdezhen. Alkaline cake tastes similar to rice noodles, but there are differences. It is just much shorter and more fragmented than rice noodles. Li Xiao ordered scrambled eggs with alkaline cake. When eating, it is cut into thin slices and fried with local smoked bacon, garlic, etc. It can not only fill the stomach, but also be a good dish for drinking. He took a bite and praised it highly: "This alkaline cake is so delicious, the taste is very unique, there is a light alkaline fragrance, and it tastes great when paired with eggs and bacon." Zhang Yuedong tasted cold noodles, which is a traditional specialty snack in Jingdezhen City, JX Province. The noodles here are very thick and added with chili peppers. After eating, the mouth is as spicy as spitting fire. In addition to the conventional pickled mustard and pickled radish, the most recognizable ingredient in the mix is ​​oil-soaked orange peel. "This cold noodle is really as good as its reputation, spicy and addictive. The oil-soaked orange peel tastes very special, adding a unique flavor to the cold noodle." Zhang Yuedong said. Dumpling cakes are a famous specialty snack in Jingdezhen. After steaming, the thin skin can vaguely see the dumpling filling, which is the best choice for midnight snacks. The difference between dumplings and dumplings is that the raw materials are different. Dumplings are made of wheat flour, while dumpling cakes are made of rice flour. The fillings are different. Dumpling cakes are almost not filled with meat, usually leeks, beans, white dried tofu or bamboo shoots. Lin Yifei ate the dumpling cakes stuffed with leeks and dried tofu. He said: "This dumpling cake has a very soft and glutinous texture, and the fillings are also very delicious. It tastes unique." The three people exchanged their feelings about these delicacies while tasting the food, and laughter echoed in the restaurant.

After dinner, the three learned that there was a porcelain music performance in the scenic area. They were very interested and decided to watch it. The performance venue was in a spacious hall. When they arrived, it was already full of spectators, and everyone was looking forward to the performance.

The performance began. Various porcelain musical instruments were placed on the stage, including porcelain chimes, porcelain flutes, porcelain erhu, porcelain drums, etc. The performers were dressed in ancient costumes, holding porcelain instruments, and began to play in the melodious music. Porcelain music is an innovative form of music performance based on traditional Chinese ceramic techniques through porcelain. This unique way of playing makes the melody of the music more beautiful and graceful, as if it can make people feel the warmth and elegance of porcelain. They played classic songs such as "Flowers and Full Moon", "Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon", and "Jasmine Flower". The crisp and pleasant sounds of porcelain instruments made the audience intoxicated. Li Xiao was so fascinated by the music that he couldn't help but sigh: "This porcelain music is so wonderful. I didn't expect that porcelain can play such beautiful music. It's really refreshing." Zhang Yuedong also nodded and said: "Yes, this is not only a musical performance, but also a unique interpretation of porcelain culture, which allows us to feel the charm of porcelain from another perspective." Lin Yifei said: "The skills of these performers are also very superb. They perfectly interpret these classic pieces with porcelain instruments and bring us an auditory feast." The audience burst into warm applause and cheers from time to time, praising the performers' wonderful performances. After watching the porcelain music performance, the three people were still unsatisfied. They decided to stroll around the scenic area and buy some Jingdezhen specialties. There are many specialty shops in the scenic area, which are filled with various kinds of porcelain, including tableware, tea sets, vases, ornaments, etc. Each piece is exquisitely made and has high artistic value.

Li Xiao was attracted by an exquisite blue and white porcelain tea set, which was painted with exquisite flower and bird patterns, colorful and lifelike. He picked up the tea set, looked at it carefully, and said, "This blue and white porcelain tea set is really beautiful, with fine workmanship, it must be very good for making tea." Zhang Yuedong also came over, looked at the tea set, and said, "Yes, this blue and white porcelain tea set is not only practical, but also can be used as a decoration, it is also very tasteful to put it at home." So Li Xiao decided to buy a set of blue and white porcelain tea sets as a souvenir.

Then, they came to a porcelain ornament booth. The booth was filled with porcelain ornaments of various shapes, including animal shapes, human shapes, landscape shapes, etc. Each one was carved so lifelike that people couldn't put it down. Lin Yifei was very interested in a porcelain ornament in the shape of an ancient kiln in Jingdezhen. He picked up the ornament, gently stroked it, and felt its texture and craftsmanship. "This ornament is so realistic that it shows the charm of the ancient kiln in Jingdezhen. I want to buy it and put it at home as a souvenir." Lin Yifei said. The stall owner enthusiastically introduced: "The porcelain ornaments here are all authentic Jingdezhen porcelain, made with traditional craftsmanship, and each one is unique." After listening to this, Lin Yifei became more determined to buy it.

Zhang Yuedong bought some small porcelain ornaments, such as porcelain necklaces, porcelain bracelets, porcelain earrings, etc. These ornaments are exquisitely shaped and colorful, and are very suitable for female friends. "These porcelain ornaments are very beautiful and unique. I will buy them back and give them to my sisters. They will definitely like them." Zhang Yuedong said.

The three also bought some other specialties, such as Jingdezhen porcelain postcards, porcelain key chains, etc. Carrying a lot of specialties, they walked on the small road in the scenic area, feeling the ceramic culture and unique charm of Jingdezhen.

As the sun gradually set, the three of them left Jingdezhen, a charming place, reluctant to leave. On the way back to the hotel, they were still immersed in the porcelain culture, food and performances of Jingdezhen. Li Xiao said with emotion: "Today's experience in Jingdezhen is really unforgettable. Everything here makes me feel the profoundness and infinite charm of traditional culture." Zhang Yuedong also said: "Yes, this trip to Jiangxi is really worth it. Each stop brought us different surprises and touches." Lin Yifei said with anticipation: "There are still many places we haven't visited. The next journey will definitely be more exciting." The three returned to the hotel with anticipation for the next stop, ready to meet new challenges and surprises.

Zhang Yuedong looked around excitedly and said, "Let's go to the hotel to put down our luggage, and then start our exploration journey."

Lin Yifei pulled the suitcase and walked forward quickly: "Okay, I can't wait to experience everything in Henan."

The three of them took a taxi to the hotel they had booked. After checking in and taking a short rest, they walked out of the hotel in high spirits, officially starting their wonderful journey in Henan. They strolled along the streets of Henan, looking at the bustling crowds around them, listening to the Henan dialect that kept coming and going, and their hearts were filled with novelty and excitement. The buildings on both sides of the street have different styles, including modern high-rise buildings and ancient buildings full of historical charm. They set off each other and show the unique urban style of Henan. The shops on the street are filled with a variety of goods, including exquisite handicrafts, special snacks, and souvenirs with Henan characteristics, which are dazzling. (End of this chapter)