Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1777

"Well, this knife-cut noodles is really as good as its reputation, it's so delicious!" Li Xiao praised it as he ate it, "The noodles are chewy and the marinade is very fragrant, the taste is really amazing."

Lin Yifei also ate with gusto: "This is one of the best noodles I have ever eaten. Datong Sliced ​​Noodles is truly the representative of Shanxi noodles."

In addition to the sliced ​​noodles, they also ordered a plate of Datong mutton offal. Mutton offal is a soup made from the sheep's heart, liver, lungs, stomach, intestines and other internal organs cooked with vermicelli. It is delicious and nutritious. The soup is also filled with red chili oil and green coriander, which is delicious and appetizing.

"The mutton offal tastes very good. The mutton offal is well-seasoned, the vermicelli is chewy, and the soup is delicious." Zhang Yuedong took a sip of the soup and said with satisfaction.

After lunch, they took a short break and then came to the performance square of the scenic area to watch a performance of Datong Shuahaier. Datong Shuahaier is a traditional opera that originated in the Yuan Dynasty and has a history of more than 600 years. It is known as the "living fossil in the history of opera."

The performance began, and the actors appeared in bright costumes. Their performance was unique, with melodious and loud singing, exaggerated and dance-like movements, especially the performance of the painted face actors, which made people laugh. During the whole performance, the actors' every move, every frown and every smile were full of charm, making people feel the unique charm of traditional culture.

"We are finally in Henan!" As soon as Li Xiao got off the train, he opened his arms excitedly and took a deep breath, as if he wanted to breathe the breath of the city into his lungs. Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei followed behind him, their faces filled with irrepressible excitement. The three of them are loyal fans of travel and food, and they chose Henan this time specifically to appreciate the unique local conditions and customs here.

Kaifeng, this ancient capital with a thousand-year history, shows a simple and quaint style that is completely different from other cities as soon as it comes into their eyes. The ancient city wall still stands tall under the erosion of time, and the mottled wall tells of the past glory. At the city gate, people come and go, and it is very lively, as if people have traveled back to the prosperous Song Dynasty.

"This is Kaifeng. It feels completely different from the places we usually stay in. There is an ancient flavor everywhere." Lin Yifei said with emotion.

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, just looking at this city wall, I can feel the weight of history. In the next few days, we will have a lot to explore."

Li Xiao couldn't wait to take out his phone and took a lot of photos of the city wall and the city gate: "Don't be sentimental yet, take photos quickly, this is the first stop of our trip to Henan."

"This show is so wonderful. I have never seen such an interesting opera before." Li Xiao said excitedly, "The actors' performance is so vivid. It feels more interesting than watching a movie."

Lin Yifei also nodded in agreement: "Yes, this kind of traditional opera is really a treasure. It not only has artistic value, but also carries the local history, culture and folk customs. I hope that more people will understand and like it in the future."

After watching the performance, they continued to stroll around the scenic area. There were many shops selling specialty products on the street, and the dazzling array of goods was dazzling. They walked into a shop filled with Datong coal sculptures, Yungang Grottoes souvenirs and other specialty products.

"This Datong coal sculpture looks very good. I heard that it is made from tree fossils deep in the Datong coal seam and is carefully polished." Li Xiao picked up a coal sculpture and looked at it carefully. The coal sculpture was engraved with an exquisite pattern of the Yungang Giant Buddha. The lines were smooth and lifelike, as if perfectly displaying the charm of the Yungang Giant Buddha.

Zhang Yuedong introduced: "Datong coal carving is a characteristic handicraft of Datong. It is not only of ornamental value, but also of certain collection value. These coal carvings are carefully carved by folk artists, and each one is unique."

Finally, they selected some of their favorite specialties, such as Datong coal carvings and Yungang Grottoes postcards, to take back and give to their relatives and friends.

A day at the Yungang Grottoes made Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei deeply feel the charm of ancient art and the profoundness of history and culture. Every Buddha statue, every mural, every delicacy and every performance here made them linger and gain a lot. When the sun set, they left this land full of art with reluctance to leave the Yungang Grottoes and anticipation for the next journey.

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, a thousand-year-old miracle
In the early morning, the soft sunlight sprinkled on the earth, covering the world with a layer of golden gauze. Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei drove slowly towards Ying County. They were very excited because they were about to see the world-famous Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. This wooden tower is known as one of the "three great towers in the world" along with the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It is a model of wooden architecture in the world. They were full of curiosity and yearning for it.

"I never thought that we would be able to see the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda so soon. I feel both excited and nervous." Li Xiao looked out the window, his eyes flashing with anticipation, and said excitedly.

Zhang Yuedong nodded slightly with a smile on his face: "Yes, the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda has stood firm for thousands of years, which is a miracle in itself. It is not only a building, but also a symbol of history and culture, carrying the wisdom and skills of the ancients."

Lin Yifei kept fiddling with the camera in his hand, eager to try: "This is such a precious cultural heritage, I must take more photos to record these beautiful moments."

When they arrived at the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda Scenic Area, a majestic wooden pagoda came into view. Standing under the blue sky and white clouds, the wooden pagoda is magnificent, like a giant overlooking the vicissitudes of the world. Its appearance is simple and elegant, and the reddish-brown wooden structure exudes the breath of time. Every beam and every bracket seems to be telling an ancient story.

"Wow, this is the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, so shocking!" Li Xiao couldn't help but exclaim, unwilling to take his eyes off the wooden pagoda for a moment.

When they walked into the Fogong Temple, the first thing they saw was a wooden memorial archway with four pillars and three doors on the top of the mountain. The four black characters "Floating Round Treasure Temple" were engraved on the horizontal board, which looked round and delicate. The memorial archway was made of wood, reflecting the characteristics of a wooden pagoda. When they walked into the temple from the passage beside the memorial archway, the Guanyin Bodhisattva looked at every tourist kindly, and the believers stopped to pray for their health.

After passing the gate of Fogong Temple, you will see the Sakyamuni Pagoda behind you. The wooden pagoda is built on a four-meter-high platform. It is 67.31 meters high and 30.27 meters in diameter at the bottom. It is octagonal in plan. The whole pagoda is made of 3000 cubic meters of red pine wood, more than 2600 tons. It is a pure wooden structure without any iron nails. It is made entirely of wooden components that are mortised and jointed with each other.

They looked up from below the tower. The first floor had double eaves, and the floors above it had single eaves, a total of five floors with six eaves. If you don't look carefully, you can't see that there are hidden layers between the floors, and there are actually nine floors. Because the bottom floor has double eaves and a corridor, the tower looks like a six-story eaves. The tower body tilts slightly to the northeast, but it is still as stable as a mountain, which makes people marvel at the exquisite craftsmanship of the ancients.

"The structure of this wooden tower is really exquisite. It has no iron nails, but it has stood for thousands of years. The wisdom of the ancients is really admirable." Zhang Yuedong praised. Li Xiao nodded in agreement: "Yes, and the brackets of this wooden tower are also very unique. It is said that there are 54 types of brackets in the whole tower. Each bracket has a certain combination form. Some of them combine beams, squares and columns into a whole. Each layer forms an octagonal hollow structure layer, which can be called a 'Bracket Museum'."

While taking pictures, Lin Yifei said, "I must take more pictures of such a beautiful building and study it carefully when I get back."

They walked around the pagoda, carefully observing every detail of the wooden pagoda. There are Buddha statues on each floor of the pagoda. The first floor is Sakyamuni Buddha, 11 meters high. The Buddha statue has a kind face and is solemn and dignified, which makes people feel awe. The top of the pagoda is an octagonal spire with an iron brake on it. Under the sunlight, it shines with a sacred light. Wind chimes are installed under the eaves of the pagoda. When the breeze blows, the wind chimes make clear and pleasant sounds, as if playing an ancient piece of music.

"The sounds of these wind chimes are so beautiful. It feels like the whole world has become peaceful." Li Xiao closed his eyes and listened quietly to the sound of the wind chimes with an intoxicated expression on his face.

"These wind chimes not only add beauty, but also serve as warnings," Zhang Yuedong said with a smile. "In ancient times, people believed that the sound of wind chimes could ward off evil spirits and disasters, and bring peace."

After visiting the wooden pagoda, they came to a restaurant near the scenic area to taste the special food of Ying County.

"I've heard that Ying County's jelly and purple garlic are very famous. I must try them today." Li Xiao said impatiently.

Soon, the dishes were served. A plate of crystal clear jelly was placed in front of them. The jelly was topped with red chili oil, green coriander and fragrant sesame paste, which made people salivate. Li Xiao picked up a piece of jelly with chopsticks and put it in his mouth. The jelly had a smooth texture and tasted sour and spicy, which made people linger.

"Well, this jelly really lives up to its reputation, it's so delicious!" Li Xiao praised it highly.

Then, they tasted the Yingxian purple garlic, which has purple-red skin, fat heads and large petals, and a strong spicy flavor. Compared with ordinary garlic, it has a richer flavor.

"The taste of this purple garlic is really unique, spicy yet fragrant, and it's really enjoyable to eat." Lin Yifei said as he ate.

In addition to jelly and purple garlic, they also tasted special delicacies such as Yingxian beef kidney and Yingxian diliu. They enjoyed every dish with gusto and said it was very satisfying.

After lunch, they took a short break and then came to the square of the scenic spot to watch a performance of Yingxian Bayinhui. Yingxian Bayinhui is a traditional folk music form, composed of drums, gongs, cymbals, erhu, bangzi, sheng, suona, guanzi and other instruments, commonly known as "eight sounds", with the characteristics of equal emphasis on blowing and beating, passionate and unrestrained, rich in sound and emotion, and good at performance.

Lin Yifei asked again: "What is so special about the production process of this peony porcelain?"

The shop owner proudly said: "Peony porcelain combines the shape of peony with the production technology of ceramics. Each piece of peony porcelain is handmade, and craftsmen are required to carefully carve from the sculpture shape to the glaze decoration. Peony porcelain is not only beautiful and generous, but also has high artistic value and collection value."

After listening to the introduction of the shop owner, the three of them liked these souvenirs even more. They carefully selected their favorite souvenirs and returned home with a full load. On the way back to the hotel, they admired the souvenirs in their hands and recalled the good times in Luoyang. Li Xiao said with emotion: "Luoyang is really a charming city. The history, culture, food and folk performances here are unforgettable. These souvenirs are the best testimony of our trip."

Zhang Yuedong also said: "Yes, this trip to Luoyang has given me a lot of benefits. Not only did I see beautiful scenery, but I also learned a lot of cultural knowledge."

Lin Yifei smiled and said, "We still have a lot of places to go. The next journey will definitely be more exciting."

The three returned to the hotel with great expectations to recharge their batteries for tomorrow's journey. They believed that there were more surprises waiting for them to discover in this land of Henan.

Jiaozuo Yuntaishan, close to nature
After leaving Luoyang, the three of them took a car to Yuntai Mountain in Jiaozuo. Along the way, the scenery outside the window was like a flowing painting, with fields, mountains and villages passing by quickly. Li Xiao looked out the window and said excitedly: "I heard that the scenery of Yuntai Mountain is particularly beautiful, with Hongshi Gorge and Yuntai Waterfall. I really look forward to seeing it soon."

Zhang Yuedong also said with great anticipation: "Yes, I also heard that Yuntaishan is one of the first world geological parks in the world, and the geological landscape there must be very unique."

Lin Yifei smiled and said, "Not only is the scenery beautiful, but I heard that the food in Yuntai Mountain is also very unique. We can feast on it this time."

A magical journey to Yuntai Mountain
When they finally arrived at Yuntaishan Scenic Area, they were intoxicated by the beautiful scenery in front of them. The scenic area is full of rolling hills, shady trees, and fresh air, as if it were a paradise. They first came to Hongshi Gorge. As soon as they stepped into Hongshi Gorge, a mysterious and unique atmosphere hit them. The red rocks were bright and dazzling under the sunlight, as if they were carefully painted by nature. The canyon is deep and quiet, and the cliffs on both sides are as steep as if they were cut by a knife or an axe, which makes people sigh at the uncanny workmanship of nature.

They walked along the winding plank road. Below the plank road was a turquoise stream. The water was so clear that you could see the bottom. You could see small fish swimming freely in the water. The stream gurgled in the canyon, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, making a clear and pleasant sound, as if it was a beautiful piece of music played by nature. Li Xiao pointed excitedly at the waterfall in front of him and said, "Look, that waterfall is so spectacular!" A waterfall was seen rushing down from the cliff, like a piece of white silk, splashing layers of water, and forming beautiful rainbows under the refraction of the sun.

Zhang Yuedong was also shocked by the beautiful scenery. He said: "This Hongshi Gorge is so beautiful. The red rocks, green streams and white waterfalls are just like a natural painting."

Lin Yifei kept using his camera to record this beautiful moment. He said: "Such a beautiful scenery, I must take more photos and show them to my family and friends when I get back."