Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1788

"These handicrafts are so exquisite, they are simply works of art." Zhang Yuedong picked up a paper-cut work and admired it carefully. "The lines of this paper-cut are so delicate, the craftsmanship of the craftsman must be amazing."

When the shop owner heard their praise, he came over with a smile and said, "These are all made by our local folk artists. They have been learning these skills since they were young, and some have been doing it for decades. These handicrafts are not only commodities, but also the inheritance of our traditional culture."

With the introduction of the shop owner, they learned about the production process of these handicrafts and the cultural stories behind them. Li Xiao couldn't help but buy a few paper-cuts and wood carvings, planning to take them back to give to relatives and friends: "These handicrafts are so meaningful, I want to take them back to let more people know about Luoyang's traditional culture."

After leaving the handicraft shop, they came to a food street where a variety of Luoyang specialties such as no-turn soup, water feast, stewed noodles, etc. were gathered, the aroma was fragrant and mouth-watering.

"Let's go and try the delicacies of Luoyang." Lin Yifei took Li Xiao and Zhang Yuedong and walked into a non-fried soup restaurant.

Bufantang is a traditional delicacy in Luoyang, famous for its sour and spicy taste and delicious soup. They found a seat and soon, the steaming Bufantang was served on the table. The Bufantang pancake in the bowl was as thin as a cicada's wing, floating on the delicious soup, and with kelp, vermicelli, meatballs and other ingredients, people's appetite was greatly increased.

Li Xiao couldn't wait to take a sip of the soup and was immediately conquered by the delicious taste: "Wow, this soup is so delicious! It's moderately sour and spicy, and the taste is rich. It's really worthy of being a specialty of Luoyang."

Zhang Yuedong also picked up a piece of non-flip pancake and put it in his mouth: "This non-flip pancake is also very unique, with a soft and glutinous texture that melts in your mouth."

Lin Yifei said as he ate: "This meal without stirring the soup really made me feel the charm of Luoyang cuisine."

After enjoying the delicious food, night has quietly fallen. The entire Luoyi Ancient City is decorated with lights and is particularly beautiful. Under the light, the quaint buildings seem to be covered with a dreamy veil, like a dream.

"I didn't expect the ancient city of Luoyi to be so beautiful at night. It's like a fairy tale world." Li Xiao couldn't help but be shocked by the beauty in front of him and took out his mobile phone to take pictures non-stop.

Zhang Yuedong was also intoxicated by the beautiful night view: "Yes, the combination of lights and buildings is so perfect, it makes people feel as if they have traveled back to the prosperous streets of ancient times."

Lin Yifei suggested: "Let's go watch the folk performances. I heard there are many wonderful performances in the evening."

The three of them came to a performance venue where many tourists had gathered. On the stage, actors were performing wonderful folk programs, including dragon and lion dances, Heluo drums, and Henan opera. The dragon and lion dance actors were agile, and the dragons and lions in their hands looked lifelike under the light, as if they were about to take off; the Heluo drum performers used their rhythmic singing and unique drum beats to tell ancient stories, which made people intoxicated; the Henan opera actors performed classic repertoires with their beautiful singing and superb acting skills, winning rounds of applause from the audience.

"These folk performances are so wonderful. They made me feel the strong atmosphere of traditional culture." Li Xiao said excitedly.

Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, these traditional programs are the treasures of our national culture and must be passed on well."

While watching the performance, Lin Yifei used his mobile phone to record the wonderful moments: "I want to record these beautiful moments and share them with my friends when I get back."

After watching the folk performance, they strolled around the ancient city. In a specialty store, they bought some Luoyang specialties, such as peony cakes, Luoyang palace lanterns, Tang Sancai, etc. These specialties not only have strong local characteristics, but also carry the history and culture of Luoyang.

When leaving Luoyi Ancient City, the three of them were filled with harvest and reluctance. Li Xiao said with emotion: "Today's trip to Luoyi Ancient City has given me a deeper understanding of Luoyang's traditional culture. Every building, every handicraft, every delicacy, and every performance here made me feel the unique charm of this city."

Zhang Yuedong also said: "Yes, this trip is really meaningful. I hope I will have the opportunity to come to Luoyang again in the future to explore more beautiful scenery and delicious food."

Lin Yifei smiled and said: "Don't worry, our trip to Henan is not over yet, there are more surprises waiting for us."

With the expectation of the next stop, they embarked on a new journey. In this ancient and magical land of Henan, their story continues...

Special food, taste the flavor of Luoyang

After leaving Luoyi Ancient City, Li Xiao and the other two were already hungry. They decided to try Luoyang's most distinctive food, Luoyang Water Banquet, to experience the city's unique food culture.

The three of them came to a time-honored restaurant. The restaurant was bustling with diners laughing and talking, and the air was filled with the aroma of delicious food. They found a seat and sat down. The waiter enthusiastically handed over the menu. Li Xiao took the menu and looked at the dazzling array of dishes on it. He was a little dazzled: "There are so many dishes. What should we order?"

Zhang Yuedong smiled and said, "Since we are having a banquet, let's order a standard banquet meal so that we can taste a variety of special dishes."

Lin Yifei also agreed: "Yes, I heard that Luoyang Water Feast has 24 dishes, each of which has its own unique features. We can't miss it."

Soon, the waiter started serving the dishes. The first dish served was eight cold dishes, which were delicately presented and colorful, making people's appetite increase. There was a unique "clothing", made of egg yolks to make egg skins tied to the dishes. The egg skins were as thin as paper, golden and pure, and decorated with red and green silk to form dragon and phoenix patterns, implying the emperor's yellow robe; there was also a "ritual" that embodied politeness, with the deer tendons removed and washed into a hook, like a bow, looking white and crystal clear, and placed in an orderly manner on the plate.

Li Xiao picked up a piece of "fu" and put it in his mouth, savoring it carefully: "This cold dish tastes really good, with a rich taste, and each dish has its own meaning. It feels like I am not just eating, but also savoring a culture."

Zhang Yuedong also nodded and said, "Yes, Luoyang Water Feast is indeed a traditional famous banquet with a thousand-year history. You can see its exquisiteness from this cold dish."

Lin Yifei ate and took photos at the same time: "Such exquisite dishes must be photographed and shown to friends when I get back."

Then, the hot dishes were served one by one. The first hot dish was the famous Peony Bird's Nest. As soon as it was served, it attracted everyone's attention. The shredded radish on the plate was cut as thin as hair and piled into a small mountain. Around it were shredded ham, egg skin, crab stick, and day lily, each with two groups of eight "knife edges". In the center, golden egg skin was arranged into the shape of a peony flower, and then topped with clear soup, like a fine work of art.

"This peony bird's nest is so beautiful, I just can't bear to eat it." Li Xiao couldn't help but sigh. Zhang Yuedong smiled and said, "Don't just look at it, try it. I heard that this dish tastes like bird's nest and has a unique taste."

Li Xiao carefully picked up a piece of shredded radish with chopsticks and put it into his mouth. The delicious taste of the soup spread in his mouth instantly. After special processing, the shredded radish had a chewy and springy texture, which really tasted a bit like bird's nest. "Wow, this tastes amazing! I didn't expect that ordinary radishes could be made into such a delicious dish. The chef's skills are really amazing."

Lin Yifei also praised it highly: "This dish not only tastes good, but also has a good meaning. Peony is the city flower of Luoyang, representing wealth and good fortune. This peony bird's nest is also the signature dish of Luoyang water banquet."

Afterwards, special dishes such as fried meatballs, sliced ​​meat in soup, and fake sea cucumber were served one after another. The fried meatballs were poured into the hot and sour soup while still hot, making a sizzling sound, which added a lot of fun to the meal; the sliced ​​meat in soup was made with lean meat as the main ingredient, with black fungus, golden needles and other auxiliary ingredients. The soup was fresh and the meat was tender, sour and spicy, and the meat slices were so smooth that they could slide on the tip of the tongue; the fake sea cucumber was made of sweet potato vermicelli and sweet potato starch with broth to make the shape of a sea cucumber. It tasted great when used to stew soup. If you didn't taste it carefully, you would really think it was a sea cucumber.

With each dish served, the waiter would enthusiastically introduce the name, origin and characteristics of the dish. While tasting the food, the three also gained a deeper understanding of the cultural connotations of Luoyang Water Banquet. Li Xiao said with emotion: "I only knew that Luoyang Water Banquet was famous before, but I didn't expect there were so many stories and details behind it. Every dish contains the history and culture of Luoyang. This meal is so meaningful."

Zhang Yuedong also said: "Yes, this is not just a delicious meal, but also a cultural journey. By tasting Luoyang Water Feast, we have a deeper understanding of the city of Luoyang."

Lin Yifei smiled and said: "If someone asks me what delicious food there is in Luoyang in the future, I will definitely recommend them to try Luoyang Water Banquet."

Amidst the laughter and joy, the three of them tasted the delicious dishes one by one. Finally, the waiter brought a farewell soup, which meant that the sumptuous water banquet was about to end. Li Xiao drank the last mouthful of soup and leaned back in his chair with satisfaction: "This Luoyang water banquet is really well-deserved. Today I really enjoyed a feast."

Zhang Yuedong looked at the time and said, "It's getting late. We should go back to the hotel and rest. We have a new journey waiting for us tomorrow."

Lin Yifei stood up: "Okay, I look forward to more surprises tomorrow."

The three of them left the restaurant with a full sense of happiness, and walked on the streets of Luoyang. The cool breeze at night blew gently, as if it still carried the lingering fragrance of the feast. They looked forward to the arrival of tomorrow, to continue exploring the charming land of Henan, and to start a new and wonderful journey.

Explore the secrets of Dengfeng and trace the Shaolin Temple in Songshan

After finishing their trip in Luoyang, Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei went to Dengfeng with great anticipation. Here was the Shaolin Temple in Songshan that they had longed for, a legendary place that appeared in countless martial arts novels and film and television works.

As their car slowly drove into the city of Dengfeng, they could see the rolling Songshan Mountain from afar, like a giant dragon lying across the earth. The mountain was shaded by green trees and surrounded by clouds and mist, giving people a mysterious and solemn feeling.

"We are finally in Dengfeng. We will be able to see the legendary Shaolin Temple soon!" Li Xiao said excitedly, with a gleam in his eyes.

Zhang Yuedong couldn't hold back his excitement: "Yes, I have always been fascinated by Shaolin Kung Fu since I was a child, and this time I can finally see it with my own eyes."

Lin Yifei smiled and joked: "Maybe we can learn a few moves from the monk, and show off our skills in front of our friends when we go back."

The three of them arrived at the entrance of the Shaolin Temple scenic area and saw an ancient stone archway standing in front of them, with the words "Songshan Shaolin Temple" engraved on it in a vigorous and powerful manner. People were coming and going around the archway, and tourists were all looking forward to stepping into this mysterious martial arts holy land.

When you enter the scenic area, the first thing that comes into view is a wide square where many teenagers in training clothes are training hard. Their every move is full of power, and their shouts are one after another, making people feel the unique charm of Shaolin martial arts.

"These kids practice so seriously!" Li Xiao couldn't help but sigh.

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, the fact that Shaolin martial arts can be passed down for thousands of years is inseparable from the efforts and love of these people."

Lin Yifei came over and watched the children practicing with curiosity: "I wonder how long they have been practicing. It would be great if I could spar with them."

Continuing along the stone road, they arrived at the gate of Shaolin Temple. There was a plaque hanging on the gate, which read "The First Famous Temple in the World", which was very impressive. Walking into the gate, it was the Heavenly King Hall, where the statues of the Four Heavenly Kings were enshrined. They were all majestic and guarded this thousand-year-old temple.

"The statues of the Four Heavenly Kings are so lifelike, it feels like they will move at any time." Li Xiao looked up at the statues and exclaimed.

Zhang Yuedong smiled and said: "This is a masterpiece of ancient craftsmen. Each statue contains their hard work and wisdom."

Lin Yifei joked, "If I could have the abilities of the Four Heavenly Kings, that would be amazing."

After passing through the Heavenly King Hall, you will reach the Great Hall of the Buddha. The Great Hall of the Buddha is the core building of the Shaolin Temple. The statue of Sakyamuni Buddha is enshrined in the hall, which is solemn and majestic. Incense is curling in the hall, and believers are kneeling on the cushions devoutly, closing their eyes and praying. The whole hall is filled with a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.

The three of them also worshiped devoutly in front of the Buddha statue with awe. Li Xiao silently made a wish: "I hope this trip will be fruitful, and I hope my family and friends will be safe and healthy."

Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei also made a wish. Afterwards, they visited the hall and admired the murals and exquisite Buddha statues on the walls.

After leaving the main hall, they came to an open area where a Shaolin Kung Fu performance was being performed. A group of monks dressed in yellow robes, holding various weapons, demonstrated their superb martial arts on the stage. Their movements were swift and powerful, combining hardness and softness, sometimes like a tiger emerging from the mountains, sometimes like a dragon emerging from the sea, making people dazzled.

"It's so exciting! This is the legendary Shaolin Kung Fu!" Li Xiao stood up excitedly and applauded the monks.