Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

"This back hall is beautifully decorated and has the characteristics of that era," said Zhang Yuedong.

Lin Yifei looked at the furnishings in the house and asked curiously, "Did Kong Lingyi have any special ceremony when he got married?"

Li Xiao said: "I don't know the specific ceremony, but as a prestigious family, the Confucius Mansion's wedding must have been very grand. It is said that the original host was Chiang Kai-shek, but he was unable to come because of the Xi'an Incident."

After leaving the inner house, they visited the east and west buildings of the Confucius Mansion and admired the ancestral temple, garden and other attractions of the Confucius Mansion. In the garden, they saw the famous "Five Cypresses Embracing Sophora japonica", a tree with five branches and a Sophora japonica tree in the middle, which was a wonder.

"These five cypresses and locust tree are so magical. Nature is truly a work of magic." Lin Yifei exclaimed.

Zhang Yuedong also smiled and said: "Yes, this is also a great wonder of the Confucius Mansion."

After leaving the Confucius Mansion, it was getting dark. They decided to find a place to eat and taste the specialties of Qufu. With the recommendation of the locals, they came to a restaurant and ordered several traditional dishes of Qufu, such as Confucius Mansion Yipin Pot, Confucius Mansion Roast Duck, and Scallops.

"This Kongfu Yipin Pot looks so rich, what's in it?" Lin Yifei asked curiously while looking at the Kongfu Yipin Pot on the table.

The waiter introduced with a smile: "This Kongfu Yipin Pot is a famous dish of the Kongfu. It contains sea cucumbers, fish maws, scallops, chicken, duck, pork and other ingredients. It is stewed in old soup. It tastes delicious and nutritious."

"It sounds delicious. I want to try it right away." Lin Yifei couldn't wait to pick up the chopsticks and take a bite.

"Well, it tastes really good, the soup is rich and the ingredients are fresh." Lin Yifei praised it highly.

Zhang Yuedong and Li Xiao also tasted it and expressed their praise for the dish.

"This Confucius Mansion Roast Duck is also very delicious, with crispy skin and tender meat. It has a different flavor from Beijing Roast Duck." Zhang Yuedong said after taking a bite of Confucius Mansion Roast Duck.

Li Xiao said: "Qufu's cuisine also contains a profound cultural heritage. This Confucius Mansion cuisine is the longest-lasting official cuisine in my country. It is cooked with exquisite skills and has a unique color, aroma, taste and shape. It embodies Confucius's food philosophy of 'never tire of fine food, never tire of fine meat'."

In addition to Kongfu Yipin Pot and Kongfu Roast Duck, they also tasted other delicacies such as Scallops. Each dish brought them a unique taste experience and allowed them to have a deeper understanding of Qufu's food culture.

After finishing their meal, they came to a square where a folk performance was being held. They found a place to sit down and prepare to enjoy the performance.

The first performance was the Confucius Memorial Dance. The performers were dressed in ancient costumes, holding musical instruments and props, and performed a solemn dance to the melodious music. Their movements were in unison and their expressions were solemn, as if they were expressing their deep respect for Confucius.

"This music and dance for the Confucius sacrifice is so shocking. It feels like every movement is full of ritual sense," said Lin Yifei.

Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, through this music and dance, we can feel the ancient people's respect for Confucius and the inheritance of Confucian culture."

Li Xiao introduced: "The music and dance for Confucius sacrifice is a music and dance for Confucius. It originated in 478 BC and is an important part of ancient Chinese sacrificial music and dance. It combines multiple art forms such as music, dance, and poetry, and has high artistic value."

Then, there was a performance of Shandong Qinshu. The performers played the yangqin and sang stories in Shandong dialect. The tunes were beautiful and the lyrics were humorous, which made people listen with great interest.

"This Shandong Qinshu is really interesting. I have never heard such beautiful folk music before." Lin Yifei said with a smile.

"Yes, Shandong Qinshu is a traditional storytelling art in Shandong area, with strong local characteristics," said Li Xiao.

After the performance, the three left the square with a sense of satisfaction. They bought some Qufu specialty products in the nearby shops, such as stele calligraphy, regular script carvings, and Nishan inkstones. Stele calligraphy is a traditional handicraft of Qufu. It is a copy of calligraphy works engraved on stone tablets and then copied down. It has high artistic value and collection value. Regular script carvings are handicrafts carved from regular script wood. They are exquisitely shaped and exquisitely crafted. They are one of the famous specialties of Qufu. Nishan inkstone is an inkstone made of stone from Nishan. It has a fine texture and good ink release. It is one of the four treasures of the study that literati and scholars love.

"I bought some inscriptions and calligraphy so I can copy and study them when I get back," said Li Xiao.

"I bought a Kai carving ornament, which is very finely crafted, and plan to give it to a friend," said Lin Yifei.

Zhang Yuedong also showed off the local specialties he bought: "I bought a Nishan inkstone, and I will use it for writing in the future."

"This trip to Qufu was really rewarding. Not only did I visit the Confucius Temple and Confucius Mansion, taste delicious food, watch folk performances, but I also bought local specialties," Li Xiao concluded.

"Yes, Qufu is indeed a cultural holy land. Every place here makes people feel the profoundness of Confucian culture," said Zhang Yuedong.

The three returned to the hotel with a lot of gains and admiration for Confucian culture. They are looking forward to tomorrow's journey and believe that there will be more surprises waiting for them in the next trip.

A trip to Qufu: culture and delicacies
On the second day in Qufu, Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei came to a famous local mutton soup restaurant early in the morning. As soon as they entered the door, the rich aroma of mutton soup hit their noses, making them salivate. The restaurant was full of diners, and everyone was chatting enthusiastically while tasting the mutton soup, full of the breath of life.

"Everyone says that Qufu's mutton soup is delicious. Today I can finally try it." Lin Yifei rubbed his hands excitedly, staring at the menu, eager to place an order.

"Yes, this mutton soup is one of the specialties of Qufu. You can't miss it when you come to Qufu." Li Xiao said with a smile.

They ordered three bowls of mutton soup, accompanied by freshly baked sesame cakes. Soon, the steaming mutton soup was served on the table. In the milky white soup, there were fresh mutton slices and emerald green onions floating, which made people's appetite increase.

"Wow, this mutton soup looks tempting. Let me try it first." Lin Yifei said, and then he scooped a spoonful of soup into his mouth. "Well, this soup is so fresh, and the mutton is very tender, without any smell of mutton."

Zhang Yuedong also tasted it and praised it highly: "It is really delicious. The soup is rich and mellow, and the taste is really amazing."

Li Xiao took a sip of the soup and savored it carefully: "This mutton soup is not only delicious, but also nourishing. In the cold winter, a bowl of steaming mutton soup warms me up."

They drank mutton soup and ate sesame cakes, feeling the unique charm of Qufu cuisine.

"This sesame cake is also very good. It's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It goes perfectly with the mutton soup." Lin Yifei said after taking a bite of the sesame cake.

"Yes, this is the food culture of Qufu, simple and delicious." Li Xiao said. After breakfast, they came to a pastry shop near the Confucius Temple to taste Qufu's traditional pastry - Confucius Mansion Pastry.

Confucius Mansion cakes are homemade cakes in the Confucius Mansion with a long history. They are divided into two categories: external cakes and internal cakes. External cakes are mainly used for tribute, gifts, and rewards. They are gorgeous in shape and unique in flavor. Internal cakes are divided into five categories: seasonal, year-round, door-to-door, banquets, and festival cakes. Each category has its own unique characteristics.

Walking into the pastry shop, you will be dazzled by the dazzling array of pastries on the shelves, including rattan flower cakes and lily cakes in spring, mint cakes, lotus cakes, and mung bean cakes in summer, chrysanthemum cakes and osmanthus cakes in autumn, radish cakes and red bean paste cakes in winter, as well as the year-round edible big crispy cakes, chrysanthemum crispy cakes, and lily crispy cakes.

"These pastries look so exquisite. I don't know which one to choose." Lin Yifei said hesitantly as he looked at the pastries on the shelf.

"Why don't we have a little bit of everything so that we can try them all," Zhang Yuedong suggested.

"Good idea." Li Xiao agreed.

They ordered several different flavors of Confucius Mansion pastries, found a seat and started to taste them.

Lin Yifei picked up a piece of rattan flower cake and took a bite. "This rattan flower cake has a crispy crust, sweet and soft fillings, and a light floral scent. It's so delicious."

Zhang Yuedong also tried a piece of chrysanthemum crisp: "This chrysanthemum crisp is also good, shaped like a chrysanthemum, crispy, sweet and delicious."

Li Xiao tasted the lily cake in his hand and said, "This Confucius Mansion cake is indeed well-deserved. Not only does it taste good, but the craftsmanship is also very sophisticated. Each cake contains rich cultural connotations and embodies Confucius's dietary philosophy of 'never tire of fine food, never tire of fine meat'."

While tasting the pastries, they also chatted with the owner and learned more about and stories about Confucius Mansion pastries.

"This Kongfu pastry has a very long history. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the reputation of Kongfu pastry once surpassed that of BJ's famous pastries. According to the rules or when there were festive ceremonies, the Kongfu pastries would be among the tributes and gifts that the Kongfu would pay to the imperial palace several times a year." The owner introduced enthusiastically.

"So that's how it is. No wonder the pastries are so exquisite." Lin Yifei said.

"The production process of Kongfu pastries is also very complicated. From material selection and mixing to production and baking, every link has strict requirements." The owner continued to introduce.

"I learned it, I learned it." Li Xiao said with a smile.

After tasting the cakes of Confucius Mansion, the three of them came to the square in front of the Confucius Temple, where a Confucius worship ceremony was about to be held. Many tourists had already gathered in the square, and everyone was looking forward to the performance.

Soon, the Confucius Sacrifice Ceremony officially began. A group of actors in ancient costumes walked slowly onto the stage with solemn steps. They held various sacrificial utensils in their hands and had solemn expressions on their faces, as if they had traveled through time and space and returned to the ancient scene of sacrificing to Confucius.

"This Confucius Memorial Ceremony performance is so shocking. It feels like every detail is full of ritual sense." Lin Yifei couldn't help but sigh as he watched the performance on the stage.

Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, through this performance, we can more deeply feel the ancient people's respect for Confucius and the inheritance of Confucian culture."

Li Xiao introduced: "The Confucius Sacrifice Ceremony is a large-scale temple music and dance activity to worship Confucius. It originated in 478 BC and is an important part of ancient Chinese sacrificial music and dance. It integrates multiple art forms such as music, dance, poetry, etc. and has high artistic value."

During the performance, the actors played melodious ancient music, performed solemn dances, and recited classic sentences from The Analects of Confucius. The whole performance was solemn and dignified, making people feel as if they were at an ancient sacrificial ceremony.

"The music and dance are so beautiful. Every movement is just right, making people feel the charm of ancient culture," said Lin Yifei.

"Yes, this Confucius Ceremony performance is not only a sacrifice to Confucius, but also the inheritance and promotion of Confucian culture." Li Xiao said.

After the performance, the audience applauded and praised the actors for their wonderful performance. The three of them were also immersed in the shock brought by the performance and could not forget it for a long time.

After leaving the square, they came to a specialty store in Qufu, ready to buy some local specialties to take back. The store was filled with a variety of specialties, including inscriptions, regular script carvings, and Nishan inkstones.

Li Xiao picked up a copy of a stele and examined it carefully: "This stele is a traditional handicraft of Qufu. The calligraphy works on it are all authentic works of ancient masters. They have high artistic and collection value."

"I think this Kai carving ornament is very good. It is very finely crafted and has an exquisite shape." Lin Yifei picked up a Kai carving ornament and couldn't put it down.

Zhang Yuedong showed great interest in the Nishan inkstone: "This Nishan inkstone is one of the famous inkstones in China. The stone is orange yellow with uneven black pine patterns. The stone surface is fine and smooth, and it is easy to absorb ink and release ink well. It will not run out even after long-term use."

They picked some of their favorite specialties and prepared to take them back to their families and friends. In the process of selecting specialties, they also chatted with the shop owner and learned some knowledge and production techniques about Qufu specialties.

"The production process of this stele is very complicated. It requires multiple steps such as stone selection, engraving, and rubbing. Each step requires careful work by the craftsmen." The owner introduced.

"This Kai carving is also a traditional craft of Qufu. The wood used is Kai wood, which is hard in texture and has a fine grain, making it very suitable for carving," the owner continued.

"It turns out there are so many stories and cultural connotations behind these specialties," said Lin Yifei.

"Yes, these specialties are not only commodities, but also the carriers of Qufu culture," said Li Xiao.

After buying the specialties, the three left the specialty store with a full harvest. Their journey in Qufu was about to end, but Qufu's culture and food left a deep impression on them.

"This trip to Qufu was so unforgettable. Not only did I visit the Confucius Temple and Confucius Mansion and feel the profoundness of Confucian culture, I also tasted delicious food, watched wonderful performances at the Confucius Memorial Ceremony, and bought special local specialties," Lin Yifei said with emotion.

"Yes, Qufu is indeed a cultural holy land. Every place here makes people feel the profound history and cultural charm," said Zhang Yuedong.

Li Xiao smiled and said: "This trip has given us a deeper understanding of Shandong's culture and made us cherish these precious cultural heritages even more. I believe this trip to Qufu will become a beautiful memory in our lives."

The three of them embarked on a new journey with reluctance to leave Qufu and anticipation for the next stop. They believed that there would be more surprises waiting for them in the next trip to Shandong. (End of this chapter)