【推荐1】Certain Chinese cuisines, such as the well-known Beijing Roasted Duck or the delicious Tianjin-style Pancakes, have gained global recognition. The appeal of these delicacies is deeply rooted in vast geographical diversity.

Extending from the extremely cold northern plains to the southern rainforests, different regions have their unique ingredients and cooking techniques.     1    , commonly referred as the “Eight Major Cuisines of China.”

Climate plays a critical role in shaping regional cuisines. In Sichuan, for example, the hot and wet climate, combined with the region’s mountainous physical geography, has led to a preference for spicy foods. The spicy flavors add appetite to dishes. In addition,     2     .

One of the contrasts between southern and northern Chinese cuisines lies in the employment of ingredients. Southern dishes tend to be lighter, featuring seafood and vegetables. In contrast,     3     They have a wealth of wheat-based dishes like noodles and dumplings.

    4    , regardless of their differences. Dishes are attentively cooked to stimulate the senses and promote a sense of pleasure. The use of fresh, seasonal ingredients, along with the close attention to details in preparation and presentation, defines Chinese cuisine.

Another important aspect of Chinese dining culture is the significance of table manners. Meals are often shared among family and friends, with each person taking turns to serve and pour. Chopsticks, rather than forks or knives, are preferred, symbolizing closeness and familiarity. The act of eating together extends beyond food alone.     5    .

【推荐2】Celebrating the Harvest Around the World

A harvest festival is a celebration of the fall months and the harvest that often accompanies these months. Many countries celebrate harvest festivals in different forms.

In Canada, people celebrate their harvest on Thanksgiving. This tradition is said to date back to the 16th century. The English explorer Martin Frobisher(1535—1594) came upon the land, searching for the “New World”. As he arrived in Canada in 1578, he celebrated surviving the long journey by holding a formal celebration and eating salt beef and peas. Today, it has become a recognized holiday in the country that falls on the second Monday in October. On Thanksgiving, most return home to gather with their family. One of the highlights(高潮) of the holiday is a big Thanksgiving Day meal, which usually includes turkey and bread, which are prepared and presented in a unique Canadian way.

Harvest festival activities are considered a special time for communities to come together in celebration. The harvest festival may start with carrying baskets of fruits and vegetables to a local church where people sing praise songs for a healthy harvest while praying for future harvests. A special effort may be made to give food to the less fortunate. Large dinners may also be hosted where each member brings a special dish to share with each other.

In 2023, the Farmers’ Harvest Festival was launched in China. It’s held on the day of the autumn equinox(秋分), which falls roughly on Sept. 22 or 23. Every year, a range of events are organized nationwide. In Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, farmers brought 100 seed varieties to the main site of the ceremony in Hanhu District and placed them in a wall to mark the achievements of the seed industry. In Heilongjiang Province, the festival was combined with local traditions of the Daur people and the locals danced around bonfires.

【推荐3】The traditional Chinese solar calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms. The Spring Equinox, the fourth term of the year, signals the equal length of the day and night time.     1    . After the equinox, the sun moves northwards, resulting in gradually longer daytime in the Northern Hemisphere and longer night in the South. Here are things you may not know about the Spring Equinox.

The ancient Chinese people divided the fifteen days of the Spring Equinox into three “hou’s,” or five-day parts. As the old saying goes, “swallows fly back to the North in the first hou; thunder cracks the sky in the second hou; lightning occurs frequently in the third hou.”     2    .

Standing an egg upright is a popular game across the country during the Spring Equinox. It is an old custom that dates back to 4,000 years ago.     3    . Furthermore, there is a general perception that good luck for the future will be generated in this way.

In ancient times, people did not have good medical resources. So to pray for health, they wrote their medical issues on paper kite. When the kite was in the air, people would cut off the string to let the paper kite float away, symbolizing the flying away of diseases.     4    . On the Spring Equinox, people write a blessing on the kite, hoping that the gods in the sky would see it.

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This practice is popular in the southern area of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. As the Spring Equinox comes, farm work starts and both the farmers and the cattle start to become busy. Farmers will reward cattle with sticky rice balls to express their gratefulness.