LINE

Text:AAAPrint
Learning Chinese

Delving into Deqing(3)

1
2017-06-01 14:13The World of Chinese Editor: Yao Lan ECNS App Download

Getting Around The Old Town

With your gut full of excellent Jiangnan cuisine, you're going to need to work off some of that food. For early risers, a good bet is to start by taking a short car or cab ride to Dongshen's old street, where there's a lively market. The buildings here still contain historical details that speak to their cultural value. One of the most popular and time-honored breakfast joints along this stretch is a humble noodle place run by a jovial shirtless man wrapped in a yellowing apron. "My ancestors made noodles here," he says, his face disappearing in plumes of hot steam that rise from the fresh noodles and fragrant broth below. "I do the same. Now sit down and eat!"

Opened in the 1930s, this nameless noodle bar does brisk business, and with food this good it's not hard to see why. The noodles are served with fragrant seaweed and little else, barring the optional slug of vinegar or a dash of chili, and they are all the better for it. Most customers eat al fresco in the early morning sun, but a handful of patrons sit inside beneath faded technicolor posters of Chairman Mao. Elsewhere on the street couples sit folding dumplings for the lunch-hour rush as grannies pick through piles of freshly plucked cabbage.

Another site worth visiting while in the area is the eerily quiet and quirky Zhenjue Temple (真觉寺), a place of worship hidden in a seldom-visited corner of Deqing. Here, monk Xingkong lives his days in relative solitude with only a pack of local dogs to keep him company. It's probably the only temple in the province where the canine population outnumbers the monks. "Being alone gives me great pleasure," he says as he gives us a tour of his own private Xanadu, dogs in tow. Xingkong came to the area 14 years ago and poured his life savings into building the temple. Humble but blessed with gorgeous surroundings, including a tidy vegetable garden and hidden hiking trails, the temple is a genuine oddity and a real labor of love for the resident monk and his gaggle of furry companions.

For those wanting a weekend getaway from the beeping and buzzing of one of the busiest metropolises in China, there is perhaps no better place than Deqing. From the rustic, livable ambience of the Walden and the local fare, to the noodles of old town and the monk followed by a pack of dogs, Deqing seems like a world apart.

"Delving Into Deqing" is a story from our issue, "Fantasy". To read the entire issue, become a subscriber and receive the full magazine. Alternatively, you can purchase the digital version from the iTunes Store

Article by David William Kay

  

Related news

MorePhoto

Most popular in 24h

MoreTop news

MoreVideo

News
Politics
Business
Society
Culture
Military
Sci-tech
Entertainment
Sports
Odd
Features
Biz
Economy
Travel
Travel News
Travel Types
Events
Food
Hotel
Bar & Club
Architecture
Gallery
Photo
CNS Photo
Video
Video
Learning Chinese
Learn About China
Social Chinese
Business Chinese
Buzz Words
Bilingual
Resources
ECNS Wire
Special Coverage
Infographics
Voices
LINE
Back to top Links | About Us | Jobs | Contact Us | Privacy Policy
Copyright ©1999-2018 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.