For many people, travel is a great excuse to be lazy and pampered, but for others of us, it’s a perfect opportunity to not only to get a little exercise but to do so among some of the world’s most stunning scenery and unique cultures.

We designed our Yosemite Sister Parks in China journey with the latter group in mind. This trip focuses on the natural splendor of Huangshan and Jiuzhaigou, which are sister parks of the renowned Yosemite National Park in the US.

This 13-day journey takes travelers deep into two of China’s biggest and most scenic national parks, with a focus on hiking in an around these parks with naturalist Pete Devine of Yosemite Conservancy.

Huangshan has been the subject of countless paintings and poems over the centuries and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although Huangshan’s elevation is only 6,115 feet (1,864 meters), it is much higher than the surrounding areas and offers spectacular panoramic views.

No visit to Huangshan is complete without taking in the jawdropping beauty of the North Sea Sunrise, just a 10-minute walk from our lodging, in which the sun emerges from a sea of clouds to astounding effect. But Huangshan isn’t just about peaks, we’ll explore some of the park’s lesser-known gems, including the unforgettable trails of the Xihai Grand Canyon.

Jiuzhaigou is known for its amazing iridescent pools and unblemished mountain forests. The park, also a UNESCO World Heritage site, runs through the valleys of the Min mountain range. Jiuzhaigou’s gorgeous trails wind through old growth forest covered in lichen, moss, giant ferns and rhododendrons.

But that’s just beginning. Jiuzhaigou is brimming with lakes and waterfalls. Streams and springs from the surrounding karst mountains feed the lakes with runoff that is high in calcium carbonate. This imbues the lakes with otherworldly shades of turquoise and blue and transforms fallen trees resting on the lake bottoms into what look like coral reefs. Every twist and turn of the trails in Jiuzhaigou, and nearby Huanglong which we also visit, hold new and unexpected surprises.

To balance out the active components of this journey, there is also down time to sip tea on Hangzhou’s legendary West Lake, step back in time in the picturesque town of Hongcun, view China’s ‘national treasures’ at the giant panda base at Bifengxia or set your taste buds ablaze in Chengdu.

This once-in-a-lifetime trip begins on September 14, which means if you want to join, you’ll have to book your spot by June 14. To learn more about how to experience China’s national parks differently, contact us today.

Sichuan cuisine is one of the most famous of China’s regional cuisines, but it’s difficult to get authentic Sichuan food outside of China unless you know how to make it yourself. For most Westerners, that’s a tall order if you don’t have a good Sichuan cookbook, which, if you do was likely written by Fuchsia Dunlop.

The first foreigner to study at the Sichuan Culinary Institute in Chengdu, Dunlop is the author of Sichuan Cookery, released in the US as Land of Plenty, one of the most thorough introductions to Sichuan cooking around and the subject of countless raves from book critics around the world. The London-based Dunlop has also published a Hunan cookbook and a book of memoirs of eating in China.

In addition to her writing, Dunlop is a consultant for the Bar Shu Group, which operates two of London’s most highly regarded Chinese restaurants. We spoke with Dunlop about her relationship with Sichuan cuisine:

What was it that attracted you to Sichuan food as opposed to other prominent Chinese cuisines?

Fuchsia Dunlop: It wasn’t a well-thought-out decision, as I hadn’t spent much time in China and didn’t know anything about its regional cuisines. But I visited Chengdu on holiday and fell in love with the city and its food almost immediately. That’s why I chose Sichuan University when I applied for my British Council scholarship. And when I got there the food was so amazing that I wanted to learn how to cook it.

During your time at the Sichuan Culinary Institute, what was more difficult: learning to cook authentic Sichuan food or learning the Sichuan dialect?

Fuchsia Dunlop: I suppose the dialect, and also learning the specialised written vocabulary of the Chinese kitchen, were the greatest challenges. Otherwise, the teaching was excellent and I enjoyed the cooking so much it didn’t seem hard.

What are the major challenges in introducing authentic Sichuan cuisine to London palates?

Fuchsia Dunlop: I don’t think there are any major barriers: I’ve always thought Londoners would love Sichuanese food, not only because it’s incredibly delicious, but also because the bold, spicy flavours of Thai and Indian cooking are so popular. And in my experience of cooking for friends and consulting for the Bar Shu restaurant in London, the flavours of Sichuan are completely accessible. The challenges lie mostly in getting hold of good seasonings, explaining new ingredients, and choosing your menus wisely – I wouldn’t offer stir-fried rabbit heads to Sichuan food novices, for example, and I’m always very gentle in introducing people to their first taste of Sichuan pepper!

Sichuan cuisine aside, which other regional cuisines in China do you consider to be among the best?

Fuchsia Dunlop: There is so much to choose from… I adore Cantonese dim sum, the delicate flavours of eastern China, northern noodles and dumplings, home cooking almost anywhere. But as an entire cuisine, I think Sichuan is still my favourite.

In more than 15 years of eating in China, are there any regional cuisines that you feel you still have a lot to learn about?

Fuchsia Dunlop: Frankly, I still feel like a beginner! I could spend the rest of my life researching Chinese regional cuisines and there would still be more to learn. China is so huge, and its culinary culture so diverse. That’s what makes it so interesting.

What would you consider to be a perfectly balanced Sichuan-style dinner?

Fuchsia Dunlop: It would have to fulfil the promise of bai cai bai wei, ‘a hundred dishes, a hundred different flavours’, which is to say that it would be deliciously varied, with many contrasting tastes, textures, aromas and colours. It would have to include fish-fragrant aubergines, of course – my all-time favourite dish – and a refreshing, light soup at the end.

In recent years you’ve showed increasing concern about the consumption of environmentally damaging dishes such as shark fin soup and endangered species – do you think Chinese eaters are becoming more conscious of the environmental impact of their eating choices?

Fuchsia Dunlop: In my experience people are more concerned with the health impact of eating polluted ingredients than with the effects of their diets on the planet and biodiversity. But I expect this to change as they become more aware of the issues. Some younger people already seem to be becoming more environmentally aware.

Fuchsia Dunlop image: Andi Sapey

This interview originally ran on GoChengdoo and is reprinted with permission. If you would like to travel China with your taste buds, check out our China for Foodies trip.

While many countries are talking about the travel possibilities afforded by high-speed rail, China is busy turning those possibilities into on-the-ground realities.

On January 11, two new high-speed rail lines will connect Shanghai to two of southwest China’s most dynamic and interesting cities, Chongqing and Chengdu. The two new lines will put China closer toward its stated goal of 42 high-speed rail lines totaling 10,000 miles (13,000 km) in operation by 2012.

Shanghai had its stepping-out party during last year’s World Expo, but many people are still unfamiliar with Chongqing and Chengdu.

Famous for its sweltering heat, spicy hot pot and beautiful women, Chongqing also has a thumping nightlife, a thriving art and music scene, photogenic old alleys in the city and a Ming-era town on its outskirts.

China’s capital during the darkest days of World War II and now misleadingly called the world’s largest city, Chongqing is a proud, dynamic metropolis in the midst of a major transformation.

In many ways Chongqing feels like a new Hong Kong being built in Sichuan. Its large size, vibrant economy, deepwater port and the combination of mountains and water have similarities with Hong Kong, but the people, culture and cuisine are primarily of Sichuanese pedigree.

Chengdu has a flavor of its own, whether you’re talking about people, food, or culture. The former capital of the Shu Kingdom and the home of the mysterious ancient Sanxingdui culture, Chengdu has called its own shots during much of history. Its independent and proud spirit is still reflected in its people today.

Seated at the western end of the fertile Sichuan Basin, Chengdu has always been a city of abundance, which historically allowed its people plenty of free time. No wonder the city is known for its laidback teahouse culture and has produced many of China’s most famous poets and writers.

Chengdu is the epicenter of one of China’s spiciest regional cooking styles and is a must-visit for those of us who travel with our mouths. The Sichuan cuisine found in Chengdu restaurants is authentic as it gets: fresh ingredients and intense flavor combinations featuring the red chili and the mouth-numbing Sichuan pepper make the city an unforgettable culinary experience.

There are plenty of fascinating travel options in and around Chengdu, from the Sanxingdui Museum to the national giant panda breeding base, from the world’s largest seated Buddha at Leshan to the monkey-filled Buddhist holy mountain at Emeishan. Chengdu is also the jumpoff point for trips into Sichuan’s mountainous Tibetan highlands to the west and beyond to Lhasa.

If you’re considering a China trip this year and would like to spend time in Shanghai as well as exploring the country’s wild west, you may want to consider crossing the country at ground level rather than in the sterility of a plane cabin. Contact our travel experts today to find out how you can fit new transportation options into your upcoming China trip.

In the next few years, much of China’s rail network will be converted to high-speed rail, allowing travelers and goods to move around the country at unprecedented speeds. Today China took one more step toward its high-speed rail dreams.

China’s newest high-speed rail line, which connects Shanghai with Hangzhou, was unveiled today. Now in less than one hour, one can travel from bustling Shanghai to Hangzhou’s teashops and silk stores, not to mention beautiful West Lake.

Trains left this morning from Hongqiao in western Shanghai for Hangzhou, a substantial 126 miles (200 km) away. Within 45 minutes, the trains completed their journeys, which previously took twice as long.

Some high-speed rail lines, such as the ones connecting Guangzhou with Wuhan and Chengdu with Chongqing, are already in operation. But there are many more to come.

China is planning on having 42 high-speed rail lines totaling 10,000 miles (13,000 km) in use by 2012. One of the biggest lines to be completed in that time is the 824-mile (1,318 km) line that will link Beijing with Shanghai. The line will reduce the trip between the two cities from 10 hours to five hours

There are other even more ambitious projects underway, including a high-speed line between Shanghai and Kunming in southwestern China. The new rail link, scheduled for completion by 2015, will cut travel time from the current 37 hours to less than nine hours.

If you’re considering a WildChina journey including travel between Shanghai and Hangzhou, let us know if you would prefer the convenience of high-speed rail.

Speedy and scenic – and without the hassles of air travel – this is one of the coolest ways to get around China. Watch this space for new lines as they become operational.

Image: hangzhou.aliyeye.com

The buzzing metropolis of Chengdu may be most famous for being the capital of Sichuan cuisine, but its identity is not linked to food alone – is also arguably the Chinese city with the most pervasive teahouse culture.

Home to somewhere between four and five thousand teahouses, Chengdu is known throughout China for being a laid-back city where everywhere you go, you’ll find a busy teahouse full of people chatting, talking business or playing majiang (mahjong) – all while sipping on small cups of their favorite cha.

We recently stumbled upon an interview on Chengdu website GoChengdoo with Texas A&M associate professor of history Wang Di, who is researching the role of the teahouse in China during the 20th Century.

The Chengdu native authored the book The Teahouse: Small Business, Everyday Culture and Public Politics in Chengdu, 1900-1950, a look at Chengdu’s teahouse culture in old Chengdu, making several interesting arguments about what led to the popularity of teahouses in Chengdu and its reputation for leisurely locals.

In the early 20th Century, many Chengdu residents lacked access to running water, and water in many of the wells around the city had a bitter alkaline taste, so a stop by the teahouse was important for many people. So important, that being located near a teahouse could push an apartment’s rent up significantly.

In addition to generating plenty of local wealth, the agricultural abundance of Chengdu and the fertile Chengdu Plain also translated to people spending less time in the fields to ensure a good harvest than in other parts of China. No wonder why drinking tea and catching up on the latest news and gossip was the activity of choice for people of all backgrounds in Chengdu.

Whenever we’re passing through Chengdu we always try to squeeze in a visit to open-air teahouse at People’s Park. Undoubtedly the city’s most famous teahouse, it is the perfect place to experience teahouses as they used to be in Chengdu. After a few hot cups of green tea, the tea-fuelled chatter around us fades into the background and we think about how far those little leaves traveled to get there.

Our local Sichuan partners have just informed us that the road from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou has been closed. At the moment, the only way to travel between the two areas is by plane. Neither Chengdu nor Jiuzhaigou have been affected by floods or landslides.

Stay tuned for more updates.

We were interested to learn on CNNGo today that Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, has recently been named Asia’s first “City of Gastronomy” by UNESCO.

How did it beat out the competition (which is fierce, considering the many delicious Asian cuisines that exist)? Besides its delectable history of fiery cuisine, the city fit UNESCO’s extensive criteria for the distinction described by CNNGo:

“A city must have a well-developed cuisine that is characteristic of the region; nurture a vibrant community of chefs and traditional restaurants; show local know-how of traditional culinary practices and methods of cooking that have survived industrial and technological advancements; maintain traditional wet markets; have a history of hosting gastronomic events; prove active in the promotion of sustainable local products; and be committed to nutritional education and the inclusion of bio-diversity conservation programs in cooking schools.”

As author Annabel Jackson mentions, this is a great opportunity to showcase some of China’s lesser-known cuisine to the world. As big fans of Sichuan, we’re thrilled that the area is receiving more publicity for its culinary heritage.

Read more about Chengdu’s appetizing award and its culinary delights on CNNGo.

“While cooking, we don’t measure ingredients. We cook with our heart.“ ~Yáng Hóngyǐng 杨宏影

Yáng Hóngyǐng 杨宏影 (daughter) and Wáng Shúlíng 王淑玲 (mother) live together in Chengdu

Chengdu, Sichuan, China — In 2007, a visit to Chengdu with my nephews barely hinted at the flavors and character I had yet to discover three years later. The difference between traveling guided by a Lonely Planet versus traveling guided by locals, can for the moment be best described by saying, “Was blind but now I see.” Through serendipitous internet ties, a popular Sichuanese blogger and restauranteur Jiǎng Yì 蒋毅, introduced me to Wáng Āyí 王淑玲 (mother) and Yáng Hóngyǐng 杨宏影 (daughter). As Wáng Āyí motions the simplicity behind famous Sichuan dishes, Hóngyǐng introduces each dish using Chinese and English.

Marinating Wuchang fish 武昌鱼.

The kitchen is long and wide, clean, bright, and the counter is lined with bowls of ingredients. Wáng Āyí uses her left hand to mince pork she will use for Má Pó Dòufu. She slides her cleaver to scoop the meat into a bowl and keeps a little on the blade to add umami to the Wuchang fish. Hóngyǐng asks me if “American people steam food” and I rattle off a list of foods often steamed. These family visits give my hosts and I much needed opportunities to demystify our cultures.

Qīngzhēng Wǔchāng Yú (清蒸武昌鱼, Steamed Wuchang Fish)

Fifteen minutes after steamed over high flame, Qīngzhēng Wǔchāng Yú (清蒸武昌鱼, Steamed Wuchang Fish) is tender, light, the meat flaky and fragrant from ginger, scallions, rice wine, and soy sauce. Wuchang fish is a type of bream fish, but this dish can be prepared using other whole fish such as carp, grouper, or sea bass.

Suāncài (酸菜, pickled mustard greens)

Another dish, famous in Sichuan, is Suāncài Yú (酸菜鱼, Pickled Mustard Greens and Fish). Wáng Āyí, pickles her own mustard greens and peppers, as well as makes her own dòubàn jiàng (豆瓣酱, chili bean paste/sauce), in earthenware pickling jars she stores on the balcony.

Grass Carp and pickled mustard greens sliced diagonally, pieces sharing the same size and shape.

Suāncài Yú (酸菜鱼, Fish Soup with Pickled Mustard Greens)

Every piece of fish is soft and zesty from the sour and salty mustard greens. One story behind this dish tells of a servant who pickled vegetables with salt after noticing fellow servants struggling to eat old vegetables. After soaking them in salt and water for several days, the vegetables were delicious and used in many recipes thereafter. Another story follows how a fish was dropped accidentally into a soup of pickled mustard greens from whence this dish was born.

One chicken and one small rice bowl of red chillies.

Hóngyǐng shares endearing details as the cooking lessons proceed. She loves listening to all kinds of music and lets on that she enjoys listening to Lady Gaga. During holidays, when the family members come together, all the men cook together. Jiǎng Yì, the only male in the room today, doesn’t take backstage while Wáng Āyí cooks. He slices the fish for the soup, chops the chicken into 1-inch pieces for the Làzǐ Jī (辣子鸡, Chicken with Chillies), and tosses the pieces into the bubbling oil, crisping the outside while maintaining a moist and tender center.

Làzǐ Jī (辣子鸡, Chicken with Chillies)

Everything in the wok is ablaze with color of red Sichuan peppers, but the stinging spicy aroma flows out of the wok filling the kitchen. Each of us in the kitchen step away from the stove, but the cook is bound, squinting his eyes while tossing the chicken pieces hastily lest the peppers should blacken and burn.

Liángbàn Cándòu（凉拌蚕豆, Cold Mixed Broad Beans)

In the past, Chinese rarely ate raw food. Liángbàn Cándòu (凉拌蚕豆, Cold Mixed Broad Beans) is as Hóngyǐng calls it, a “Chinese salad.” The broad beans are boiled until tender, then mixed with a medley of potent flavors, and left to cool until meal time. Liáng means cold and bàn means mixed. Cucumbers, potatoes, spinach and more can also be parboiled or splashed with hot oil in order to not serve raw.

Má Pó Dòufu (麻婆豆腐, Pock-marked Old Mother's Tofu)

I thought I knew what Má Pó Dòufu (麻婆豆腐, Pock-marked Old Mother’s Tofu) was until I had the real thing in Chengdu. Going to the Asian food aisle in a Western supermarket and picking up a packet of the Ma Po Tofu instant powder to help your hamburger meat, won’t do justice to the real Má Pó Dòufu. Huājiāo (花椒, Sichuan peppercorn) is the magic spice I’d been missing until I moved to China; it not only numbs the senses from the burn of chillies but suffuses the olfactories and taste buds with another woodsy-citrusy-pine-floral flavor. This 19th-century dish is a famous Chengdu dish once served by Lady Chen who was indeed pock-marked. All the fame and deliciousness of her tofu couldn’t bring her a better name, but one would be hard-pressed to find a household in Chengdu unable to whip up a plate of Má Pó Dòufu. Get the recipe!

Wang Ayi making Ài Mó Mó (艾馍馍, Glutinous Wormwood Cakes)

As time passes, Ài Cǎo (艾草, Wormwood) has become more scarce in Sichuan’s markets. Wáng Āyí mixes a little sugarcane-preserved Wormwood with glutinous rice flour and pats together cakes she fries in the wok.

Ài Mó Mó (艾馍馍, Glutinous Wormwood Cakes)

As if eating as many possible now could preserve these cakes from disappearing from existence, Ài Mó Mó‘s (艾馍馍, Glutinous Wormwood Cakes) herbal-sweet flavor stretched my appetite a little more, after eating all of the above. Learning more about dishes in China becoming rarities, I have a strong urge to consume them. I want to remember how these endangered specialties taste, perhaps the same way my dad remembers theatres presenting two special features, a newsreel, and popcorn all for a dime. Wáng Āyí says the herb is no longer easy to find, but just as the ingredients vanish from market stalls, the repertoire of home-style recipes I fear are departing with them. Busy lives, urbanization, and the ease of consuming ready-made foods are amongst some of the factors leading to treats such as these turning into childhood memories.

Yáng Hóngyǐng with mother Wáng Āyí

Together, Hóngyǐng and her mother tell stories and describe their culture through food. Wáng Āyí demonstrates how simple it is to preserve culture through easy-to-cook dishes. Furthermore, one doesn’t need a measuring cup or spoon to learn these dishes. As Hóngyǐng puts it, one need only use their heart.

You can find the original post on Shanti’s blog, ShowShanti.

About the author
Shanti Christensen (湘緹), Storyteller and Food Explorer, travels China meeting families who teach her their favorite home-style recipes. She writes and photographs for ShowShanti.com while collecting recipes for her future cookbook. Her Filipino mother and Danish-American father passed their wanderlust and passion for food to her through their own stories. Shanti and her husband are from San Francisco and have lived in Beijing since January 2007. Shanti enjoys making dinner for friends and family, bringing new flavors and tales to the table.

May is a special month for me.

May 10th is Mother’s Day. I appreciate my Mom, who is the greatest person in the world, gives me life and helps me to know the beautiful world.

May 11th is my birthday. I appreciate the life I’m living and the people around me.

May 12th is a day of memory in China and the world, as we mourn for and remember the people who lost their lives in the earthquake.

My memories go back to Sichuan. How did it become connected to me? I was there. This time last year, I was traveling with a group of experts in Sichuan, researching nature reserve ecotourism development. At that time, no one knew what would happen.

May 11th, 2008: We arrived Jiuzhai Town.

May 12th, 2008, Morning: We visited Baihe Golden Monkey Nature Reserve;

May 12th, 2008, Afternoon: We were visiting the Jiuzhaigou valley when suddenly, the earthquake happened. We were trapped in Jiuzhaigou for 2 days.

May 14th, 2008: We decided to drive back to Chengdu. It was a long, escaping journey that took nearly 3 days. We traveled through Ruo Er Gai, Hongyuan, Kangding… some of the most remote places in Northwest Sichuan. It was an adventure, one of the most adventurous journeys in my life. I grew and learned through it.

Though it was a devastating time for Sichuan, our people were not beaten. Love and support was gathered from every corner of China and the world.

At WildChina, we contribute our effort to help Sichuan post-earthquake development in the ways we know best. We worked with Sichuan local NGOs to help tourism development; we trained local staff, developed ecotourism products and brought guests there. We feel a strong connection to Sichuan.

In 2008, the Wenchuan people suffered and lost their home in this natural disaster. In 2009, they use their tremendous courage and strength to stand up and rebuild their homes. I believe Sichuan will be more beautiful than ever before.

A year after the 5.12 earthquake, let’s remember the past and look forward to the future.

00.10 AM June 23

We landed at Chengdu Shuangliu airport. 42 days after the earthquake, 38 days after escaping from Chengdu, I’m back again. I feel especially bonded with this city. I am excited.

On the plane, a lady sitting next to me asked: are you going there to help (抗震救灾)？With so many lao wai? Haha, I laughed. No, we are visiting there. Actually, we’re the first tourist group coming to Chengdu after earthquake.

When entering the city, we saw many big red boards by the road, with many encouraging words, such as: “众志成城”; “同心协力，共建美好家园”. The city is as peaceful, as beautiful as before.

Read the rest of this entry »