CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Wondering where to go this Dragon Boat Festival holiday? The market of Nanshan Yihuali is offering food certified as intangible cultural heritage (ICH) for free! Located at Nanshan Mountain, Yihuali, the first featured ICH market in Chongqing, is to open June 16th. And until the 18th, you can enjoy delicious delicacies offered in refectory table and an all-beef banquet with thousands of others here at Yihuali on Nanshan Mountain.

ICH delicacies from 38 districts and counties all over Chongqing

Located at Fushou Road and consisting of a forest park and some commercial buildings on Nanshan Mountain, Yihuali is designated as “the last settlements of handcraft artisans”. The market for delicious food has a façade line of 500m. As the first market for traditional hand-made food aggregating intangible cultural heritages and conventional hand-made artwork that may disappear over time, Yihuali represents a Chongqing that is rich in traditions and history.

“Here tasty foods are served from morning to night – Chongqing Noodles offered in various flavors such as Huyiwan, Nanshanpai and Wharf Dandan flavor, sweets have flavors such as sweet potato silk sugar, glutinous rice and sesame sweets, brown sugar painting and Sihe broad bean, reminiscing of the times when we were young.” A related person in charge said, ICH foods from 38 counties and districts in Chongqing can be found at the market, including Fuling oily sweet fermented rice, Ganshui fermented bean curd, Qiaobiaosao vegetables pickled in soy sauce, dried pieces of bean curd, Ganpopo sweet fermented rice and Chixingsheng traditionally prepared honey.

A feast lasting three days free of charge

What’s worth mentioning is that from 16th to the 18th, Yihuali will prepare a number of foods that are available at no charge to visitors. The person in charge of the event said that on the first day a refectory table feast will be presented for free. On the menu is Mudong Crispy Duck, oily sweet fermented rice, Laoyao Quanshui Chicken, Ziyan Guihua Wine, Ganshui fermented bean curd and Fengdu Spicy Chicken. The long list of cuisines is sure to impress you with its traditional and native attractiveness. Besides, a thousand servings of cured meat will be gifted at the site.

On the 17th, an all-beef banquet will be offered for thousands of people simultaneously, also free of charge, in a manner reminiscent of the old way a large number of people having dinner in the courtyard. The market has also prepared thousands of snacks for visitors, again, free of charge.

For the Dragon Boat Festival on the 18th, traditional handcraft artisans at Yihuali will provide tutorials on preparing zongzi in person, the ones made by tourists can be obtained for free.

Apart from delicious food, leisure events are also available. For example, Li Xinglan’s Hand-made Jianzi Shop and oil extraction by ancient methods. The market is also adjacent to Yihuali Park. Standing at the top of the 150m-tall mountain, all six districts of the main city are visible. It is a perfect place to go if visiting Chongqing at night.

Route to the place: Buses to Nanshan Yihuali available for free

For the convenience of the visitors, three lines of buses are freely available during 16th and 18th:

Liugongli Bus Station – Huilongwan Community – Sigongli – Yihuali Market

Chongqing No.6 People’s Hospital – Wanda Nanping and Starlight Place – Sigongli -- Yihuali Market

Chongqing Womans’ Hospital – Fulishe – Jiangnan Sports Center – Shangxinjie – Huangjueya – Yihuali Market

(Translated by Yang Lifu, Fathom Language Limited)