Many tourists are enjoying themselves in a gastronomic adventure tasting regional specialties across China's diverse food map, while others are staying with their families or going out for fun in the week-long National Day holiday.
In Jilin City, nestled in the northeastern province of Jilin, the Wula Manchu Hotpot is drawing crowds of food enthusiasts, locals and tourists.
This traditional dish features a meticulously prepared chicken broth, enhanced with Chinese herbs such as ginseng, tall gastrodiae, and Chinese Angelica.
"It's been around for so many years, and it tastes just great," said Xia Xin, a diner.
"Wula Hotpot is a traditional kind of hotpot. For us northeasterners, it's warm and happy to have hot pot with the family. I've tried hot pots in many other places in China, but I never regret eating Wula Hotpot (as one of the best)," said Pei Mingcai, another diner.
The hot pot's enduring popularity speaks to its deep cultural roots -- the nice, cozy moments with literally heart-warming food and reunited family and friends in cooling autumn weather.
In Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China's northwestern corner, the iconic Xinjiang rice pilaf is getting a fruity makeover. While traditionally made with three key ingredients, namely lamb, onions, and carrots, innovative chefs are introducing new flavors to this classic dish.
Shieli Aymar, 28, has been a chef for almost six years. Standing at the forefront of this "culinary evolution", his specialty is cantaloupe pilaf.
"We need to pick the 'unmarried' young lamb because their fresh meat is soft and lean. This makes our rice pilaf delicious. The essence of making pilaf is to select the best ingredients," he said.
"We've been trying to take on a fruity pilaf flavor with the taste of fresh cantaloupe. It's a must to put in cantaloupe, it is a local special in Xinjiang," the chef said.
In Jingjiang, a county-level city in east China's Jiangsu Province, tourists are lining up for a taste of the region's famous crab soup dumplings.
This delicacy, recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of Jiangsu, is drawing food pilgrims from across the country. Local soup dumpling restaurants are crowded with food pilgrims since very early morning.
"I've heard from my friends that you've got to 'open a window' and drink the soup in the dumpling first. I came to try the crab soup dumpling today, and it is so tasty," said Yang Ye, a tourist.
"Both the soup and the meat taste really good," said Diao Shuyun, a young tourist.
The popularity of these dumplings has local restaurants working overtime.
"Our daily sales of soup dumplings is about 600 to 800 steamer baskets. We have a total of eight chefs in the restaurant, who start the preparation at four o'clock in the morning, and keep working until 22:30," said Wang Kai, operator of a soup dumpling store.
With crab roe, crab meat and chicken soup inside, the local delicacy has captured the hearts and taste buds of food lovers nationwide.
"The Jingjiang soup dumpling features thin dough skin, heavy juicy filling with lots of crab meat. These are what make Jingjiang soup dumplings special," said Tao Jinliang, an inheritor of the culinary craftsmanship.
Data shows that about 30 million crab soup dumplings are consumed each year in Jingjiang.
People across China savor local culinary delights in National Day holiday
