As scorching heat sweeps in, iced rice from Changle District in Fuzhou, east China's Fujian Province, has become a sought-after summer treat, drawing diners with its refreshing taste.
The heat-relieving dish, featuring glutinous rice topped with sweet fruits, crispy peanuts, and a scoop of smoothie, has won unanimous praise from diners.
For 25 years, 63-year-old Gao Yanqing has been serving up iced rice at his popular restaurant in Changle District's Kuiqiao Food Street. What began as a modest 10-square-meter store has now expanded into a bustling two-story building spanning over 200 square meters. During summer months, the restaurant is constantly filled with customers seeking relief from the heat.
"In summer, I usually sell about 1,500 bowls [of iced rice] a day. During regular hours, customers have to line up for at least half an hour. It is the shortest wait time—but usually, it's not enough," said Gao.
The shop now juggles packed dine-in crowds and a deluge of takeout orders.
"Takeout orders often surge from April to October. We generally get 200 to 400 orders per day," Gao said.
To keep up with modern tastes, vendors are reinventing the traditional dessert.
"We introduced new flavors by combining iced rice with milk tea, coconut juice, or jasmine. Some other restaurants offer durian-flavored or Qingtuan-flavored iced rice," said Gao Youxing, another iced rice restaurant owner.
Qingtuan is a traditional Chinese snack made of glutinous rice mixed with wormwood juice or barley grass and red bean stuffing.
Pairing iced rice with barbecue or spicy crayfish has emerged as a popular trend, delighting diners with refreshing combinations.
"A bite of iced rice followed by a grilled skewer, the icy contract cools you down in the summer heat," said Sun Hao, a customer.
The annual Changle Iced Rice Festival, blending live music and delicious food, has further boosted the appeal of the dessert. The iced rice, with its unique refreshing taste, has driven a consumption craze in hot summer.
"There are over 20 night markets in Changle and more than 40 iced rice restaurants. Kuiqiao Food Street is one of the major night market in Changle. It hosts eight iced rice restaurants, generating around 50 million yuan (about 6.95 million U.S. dollars) a year," said Chen Shuding, officer with the Bureau of Commerce in Changle District.
While iced rice has captured the hearts of domestic tourists, it has even found its way to the United States, Canada, and beyond.
"This iced rice restaurant in Seattle, the United States, was opened by people from Changle. It's doing great. Even foreign friends love the iced rice. You can find Changle iced rice in the U.S., Canada, and beyond. It's going overseas," said Gao Youxing.
Refreshing iced rice becomes diners' favorite in summer
Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province saw a soaring number of visitors from abroad on Thursday, the first day of 2026 and also the opening day of China's three-day New Year holiday, as festive celebrations unfolded across the city.
Major border checkpoints in the city recorded peak inbound passenger flows, with large numbers of travelers from Hong Kong, Macao and overseas entering the city to experience its vibrant holiday vibes.
"I'm so happy 'cause this is the first day of 2026, and I'm bringing my friends to visit Shenzhen," said a visitor from Hong Kong.
International tourists also shared their excitement.
"It's a very modern city and it's interesting to see such a New Year Eve in such a city," said an overseas visitor.
The inbound passenger flow at Luohu Port peaked from 8:00 to 20:00 on Thursday, said an officer there, adding the average daily passenger flow during the New Year break is expected to reach about 240,000.
At the West Kowloon Station port, eye-catching red decorations themed around the upcoming 2026 Spring Festival which will mark the beginning of the Year of the Horse added to the festive mood.
As a key transportation hub of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, the port also saw heavy two-way passenger traffic. Daily cross-border passenger flow there is expected to average around 100,000 during the holiday.
An Australian tourist said he was looking forward to his trip to south China.
"I am from Melbourne, Australia and I'm coming to Guangzhou and Shenzhen in China. I'm excited to see all the tall buildings, especially all the ones that light up and experience a new culture in China." said a tourist.
Outside the ports, celebrations were in full swing as the city prepared for rising visitor numbers.
A large-scale parade featuring more than 30 themed formations kicked off in the morning along the 1.6-kilometer Festival Avenue in Shenzhen's Futian District.
The event drew huge crowds with inflatable cartoon characters, lively drum performances, and traditional Yingge Dance -- a form of folk dance popular in south China's Guangdong Province that merges opera, dance, and martial arts.
Nearby commercial zones also rolled out special consumption coupons, allowing visitors to enjoy a one-stop experience combining festive celebrations and shopping.
"The atmosphere is really nice. We feel very welcomed here. It's a very, very international vibe", said an international visitor.
China continues to grow in popularity as a destination for overseas travelers. Data from online tourism platforms show that inbound flight bookings to China rose 20 percent year on year on the first day of the holiday, with Shenzhen ranking fifth among the country's most popular inbound travel destinations.
"On the first day of holiday, international flight ticket purchases to Shenzhen has increased by 52.5 percent while the international flight bookings to the city has grown by 33 percent," said Shi Ke, a researcher from big data research institute of Qunar, an online travel service provider.
Shenzhen embraces influx of visitors on first day of 2026
