Guo Zhenghui ‖ Xincun in the afternoon

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The smell of fireworks in Xincun

The best time to visit Xincun should be on a sunny afternoon. The old houses on Xincun Street that retain the imprint of the late Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the people are quietly bathed in the soft light of the sun, simple and vicissitudes, full of the taste left over from the years. Strolling along the smooth cobblestone road, the figure is pulled long, and there is a feeling of passing through the ages.

At that time, most of the small shops scattered in the deep alleys were open, and at the corner of the street, it was a kind of happiness to have the opportunity to meet and taste the special snacks produced by it. If you like, you can choose some for your family and friends to take home, I believe this special letter will make them enjoy the feast of the tip of the tongue, will have a strong interest in the city you have just visited, and are willing to listen to your sharing.

The owners of these small shops are mostly elderly neighbors who have lived here since childhood. For them, the so-called business is purely to take care of the tastes of the old neighbors, making money is not the end, nor is it a means of subsistence, there is a feeling in it. In order to have acquaintances come forward, greeting, talking a few words, pulling a bit of home, contacting feelings, passing the boring time after retirement, as for buying or not buying things, there is no call.

These small shops, the shop is generally very small, set up a table in front of their old house, put up a few benches, simply set up a table, put on the things for sale, and then open. The local snacks sold are chicken cakes, peanut candy, Fengcheng crisps, bungee and so on, all handmade. Due to old age, the daily production is destined to be small, and the number of daily productions is determined by the willingness and physical strength of the producers. No matter how much, do a little every day, so that this ancestral craft will not be wasted.

If you can sell it out before dusk, it is the ideal business of the day. After closing, they may have to pick up their young grandchildren from school, or they may need to buy vegetables to cook dinner. The small shops in these deep alleys are encounterable but not sought. Come early, maybe they have not opened the door to business, late, the products are not complete or sold out, which is a deficiency for the guests who come to the door. If you are lucky enough to meet, it is a surprise, if you miss it, you may really miss it, the seductive old taste. So to visit Xincun, the best time is in the afternoon, before the sun sets, which is my private experience of traveling many times at different times.

As it gets darker, birds begin to return home in the woods on Canopy Hill. The lights of the city are gradually turning on, and some specialty small shops specializing in the evening market business have begun to set up tables, open the doors to welcome guests, and the aroma of meals will drift out, and your taste buds will be opened in an instant. Although each family's products are different, fresh, delicious, and inexpensive is their magic weapon for attracting customers, it is also a common feature of each small shop, and most of them are exclusive, and there is no semicolon other than that.

After a busy day, the stomach also began to be a little hungry, find a quiet corner to sit down, call a bowl of raw porridge, plus a stir-fried powder or fried snail, or come to a local special cold mix fish skin, it is better than the world's delicious countless, of course, this is also an indispensable dish on the table of many local foodies.

After a full meal, stroll up the Canopy Hill Boardwalk to find an open highland overlook, at this time the old town is bustling with traffic, and the canopy road is full of people, which is the most lively time of the day, except for the morning and evening rush hour. Most of the people after dinner come out to relax and take a leisurely walk in the street. The night of the city is under the background of brilliant lights, brilliant and colorful, full of charm, like the spirit of the city, low-key and introverted when doing things, down-to-earth and dare to do, when it comes to the limelight, often avant-garde, bold and innovative, so it is often refreshing and impressive.

Late at night, the lights gradually dimmed, the city began to quiet down slowly, people drank the porridge water at the bottom of the bowl, ate the last piece of beef brisket, although the stomach has a slight feeling of fullness, but also can't help but dig up a spoonful of double skin milk, pick up the last piece of fried milk, put it in their mouths, until they have eaten the bowl and plate in front of them, and then stand up satisfied, and the city is still not exhausted good night.

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◆ Zhongshan Daily Media Development Center

◆Picture/profile picture

◆ Editor: Xu Xiangdong

◆ Second Instance: Xiang Caizhi

◆ Third trial: Wei Lijun

◆ Material source: Zhongshan Daily