Welcome to this edition of China Lifestyle Journeys, the series that brings you chats, discussions and insights on all aspects of Chinese living. We will cover festivals, food, traditions, customs and much, much more. I’m your host Jocelyn … and I’m Mat, just an English guy with lots of questions.

So, Mat, what’s your big question today?

(Mat)

Hello and welcome to another episode. Today, we're going to be exploring the topic of Chinese breakfast. Now I'm really excited about this topic because, I love food and food culture and I’ve tried lots of different Chinese dishes in different regions of China. So, now to start off with I’m going to ask you a challenging question Jocelyn. What do you think my three favourite Chinese breakfast items are?

(Jocelyn)

Well actually I know your number one favourite is Wuhan hot and dry noodles, because I know you lived in Wuhan for many years, we used to work together in Wuhan in the same school and it was quite a well-known fact that you loved hot and dry noodles!

(Mat)

Yeah, you’re right. Wuhan hot dry noodles are my number one favourite. Actually every foreigner I’ve ever met who has tried them, says they are amazing. And we’ll come back to this later, but you still haven’t guessed my number two and three.

(Jocelyn) 

OK, let me think…. Em…….. I’ll have a few guesses, so how about, youtiao(油条) and a bowl of soy milk, doujiang(豆浆). Maybe jianbing(煎饼), which is a type of savoury pancake filled with egg, scallions, and sometimes meat or vegetables. And what else? … Maybe something like dim sum, the popular breakfast food in Southern China, particularly in Guangdong province. Maybe one of those small, bite-sized dishes that are usually served as dim sum. Am I right?

(Mat)

Well yes and no. First of all, I really don’t like youtiao and soy milk. Jianbing is OK, but dim sum is definitely a yes. Now I used to live in Southern China so I really learned to love dim sum. Now there’s something I never really understood though, dim sum is meant to be a morning thing, a breakfast tradition, it’s even called morning tea sometimes, but I often saw people eating it in the afternoon and even late at night. So is it really breakfast or is it just served all day long and throughout the evening?

(Jocelyn)

OK. That's a good question. Dim sum is traditionally eaten for breakfast or brunch in Southern China, but just like other breakfast dishes, some people want to eat it during the day or even at night, so if the customers want it, the restaurants will serve it! Think about your traditional English breakfast, eggs, bacon, sausage, toast … can you buy that in the afternoon?

(Mat)

Yes – absolutely. No problem, on menus you will see ‘All Day Breakfast’ to show that it’s available at any time.

(Jocelyn)

So it’s exactly the same with dim sum.

(Mat)

Now dim sum always seemed interesting to me, all those little plates with just two or three items. So is there some kind of story or history behind this style of breakfast dining, these small plates with just two or three items on each plate.

(Jocelyn)

The story goes that many centuries ago, dim sum was served in teahouses for brunch. Travellers used to stop for a break to have tea or two small food items to eat with their tea. This eventually became known as "yum cha",饮茶. Dim sum culture grew quickly during the 19th century in Guangzhou, with chefs introducing different cooking styles and ingredients. So today, dim sum has a wide range of flavours and can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or even as a late-night snack as we just mentioned. So tell me which item is your favourite from the dim sum trolley? We still don’t know your number two and number three.

(Mat)

So my number two is those rice noodle rolls(肠粉), especially the BBQ pork version. And my number three is similar, it’s also from the dim sum trolley. It’s steamed pork buns (叉烧包).

(Jocelyn)

So your favourites are Wuhan hot and dry noodles(热干面), rice noodle rolls(肠粉) and steamed pork buns(叉烧包). Tell me why these are your favourites.

(Mat)

Well, let me tell you, Wuhan hot dry noodles are my all-time favourite because they have that unique texture and that amazing, it’s almost like peanut butter style sauce. Now as for the rice noodle rolls, I love that really soft texture on the outside of the rice noodles and then you can get that crispy BBQ pork inside. And last but not least, steamed pork buns, again so fluffy on the outside and soft, especially when they’re hot, and the pork filling is juicy - it’s just that perfect combination of texture and flavour. It’s really, it’s a wonderful breakfast item.

(Jocelyn)

You're making me hungry just thinking about these. I love all three of those dishes too, especially the hot and dry noodles. I think we need to take a trip to Wuhan soon to try some really authentic local hot and dry noodles.

Well, that’s it for today. We hope you enjoyed this episode, thanks for listening. We hope to see you again next time. Until then, goodbye. Stay wise.

不论中外，对于早餐都有过类似的描述，那就是：“早餐是一天中最重要的一餐。（Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.）”

中式早餐一直以来都是花样极多的，在广东，有名的早茶点心足够让人吃上一整年还不重样。而在其余地区，豆浆、烧饼、油条绝对是“老三样”，喝一口热乎乎的豆浆，咬一口脆脆的油条，一整天的好心情就是从此开启。更不用说小笼汤包、蒸饺、天津大肉包等等面点了，各有各的美味。中式早餐也许花样极多，但是最终离不了的本心就是“热”这一点。中式早餐基本上都属于热乎乎的类型，跟东方人注重“养生之道”离不开干系。

西式早餐一般来说可以分为美式早餐跟欧式早餐。除了众所周知的面包跟吐司之外，欧洲人也喜欢用黄油涂在面包上，一口咬下去，配合煎蛋就是一顿非常美味的早餐。而在传统的英式早餐中，香肠、培根、番茄、蘑菇、鸡蛋、焗豆、面包等等，都是不可或缺的食材。作为英式早餐的绝对主角，香肠几乎在英国各个小镇都有不同的风味。其中，最最常见的便是康宝兰香肠和林肯郡肠。

当然，如果是比较讲究的家庭，有时候还会熬法式浓汤，早上也可以吃一顿热乎乎的，但是比起我们中式早餐来说，花样还是略少了一些。中西式早餐的不同也是因为传统文化的不同所造成的，因此，这也间接反映了中西方的区别。

摘自《中西方早餐的营养对比》

俗语说“早餐要吃好，午餐要吃饱，晚餐要吃少”。早餐是白日忙碌的开始，吃好了才能投入辛勤的工作之中。不过早餐时段，上班族总是忙碌的，往往没有时间细调慢煮。所以一顿好的早餐，应当兼顾营养和快捷。

要说早餐中的王者，当属油条和豆浆了。油条的口感和其他面饼主食相比挺不一样的，酥脆又有韧劲。这是因为油条在和面的时候会往里面加入一些可食用的膨松剂，加热的时候里边的膨松剂会产生很多的小气泡，让整个油条膨胀起来。而且油条必须要两根一起炸。如果只有一条面饼，整根都浸在热油里，很快就会被炸得定型。只有把两根面按在一起下油锅炸的时候，两根面粘连的部分才不会被炸硬，中间的面粉才有充分的空间膨胀，形成我们喜欢的口感。

豆浆则一定要黄豆现磨的才好喝。黄豆质地坚硬，如果当天直接加水搅打研磨，往往不容易将黄豆彻底打碎，打出来的豆浆残渣也很多，影响口感。因此，黄豆一定要提前一天用水泡发。只有这样，第二天打出来的豆浆才会绵密好喝。工业化时代，为了批量制作，很多快餐连锁品牌的豆浆都是直接用豆浆粉冲泡，虽说快捷，但说实话，口感远不如现磨的豆浆。因此，喝豆浆一定要赶早去那种手工现做的小店。现磨的淡淡的豆香味，是豆浆粉永远替代不了的。

包子也是最常见的、最经典的早餐食品之一。中国人吃包子的历史，至少可以追溯到先秦时期。秦昭王就有食用蒸饼的记录，蒸饼就是包子的雏形。

三国时期，包子有了自己正式的名称，叫作“馒头”。相传诸葛亮七擒七纵收服孟获后，行到泸水时，军队无法渡河，于是将牛羊肉剁成肉酱拌成馅，在外面包上面粉，做成人头的模样，祭祀后大军顺利渡河。这种祭品后来被称作“蛮首”，后来又称为“蛮（馒）头”。也就是说，古代的“蛮（馒）头”和我们现在所说的馒头不同，它指的是包子。

而“包子”这个名称的使用始于宋代。顾名思义，面皮里包着馅，所以称作“包子”。但人们仍然更习惯将包子称为馒头。比如《水浒传》第二十七回，武松路过母夜叉孙二娘的客栈，点了二三十个包子。武松掰开一个，问孙二娘：‘酒家，这馒头是人肉的，是狗肉的？’那妇人嘻嘻笑道：‘客官休要取笑。清平世界，荡荡乾坤，哪里有人肉的馒头，狗肉的滋味。我家的馒头是黄牛的。”可见当时“馒头”指的就是包子。

直到清代，馒头和包子才彻底区分开来。不过现在的苏北地区，还时常把包子称作“馒头”，比如说“生煎馒头”“蟹粉馒头”等等。

物质生活丰富的现代，包子的馅儿已经有了五花八门的种类。包子铺往往从早到晚都会售卖，但最好吃的还是早市出锅的第一屉（ti 四声）。

南方的最具代表性的包子是精致的小笼包、苏式汤包、虾仁包、蟹黄包。蟹黄汤包是鲜包和美味汤汁的完美结合，吃法也很讲究，千万不能直接放入嘴里食用，否则容易烫口，也很容易溅到汤汁。最好稍微晾一下，然后咬开一个口儿，吸完汤之后，让汤的味道在口腔里慢慢回味，再享用包子。

北方最经典的包子当属猪肉大葱包，吃的时候一定要配蘸料。北京老字号庆丰包子铺有三样经典蘸料，分别是香醋、蒜汁和辣椒油。在庆丰吃包子，一般都要配粥。除了最经典的大米白粥之外，还有南瓜粥、小米粥、绿豆粥、紫米粥、八宝粥等。

粥和馒头也是完美的搭档。只吃馒头味道难免单一，所以吃馒头往往会配上各种小菜。北方人喜欢吃萝卜丁、酱黄瓜、宝塔菜，南方则喜欢就着咸鸭蛋、豆腐乳来吃。

一日三餐，四季轮回，在车水马龙般快节奏生活的当下，都市人时常被淹没在繁忙的工作中，而健康、生动、活泼的生活同样很重要。琳琅满目的中式早餐里，人们总能找到适合自己的那一款，让一天中的幸福时刻从早餐开始。

中国古代的音乐文化有着悠久的历史和丰富多彩的内容。出土文物证明，夏商时期中国就有了不同种类的乐器和乐舞活动。甲骨文中，也有不少字形和音乐有关。进入西周之后，中国的音乐开始蓬勃发展，出现了中国最早的一部诗歌总集《诗经》。谈到《诗经》，就不得不提“诗”和“歌”的关系了。现代音乐，歌词并不依赖文学作品，大部分歌词都是专为歌曲演唱创作的，并不属于诗歌。但是在古代，诗词和音乐密不可分，很多诗歌就是专为吟唱创作的，是音乐的一部分。《诗经》中保存着不少具有唱和形式的作品。唱和，也就是歌词的开头部分与后面的部分互相应和的形式。唱和形式可以分为三类：对唱。两方交替歌唱,或采取问答方式,或采取接续方式。帮腔。帮腔是紧接每句、每章或全篇歌词而出现的应和部分,一般采用“一唱众和”的方式。全篇以后的帮腔,有的就发展成尾声。重唱。依照别人所唱的全篇歌词重唱,歌词相同或者在结构上有一定相似性。对唱、帮腔、重唱的形式延续至今，我们去听音乐会的时候，仍然经常听到合唱团使用这些表现形式。除了诗歌作品的出现，先秦时期也已经有了完备的乐律知识，出现了五音十二律。五音即宫商角徵羽，大致相当于现代音乐简谱中的do、re、mi、sol、la。从宫到羽，按照音的高低排序，就形成了一个五音音阶。后来，再加上变宫和变徵，就形成了一个比较完整的七音音阶，称为七音。七音比较接近现在的五线乐谱。律，本指用来定音的竹管。古人将竹管截成十二个长度不同的管子，长管发音低，短管发音高，然后就可以吹出十二个不同的标准音，来确定乐音的高低。因此，这十二个乐音便被称为“十二律”。高中语文课上，我们学过《荆轲刺秦》：“高渐离击筑，荆轲和而歌，为变徵之声，士皆垂泪涕泣。又前而为歌曰：‘风萧萧兮易水寒，壮士一去兮不复还。’复为羽声忼慨，士皆瞋目，发尽上指冠。”由此可见，不同的音有不同的调式，不同的调式有不同的情感色彩，音乐效果也不同。变徵之声伤感悲戚，而羽声情感激昂。秦汉时期，古代音乐进一步发展，出现了两个专门的音乐机构“太乐”和“乐府”。太乐掌握国家重大仪式典礼的雅乐，以政治目的为主。而乐府掌管世俗音乐，主要任务是搜集和整理民间的乐歌资料。汉武帝时，乐府规模进一步扩大，乐府搜集的民间音乐从江湖来到了庙堂，盛行于朝廷和官府之中。乐府搜集的乐歌大致可以分为鼓吹曲和相和歌两种。鼓吹曲是用于宗庙祭祀、军队、仪仗典礼的节奏明朗的乐曲。鼓吹曲风格兼收并蓄，在中原乐曲的基础上，吸收了北方和西北少数民族的音乐风格。为了演奏鼓吹曲，乐府中设置了专门的职位——“鼓员”。汉高祖刘邦的《大风歌》“大风起兮云飞扬，威加海内兮归故乡，安得猛士兮守四方”，便属于鼓吹曲一类。相和歌则来源于各地流行的民歌，这是乐府歌辞的精华部分。相和歌以互相唱和为主。我们在小学时学过的名作《江南可采莲》就是一首相和歌。到了北宋，居民区“坊”和商业区“市”便不再有严格界限，往往混杂分布。由此，商业经济迎来了重大发展。汴京、临安等大城市都出现了固定的表演场所，俗称“瓦子”或“瓦肆”。大量的民间艺人出现，并且组成了自己的团体。搜集民间音乐的工作也由官府转移到民间艺人手里。宋词的勃兴，突破了唐诗的格律限制和意象表达，成为宋代乐曲最重要的吟唱内容，比如我们熟悉的大词人柳永，他的词作深受乐坊乐工的喜爱，在民间流传甚广，号称“凡有井水处，皆能歌柳词”。南宋出现了载歌载舞的戏剧，称为南戏，南戏吸收了民间音乐的精华，创造了许多经典的戏剧曲调。元朝统一之后，南北戏曲交流频繁，互相促进，最终造就了元代杂剧的繁荣。音乐的诞生，让人类的生命延长了一半。在很多时刻，音乐具有治愈人心的力量。不管我们来自哪里，有什么样的文化背景，从事什么样的职业，我们都能在音乐的世界里找到属于自己的精神天地。

Summer Days:

Welcome to this edition of China Lifestyle Journeys, the series that brings you chats, discussions and insights on all aspects of Chinese living. We will cover festivals, food, traditions, customs and much, much more. I’m your host Jocelyn … and I’m Mat, just an English guy with lots of questions.

So, Mat, what’s your big question today?

(Mat)

Hello and welcome once again to another episode. Today we are talking about summer … or summer days. Now of course I’m English, I think that everyone knows that English summers are, well, let’s say ‘fairly mild’.  It’s quite common to have cool, grey and rainy days in the middle of summer. Now, I can remember many years ago, my first trip to China, it was in the month of August and I arrived in Shanghai. One of the things that shocked me most, wasn’t really ‘culture shock’ – it was weather shock, I couldn’t believe how hot it was. So Jocelyn, I know you spent a few years in the UK studying and living, did you have the same feeling in your first English summer? Did you experience weather shock?

(Jocelyn)

Well absolutely. I can vividly remember my first summer in England. I remember thinking, when is summer going to arrive. I kept waiting for the hot, sunny weather, but it never came. You know, I grew up in Wuhan, one of the hottest cities in summer in China, so my idea of summer is, how can I say it, … quite ‘extreme’ and my experience of summer in the UK was … well … extremely ‘mild’!

(Mat)

So I think we’ve both experienced ‘weather shock’ – but in quite different ways. There’s one thing I remember, after arriving in Shanghai in August and then travelling to Wuhan in the same month, I remember people seemed to be good at keeping cool in such hot temperatures.

(Jocelyn)

Yes, that's true. Over the years, Chinese people have developed many different ways to keep cool during hot summers. One of the simplest ways is to wear light cotton clothes, something like pyjamas. You probably saw people sleeping on bamboo mats to keep cool during hot summer nights. And for some people, especially in rural areas, sleeping outside is quite common.

(Mat)

Sleeping outside? Do people really do that? In England I can’t imagine anyone ever sleeping outside. It would, even in summer it would be too cold.

(Jocelyn)

Yeah, in China we did, sometimes, especially in some parts of China where the nights can be really hot and humid. And some people find it cooler and more comfortable to sleep outside, especially if there is a cool breeze. In fact, when I was growing up in Wuhan, I remember seeing people sleeping outside during the summer. They had a special bamboo bed that was set up under the trees and they would sleep there every night. Some people even slept on the Yangzi River bridges, because you get the cool breeze from the river – it’s like nature’s air-conditioner – and it’s free.

(Mat) 

Now there’s something else I remember about my first summer in Wuhan, and that’s the special summer snack food. I remember certain food items that were popular in summer. There was one that I love, still to this day, cold noodles, I love the flavours, the sesame sauce, the vinegar and chilli flavour – it’s amazing. But there’s another one that I really don’t like, cold green bean soup. Do people really like that?

(Jocelyn)

Green bean soup is actually a really popular summer food in many regions of China. And you have to understand that we don’t just have it because of the ‘flavour’ – it’s got a specific function. It's believed to have cooling properties, which can help to reduce body heat and prevent heat stroke during the hot summer months. Well in traditional Chinese medicine, green beans are considered to have a special "cooling" effect on the body and are often used in the treatment of fever, thirst, and other symptoms of heat-related illnesses. So we have this cold green bean soup as a remedy for the intense summer heat. I guess you don’t need things like that in England where the weather is so mild.

(Mat)

No, we don’t need any kind of remedy for summer weather, because it’s never really hot. I mean, we do like ice cream in summer, it’s kind of a tradition for us, when it’s sunny, which is not every day, go out for a walk and enjoy an ice cream. And I remember actually in China, I think I saw it in different cities, there’s a weird ice snack that I think I tried in Wuhan for the first time, it’s not ice cream. It’s actually made from ice and you kind of use a knife to cut the ice. Do you know the one I mean?

(Jocelyn)

Of course I know what you mean, you’re talking about shaved ice, which is a popular summer dessert in many parts of Asia, especially in China. It's made by shaving a block of ice into a fine, fluffy texture, and then adding various toppings like fresh fruit, and milk, or flavoured syrup, or sometimes even ice cream. And the dessert is very refreshing and is perfect for hot summer days. In China, there are many different varieties of shaved ice desserts, depending on the region and local ingredients. For example, in some areas, the shaved ice is topped with sweet red bean paste, while in others, it might be topped with fresh mango, strawberries, or other fruits. It's a typical summer treat for many people in China. So I think today we’ve really discovered that our summer habits are quite different, but that’s mainly because our summer weather is so different.

Well, that’s it for today. We hope you enjoyed this episode, thanks for listening. We hope to see you again next time. Until then, goodbye. Stay wise.

夏日炎炎的夏季马上就要来临。提到英国的夏天，你的第一反应是什么呢？因为气候的关系，英国夏天很短，气温也不高。英国是个空调基本卖不出去的国家，英国夏天的平均温度不过23摄氏度左右，全年日照时间少。所以到了夏天，英国人喜欢去有阳光的热带岛屿和海边度假。中国的太阳很毒，人们躲之不及。每到夏天，很多中国人都会自然地在阳光下打起了伞，其实在英国的夏天，人们连帽子都不戴，脑袋仰得高高的。英国的太阳很少见，就算有，也总是暖暖的，热不起来，夏天的英国，只要太阳一出来，全国上下就立马变成度假区，人人脸上带着笑意，马路上敞篷车突然多起来，雪糕车也大街小巷地开始串门了，孩子们一听到那熟悉的音乐，就吵着要去买雪糕。

中国人的消暑也离不开食物，从南到北都有明显地域代表性的消暑品，从北京的酸梅汤、两广人夏天都有的糖水，四川人的冰粉、闽南人的烧仙草，甘肃敦煌的杏皮水......这还不是全部，这些来自民间的降暑清凉饮品，土味十足，却是中国民间特有的熬过一个又一个酷夏的清凉“神器”。

阳光是英国的奢侈品，它意味着度假般的快乐心情，意味着可以晒出性感古铜色皮肤，意味着雪糕车来了，还意味着可以烧烤……总之阳光能够引发出一连串的快乐生活方式。这样的符号连接，可能无法引起每一个中国人的共鸣，而中国人吃冰、席地而睡的消暑办法，在英国人看来也很新奇。

Welcome to this edition of China Lifestyle Journeys, the series that brings you chats, discussions and insights on all aspects of Chinese living. We will cover festivals, food, traditions, customs and much, much more. I’m your host Jocelyn … and I’m Mat, just an English guy with lots of questions.

So, Mat, what’s your big question today?

(Mat)

Hello and welcome back to another episode. Today, we're talking about traditional Chinese night markets. Now when I first heard the expression ‘night market’, I got slightly confused. I grew up in London, a city with lots of markets many of them quite traditional, flower markets, food markets, fish markets, textile, fabric and clothing markets – now when I think of these markets, they all have one thing in common. They open really early in the morning, like REALLY early. Around 5 am, and you’ll get the best deal, maybe the best quality the earlier you go. So, many of these markets are actually closed by lunchtime. And they are not open in the afternoon. So for me, the idea of a ‘night market’ seems quite confusing. So, please explain this Jocelyn.

(Jocelyn)

Well, the traditional Chinese night market dates back to the Tang and Song dynasties, and they are still very popular today in contemporary China. So, to answer your first question, why are they ‘night markets’? – The most common explanation goes like this:  Traditionally, these markets were located in different parts of the city, and often near the city centre. These streets were very narrow and during the day they were very busy with people going about their business, carts going back and forth, in those days there were no cars of course, so as you can imagine, the streets were busy and bustling during the day, but became quieter at night. So local people started setting up stalls selling local snacks and handmade goods, like traditional handicrafts and art. It’s interesting that you mentioned that markets in London close around lunchtime, because Chinese night markets are usually open from around 5 pm to as late as 3 am in the morning.

(Mat)

OK, so that makes sense. So where are they located nowadays? Are they still in similar locations as the old original ones?

(Jocelyn)

If you visit any Chinese city, and head for the city centre, somewhere near the main shopping district, maybe in a residential side street, you’ll probably find a night market. They are easy to find because it’s night time and these markets have lots of stalls lining the streets and they are all brightly lit up. Some of them are quite big, covering more than one street, and some are really famous like WangFuJing(王府井) and Nanluoguxiang(南锣鼓巷) in Beijing.

(Mat)

OK, so what kind of things can I find in night markets? Are they famous or well-known for selling certain items?

(Jocelyn)

Well, night markets in China are famous for their food offerings. The most popular items are local snacks, such as dumplings, fried rice, noodles, and grilled meat skewers. We often call these by the simple generic term ‘BBQ’. These snacks are usually cheap and delicious, and they are cooked in the street, and you’re meant to buy them in the street and eat them in the street, so they are really like the best example of ‘Chinese street food’ - I think for many Chinese people, when we think about the true meaning of ‘street food’ – we think about food from a night market.

(Mat)

So it’s not just a market for buying things, it’s more like a fun and interesting place to hang out?

(Jocelyn)

Yes, you’re right, it’s not just about shopping, but also about experiencing the local food and culture. If you’re lucky, at certain times of the year you’ll find a night market that has traditional performances, such as lion dances, dragon dances, and musicians and even street theatre and Peking opera. These performances are a way to showcase local culture and talent.  

(Mat) 

So it sounds like night markets are probably really popular with tourists, a place where they can find local handicrafts, local snacks and even street performers.

(Jocelyn)

Absolutely. Night markets offer overseas visitors a unique glimpse into local Chinese culture, and domestic tourists also love these places as a way to explore unique regional culture when they travel, with their bustling atmosphere, diverse food offerings, and traditional performances. But they are not just tourist spots, they are still very important places for local people to get together and socialise and enjoy their own specific local foods and culture with their own community.

(Mat)

OK, it sounds great, so what tips do you have for anyone visiting a night market? Give us one essential tip that we need to know.

(Jocelyn)

Well, let me think, OK, one essential tip. If you visit a night market and buy an item that’s not food, say for example, a silk purse, an item of clothing, some jewellery like a bracelet, anything like this, remember the price is not fixed. You are expected to bargain with the seller. This is a very important part of night market culture. Bargaining and haggling with the stallholders, trying to get the best possible price. And this is all part of the unique busy energy that you will find in Chinese night markets.

Well, that’s it for today. We hope you enjoyed this episode, thanks for listening. We hope to see you again next time. Until then, goodbye. Stay wise.

“夜市”这个词语对于我们国人来讲，想必并不陌生了。我们国家的夜市起源较早，有学者认为，早在西周时期，当时的“夕市”便有了夜市的雏形，最迟在两汉的时候便已有了夜市。另外一些学者认为，古代中国夜市最早起源于隋唐时期，尤其是在唐代中后期的时候，当时的夜市经济就比较发达，而到了北宋时期的东京，也就是今天的开封，更是把夜市经济的发展推向顶峰。

早在当年的开封府，古代中国的夜市经济就已经十分繁荣，人们可以在夜市上买卖杂货、品尝小吃、做游戏等。不过，由于不同的历史文化和生活习惯，不同地区的夜市文化和人们的行为也都是不一样的。暮色降临之后，中国夜市热闹非凡。对比中国夜市，许多西方城市的夜晚街头化身“空城”。比如在美国，到了下午六点左右，大部分城市里的店铺都直接打烊关门。人们准点下班回家做饭，一家人一起吃饭看电视。

中美“夜市”文化差异之所以这么大，其实也无可厚非，毕竟在相近的国土面积上，我们国家的人口众多，分布密集，这对“夜市”文化也有不小的影响。

摘自《中美夜市对比》

温饱是人的基本需求。但是在温饱之上，我们又有了对味道和口感的更高追求。夜市作为三餐的重要补充，为我们的生活增添了一抹亮色。

日常三餐的时段，虽然大大小小各类餐厅都很热闹，但每个人脸上都藏着一丝匆忙，因为解决“吃饭”这场重要的战斗之后，还要投入忙碌的工作之中。晚上则不同，结束了一天的忙碌，大家都想犒劳一下自己。逛夜市的时候，人们的心态平和闲适，没有白天那种紧绷感。

夜市的商贩也比白天要活跃，这些商家都是眼观六路、耳听八方的人才。他们能准确及时地捕捉到这些顾客的脚步和目光的停留，哪怕只有短短的一秒。做灌饼的阿姨轻轻一抬头，漏出浅浅的笑容，“进来坐，看看要吃些什么”，另一边，手里的动作也不停下，麻利地将面饼下油锅。夜色也给了食物“美颜”加成，锅与铲之间，腾腾的热气在夜晚格外明显；各个小摊上的照明灯比天空中的星星更加扑朔不定，光线下的美食也显得格外诱人。这便是生活中美好的时刻了。

一方水土养一方人，各地的夜市小吃加起来也有成千上万种了吧。今天我们来谈谈比较有特色的几种。

油炸臭豆腐。因为气味独特，臭豆腐堪称是最有杀伤力的小吃了，喜欢的人爱不释口，看到摊位就嘴馋。不喜欢的人远远地闻到臭豆腐的味道就拿出口罩全副武装。中国的臭豆腐以长沙最为有名，长沙人称为“臭干子”。臭豆腐的诞生，其实是一段“无心插柳柳成荫”的故事。

相传清朝康熙年间，安徽黄山的王致和进京赶考，结果名落孙山，闲居在会馆中，准备下次考试。但此时距下次考试时间还远，长期住在会馆，手里的钱也渐渐用完了。王致和幼年曾学过做豆腐，无奈之下，便在安徽会馆磨豆腐来卖。时值夏季，有时卖剩的豆腐很快发霉，无法食用，但王致和又不想就这样浪费了。他苦思良久，就将这些豆腐切成小块，加以晾晒，寻得一口小缸，用盐腌了起来，之后一心攻读，渐渐地便把这事忘了。

一段时间之后，王致和想重操旧业，偶然想起了这缸腌制的豆腐，赶忙打开缸盖，一股臭气扑鼻而来，取出一看，豆腐已呈青灰色，他好奇地尝了一口，结果这青灰色的豆腐却有一股浓郁的香气，拿去给邻里品尝，都称赞不已。这就是臭豆腐的由来。

烤苕皮。烤苕皮是川渝地区的特色小吃。顾名思义，即以烧烤的手法烹饪苕皮。川渝烧烤里，这是最常见的素串。红薯又称红苕，苕皮中的“苕”就取自这里。将苕皮煎至上色后表面会微微鼓起气泡，焦香的同时也保留了内在软糯的口感，再辅以酸豆角、肉沫，绝对是夜市里的明星产品。

鸡蛋灌饼是起源于河南信阳的传统小吃。做鸡蛋灌饼要用半发面的饼，而且要多放油以使饼出层数，上锅烙的过程中也需要不间断地将油舀起来淋在饼上。饼烙至半熟时，用筷子戳开一个口，一边转饼一边把鸡蛋液灌入饼内，这样可以让鸡蛋液均匀地进入到整张面饼，以确保吃的时候饼和鸡蛋均匀融合，咬的每一口都很充实。灌完鸡蛋之后就是整个制作过程中最关键的一步——烤。将烙好的饼放入烤炉烤半分钟，把油烤出去，这样饼子才酥脆可口，香而不腻。这一步很考验对火候和时间的把控能力。如果掌握得不好，饼子吃起来就会干瘪油腻。因为制作流程快，味道可口，如今鸡蛋灌饼已经成为最常见的夜市小吃。

广厦千间，夜眠仅需六尺，家财万贯，日食不过三餐。夜市，是人世间最具烟火气的地方。

Welcome to this edition of China Lifestyle Journeys, the series that brings you chats, discussions and insights on all aspects of Chinese living. We will cover festivals, food, traditions, customs and much, much more. I’m your host Jocelyn … and I’m Mat, just an English guy with lots of questions.

So, Mat, what’s your big question today?

(Mat)

Hello and welcome to another episode. Today we're going to be exploring the topic of bamboo, now I will be honest, when I first saw the title of this episode ‘bamboo’ my reaction was, ‘bamboo?’ How can we do a whole episode on the topic of bamboo. It’s a plant, and pandas eat it. And that’s it. End of episode. So Jocelyn, tell me, how are we going to do a whole episode on bamboo?

(Jocelyn)

Well, I can understand why you might think that, but bamboo is actually a fascinating plant that has been really important in Chinese culture for many centuries. It has been used for everything from building materials to food, medicine, musical instruments and it’s really important in art and literature. So, don’t worry, we’ve got lots to explore when it comes to bamboo.

(Mat)

I’m still not sure. You haven’t really convinced me. When I think about bamboo I still just see a plant that pandas eat. So please, tell me what I’m missing.

(Jocelyn) 

OK – let’s start with symbolism. In Chinese culture, bamboo is a very important symbol. It stands for strength, resilience, and flexibility. It's like a strong person who can bend without breaking. Bamboo also represents other good qualities, like honesty, loyalty, and friendship.

So you can see the symbol of bamboo in many different parts of Chinese culture. It's in art, like paintings and calligraphy, and in things like ceramics or textiles as well as classical literature and poetry.  

Also, bamboo is associated with virtue of filial piety in Chinese culture. This is the idea that children should respect and care for their parents and grandparents, and it’s also considered one of the most important virtues in Chinese society.

In Chinese folklore, bamboo is often used as a symbol of filial piety because of its strength and flexibility. Just like how bamboo is strong enough to withstand harsh weather conditions, it also represents the strength and resilience needed to care for aging parents and grandparents. Additionally, the flexibility of bamboo reflects the idea that children should be able to adapt to their parents' changing needs and sacrifice their own interests for the well-being of their family.

Have I convinced you yet Mat? I can keep talking if you need more.

(Mat)

Wow, I think we could probably do two episodes on bamboo. But let’s just finish this one first. So, I see how bamboo is important as a symbol in Chinese culture. Now I understand the symbolism of filial piety, but you mentioned something to do with literature and poetry. Do you mean that people actually wrote poems about bamboo and stories about bamboo in traditional Chinese literature?

(Jocelyn)

Sure, there’s a type of poetry actually called ‘bamboo poetry’. It’s a well-known traditional style that focuses on the beauty and symbolism of bamboo. It became popular during the Tang Dynasty and continued to be written throughout the following centuries. These poems often describe the physical appearance of bamboo and its symbolic meanings in Chinese culture. They may also use metaphors to explore deeper themes related to human nature and the natural world.

One famous bamboo poem is "Bamboo and Rocks" by the poet Su Shi. And his poem explores the relationship between the strength of rocks and the gentle swaying movement of bamboo, meaning that being able to bend and adapt to different situations is just as important as being strong and staying firm in your beliefs. It's like how a bamboo tree can bend with the wind but not break, showing how it's important to be flexible and resilient in life.

(Mat)

Wow, to be honest, I had no idea that one plant, bamboo could inspire so much creativity. I’m quite impressed. So we’ve looked at symbolism in the creative arts, what’s the next thing we can explore relate to bamboo?

(Jocelyn)

Well, have you ever eaten bamboo? It’s quite an important ingredient in many classic Chinese dishes.

(Mat)

Emm, I’m not sure. Have I had it? I don’t remember ever ordering bamboo in a restaurant. 

(Jocelyn)

You may have tried a popular dish in China, Guangxi province called bamboo rice,竹筒饭. And it’s made with a hollowed bamboo tube filled with sticky rice and meat. And the bamboo container gives the rice a delicious almost sweet flavour. Bamboo shoots can be used in lots of other dishes, such as stir-fried dishes. I’m guessing that you’ve had  鱼香肉丝 before?

(Mat)

Yes of course, many times, it’s one of my favourites.

(Jocelyn)

Well bamboo is an important ingredient in that dish too. So, do you see Mat? We’ve already finished a whole episode on bamboo and we could probably talk on for even longer.

(Mat)

Yeah I’m quite surprised at how important a simple plant can be. It’s a really impressive cultural icon.

Well, that’s it for today. We hope you enjoyed this episode, thanks for listening. We hope to see you again next time. Until then, goodbye. Stay wise.

竹子是一种多年生的禾本科木质常绿植物，在我国生长的历史悠久，分布广泛，与中国传统文化有十分密切的关系。由于竹子高耸挺拔，冬夏常青，中空有节，质地坚硬，它的这些自然秉性，对于善于以物明志，借物抒怀的民族来说，从中产生了丰富的启迪和联想。

竹子有“节”，这个“节”字和传统伦理观念中所讲究的节操、贞节、气节的“节”同字多义。人们喜欢用竹子有节来比喻人有气节，竹子空心，即虚心，谦虚自抑，虚怀若谷。这是我们民族所崇尚的一种美德。金人王寂在《次韵郭解元病竹二首》中写道：“生死挺然终抱节，荣枯偶尔本无心。比肩耻与蒿莱伍，强项不容冰雪侵。”这是赞竹，更是赞人；是自勉，也是勉人。然而，在中国历代文人咏竹名句中最为人传诵的是郑板桥的一首题所画“竹石”诗；“咬定青山不放松，立根原在破岩中。千磨万击还坚劲，任尔东西南北风。”诗中竹子坚韧不拔，泰然自若，是诗人正气凛然的象征。此外，竹子在中国传统文化中还有翠绿长青等多种文化意象。

可是，竹子（bamboo）在西方文化中并没有什么特別涵义，仅是一种植物而已，因为竹子常常与大熊猫的形象一起出现，是大熊猫的主要食物，他们大概也能将竹子和大熊猫联系起来。由于竹子主要生长在热带、亚热带和暖温带地区，在英国比较罕见，一般的英美人对竹子的生长了解甚少。汉语中竹子的文化意象未必能在英美人的头脑中产生某种联想。

摘自《竹（bamboo）的文化含义及翻译》

宁可食无肉，不可居无竹，无肉使人瘦，无竹使人俗。在中国人的物质生活和文化生活中，竹子一直扮演着重要的角色。

中国是竹子的故乡，竹子也在中国栽培广泛。竹喜温暖湿润的气候，对水热条件要求较高，因此主要产地是四川、重庆、浙江等南方地区。

竹子有上百个品种，比较有名的主要是以下几种：

寿竹。寿竹是我国产量较大的竹类，分布于四川、重庆和湖南。

寿竹的笋味甜，比起其他种类味道更加鲜美。竹竿可以制作凉席、竹椅、蒸笼和竹帘；竹上的枝条可以用来做扫帚。

箭竹。箭竹竹竿清脆，易砍伐，是我们的国宝大熊猫最喜爱的主要食物。

慈竹。慈竹高大、竹筒长、竹叶浓密。慈竹是一种丛生性竹子，往往成片生长，而且容易生存。生活中，我们看到的大片竹林往往都是慈竹。农家房前房后栽种的也大多都是慈竹。慈竹唯一的缺点可能是竹笋味较苦，不太适合食用。

斑竹。斑竹又名湘妃竹，斑竹叶面上有褐色的斑点。传说舜去世的时候，他的两个妻子伤心不已，眼泪洒在竹子上面，形成了一道道斑点，故名“湘妃竹”。

除了观赏之外，竹子还有丰富的药用和食用价值，可谓全身都是宝。

竹叶气味苦、性寒、无毒，是非常重要的药材，可以治疗口舌生疮、失眠、中风等。农家在夏秋两季的时候，会采摘新鲜的竹叶，晒干，煎水喝，是非常好的消暑品。

竹竿表面干燥，但是将竹子劈开，用火烤一下，里面可是有不少的竹汁呢。竹筒里的竹汁俗称竹沥，里面含有十多种氨基酸，味道清甜。同样可以食用，具有良好的镇咳去痰、消肿止渴的功效。

部分品种的竹子开花后，还会结成果实，称为“竹实”。竹子果实形状像小麦，皮青色，内含竹米，味甜，可以食用。竹实与水稻、麦、玉米等粮食作物相似，富含淀粉、蛋白质、脂肪，还含有18种氨基酸，是很好的药膳。

竹林中也有很多菌类，与竹子相伴而生，比如竹荪。食用竹荪已有悠久的历史，但是过去只能从野外采集，数量极有限，通常只有帝王贵族才能享用。而现在，竹荪已经进行了人工栽培，产量和质量均有显著的提高，已经成为了很多地方的家常美食。

竹子的幼芽也可以食用，也就是我们常说的竹笋。竹笋清脆爽口、滋味鲜美，而且营养丰富。根据采摘时节的不同，竹笋又可分为春笋和冬笋。立春前没有出土的竹笋叫做冬笋。到了每年的3月份，几场春雨之后，竹笋便会破土而出，这时候采摘的便是春笋。冬笋常年埋藏于土壤里，无法接触到阳光，外表呈黄色，个头又矮又粗。春笋是破土之后的竹笋，受阳光照射呈现淡淡的褐色，外形细长。二者口感也略有不同，春笋口感脆、嫩，有一点青涩味；冬笋口感细腻柔软，带有一点鲜甜。

除了观赏、食用这些实际意义，竹子在传统文化中也有着丰富的内涵。

竹子是硬朗挺拔、虚而有节的君子象征。竹与梅、兰、菊并称“四君子”，与梅、松并称“岁寒三友”。古代文人墨客常以竹子自喻，留下了许多经典的作品。比如郑板桥的《竹石》：咬定青山不放松，立根原在破岩中。千磨万击还坚劲，任尔东西南北风。

竹子更是有着厚积薄发的韧性。冬春交替之际，竹子蛰伏在大地下积蓄力量。可一旦破土而出，那便是势不可挡，一场春雨就能窜得很高。

竹子一节一节地往上长，就好比人一天天进步，日子越过越好。所以，老百姓就将对美好生活的期望形容成“竹子节节高”，竹子也被赋予了步步高升、学业有成、前程似锦、财运亨通等美好寓意。

愿我们每一个人都能傲然挺立在天地之间，不以物喜不以己悲，不念过往不惧未来，坦然勇敢地度过一生。