Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Li Xiao was attracted by a handicraft shop. He walked into the shop and looked at the exquisite paper-cuts, simple clay figurines and colorful Tang Sancai. He couldn't help but sigh: "These handicrafts are so exquisite. Each one contains the wisdom and creativity of the people of Henan."

Zhang Yuedong picked up a clay cuckoo, looked at it carefully, and said, "Yes, these traditional handicrafts are the treasures of Henan culture. We must take some back as souvenirs."

Lin Yifei was selecting souvenirs in the store and said with a smile: "I will buy more and give them to my family and friends when I go back, so that they can also feel the charm of Henan."

After leaving the handicraft shop, the three continued to walk forward. After a while, they came to a busy snack street. The snack street was bustling with people. The aroma of various snacks was so delicious that it made people salivate. There was steaming hot spicy soup, with a layer of red oil floating on the surface of the soup, exuding a strong pepper aroma; there were fragrant stewed noodles, with chewy noodles and delicious soup, dotted with tender mutton and green coriander; there were also soup dumplings with thin skin and large fillings. A light bite would let the delicious soup flow out, leaving people with endless aftertaste.

Li Xiao pointed to a Hu La Tang restaurant and said excitedly: "Let's go and try the authentic Henan Hu La Tang."

The three of them walked into the store and found a seat to sit down. After a while, the steaming hot spicy soup was served on the table. Li Xiao couldn't wait to take a sip. Suddenly, a hot feeling spread from the tip of his tongue to his whole body. He couldn't help but exclaimed: "Wow, this taste is so authentic, spicy and fresh, it's so delicious."

Zhang Yuedong also took a sip and nodded in agreement: "It's really delicious. The taste of this spicy soup is rich and mellow, completely different from what we usually drink."

While drinking the spicy soup, Lin Yifei said, "This is the taste of Henan. It's so satisfying. I think our trip will be full of surprises."

After drinking the spicy soup, the three continued to walk around the snack street, tasting all kinds of food. They also watched the performances of street artists, including wonderful acrobatics, humorous crosstalk, and Henan opera performances with Henan characteristics, which made them feel the rich and colorful folk culture of Henan. In this snack street full of fireworks, they enjoyed the joy of traveling to their heart's content and were full of more expectations for the next journey.

First stop: Kaifeng, a dream trip back to the Song Dynasty
The first stop for the three people was Kaifeng, an ancient capital with a thousand-year history. When they stepped into the land of Kaifeng, it was as if they had traveled through time and space and returned to the prosperous Song Dynasty. Walking on the streets of Kaifeng, the ancient city walls and antique buildings all tell the long history of this city. The shops on the street are filled with various goods with Song Dynasty characteristics, including exquisite porcelain, ancient calligraphy and paintings, and unique handicrafts, making people feel as if they are in the market of the Song Dynasty.

Visit Qingming Riverside Park

Early the next morning, they arrived at the famous Qingming Shanghe Park. As soon as they entered the park, a picture of the bustling Song Dynasty market appeared before their eyes. The buildings in the park were well-arranged, with carved beams and painted buildings, flying eaves and brackets, showing the unique style of Song Dynasty architecture everywhere. On the streets, people in ancient costumes came and went, some were hawking various goods, some were leisurely drinking tea and chatting in teahouses, and some were performing acrobatics, magic and other programs on the streets, which were dazzling.

Li Xiao pointed at the Rainbow Bridge in the distance and said excitedly, "Look, that's the Rainbow Bridge. It's exactly the same as the one in the painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival."

Zhang Yuedong also said excitedly: "Yes, I didn't expect to see this ancient bridge with my own eyes. It's really shocking."

Lin Yifei couldn't wait to pull them forward: "Come on, let's go to the bridge and feel the prosperity of the past."

They walked quickly onto the Rainbow Bridge and stood on it to overlook the entire park. Under the bridge, the water of the Bian River was crystal clear, and ancient ships were slowly sailing on the water. The boatmen at the bow paddled hard, splashing water. The willow trees on the shore swayed in the wind, and their slender branches hung down on the water, as if whispering to the river. The pavilions and terraces in the distance were looming under the shade of the green trees, like a beautiful landscape painting.

Li Xiao said with emotion: "This scenery is so beautiful, it feels like I have really returned to the Song Dynasty."

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, everything here makes people feel the prosperity and prosperity of the Song Dynasty."

Lin Yifei smiled and said, "Not only is the scenery beautiful, the performances here are also wonderful. Let's go and take a look."

So they walked along the street to a performance venue where wonderful folk performances were being performed. There were dragon and lion dances, stilt walking, land boat rowing and other programs. The wonderful performances of the actors won applause and cheers from the audience. Li Xiao watched intently and took out his mobile phone from time to time to take pictures. Zhang Yuedong excitedly applauded and cheered with the audience, with a happy smile on his face. Lin Yifei was also infected by the enthusiastic atmosphere of the performance. He stood up and swayed his body to the rhythm of the music, enjoying this happy moment to the fullest.

After watching the performance, they continued to tour the park. Along the way, they visited the houses, shops, government offices and other buildings of the Song Dynasty, and learned about the social life and cultural customs of the Song Dynasty. In a handicraft shop, Li Xiao was attracted by an exquisite Bian embroidery work. It was an embroidery of a partial picture of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival", with delicate needlework, bright colors and lifelike. Li Xiao loved it so much that he decided to buy this work as a souvenir of this trip.

Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei also picked out some handicrafts they liked in the store, including small and exquisite clay cuckoos, uniquely shaped paper-cuts, and bookmarks engraved with Song Dynasty poems. They walked out of the store happily with the souvenirs they picked.

Enjoy Kaifeng cuisine

Before they knew it, it was already noon, and the three of them were feeling hungry. They decided to try some of Kaifeng's specialties. After walking along the street for a while, they came to a busy snack bar. The bar was full of diners, and the air was filled with the aroma of various delicacies. They found a seat and sat down, ordering some Kaifeng specialties, such as soup dumplings, four-flavor dishes, and fried jelly.

Soon, the steaming hot soup dumplings were served on the table. The skin of the soup dumplings was as thin as paper and crystal clear, and through the skin you could see the tender and juicy meat filling inside. Li Xiao carefully picked up a soup dumpling and took a bite. The delicious soup immediately flowed out. He quickly took a sip, and the delicious soup spread in his mouth, making him exclaim: "Wow, this soup dumpling is so delicious, the soup is delicious, the meat filling is tender, it's really delicious."

Zhang Yuedong also picked up a soup dumpling and ate it like Li Xiao. He nodded in agreement: "It's really delicious. The taste is really amazing."

While eating the soup dumplings, Lin Yifei said: "I think the skin of this soup dumpling is also very unique, thin and tough, and tastes very good."

Then, the four-flavor dish was served. This dish consists of day lily, gluten, beef balls and fried tofu, paired with rich mutton soup, and the aroma is fragrant. Li Xiao took a sip of the mutton soup and felt that the taste was mellow, and the aroma of mutton spread in his mouth. He said: "The taste of this four-flavor dish is also very good, the mutton soup is rich, and the ingredients are matched just right."

Zhang Yuedong picked up a beef ball, took a bite, and praised it highly: "This beef ball is very chewy and tastes delicious." Lin Yifei has a special liking for gluten. He said: "This gluten absorbs the flavor of the mutton soup and tastes especially tasty."

Finally, the fried jelly was served. This fried jelly was bright red and fragrant. Li Xiao scooped a spoonful of jelly into his mouth and felt that it was smooth and delicious, with a spicy taste. He said with satisfaction: "This fried jelly is also delicious, spicy and addictive, very appetizing."

Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei also tasted the fried jelly, and they all praised the delicacy. The three of them shared their feelings while tasting the food, and laughter echoed in the snack bar.

Watch folklore performances
After lunch, they took a short break and went to watch the folk performance in Kaifeng. When they arrived at the performance venue, there were already many spectators gathered. They found a seat and sat down, waiting for the performance to begin. After a while, the performance officially began. The first performance was the dragon and lion dance. Two giant dragons were flying up and down in the hands of the dragon dancers, sometimes circling, sometimes soaring, and lifelike. The lion dancers were agile and they performed various difficult movements in coordination with the movements of the lions, winning cheers from the audience.

Li Xiao watched intently, and said excitedly: "This dragon and lion dance performance is so wonderful, the skills of the dragon and lion dancers are very superb."

Zhang Yuedong also said excitedly: "Yes, their performance is full of power and passion, which makes people's blood boil."

Lin Yifei smiled and said: "This is the real folk art, it's so shocking."

Then, acrobatics, magic, face-changing and other performances were performed, and the wonderful performances of the actors feasted the eyes of the audience. In the acrobatics performance, the actors showed various difficult movements, such as flexi-jitsu, balancing bowls, spinning plates, etc., which amazed the audience. In the magic show, the magician skillfully used techniques and props to create various magical things, which stunned the audience. In the face-changing performance, the actors quickly changed the facial makeup on their faces, which was dazzling.

Li Xiao couldn't help but sigh: "These actors are so amazing, their performances are really amazing."

Zhang Yuedong nodded in agreement: "Yes, they must have put in a lot of effort and sweat to have today's wonderful performance."

Lin Yifei also said: "These folk performances are not only an art form, but also an important way to inherit and promote traditional culture."

After the performance, the audience responded with warm applause and cheers to express their love and respect for the actors. The three also stood up and applauded, they were deeply moved by this wonderful folk performance.

Buy Kaifeng Specialties

After watching the performance, they came to the specialty store and prepared to buy some specialties from Kaifeng to take back. The store was filled with various specialties, including peanut cakes, barrel chicken, Bian embroidery, Zhuxian Town woodcut New Year paintings, etc. Li Xiao was attracted by the peanut cake. He picked up a piece of peanut cake and smelled it. The fragrance of peanuts came to his nose. He tasted it and found that the peanut cake had a delicate taste, sweet and delicious, which made people have endless aftertaste. Li Xiao decided to buy a few more packs of peanut cakes and take them back to give to his family and friends.

Zhang Yuedong was interested in the bucket chicken. He said, "This bucket chicken looks golden in color, with crispy skin and tender meat. It must be delicious." So he bought a bucket chicken and prepared to go back to try it.

Lin Yifei picked up some Bian embroidery and Zhuxian Town woodblock New Year paintings in the store. He said: "These handicrafts are very distinctive. They can be used as decorations and souvenirs. They are very meaningful."

The three of them picked their favorite specialties in the specialty store and returned home with a full load. They left the specialty store with beautiful memories of Kaifeng and a lot of specialties. On the way back to the hotel, they talked about what they saw and heard today, and were full of nostalgia and reluctance to leave the city of Kaifeng. Li Xiao said with emotion: "Kaifeng is really a charming city. The history, culture, food and folk performances here are unforgettable for me."

Zhang Yuedong also said: "Yes, this trip to Kaifeng gave me a deeper understanding of the culture of the Song Dynasty and I gained a lot."

Lin Yifei smiled and said, "We still have a lot of places to go. The next journey will definitely be more exciting."

The three returned to the hotel with great expectations to recharge their batteries for tomorrow's journey. They believed that there were more surprises waiting for them to discover in this land of Henan.

Ancient capital Luoyang, encounter history

After leaving Kaifeng, the three took the high-speed rail to Luoyang. Luoyang, a city that carries the history of 13 dynasties, exudes a unique charm, which makes them full of expectations. As soon as they arrived in Luoyang, they felt the strong historical atmosphere of the city. The ancient city walls and quaint streets seemed to be telling the glory of the past. Peony elements can be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys, showing the indissoluble bond between this city and peony.

Explore the Longmen Grottoes
The next morning, the sun gently sprinkled on the earth, covering the whole world with a layer of golden gauze. Li Xiao, Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei got up early, washed up simply, and headed to Longmen Grottoes with great anticipation. Along the way, they were extremely excited, as if they were about to uncover a mysterious and ancient treasure.

When they finally arrived at the Longmen Grottoes, they were amazed by the sight. The Yi River flowed slowly and was crystal clear, with the surface of the water shimmering in the sunlight. The east and west mountains stood opposite each other, like two giants guarding this sacred land. The grottoes were densely dotted on the cliffs of the two mountains, so dense that it looked like a huge historical scroll.

They walked up the steps slowly, and the first thing that came into view was the Binyang Middle Cave. The Buddha statues in the cave were beautifully carved with smooth lines, and each statue was lifelike, as if telling a thousand-year-old story. Li Xiao couldn't help but sigh: "These Buddha statues are so exquisite, and the carving skills of the ancients are simply amazing."

Zhang Yuedong also nodded in agreement: "Yes, this is the crystallization of the wisdom and sweat of the ancients. Each Buddha statue contains profound cultural connotations." (End of this chapter)