Chinese cuisine----Cantonese cuisine

Cantonese cuisine (Guangdong cuisine or Yue Cai), has a great prestige among the eight great traditions of Chinese cuisine. Of all the regional varieties of Chinese cuisine, it’s also the best known outside China, due to its palatability to Westerners and the great numbers of early emigrants from Guangdong Province. Most "Chinese restaurants" in Western countries serve authentic Cantonese cuisine and dishes based on it.

Coming from Guangdong Province in Southern China, Cantonese cuisine is reputed as China's finest cuisine. Featuring diverse and delicate in material, its material includes almost all edible food in addition to the staples of pork, beef and chicken - snakes, snails, insects, worms, chicken feet, duck tongues, ox genitals, and entrails, etc. There is a famous saying, "Anything that walks, swims, crawls, or flies with its back to heaven is edible".

The seasonings in Cantonese cuisine are varied and well coordinated. Sauces made from ingredients like ginger, garlic, onion, vinegar, and sugar are complemented to enhance flavors. Somewhat lighter than most regional Chinese cuisine, the Cantonese dishes are prepared carefully and exquisitely. With the basic cooking techniques such as roasting, stir-frying, sauteing, deep-frying, braising, stewing and steaming, they turn out to be fresh, crisp, tender, slippery and not salty with all flavors and tastes.

The basic cooking techniques include. Steaming and stir-frying are most frequently used to preserve the ingredients' natural flavors. Guangdong chefs also pay much attention to the artistic presentation of their dishes.

An emphasis on preserving the natural flavor of the food is the hallmark of Cantonese cuisine. As cooking time is short, the flavors and nutrition of the food are preserved. Fresh live seafood is a specialty in Cantonese cuisine. Many authentic restaurants maintain live seafood tanks. The Cantonese people are very finicky when it comes to the freshness of their food. Even the amount of time taken for a live, swimming fish to be placed on a plate is kept to a minimum.

Cantonese barbecuing methods are unsurpassed. Another unique Cantonese specialty is slow-cooked soup. Sometimes, Chinese herbal medicines are added to the pot. Dim sum is, without a doubt, a trademark food in Cantonese cuisine. It is usually consumed in the mornings and afternoons. The Cantonese are also very inventive, and happy to incorporate non-native ingredients in their cooking.

It’s a pity that traveling to China without enjoying this wonderful Cantonese cuisine. So explore and try the long Cantonese menu!!

Travel to Macau

Macau and Hong Kong are somewhat alike in the history, cultures and the status of being a special administrative region of PRC. If you don’t like the crowd of Hong Kong, maybe Macau is a good choice. A wander around the Macau Peninsular will bring you into a world of antiques and fashion, traditional and modern, as well as tranquility and glitz.

Macau is a very small city, covering an area of just 27.5 square kilometers, with a total population of 469,800 and 95% are Chinese, the remainder being Portuguese and other westerners. In history, the Portuguese ruled here prior to Macau's official return to the People's Republic of China on December 20, 1999. Just like Hong Kong, after administered by a western country for many years, Macau becomes a charming place with various cultures. The majority resides on the Macau Peninsular where you can find a variety of both Oriental and Western cultural and historical places of interest and all sorts of old buildings that are either European baroque or traditional Chinese in style. The blend of people, culture and history has influences on every aspect of life in the city.

Macau comprises the Macau Peninsular and the outlying islands of Taipa and Coloane. Popular sightseeing places that form part of a traveler's itinerary are spread all over the Macau Peninsular.

It’s hard to list all the popular attractions in Macau, for they are all around, a lot of which are must see! The best way to explore numerous historical and cultural heritages of Macau is take a wandering around. First, stop by Largo do Senado, a splendid main square with wave-patterned pavement and central fountain. Here, you can enjoy a surrounding of simple, elegant Portuguese and baroque style buildings. Clothing shops, curio markets, pharmacies, snack stalls and jewelry shops spread all over the narrow alleyways selling dazzling items.

Next, take a visit to Ruins of St. Paul's, the great ruined facade and staircase to the church of the Mother of God, is the most famous landmark of Macau. Built from 1602 to 1637, a fire burned it to the ground in 1835, leaving only the facade, the staircase and portions of a wall. After a restoration in 1991, that facade is crowned by the cross of Jerusalem, below which are three tiers with niches containing statues that were cast from bronze, at a local cannon and bell factory.

Guia Fort, built on the highest point of Macau between 1637 and 1638, contains a chapel and a lighthouse. The chapel inside is in the style of Portuguese heritages of the 17th century. To the right of this chapel is a bell which was made in 1707. The lighthouse, which is the dominating feature of the Fort, was built by a local-born Portuguese. It was first lit up on September 24, 1865, and is the oldest on the China coast. Standing only 16 feet tall, its beam can be seen from 20 miles at sea under good weather conditions. To this day, it provides a guiding beacon to the passing boats.

Monte Fort is another famous fort. The Fort has been witness to three centuries of history, but was opened officially only in 1966. Centrally located, the fort is a splendid place to obtain overall views of the city, including Ruins of St. Paul's below, and one can see China just across the estuary.

Besides the places we suggested above, there are some other nice attractions you should visit. Such as churches, museums, gardens and the tranquil natural and beach sceneries of the two outlying islands——Taipa and Coloane, etc. Almost forgot, never ever miss the evenings in Macau. Macau streets are alive at night!

Feel hungry? You are lucky in the paradise for gourmands. Macau is famous for a wide range of delicious cuisines from all over the world including unparalleled Macau-style Portuguese cuisine, traditional Cantonese cuisine, exotic food from Italy, France, Brazil, India, Japan, and Korea... Everyone can find his own favorite!

travel to Guangzhou

Famous for its prosperous economic development, Guangzhou is praised as “the South Gate of China”. Located at the north of the Pearl River delta, it is an important trading center as well as a busy port and the capital city of the province of Guangdong. There are plenty of things to do and see.

Like Athens of Greece and Rome of Italy, Guangzhou also has a history of more than 2,800 years. There are a lot of interesting legends concerning its past. One of the beautiful stories which gives the city its name Goat Town says that five gods riding on five goats brought the first grain to the city. So, it is also known as the City of Five Goats.

Have you ever heard of the Chinese Export Commodities Fair, also called Canton Fair? It has been held two or three times a year in the city since 1957, winnig its renown of “China’s No.1 Fair” for the longest history, the highest level, the largest scale, the most complete exhibit variety, the biggest buyer attendance, the broadest buyer distribution, the greatest business turnover, and the best credit standing in China. Besides traditional way of negotiating against samples, the Fair holds Canton Fair online.

"Eating in Guangzhou" has become a popular saying both at home and abroad. Guangzhou ranks first in the number of restaurants and tea-houses in the country. While here, trying Yue Cai (Cantonese Cuisine), one of eight Chinese famous cuisines, is definitely a must in Guangzhou! Cantonese cuisine is good in color, fragrance, taste and presentation.

While exploring the city, stop and admire the beautiful scenery of Pearl River at night, which is the most famous sight in Guangzhou. In the mood to shop? Enjoy a visit to Shangxia Jiu Lu, Beijing Lu and Di Shi Fu Lu, which are full of vigor and current fashions, you can find something worth taking home. Be sure to stop in Dr. Sun Yatsen Memorial Hall, severed as a place of worship in honor of Sun Yatsen, the forerunner of Chinese democratic revolution. Inside, you will find significant outlooks and delicate designs.

If you are in the mood to travel outside of the city, travel to Conghua Hot Springs, Xiqiao Hill Scenic spot, Seven Star Crags, and Foshan City. Lots of tourists to Guangzhou like to cover one or two of them for out-of-city pleasure.


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In ancient days, Guangzhou was the capital city for three Chinese dynasties: the Nan Yue (South Yue), the Nan Han (South Han) and the Nanming (South Ming). Thus it was put in the list of the 24 most famous historical cultural cities and became a tourist destination. You can not understand most Chinese cities deeply until you know their history. This is true of Guangzhou. Many historic sights: the Western Han Nanyue King's Tomb Museum, the Zhenhai Tower and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall tell us the 2,000-year history of Guangzhou.

Here and there stand monuments of the city's democratic and revolutionary past. The monument to the Anti British struggle at San Yuan Li is in remembrance of the 1841 uprising against a British invading force. The Huang Hua Gang Park keeps alive the spirit of the 72 martyrs killed in an 1911 uprising against the Manchu dynasty. The National Peasant Movement Institute is the former cadre-training school founded and run by Mao Zedong and Zhou En Lai in 1925-1926. The Guangzhou Memorial Garden is in memory of those who lost their lives during the Communist Uprising in 1927.

Hotel facilities and service in Guangzhou are fine. A word of warning: Do make a reservation beforehand if you decide to visit Guangzhou during the Canton Fair. For visitors, especially those plan to attend the Canton Fair, transportation in Guangzhou is more and more convenient. You can choose plane, train, ship or bus.