A Bite of Sichuan, A Taste of Ya’an

The 5th World Sichuan Cuisine Conference held in Ya’an

The 5th World Sichuan Cuisine Conference was held in Ya’an, Sichuan Province, on November 2-4.

Ya’an is a city blessed with clean water, fresh air, colorful life, and delicious food.

In Ya’an, sliced spicy chicken and soft-boiled chicken are the most delicious. The local residents’ favorite food for breakfast or snack is made of flour, such as handmade wide noodles, sweet spicy noodles, spring rolls, and spiced salt cakes. Tibetan hot pot is the best option for tourists to experience local Tibetan culture and tradition. Hanyuan pepper, best known for its “spicy” flavor, is the best seasoning for Sichuan dishes, reputed as the “soul of Sichuan cuisine.”

One can find delicious food in Ya’an, good taste in Sichuan, and spicy flavor in Ya’an. Sichuan cuisine features “spicy, hot, delicious and fragrant” flavors, and “spicy” is the most prominent feature which kindles the “soul of Sichuan dishes.” The best source of this flavor is Hanyuan pepper, which was an imperial tribute during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The pepper is the dark red fruit of a plant, producing a fragrant spicy flavor when fried or boiled. It has been considered a legendary condiment for more than 1,000 years. Ya’an, a historical gateway to the ancient Silk Road, now occupies an important intersection of the Belt and Road and the Yangtze River Economic Circle. Here, the giant panda culture, tea culture, ethnic culture, and Sichuan cuisine culture merge and blend, shaping the unique Ya’an food culture which is popular among locals and tourists alike. Reputed as the “world’s first giant panda discovery site,” the “birthplace of tea culture,” and a land of “triple-elegance (elegant rain, fish, and girls) culture,” Ya’an exhibits unique charm of cultural diversity and inclusion, which has nurtured the integration and development of the city’s historical culture and catering culture.