SKY TIMES M Beijing Daxing International Airport - Age-Defying Cai Guoqing
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SKY TIMES
016 MAR/APR 2019
The Flavor in the Air Successful First Test Flight at
Age-Defying Beijing Daxing
Cai Guoqing International Airport
Editor’s Letter
A
s a world-renowned project, Beijing Daxing International
Airport is set to open this fall. At the beginning of 2019,
it embraced its first test flight, with an inspection plane
landing smoothly on the West One Runway at 10:10 a.m.
on January 22nd. This means the construction of Daxing Airport
will now enter the acceptance and handover stage.
Some 34 days later, Beijing Daxing International Airport
completed flight checks when a plane landed safely at 10:20 a.m.
on February 24th, 19 days ahead of schedule. Four runways, seven
instrument landing systems, seven lighting systems, one navigation
system and a flight range finder, as well as a set of flight procedures,
went through thorough checks. The completion of the tests means
the airport is ready for operation.
The new airport is expected to handle 45 million passengers
annually by 2021 and 72 million by 2025. In this March & April
issue of Sky Times, we bring you to Beijing Daxing International
Airport to witness the grand process of flight checks. (page 48)
Photo by Air France In our minds, we always have an ambivalent attitude towards in-
flight catering. Almost everyone who has traveled by plane has had
to make the same difficult choice: “Beef Noodles or Chicken Rice?”
After having had to select one of these two equally unpalatable
options, it might be hard to muster the courage to call yourself a
foodie ever again. However, what is even more surprising is that
passengers could also enjoy fancy meals cooked by chefs directly
on the plane. Could it be true? In fact, this used to happen over 80
years ago. Nowadays, when you choose to take international flights
to travel around the world, you can enjoy the local food even before
you land. Traditional cuisines and international flavors can both be
served on board. Do you want to know how flight meals are made?
What is the history behind in-flight catering? What features and
flavors do different airlines offer? Let’s begin with an appetizer and
indulge in the in-flight cuisine of airlines from all around the world.
(page 14)
Sit back, relax and enjoy your springtime with Sky Times. As
CAAC Inflight Magazine CAO SHENSHEN
always, we wish you a pleasant journey.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
with the largest circulation
of all inflight publications.
01
SKY TIMES 016 MAR/APR 2019
Responsible Institution: Civil Aviation
Administration of China (CAAC)
Sponsor:
Now 04
China Civil Aviation Publishing House
55
Floating Parade at The Carnival of Venice
President: Ma Songwei
Fabulous Hot Air Balloon Festival in Swiss Alps People
Publication:
China Civil Aviation Publishing House Panda Enjoys Bubble Bath
Lucky Running on St. Patrick’s Day What Makes Emirates’ In-flight Entertainment
Editor-in-Chief: Li Yong
Van Gogh Goes Immersive in Paris Exhibition System the Best in the World? / 56
Executive Editor: Cao Shenshen
Age-Defying Cai Guoqing / 62
Editors: Feng Shuangqing, Wang Ruosi
Editorial Consultant: Paul Treidum
Editor-Visuals & Photographs: Lu Ning
Advertising Director: Grace Dai
Talk 09 Items 10 Data 12
Lifestyle 67
Designed By: Alinea Productions
Advertising:
CAAC Magazine Corporation
Address: CAAC Journal, Civil Aviation
Building A, Shilihe, Chaoyang District, Idyllic Land for Urban Escape / 68
Taste Is All That Matters / 74
13 Focus
Beijing, 100122
Printing: Chic / 80
Jing Ping Cheng Qian Printing Co., LTD Books & Films / 82
The Flavor in the Air
An Interior Designer’s Cozy Cottage / 84
Advertise in Sky Times Start Your Positive Journey at Canopy by
Email: caacmag@163.com Hilton Chengdu City Centre / 87
Tel: (86-10) 87387199 Catching a Plane in a Relaxing and Pleasant Way / 88
主管: 中国民用航空局
主办: 中国民航出版社
社长: 马松伟
出版: 中国民航出版社
Travel 31
主编: 李永 China’s Secret: Enter Hainan’s Green
执行主编: 曹慎慎 Paradise / 32
编辑: 冯霜晴、王若思 Living Like a Local in Shenzhen / 36
语言顾问: 保罗·特达姆 WOW Shenzhen / 39
视觉编辑: 路泞
An Eye- and Soul-Opening Journey in
广告总监: 戴晋京
设计: 利雅法盛
广告独家代理: 中国民航杂志社
Nepal / 40
Flying 89
地址: 北京市朝阳区十里河民航空管楼A座
Feast on a Plane / 90
中国民航报社
印刷: 京平诚乾印刷有限公司
Culture 43 Frictionless Parking Payment,
Smarter Services / 92
ISSUE 16 Wuzhen, Between History and
Ask the Captain / 94
MAR/APR 2019 Modernity / 44
News / 96
国际标准刊号: ISSN2096-1375 Successful First Test Flight at Beijing
国内统一刊号: CN10-1381/G1 Daxing International Airport / 48
Cover: Kyler Boone
Backcover: Chen Xiao
03
S K Y T I M E S | Now
Floating Parade at The Fabulous
Carnival of Venice Hot Air
Balloon
The Carnival of Venice, which runs from Feb. 16 to March 5, has attracted
thousands of visitors this year. Venice launched its annual carnival festivities
with a floating night-time parade, starting more than two weeks of
celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the first humans landing on the
moon, with artists performing down the Rio di Cannaregio, one of Venice’s
famed canals. This ancient festival is world-famous for its elaborate masks,
Festival in
which lend a charming and mysterious air to the event. They can be seen
everywhere in the lagoon-festooned city.
Swiss Alps
Participants fly their hot air balloons
during the 22nd Stuckli Balloon
fiesta in Sattel-Hochstuckli,
Switzerland, on Feb. 17. The festival
attracted many hot air balloon
lovers and visitors to Sattel-
Hochstuckli, a famous tourist
destination. With hundreds
of hot air balloons filling up
the clear skies, balloonists
brought the joy of ballooning
to the Swiss Alps.
04 05
S K Y T I M E S | Now
Lucky Running on
St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17 to remember one of
Ireland’s patron saints, St. Patrick, and as a day of recognition
of Irish and Irish American culture. The tradition features
celebrations centered around Irish-themed parties, drinks, and
food. Many people dress in green and eat green-colored food.
Inspired by symbols of good luck, the spirit of the holiday
and the runners who celebrate it, Brooks Running Company
debuts this year’s St. Patrick’s Day themed shoe, featuring four-
leaf clovers and eye-catching uses of green and gold to deliver
an energized, Run Happy experience this holiday and beyond.
Panda Enjoys
Bubble Bath
Giant panda Wang Wang plays with water at the Adelaide Zoo,
Australia. Adelaide Zoo has called for its two giant pandas, on loan
from China, to stay longer. The 10-year agreement that brought
Wang Wang and Fu Ni to Australia expires in November but Zoos
SA chief executive Elaine Bensted says an extension would be
welcome. “We’d be thrilled to see Australia’s involvement in giant
panda conservation extended and for Adelaide Zoo to continue to
be home to the Australasia’s only Giant Pandas,” Ms. Bensted said.
06 07
S K Y T I M E S | Now S KY T I ME S | Talk
Van Gogh Goes What is a unique job
Immersive in Paris
Exhibition that you've only seen
A Paris gallery is offering visitors the chance to immerse themselves
in the colourscapes of Vincent Van Gogh like never before. L’Atelier
des Lumières is projecting digitized, multilayered versions of some
in your country?
of the artist’s most famous works, including Starry Night Over
the Rhone and Churchyard in the Rain, onto its floor and walls.
Conveying at different stages the illusion of water rippling in the
light and raindrops falling, the show is accompanied by a rich
soundtrack. Van Gogh, La Nuit Etoilée, which opens on Feb. 22
and runs until Dec 31, is the gallery’s second immersive art project,
1 Netherlands
With so many bicycles, so many
canals, and a lot of (drunk)
youngsters that see the fun in combin-
ing the two, there’s a problem in the
2 Japan
For as little as 6,000 Yen
p/hr ($60 USD), you can
go to one of a number of cute,
cozy cafés in Japan & cuddle with
3 Korea
Ever heard of “muk-bang”,
the eating broadcasts in
South Korea where people stream
themselves eating? Park Seo-Yeon
following a Gustav Klimt show in 2018. Netherlands. The canals are full of rusty and sleep next to a woman (usual- says she makes up to ₩10 million
bikes, which poses a risk for the tourist ly aged 18-30). Yup, just sleeping ($9,300) a month from her broad-
boats. Every few months, these guys dig NEXT to someone, with perhaps casts alone. Although incomes are
all of them up and clean the canals. You the occasional cuddle and head not regular, they average around
may call them “bikediggers”. rub. This niche enterprise came $4,000 monthly for non-promi-
about in response to the crippling nent broadcasters.
@ Cyril Snijders loneliness that dominates Japan’s
modern day society, as young @ Kilanko Paul
people refrain from getting into
4 India
Jobs to prepare two hundred
thousand rotis (Indian flat-
bread), 1.5 tonnes of dal (lentil soup)
relationships due to strict socie-
tal conventions that are imposed
upon them once they marry.
@ Susie Johnson 5 Iran
Professional car plate
number blockers! I think
and free food served to 100,000 people this happens only in Tehran. Some
everyday are what makes the free kitchen people get paid to walk behind
run at the Golden Temple in the western Indian city of Amritsar stand apart. your car, so the traffic cameras
Approximately 90% of the staff are volunteers, each of which can help can’t capture your plate number
as much as they are willing to. Volunteers can help with preparing food or when you enter the restricted traf-
cleaning, as well as other necessary tasks. fic areas!
At the end of the meal, another group of volunteers starts working. Each
dish is carefully washed and made ready for the next group of visitors. @ Alireza Behrooz
@ Baljinder Singh
From Quora
08 09
SK Y TIMES | Items
Designed for Change
Hydro Flask Cooler Cup
Container for Beer, Bottles,
Mito largo and liquids
Arc luminaire Hydro Flask, U.S.A
Occhio
Gmbb, Germany This new Hydro Flask Cooler Cup
iF DESIGN AWARD 2019 Gold Winners is two great things in one. It’s a
Mito largo combines can or bottle cooler, and with one
From January 22 to 24, 67 design experts from all over the world selected the best achievements in design innovative lighting options quick switch, it becomes a 12-ounce
with an individual design beverage cup. As a cooler cup, it’s
from more than 50 countries for the iF DESIGN AWARD 2019. Founded in 1953, iF DESIGN AWARD has a brilliantly versatile with a silicone
language in a unique symbi-
66-year glorious history in the design field. Let’s discover the new award-winning designs that will change our osis. Almost weightless, the Mito sleeve that lets you slide in a narrow
lives this year! ring floats with its characteristic cut above the bottle or thicker can—all with the
furniture. Thanks to innovative sensor technol- same snug fit. Pop off the sleeve and
ogy, the light is switched by touch, dimmed you have a 12-ounce cup made to
or smoothly height-adjusted. In addition to keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks
gesture control, Occhio Air is also integrated hot. The product is one that never
as standard, allowing convenient control via leaves your camping kit.
smart phones or tablets.
IONITY
Electric charger
IONITY GmbH, Germany
IONITY has tasked Design works Leg&Go
with designing the charging station Transformable Balance bike 8in1
architecture, the charger pylons, and Shaman Inventions, Ltd. Latvia
the digital interaction concept for this
first European fast-charging network Leg&go 8in1 Balance Bike is a transform-
Aibo (ERS1000) for long-distance travel. The task was able wooden bike that grows with a child
Entertainment Robot to furnish IONITY with a recognizable, aged 6 months to 6 years. Its unique frame
Sony Corporation, Japan welcoming and leading-edge visual accommodates 8 modifications to easily
identity in Europe, whilst significantly change it into a Rocking Elephant, Tricycle,
The aibo entertainment robot gives users a improving the electric charging expe- Pedal Bike, Downhill Bike or even a Polar
companion to connect with, raise, and love. rience. The overall goal is to dispel Bike. Due to its customizability and adjust-
Using Sony’s AI technologies for linking with concerns about range and make ability in size, it not only saves the parents
the cloud, aibo keeps growing into a distinct electromobility more attractive for from purchasing 2 to 3 different bikes, but
personality by making its ownconnections long-distance travel. is also sustainable, minimizing the impact of
with people. The robot includes 22 drive overconsumption.
actuators that unlock realistic expressivity and
enable advances in aibo’s physical capabili-
ties. Embracing the concept of “vitality,” the
design fuses AI and mechatronics into a new
story of human-robot companionship.
Superior Stewpot Series
Stewpot
FOSHAN SHUNDE MIDEA ELECTRICAL, China
Balanced
This is a set of Chinese traditional soup stew pots designed
Kitchen Knife Set
for young families. It embraces cultural heritage, the shape
Paul Cohen Design, of Chinese ceramic ware, and a CMF design of white with
Australia solid wood.Different from dark traditional stew pots, this new
Chinese design can better integratewith modern home spaces.
The premium 3 knife set is Card Phone KY-01L
customizable to suit your person-
Wireless Audio VL Series VL5, VL3 Mobile phone
al cooking and preparation style by Wireless Audio KYOCERA Corporation, Japan
modifying the weight and balance of the Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Korea
handle. The innovative & patented adjustable This is the world’s smallest and slimmest card-type
balance weight uses a magneticconnection. The VL Audio is a wireless audio system with a modern slim form phone, with the size of a business card. High-quality
Positioning the weight forward allows for firm factor design which allows for easy installation anywhere around VoLTE calls can be made with this device.The use of
chopping, and moving it to the rear makes the the house, on a table or wall mounts, freeing listeners from the e-paper for the display saves power and realizes minia-
knife balanced for precision cutting. The surface stereotype of conventional fixed audio systems. It also provides turization. Through the compactness, possibilities have
finish is a black oxidized food grade scratch users with easy controls through a dial remote that lets them find been further expanded for early adopters and business
resistant treatment, which is micro honed for tracks and carry out simple commands such as Play/Pause and users. This is an original NTT DOCOMO model that
excellent non-stick qualities. volume adjustment via voice commands. brings innovation with a simple yet essential design.
10 11
SK Y TIMES | Data
CHINA’S CIVIL AVIATION REACHES NEW HEIGHTS
SPRING FESTIVAL IN NUMBERS
From February 4 to 10, box
During this Spring Festival, 421 MILLION people chose to office revenues of Chinese
travel from February 4 to 10, 0.35% higher compared with movies reached 5.8 BILLION
the same period last year. Yuan, as 130 million people
went to the cinema. On
the first day of the Chinese
12.59+10.6%
338 -0.8%
lunar year, the box office
climbed to 1.4 BILLION Yuan,
surpassing last year’s record
of 1.27 billion Yuan.The
Wandering Earth,
60.39 +5.8%
10.22 -3.2%
Crazy Alien, and
Pegasus were the top
three movies.
UNIT:MILLION
Focus
Besides family reunion, 7.22 MILLION
people chose to travel abroad with A total of 225 MILLION
families and friends during the 2019 passengers enjoyed higher-
Spring Festival holiday, 15.92% quality airport services thanks
higher year on year. Thailand, Japan, to a paperless ticketing drive in
Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, the 2018 that helped
United States, and Korea were the saveti me spent
top seven destinations. waiting by about
18.75 MILLION
hours.
CHINA’S FLIGHTS RECORD
BEST ON -TIME PERFOR M ANCE
SINCE 2010
THE NORMAL RELEASE RATE
In 2018, the on-time rate for flights operated by Chinese AT AIRPORTS
airlines reached 80.13%, the highest level since 2010,
according to the Civil Aviation Administration of
China. Since the launch of a special operation
82.94% +6.78%
aimed at improving the service quality for air
passengers last year, flight management has
seen significant improvement. THE ON-TIME DEPARTURE RATE
82.51% +8.89%
12 13
Focus
The
flavor
in the
air
Be it a pack of chili sauce and a piece of warm bread
or a specially cooked dish or a bowl of delicious rice
noodles with chicken soup, in the uncomfortably
narrow seat on an airplane, when the flight attendants
serve you meals of meat and vegetables, know that
they are actually also serving you their sincerity, and
that can only be felt by the heart.
14 15
Focus
Flavor all
which celebrates the flavor of Lapsang-Souchong black tea on than 3%. In the Xiamen Air kitch-
white tea and fresh pork ribs. the Amsterdam route. This mellow en, the standard is zero foreign
Cooking with tea helps dilute and and fresh flavor helps provide objects in the rice. In order to
dissolve the copious amounts of relief from the dry air in the cabin. ensure the fluffy texture of their
Across
fat in this pork-laden dish. Other Tea soup can warm you up just as rice, cooks break up the rice
main courses are chopped-chili sea well as a blanket. coming out of the pot (which is
bass and Da-Hong-Pao tea-taste nearly 100oC) by hand. What few
short ribs. The dessert is a jasmine A Story about Rice people know is that the rice served
puff. With one bite of this soft on their airplanes has actually
China
and sweet puff, you can feel the In the Xiamen Air catering been shaken up three times: once
essence of jasmine explode in center, a dozen or so workers are after steaming, once more after
your mouth. gathered around a long table, being refrigerated, and then again
Tea from Fujian is well-known working with rice. They work before being packaged.
T e x t Feng Shuangqing around the world. Xiamen Air, in pairs and sift through the rice Planes fly around the world
headquartered in this prominent with care. After one finishes their frequently. But in many cases,
tea province, has been serving selection, their partner goes on to meals served onboard are not
tea-taste dishes for over ten years inspect it. As you may know, if the provided by the airline’s own
and has even published a book quality control of airplane food kitchen. Instead, they are made
W
hen flying, what in upscale restaurants, the food with Da-Hong-Pao offered on appropriately entitled Cooking goes wrong, all the passengers by catering companies located in
concerns a foodie in the seaport city of Xiamen the Los Angeles route, and the With Tea. This book offers reci- are put at risk, and an immediate the city the plane departs from.
the most might has long made foodies drool. cooked-with-tea dishes on the pes for hundreds of dishes and emergency response may be trig- When intercontinental routes first
not be delays or If you didn’t get enough in the menu “Charm of Fuzhou (aka snacks that are made with green gered at the destination on the opened, foreign catering compa-
turbulence, but the quality of city, the in-flight meals provid- the City of Banyans)” served on tea, oolong tea, red tea, black other side of the world. The conse- nies cooked Chinese food in a
the in-flight meal. If you take a ed by Xiamen Air will give you the newly opened Fuzhou to Paris tea, and flavored tea. Cooking quences quickly become serious. western style, which is why we
domestic flight, you may gasp with an opportunity to make up for route are memorable. Bak-kut- with tea has already become a According to national stan- might still run into “fake Chinese
disappointment upon seeing a stew- lost time. Xiamen Air, based in tech, a specialty of Fuzhou, is a trademark of Xiamen Air meals. dards, the permissible percentage food” on flights heading back
ardess bringing you chicken rice Xiamen, Fujian Province was pork rib dish cooked in broth, It’s even possible to taste classic of foreign objects in rice is less to China.
or beef noodles. You can’t help but greatly influenced by Fujian and Rice is an indispensable part
sigh: “One World, One Menu.” Taiwanese cuisine and provides of Chinese cuisine. In order to
The food on most domestic unique and delicious in-flight encourage foreign catering compa-
airlines is all part of one big fami- meals – such as braised fish, nies to provide rice cooked in the
ly and is probably all made by the braised duck with ginger, braised Chinese way and satisfy Chinese
same catering company. However, pork, and seafood and vegetable palates, the Xiamen Air Catering
some airlines do provide palatable stew with satay sauce. Open your Department examined the rice of
in-flight meals. The quality of disposable dinner box in economy seven different foreign catering
their food is an advantage that the class and you will see traditional companies. Later, they sent rice
world’s best airlines use to attract snacks like fried flour-coated samples to companies that failed
customers. Some passengers chose peanut and coconut cake. Fried the test to help them get their rice
an airline entirely based on the noodles and satay noodles are up to snuff. They specially sent out
taste of its food. also in-flight staples. Chinese chefs to provide cooking
People see food as a basic need. If you take an international guidance and “correct” improper
Under the pressure of their passen- flight, or any other long-haul cooking processes and cookware.
gers’ picky tastes, many domestic flight over ten hours long, the A Seattle catering company even
airlines have tried their utmost to prospect of having a tasty (or bought seven rice cookers to cook
improve the palatability of their at least palatable) in-flight meal rice for Xiamen Air flights.
in-flight meals and have spent large may help make up for some of
sums of money hiring famous chefs your back pain. Delicious food Hot Pot in the Sky
from upscale restaurants as advi- is always available on Xiamen
sors. This has become a subtle trend Air intercontinental flights. Just When it comes to Sichuan
in the airline catering industry. wait for the meal delivery service Airlines, in-flight food becomes
announcement. an unavoidable topic. In 2017,
Minnan Flavor and Tea Among Xiamen Air’s refresh- the terms “Do not Fly Sichuan
ing menu, the chicken soup Airlines” were a top search on
From street snacks and food with Tieguanyin served on the Weibo (a Chinese version of
stalls to lavish seafood feasts Seattle route, the cooked rice Twitter). Since then, a rumor has
16 17Focus
thought a flying Sichuan
into restaurant, every
their Sichuan Airlines
food, from menu airplane provides a
categories to flight of delicacies with
frequent updates. spicy and refreshing tastes.
Serving both local specialties
and international dishes, Sichuan Delicious and Healthy
Airlines thoroughly deserves the
nickname “Hot Pot in the Sky.” To prepare an in-flight meal,
Generally speaking, the menu is the procedures are far more
updated monthly, continuously complex than ina typical restau-
promoting Sichuan flavors to rant kitchen. Cooking airplane
passengers with both new and food involves not only the design
classic dishes. of the menu, but also the selection
In recent years, firewood of ingredients, main courses, side
chicken has become popular in dishes, and condiments. What’s
Sichuan and Chongqing. Cooked more, the color combinations,
in a simple pot using burning flavor pairings, and presentation
firewood, the chicken obtains a of the meal must also be taken
rich and delicious flavor thanks into consideration.
to a careful control overthe Sichuan Airlines develops its
cooking temperature. Noticing recipes independently. To avoid
the dish’s popularity, Sichuan an excessive intake of calories,
Airlines brought this rural deli- meals served on their flights have
cacy, cooked in a natural, casual been carefully selected to take
style, up into the sky. Additionally, into consideration healthiness and
popular Chengdu street food nutrition. The amount of calories
fare like Sichuan pepper beef, is kept under 600 (the maximum
stir-fried pork, Sichuan pepper amount recommended for an adult
chicken, boiled fish fillet, and meal according to the UN Food
many others can also be found and Agriculture Organization).
on Sichuan Airlines flights. Like While indulging themselves in
gourmet food, passengers are
spared the trouble of worrying
about the risk of gain-
spread across the this or that.” grilled corn, Laoganma chili ing weight.
country: “Sichuan A post receiving sauce, stir-fried pork, chicken, If you happen
Airlines makes their many likes on the sausage, bacon, Gongbao shrimp to fly Sichuan
passengers fat.” online Q&A platform balls, seafood hot pot, boiled Airlines during a festival, you
A perceptive neti- zen Zhihu (the Chinese version of beef with rice, Mapo tofu with will be served sesame glutinous
posted her experience of a Sichuan Quora) puts it like this: “Only on meatballs, glutinous rice balls in rice balls for Lantern Festival,
Airlines flight from boarding to Sichuan Airlines flights can you osmanthus sweet rice wine, and chocolates for Valentine’s Day,
landing: “I was given beverages as see stewards and stewardesses so on. A variety of Sichuan dishes a lollipop for both adults and
soon as I had boarded the plane, nonchalantly carrying baskets full and snacks are provided, including children during Children’s Day,
and then rice and side dishes were of corn and potatoes asking: ‘Do the most common Chengdu street rice dumplings for Dragon Boat
served. Soon after that bread you want potatoes? Corn?’ like snack: egg pancakes. It is worth Festival, moon cakes during
and cakes were offered, and then farmers peddling their goods at mentioning that these dishes Mid-Autumn Festival, laba
drinks again. While a steward- the market.” are not only for business class congee for Laba Festival, and so
ess was busy handing out rice, a As far as we can gather, this passengers. Economy class also on. Through these special treats,
steward was following behind her airline is dedicated to pampering has access to a wide range of Sichuan Airlines extends their
with a glass jar in his hand, asking their passengers with a variety delicacies. wishes to passengers in the hope
us if we wanted a scoop of chili of choices, including a small hot Food is one of the most import- that these festive delicacies will
sauce. Throughout the meal, we pot, Maocai, Dan Dan noodles, ant services for many passengers. help dilute the sadness of not being
were asked if we wanted to add Zhong dumplings, roast potatoes, Sichuan Airlines puts a lot of with one’s family for the holidays.
18 19Focus
Zhang Chunjie
L
Head Chef of Xinhua
ast February, Zhang
Making the
Air Catering
Chunjie paid a visit to
Wenchang, on Hainan
Island. Like other tour-
Best
ists, the first step of his journey
was to “eat chicken”. But Zhang
didn’t go to any restaurant in the
city. Instead, he went directly to
a villager’s house in the coun-
Airline
tryside, where he observed and
learned the process of selecting
a chicken, removing the feath-
ers and preparing the bird, rice,
Food
soup, and sauce.
“It is a castrated rooster. Cook
the chicken right after plucking
the feathers, but not for too long.
Half of the soup is used to make
vegetable soup, and the other
T e x t Cao Shenshen half is used to cook the rice.
P h o t o s Wang Yang The rice in the south is dry, and
the chicken oil will moisten it,
making it quite tasty. The sauce
is made up of chicken broth,
Hainan lime, some minced garlic
and green onions, as well as
some chili sauce and a special
locally-made soy sauce.” Zhang
Chunjie’s mouth is watering,as if
he was still eating chicken in that “Quarantining” Oneself mobile phones are not allowed
villager’s home in Wenchang. with the Food during work. The Beijing Xinhua
After coming back to Beijing, Airport Food Company that
Zhang wondered, “how can I Zhang Chunjie is a Beijinger Zhang works for prepares food for
bring the renowned Hainanese through and through and has a Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines,
Chicken Rice onto an airplane?” good sense of humor. When we American Airlines, Delta Air lines,
As we know, it’s not simple first met, he was wearing a white and Israel Airlines, among others.
to cook a famous dish on an chef uniform that made him look The civil aviation industry calls it
airplane. From ingredients select- like an expert surgeon. He is the “in-flight catering”.
ing, to the means of cooking, head chef of Xinhua Air Catering. Zhang starts work at 8:30 in the
it’s much more complicated than He once worked for the Shangri- morning. He enters a password,
cooking on the ground. “For the La Hotel and a Swissotel and opens the door and changes
utmost safety, any poultry on a specializes in western cuisines. into a disinfected white
plane must be well done. So, we When people call him “chef”, uniform. He has to wrap
might choose small chickens, he immediately corrects them: his hair in a disposable
which are more tender.” As for “Zhang would make me more hairnet, however short
how to retain the correct flavor, comfortable.” Every day, he rides it is, wears a mask
Zhang Chunjie says: “To ensure his bike for eight kilometers to the with only his eyes
that the chicken isn’t dry, we Hainan Airlines base on North exposed and covers
could smear some chicken oil on Huoyun Road of the Beijing his shoes. To enter the
it and wrap it in lotus leaves. We Capital International Airport. He airline food workshop,
could also put some concentrated needs to go through a security one has to quarantine
chicken oil in the dish. This way, checkpoint before he makes it oneself with the food.
after the chicken is reheated, it to his work station. Sharp items The “one-off preparation
would still taste soft and tender.” and lighters are forbidden.Even room” is only the starting
20 21Focus point of the in-flight meals prepa- Limited Ingredients numbers that Zhang mentions ration process. Hand washing is Unlike a restaurant on the the most. All meat, poultry, and mandatory before entering the ground, where dishes can be seafood can only be processed room. “Wash your hands with served directly from the kitchen, after being cooked for 15 seconds sanitizer for at least 20 seconds. airline food must be sterilized, at 74°C. The raw and rare meat Rinse your hands with warm cooked, and immediately blast- we may be accustomed to eating is water, wipe them dry with paper chilled and refrigerated before inappropriate on airplanes. towels and then soak them in being repackaged and sent onto “We seldom use leafy vegeta- a disinfectant solution for ten airplanes and finally distributed to bles, because they lose their color seconds…” The dressing standards passengers after being reheated in after being heated. There are often and hand washing sketch are an oven. A major concern: ingre- jolts of turbulence on the plane, hung up on the wall right above dients must retain their shape, so ribs are also inappropriate.” the sink. The next step is to go quality, and color even after this Ingredients with bones and spurs, through the air-shower. After the long process. perishables, those with crumbs door is closed, a nozzle spurts In the airline food workshop, and pungent smells should be used highly filtrated clean, strong wind the temperature must stay under only rarely or not at all. “To work for ten seconds. Then you must 18 all year round. In the rough in in-flight catering is to attempt use a lint roller to remove hair and processing workshop, workers to maximize possibilities with very other foreign matter. Finally, you clean, sterilize, soak and cut fruits limited materials.” It may seem sign a registration form. and vegetables. Soon, the cleaned a pity to limit a chef’s creativity, Color, flavor, and taste are fruit and vegetables are repack- but in fact, numerous chefs are the usual standards for meals aged and refrigerated for future fascinated by it, like Zhang – who on the ground, but in the world use. In the cold kitchen, to ensure has been in the airline catering of in-flight catering, safety and sanitation, fruits and vegetables industry for 18 years. In Zhang’s hygiene are also a priority. So in must be sterilized three times with mind, the most appropriate cuisine this “special” kitchen, no dust is their skin on before processing. for the main course on planes is allowed. Its hygienic standards The workshop is also very strict stewed food. It not only tastes are no lower than that of five-star when choosing its ingredients. better after being reheated but also hotels. From choosing suppli- 74 and 15 seconds are the two doesn’t change appearance. ers to food acceptance checks, processing, repackaging,and trans- portation, every step must remain clean and safe. Strange or peculiar ingredients are not permitted for in-flight catering. From business licenses and health inspections to quar- antine certifications and regular examination reports, many restrictions are in place to ensure food safety. Given Full Play with 22 23
Focus
“In-flight catering is to bring technology. It tends to be a large- accurate to the gram. part of a giant machine that works
the new out of the old.” This is scale and industrialized affair. In the last step of production, to support such a huge number of
Zhang’s motto. When working An “automatic rice packaging the staff in the food pairing passengers. Each in-flight meal is
with a famous dish, Zhang tries machine” may look ordinary workshop repackages meals in like a tiny screw in that machine.
to transfer the familiar taste into to us, but it actually plays an preparation for transportation We may ask ourselves, why is it
a delicacy that can be eaten on extremely important role in to the different airlines, with always beef noodles and chicken
a plane – which requires much the development of airline food production tags, loading tags and rice on the plane? Actually, the
thinking and experimentation. production. Before this machine’s checking tags. In this room, each economy class menu of Hainan
Zhang uses cumin lamb as an invention, each serving of rice package of food is also accurate to Airlines changes once a month,
example, “due to altitude hypox- for each economy class passenger the gram. and the business class menu is
ia, all food becomes quite dry so meal was scooped into tinfoil by renewed every 7 to 10 days, in
I add some onions when making hand. Even the most conscientious A Secret That Cannot Be case regular business travelers
cumin lamb. During reheating, the work team couldn’t ensure that might have the same meal several
moisture from the onions softens portions were of the same weight. Told times. Zhang says: “The economy
the lamb, which helps make it But with the automatic rice pack- In Beijing, three suppliers class of Hainan Airlines provides
taste better.” aging machine, all a cook needs provide airline food for over three kinds of hot meals for
With airline food, you’ll find to do is to put the cooled, cooked 1,700 departure flights every day. passengers to choose from. Among
that most of the work is done by rice into the machine. It then They are Beijing Air Catering them, rice is the most popular,
machines. “This is an automatic dispenses the rice and makes rice Co., LTD. ( Beijing Air Catering), making up 60% of passenger
cooking pot with a reinforced lumps of a fixed length and width established on May 1, 1980, choices.Noodles account for
base. It is used to make chicken — each about 150 grams. This Beijing Airport Inflight Kitchen 30%, and western food represents
soup, it’s non-stick and self-cool- greatly reduces labor intensity and LTD., which opened in 1996, only 10%.
ing.” Zhang points to a pot as improves work efficiency. and Beijing Xinhua Air Catering What shelf life is an in-flight
he speaks. In his eyes, airline After entering the hot kitch- (Xinhua Air Catering), operating meal expected to have? 24 hours,
food is not about showing off the en, we see a few sets of screens since 2005. Among them, the most including the time it spends being
chef’s cooking skills, but about displaying the production plan experienced, Beijing Air Catering, processed, cooked, refrigerated,
making the most out of modern for the day. The ingredients are provides food services for over and transported. Once an in-flight
meal is carried out of the kitchen,
there’s no going back. If a flight is
canceled, the in-flight meals that
are taken out of storage cannot be
returned. Zhang says: “We run
into this type of situation almost
every day.”
You see vegetables and meat,
rice and noodles. A seemingly tiny
in-flight meal actually includes
“everything”. It is in fact not
much different from a meal on
the ground. For an airline compa-
ny, airline catering is a huge
expenditure. In order to retain
500 flights of 40 airlines every day their passengers and satisfy their
with 100,000 meals. Xinhua Air diverse needs, airlines spend a
Catering, Zhang’s employer,cooks huge amount of money on improv-
27,000 meals a day and more than ing the quality of their catering.
30,000 during peak periods. “In the past, before discount tick-
In 2017, the total amount of ets, airline companies could make
airline food in China was 525 money from the airline food they
million meals. As the second provided. But now that tickets
busiest airport in the world, the are cheap and the cost of airline
passenger throughput of Beijing catering is rising, airlines barely
Capital International Airport make money.” Maybe this is the
broke 100 million in 2018. Each secret that cannot be told about
link in the civil aviation chain is airline food.
24 25Focus
The History of
of the aviation industry. As an After that first lunch, airplane couldn’t eat hot food at normal
increasing number of wealthy passengers had nothing but cold flying altitudes. Indeed, eating on
people began to travel by air, meals for 20 years. The early an airplane in the past was not a
In-Flight
airlines jumped at the new market, DC-3 aircraft relied heavily on simple proposition.
outfitting their planes with the passengers to make money, and In order to serve hot food tothe
latest heating equipment and there was neither an airtight wealthy customers, airplanes had
hiring full-time chefs to cook pressurization system nor heating to descend out of flying altitudes
fancy meals for their wealthy equipment on board, so passengers to allowchefs to cook and had
Meals
passengers. had to wrap themselves in blan- to wait for passengers to finish
Before that, the very first kets and eat cold meals in cabins eating to climb back up. This was
in-flight meal in aviation history that were close to zero degrees. done to minimize the impact of
was served in 1910 on a flight Hot drinks such as coffee were low cabin temperatures on the
from London to Paris – at a price made in the hangar before being food. However, this also caused
of 3 shillings per lunch (about $50 taken onto the planes. new problems. When the plane
today). A Handley Page aircraft In 1936, United Airlines became descended from the stratosphere
T e x t Echao flew this route, and passengers the first airline to install kitchens into the troposphere, it was easi-
P h o t o s KLM,Air New Zealand & Emirates were given cold food for lunch on planes and serve hot meals. ly affected by turbulence. It not
because aircraft conditions at the However, due to poor pressur- only placed heavy demands on
time made hot meals impossible. ization at the time, passengers the pilot’s ability to choose calm
routes and avoid turbulence but
also put forward new requirements
A
lmost everyone who people’s sensitivity to sweet and for food safety. Food had to be
has traveled by plane savory flavors decreases by about easy to swallow and couldn’t get
has had to make the 30%. Lufthansa also speculates that stuck in the throat. After meeting
same difficult choice: “if you ate the same airline food at all the requirements, cooked food
“Beef Noodles or Chicken Rice?”. sea-level, you might be surprised by was served on porcelain and silver
After having to select one of these how good these chefs really are.” tableware for the wealthy gentle-
two equally unpalatable options, it However, what is even more men and ladies.
might be hard to muster the courage surprising is that this study indicat- Stephanie Butler, author of
to call yourself a foodie ever again. ed that in addition to Chicken Rice Airplane Food, from Sandwiches
In-flight meals taste awful. This and Beef Noodles, airline passen- to Smoked Salmon, wrote that:
is a fact that even the airlines can’t gers could also enjoy fancy meals “In a 1938 article detailing the
deny. Otherwise, they wouldn’t go cooked by chefs directly on the food service program at Newark
to the trouble of defending them- plane. Could it be true? In fact, this Airport, Mrs. G. Thomas French
selves. For example, a Lufthansa used to happen over 80 years ago. explained how she managed the
study found that at high altitudes, The 1930s were the Golden Age kitchen program for the entire
airport. She proudly noted that her
kitchen ‘does all our own baking–
pies, tarts, pastries, cream roll
desserts, bread and muffins.’ She
even knew individual passengers
likes and schedules, and wouldn’t
serve the same meal two consec-
utive Mondays if she knew that
meant a specific traveler would
have the same meal twice.”
Another factor that pushed
airplane food to a higher level was
price control. Back then, in the
United States, the price for all tick-
ets on a particular route was the
same. If the price was the same,
how should people decide which
airline to fly with? In-flight meals
became a deciding element.
26 27Focus
In 1958, Pan American World Swiss Air
Airways filed a famous lawsuit also took
against the four major European advantage
airlines over “When is a sandwich of Pan-Am’s
not a sandwich?”. The story began ignorance of
with the Trans-Atlantic routes. European food
The ticket prices for the routes had standards and
remained prohibitively expensive served similar-
until these five airlines and the ly extravagant
IATA (International Air Transport selections to
Association) marked them down. their passengers.
In exchange for the discount, the Pan-Am took the
airlines stopped serving main other four airlines
meals, and passengers flying from to court in Europe to
Europe to North America only finally sort it out: “when is a
had sandwiches to eat for their sandwich not a sandwich?”
journey. However, after everyone The 1950s was truly the Golden seen in a
boarded and the flight took off, Age of airline food. By that time, fine restaurant on the ground was
Pan-Am was shocked. “(…) five air travel had become a major also found on the plane.
slices of ox tongue, a lettuce heart, trend the world over, and – with At that time, airplane food
asparagus, and sliced carrots—on the advent of pressurized cabin was undoubtedly a luxury good.
a slice of bread (…)”, Scandinavian – the quality of airplane food If social media had existed back
Air Systems (SAS) actually called reached new heights. Tablecloths, then, beautiful girls and handsome
this a “sandwich”! KLM Royal silverware, red wine, steaks and men from rich families would
Dutch Airlines, Air France and desserts, everything that could be inevitably have taken selfies of
their airplane food and posted
them online to flaunt their wealth.
But like every Golden Age,
airplane food finally entered its
Bronze Age 10 years later and was
kicked out of the luxury world. meal’s price has dropped to 20
In the 1960s, as an increas- Exquisite meals cooked by our or 30 yuan?
ing number of ordinary people Now we come to the Chinese
got access to airport terminals, master chefs will make you feel part of the story. Similar to the
airplanes gradually became a history of international civil avia-
regular means of transportation. like you’re in a fine restaurant. tion, the quality of in-flight meals
Meanwhile, fewer and fewer on domestic flights was remark-
passengers were willing to pay We make flight different. ably high in the past. This was
for airline tickets that included again because, in the early days of
sumptuous meals. As the demand cost-saving practices once they Actually, although today’s in-flight domestic civil aviation, only the
for luxury food decreased, airlines have been adopted, and the quality meals are generally considered to rich and privileged could afford
started cutting their costs and and quantity of in-flight meals be awful, you can still find some a plane ride, so the standard
contracting out their in-flight have begun to suffer. For instance, airlines like Etihad Airways that for in-flight meals was relative-
meals to large catering companies. Delta Air Lines removed a straw- offer real in-flight cooking. ly high. From the few existing
Ever since, in-flight meals have berry from the salad served to As time goes by, and the Golden photos of the time, we see that
been on a downhill slide. Jason first-class passengers, which saved Age of in-flight meals fades further early domestic flights provided
Kessler, founder of the Fly & Dine the airline $210,000 a year. In the into history, in-flight meals have not only ordinary food but also
blog said that in-flight meals are early 2000s, Northwest Airlines become less and less enjoyable, local specialties such as Beijing
going from bad to worse. (which has since merged with and this downward trend is likely Roast Duck.
Since the global economic crisis United Airlines) canceled a pretzel to continue. And yet, with the In the 1980s, direct flights were
and deregulation efforts from ration for every passenger, saving growing number of frequent flyers, launched between China and the
government agencies, airlines $2,000,000 a year. After learning more and more passengers are United States after the Reform and
spend less on their passengers so that, do you still believe it’s the complaining about their bland Opening-Up. Before Pan-Am’s San
as to further cut ticket prices and moisture and air pressure that is airplane meals. But what do you Francisco to Beijing route was put
increase sales. It’s hard to abandon to blame for bad airplane food? expect when you know that your into operation, a US delegation
28 29Focus
found during their inspections that
there was no decent aviation cater-
ing company at the Beijing Capital
International Airport, so they
suggested that flights departing
from Beijing should stop in Tokyo
airlines have gradually adjusted
their in-flight meals. Those deli-
cious early meals are now rarely
served to the economy class.
However, with the rapid
development of the civil aviation
Travel
and have their food replenished at industry and the rise of “The
the Tokyo Haneda Airport before Enlightened Foodie” in China, an
continuing on to San Francisco. increasing number of young people
The Chinese side had a different are picky and choosy with their
suggestion. Hong Kong Maxim’s in-flight meals. Passengers are provide tasty but cheap meals?
Caterers Limited was invited to now more concerned with their This is still a global question
invest in the Beijing Air Catering meal’s palatability. According to that they haven’t been able to
Company. This became the the International Travel Catering answer. You will find that deli-
first international joint venture Association (ITCA), palatability of cious in-flight meals have become
in China since the founding of in-flight meals has entered the top a dream that can only be entirely
the People’s Republic of China. three considerations for passengers achieved in fancy words. Quite
The company began providing- when choosing an airline. Perhaps a few airlines claim that they’ve
meals for international flights on it’s reasonable to not eat or have invited chefs from renowned
May 2, 1981. a light snack on short-haul flights restaurants to cook for their
Since the 1990s, the reform of under 2 hours. But for longer passengers, but after you read a
China’s Secret: Enter Hainan’s Green Paradise / 32
flight regulations and the econom- flights across an ocean, the quality menu that lists “Stewed Chicken
ic development have made the of in-flight meals begins to directly Rice with Red Wine,” you will Living Like a Local in Shenzhen / 36
airplane a fact of life for a grow- affect a passenger’s entire flight soon realize that your choice is
WOW Shenzhen / 39
ing number of Chinese. To reduce experience. still limited to “Beef Noodles” and
airfare and attract customers, However, how can airlines “Chicken Rice”. An Eye- and Soul-Opening Journey in Nepal / 40
30T ra vel | Inside China
China’s Secret W
hen you think of explore the local scenery, enjoy
Hainan, you might traditional culture and food, and
first picture sunny participate in many village themed
beaches, palm trees, events, where you’ll gain a deep
and sea breezes, but Hainan also understanding of and appreciation
has a stunning green country- for Hainan’s village culture.
side. Visit the rainforest and the
mountain wilderness, where the Mystical Li and Miao
air is clean and fresh and where
Villages, Hidden in the
Enter Hainan’s Green Paradise
you may meet an old Li Minority
granny who will give you a Rainforest
thumbs up, a toothless grin, and The Li and Miao minority
T e x t & P h o t o s Hainan Tourism Publicity & Promotional Center greet you in the local Li language. people have farmed Hainan’s
T r a n s l a t e d b y Nicki Johnson Enter a Miao village, where you’ll countryside for generations. The
be greeted by a young Miao Li people originally came to
woman wearing traditional cloth- Hainan around 5,000 years ago,
ing, singing a song of welcome… and are the island’s earliest known
You’ve probably been to so many cities, and seen so much beautiful scenery, but If you happen to be lucky inhabitants, while the Miao came
what do you know about China’s countryside? Located at the southernmost point enough to come to Hainan in to Hainan over 400 years ago.
April or May, you should Visiting central Hainan and learn-
of China, Hainan island boasts a countryside that has a very different local flavor. definitely head out to a Li ing about the Li and Miao cultures
Here, the Li and Miao minorities believe that all living things have a soul, and the or Miao village to enjoy a first-hand in one of their many
coasts are dotted with tiny fishing villages. Traditional culture still thrives, quietly traditional local festival: traditional villages is an opportu-
Sanyuesan, which falls nity you won’t want to miss.
living on in every aspect of the colorful countryside. on the third day of the Breathtaking Zahan Village is
third lunar month. located up in a mountain valley at
The Rural Tourism an elevation of around 800 meters
Cultural Festival, above sea level, in Hongmao
also celebrated Town, Qiongzhong. Here you’ll
around this see waterfalls flowing above a
time, is a sea of clouds and find a country
great oppor- village with Miao-style courtyard
tunity to houses. Taking a walk here is like
Sanyuesan
Celebration
32 33T ra vel | Inside China
strolling through the heavens. a home, and slowly, a village relics can be seen throughout the an amazing village vacation expe- the shimmering lake, as mist curls Tips
See traditional Li Minority was born. village, from the Ming Dynasty rience will be at your fingertips. up towards the high green hills.
1. The “Sanyuesan” Li & Miao Minority
“boat-shaped” thatched mud Fengtang Village, located in Memorial Arch and the Qing Wake up after a good night’s rest Soak in an outdoor volcanic
Festival falls on April 7th this year. The
houses in Zajin Village, in Baoting Yongxing Town, Haikou, is over Dynasty temple to the volcanic at the “Courtyard Era Guesthouse” rock hot spring, get a traditional Rural Tourism Cultural Festival will
County’s Sandao Town. In front of 400 years old. At the village stone houses, roads, and ancient in Beireng Village, located in Jiaji Chinese medicine foot massage, be held from April to May. If you’re in
each door, you’ll find a frog totem entrance, a 300 hundred-year- wells. The village’s two nearby Town, Qionghai, and head over stroll through green fields, and Hainan during this time, you absolutely
can’t miss these events!
and sculpture, which the Li people old Banyan Tree stoops over a large ponds seem to be a pair of to the “Beireng Guest Hall” to enjoy many other relaxing coun-
believe will bring them more sons deep, tranquil pond. Here, each deep, blue eyes, serenely gazing see a display of local folk culture, tryside activities in Duncha 2. Hainan boasts China’s most convenient
and good weather for farming. house and wall was made from out from the earth at passersby. including Li brocade and carved Village, located in Jiuzhou Town, entry policy! On May 1, 2018, Hainan’s
Learn to weave Li brocade, play a volcanic stones, skillfully fitted coconuts, then sit down at a straw- Qiongshan District, Haikou. 59 Country Visa Free Entry Policy came
into effect, making it extremely easy
bamboo flute, pick your own fresh together without plaster or mortar. Stay in a Beautiful, thatched coffee shop and enjoy There’s so much to enjoy in and convenient to visit Hainan.
fruit, try the local cuisine, and live They have stood for hundreds of a cup of locally sourced coffee, Hainan’s vibrant countryside,
the life of a villager for a day. years without any need for repair. Unique Village before taking a stroll or a leisurely and the more than one hundred
Walking along the winding volca- In addition to traditional Li & bike ride through fields of green “Coconut Level” village tour-
Mysterious Volcanic Rock nic stone paths, you’ll feel like Miao villages and ancient volcanic palms and betelnut trees. ism locations each have their
Hainan Official
you’ve traveled back in time. stone dwellings, Hainan boasts Head over to Baoting County’s own special charm, with deep Tourism
Villages During the Song Dynasty, many other unique villages that Xiangshui Town and stay the green scenery and unique local Information
Several thousand years ago, Luoyi Village, in Chengmai are worth a visit. These special night in a wooden cabin on the customs. Looking to add some- Website
a volcano erupted in northern County’s Laocheng Town, was places not only preserve their waterfront in Maozhen Village. thing completely different to your
Hainan. The red-hot lava solid- a horse relay post for journeys original cultures but also provide When darkness falls, a vast sea vacation? The villages of Hainan,
ified, becoming volcanic rock. along Hainan’s West Coast, excellent vacation facilities for of fireflies lights up the night, with their ancient traditions and Hainan Visa
Free & Visa on
There, on the barren rock, a few and the name Luoyi (relay post) travelers. All you have to do is get shining like glittering stars. In the refreshing simplicity, are exactly
Arrival Policy
hardy Hainanese began to build reflects this history. Ancient there, and everything you need for morning, practice yoga alongside what you need! Guide
Rural Tourism
Cultural Festival
Maozhen Village, Fengtang Village,
Baoting Haikou
Luoyi Village, Beireng Village,
Chengmai Qionghai
Duncha Village, Zahan Village,
Haikou Qiongzhong
34 35T ra vel | Ci ty Insi de r
Local
How does one Parks, mountains and beach resorts are all fabulous places to spend the day.
Living Like a
spend a day like a I personally prefer to hike on Lianhua Hill in the morning, shop at malls in the
local in Shenzhen? afternoon, and have a delectable dinner and chat with friends at night.
What are the Dameisha, with golden-sand beaches and crystal-clear sea water, has become
in Shenzhen
city’s must-see one of the greatest tourist attractions in the city, especially in summer. One
attractions? special thing about the resort is that there is an elevator which can carry riders
to a sightseeing platform 62 meters above the sand, offering visitors a scenery
of vast sea and blue sky. There are also many amusement parks well worth
visiting, such as Shenzhen Window of the World, OCT Bay and China Folk
T e x t Wang Jingli Culture Village.
What is the best- Sunrise Art Center, an art gallery created by Chen Qiuzhi. The center was
W
ang Jingli was born in Hunan Province but moved kept secret away built from a century-old Hakka home. Chen is a prominent ink artist in China,
to Shenzhen — the youngest modern city in south- from the tourist and his art pieces are displayed in the gallery. Besides, there are many exquisite
ern China — in 2015 after graduating from trail? coffee shops, which are wonderful spots to refresh one’s mind and rest after a
university and has become a journalist. She visit. Dafeng Oil Painting Village, where you can find many oil paintings repro-
said that it was the inclusiveness, youth and possibilities ductions, is located nearby.
offered by the city that made her decide to settle there.
“Wherever you come from, you are a SZer after moving to Where do you take Of course, we go for dim sum, a typical style of Cantonese cuisine. Food
SZ” is a saying widely spread in Shenzhen, according to Wang. guests to taste is served in small portions, inside steamer baskets or on small plates, and is
After living in the city for nearly four years, Wang has formed Shenzhen cuisine? best enjoyed with tea. Chua Lam’s Dim Sum is the one you must visit. As you
a strong affection towards the city and considersit her “second can tell from the name, the restaurant was opened by Chua Lam, a renowned
hometown”. She shared with Sky Times some of the city’s secrets. Chinese food critic. One of the restaurant’s highlights is its creative combi-
Shenzhen has developed from a small fishing community into nation of traditional foodand modern elements. Furthermore, Shenzhen, as a
one of the most populous and modern cities in China. As a special culturally diverse city, offers a wide array of high-quality food, from China’s
economic zone, dazzling progress in various fields, especially tech- five cuisines to Western restaurants.
nology, has taken place in Shenzhen. Now, the city aims to raise
these developments to a higher level by fully utilizing the role of
the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
36 37You can also read
