Zhang Fei - banmian 口水
Photo Credit: Wang Siqi; design elements from VCG and Haokan Video
FOOD

The Confused Origins of One of China’s Most Popular Dishes

How Anhui “banmian” spread across the nation and became associated with a city hundreds of kilometers away from its place of origin

Food can make or break a Chinese city’s attractiveness to tourists. Zibo, a small city in Shandong province, was full of people keen to try out its outdoor barbecue in summer last year. Harbin, the “ice city” of northeastern Heilongjiang province, attracted millions of visitors with a mix of winter sculptures and frozen pear dishes served to bewildered Southerners. Tourists have been flocking to Chongqing’s famous hot pot restaurants for decades.

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