Liu Jianfeng, Class 5, Senior 1, Shenzhen Xin’an Middle School Instructed by Tang Ying

As my whole family is living in Shenzhen from last century, I didn’t have the chance to visit my mother’s hometown, so I didn’t know what it looked like. I could only imagine its looks by my mother’s and grandpa’s descriptions through their stories. Luckily, I had a chance to go on a trip to visit it during the summer holiday.

Shantou is famous for its large population of overseas Chinese and many of them have made great contributions to developing the city. What’s more, because of its location near the sea, Shantou has its beautiful natural scenery with lots of wild mountains and islands.

When I caught my first sight of Shantou, I was amazed by its beauty. The sky is clear and the seawater is crystal-like. Skyscrapers and highways passing through the bay area present harmonious scenery, which impressed me deeply. However, this was not our final destination. When our car stopped at a small village with a shabby dusty atmosphere, I soon knew that was the place where my mother and my grandparents were born.

The people who live in the village still follow the old traditions, for instance, getting married at an early age. By following my grandparents, I met my cousins I hadn’t met before who had their children calling me uncle! As a teenager myself, I was embarrassed to hear that! Each of my cousins was outgoing and honest.

The local people were living a simple life, kids playing and chasing each other outside with joy and old men sitting peacefully in front of their doors. Peddlers were carrying different kinds of snacks with heavy poles, shouting in a loud voice telling people to buy their goods. There was also a farmer, chasing a group of geese crossing the road. What a harmonious and amazing view! At that moment, I could truly experience life in my mother’s childhood.

The Chaoshan cuisine is quite different from the Cantonese cuisine. It uses only fresh ingredients and skillful techniques to make a dish in a short time, like stewing shells and crabs. The dish that I liked the most was marinated goose. This kind of dish is made of a goose that has grown up to three years. People used various materials to prepare the brine, which really needed confidence and patience to cook. When I took the first bite, I think that was the most delicious meat that I had ever tasted.

This trip was so unforgettable and meaningful! I now know what the people’s life in a Shantou’s village is like by having experienced the local people’s customs and yummy food.