Chengdu - a city claims the title of 'Foodies『 Heaven', 'a city one comes and never wants to leave' - there is always so much one can explore and experience and every day is just full of all kinds of 'surprises'.
Recently we've talked to quite a few locals and non-locals, and we collected some of must-dos in the city and made this Chengdu Superhero Checklist. There are 6 challenging things to be accomplished on this list, and each one is even more challenging than the previous one. In order to become a superhero and make your time in Chengdu to the fullest, one should try all the experiences.
Take a deep breath, and let's take a look at what experience made to our list!
Mahjong is a Chinese game that became popular near the beginning of the 20th Century, and it requires skill and strategy. You must have seen or gathered the feeling of how much the locals love this 'game' right?
There’s a saying in Sichuan:
There is no dispute in the world that can’t be resolved over a round of mahjong. If there is, then have a second round.
The sound of mahjong tiles clacking in open-air teahouses and outside grocery stores heralds the arrival of summer in Chengdu. Mahjong, which has filled many an afternoon since the mid-19th century, holds special significance for the Sichuanese and forms an integral part of local culture.
While most homes in Chengdu own a mahjong set, people tend to enjoy this game outdoors more, and locals can be found playing throughout the city at street corners, parks and open-air teahouses.
While it's exciting to win, especially if friendly wagers are at stake, mahjong in Chengdu is really just an excuse to catch up with old friends in the sunshine. And what could be more perfect than that?
Random tea houses (go with a Chinese friend)
Sichuan pepper (Hua Jiao) is not actually pepper, but the dried red-brown berries of a type of ash tree that have a lemony, peppery aroma. Sichuan pepper has the characteristic 'mouth-numbing' quality, which explains why many Sichuan cuisines give you that strange feeling.
So, creative Sichuan people have used this special spice to create other delicacies, like….
Hua Jiao Ice-cream
Hua Jiao Coffee
Hot Pot Cake (A lot of Hua Jiao and Chilly Pepper)
Seriously? Yes - seriously!!
Sichuan Pepper Ice-cream: Yunlin Road #18, Pepper Ice Cream
Sichuan Pepper Coffee: 勒克立方 Cafe near Jiuyan Bridge
Sichuan Hot Pot Cake: KM定製烘焙蛋糕(They have quite a few branches in the City, copy-paste the name on a map to find a closest one)
Vibrant Chengdu is one of the best places to experience the region’s world-renowned food heritage. If you want to taste the most authentic food in Chengdu, you must try the "fly restaurants' - small restaurants that serve delicious and cheap food in every neighbourhood of Chengdu! Sometimes there is no proper table and you might just need to sit by the street, it will be a memorable experience no matter what!
Ming Ting Restaurant @ Wai Cao Jia Alley
Rabbit head is a local delicacy in Chengdu, and though the dish probably sounds shocking and grotesque at first, if you get over with your squeamishness and give this local specialty a try, you won't regret it - the flavour is phenomenal! Chengdu has street vendors and small restaurants selling their unique flavour of rabbit heads, but the most authentic rabbit head restaurant is "Shuangliu Old Mother Rabbit Head," located near the Shuangliu Old Station.
The rabbit heads take a fair bit of effort to prise apart and eat, and they're messy—you need to wear plastic gloves to tackle the 『project』. What’s there to eat from a rabbit head one may ask? Well…the tongue, the cheek, the eyeball…ah, the brain is the best part!
Well give it a try before you are chicken out, and let's move on to see what's next!
雙流老媽兔頭(Shuangliu Old Mother Rabbit Head), or food streets around the centre
If you've conquered the 'rabbit head challenge', now let's enjoy some pig brains. Yes - you heard me! Are you ready to awaken your inner zombie?!
In Chengdu, people have a love for this rich, pudding-like texture stuff and there are quite some creative ways of eating it. Hot Pot is surely the best way.
Cooked right in the hot pot of chilly oil and Sichuan peppers, it will soak up all of the hot pot goodness and delivers it in soft, rich mouthfuls. If you hate the idea of what you are eating, just think in this way - it tastes very much like tofu!
Any snack street or hot pot restaurant.
This made to No.1 Challenge on our list! For anyone who's never experienced it before, hearing the idea will still make us feel shocking and grotesque.
In almost every park in Chengdu, you can hear a distinctive ting ting sound - this is the sound of the men with their ear cleaning tools.
Ear cleaning is a unique local tradition that is believed to date back many centuries.
The idea definitely didn’t appeal to anyone at first. It was clutched in the hand of one of Chengdu’s roving ear cleaners, steady-handed specialists who wield myriad tools to flick, pick and twirl their customers』 ear canals clean.
According to an official report, ear cleaners undergo extensive training to develop precision and steadiness before even touching an ear. One exercise has them using tweezers to pluck tiny threads out of a lit candlewick without extinguishing the flame.
For non-locals, this is definitely an ultimate challenge. But for all who have experienced the first time, surprisingly they will always want to give it a second try! It is so relaxing and no wonder it is also titled a 'massage' experience!
If you set your minds to do it, why not do it in a decent way?
PandaExperience will take you to explore the most decent and professional ear picking experience in Chengdu, and now you have the opportunity of getting it at the best price or for free!
Purchase any main product from our Partner Yun Ya Ge Chinese Therapy & Massage, now you get the opportunity of adding this flash sale ear-picking experience with only extra 19! (from original RMB49).
Wanna to get it FOR FREE?
Repost this Super-hero article to your moments and get 19 likes, then add this ear-picking massage on top of your experience without extra charge!
Press the pic above to view our previous event to YunYa Ge.
"After this, I'm definitely a Chengdu Superhero!"
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local experiences in China