Hongya Eco Feast

Hongya Eco Feast

　　Eating, staying, traveling, sightseeing, shopping, and entertainment—all are key components of the tourism industry, and culinary culture is an essential part of it.

　　Hongya has long been known as "Naturally Elegant" and the "Green Pearl of the Sea." With its stunning landscapes and abundant local specialties, over half of the provincially certified eco-friendly and organic food products come from this region. The area boasts a rich local culinary culture, with many famous dishes and snacks (such as the "Hongya Bobo Chicken," which is worthy of inclusion in the Guinness World Records, as well as Ya Fish, Pala Lao Han, and Shibayu) enjoying fame both within and beyond the province.

　　To promote Hongya’s food culture and build an eco-tourism brand, the Hongya County government organized the local tourism industry to develop and select the “Top Ten Eco Feast Recipes of Hongya’s Distinctive Tourism Cuisine.” Based on criteria such as color, aroma, taste, presentation, and name—and ensuring that all primary ingredients are locally sourced eco-friendly foods, while retaining the natural characteristics of these ingredients during cooking and offering high nutritional value—a panel of judges comprising relevant experts and veteran chefs from the county conducted preliminary evaluations and on-site cooking assessments of over 30 recipes submitted by various tourism establishments. The result was the selection of the “Top Ten Eco Feasts of Hongya County,” now available for all visitors to enjoy.

　　Sichuan cuisine is world-renowned, with Sichuan restaurants found wherever there are Chinese communities. Many famous Sichuan dishes originated from street food. As their popularity and demand surged, Sichuan cuisine gradually evolved into a more corporate and chain-oriented industry, with its originally grassroots character gradually settling into smaller towns and rural areas on the fringes of the city.

　　Hongya is located in the Qingyi River basin and, by traditional classification, belongs to the Greater River faction, with dishes known for their homely flavors. Sichuanese love to eat, and Hongya eats well. The food industry has always been the most dynamic and creative sector in this small county. There is an abundance of locally sourced ingredients: bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms from the mountain forests, Ya Fish and Yellow Catfish swimming in the Zhougong and Qingyi rivers, poultry and livestock raised on simple diets of grass and grain, even wild greens like Heartleaf Houttuynia and Pigweed plucked from fields, riverbanks, and forest edges—all transformed into delicious dishes through simple yet never crude cooking methods. To truly understand Hongya’s food culture, you must not only taste the dishes but also learn to understand the countless dialects that often go unwritten. Of course, you can always learn while eating.

　　Hongya is home to 330 rivers of varying sizes and water qualities. These crisscrossing rivers nurture a diverse array of freshwater wild fish. The fish are tender, and their names are poetic: Ya Fish, Tu Feng, Bai Jia, Qing Bo, Tao Hua, Mo Tiao—like pairs of poetic couplets or inscriptions on landscape paintings. Within the county and its surrounding areas, there are four restaurants known for their fish dishes, offering varieties such as Ya Fish, Baba Lao Han, Yellow Catfish, Shibazi, and Silver Carp. Notably, Baba Lao Han, Yellow Catfish, and Shibazi are not farmed but are genuine river fish. All fish can be prepared either in red broth or clear broth. The red broth has a bright crimson color and a spicy, savory flavor—perfect for those who love heat. For those less inclined toward spice, the clear broth replaces red chili with green chili and reduces spicy seasonings like broad bean paste, resulting in a milder heat that still lingers without overwhelming the palate. You can even sip the broth directly, warming your body before savoring the tender fish. Beautiful soup, nutritious, perfect with wine and dreams.

　　In Hongya, fish is priced by weight, with no additional preparation fees. Before dining, simply call the restaurant to inform them of your arrival time, and the chef will prepare the fish—cleaning, making the broth, and cooking—just before you arrive, adding seasonal vegetables like bamboo shoots and wild mushrooms along the way. Every step is executed seamlessly, resulting in an incredibly delicious fish soup.

　　Fish and bamboo shoots are a perfect pair. “Recalling the road by the Qingyi River, white fish and purple bamboo shoots were given away for free.” Though fish and bamboo shoots have long surpassed their legendary value from Su Dongpo’s era, the bitter bamboo shoots of early summer and cool-season bamboo shoots of autumn still lend their fragrance to pots of Ya Fish.

　　Food guide: Dong Hong, Lin Ping, Lotus.

　　Price update: Yellow Catfish 80–120 yuan per jin

　　Located about 30 li from the county town, in Tian Gong Village, Dongyue Town

　　By the river under a large banyan tree stands a farmhouse. Though simply furnished, its food is incomparable to the fish restaurants in the county town. Sanbao Town, located

　　kilometers

　　from the county, has been the birthplace of specialty fish feasts like Yellow Catfish over a decade ago. Although the focus on fish dining has shifted to the county town over the past 15 years, a few fishing families still remain at this ancient riverside dock. Self-driving tourists might want to explore these two small towns for a taste of authentic cuisine.

　　Zhou Lianyu is a farmhouse specializing in carp. Their carp, served with cold noodles, is poured into a large round plate nearly two chi in diameter. The noodles themselves are plain and flavorless, but they absorb the rich taste of the carp and the bold flavors of the seasonings—often surpassing the fish itself in taste, especially favored by women. Once most of the fish is eaten, the owner will serve a large bowl of cooked noodles and vegetables, pouring the remaining broth over them without asking. At this point, even the most reserved diners will dig in with gusto, leaving both hosts and guests completely satisfied.

　　In Hongya, nothing rivals fish quite like Bobo Chicken. Before liberation, vendors would sell chicken in earthenware bowls on the streets, hence the name Bobo Chicken. Today, the ingredients and preparation methods haven’t changed much. A locally raised free-range chicken—known for pecking grain in rice paddies, chasing bugs under the trees, and running freely in the fields—is selected, bled, cleaned, boiled until 80% cooked, air-dried, sliced, and skewered with bamboo sticks before being briefly soaked in a pre-prepared broth. It’s then ready to eat. The broth comes in red or clear versions, both mouthwatering. The fun of Bobo Chicken also lies in how it’s priced—the vendor counts the empty bamboo skewers left after eating, reflecting the honesty and simplicity of the people of Hongya.

　　(One of Hongya’s representative signature dishes. Before liberation, vendors would sell chicken in earthenware bowls on the streets, hence the name Bobo Chicken. Only free-range chickens raised in the countryside can achieve its distinctive flavor. The dish’s charm lies in how different parts of the chicken are skewered and briefly soaked in a special broth before serving. The broth comes in red or clear varieties, both incredibly appetizing. Pricing is based on the number of empty bamboo skewers left behind, showcasing the honesty and kindness of the locals.)