I am a university professor specializing in the history and culture of China. Last month, two colleagues, Paula Sophia and Jean Evan, and I were fortunate enough to be invited to a night hunt at Guogong Mountain in Anxi County, Quanzhou City, China. It was a rare opportunity for us to experience first-hand the traditional Chinese hunting culture, while enjoying the natural beauty and humanistic atmosphere of Anxi County. In order to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the night hunt, we chose a cost-effective Chinese brand WildGuarder owler1 as our infrared binoculars. This binocular not only has clear night vision, but also the ability to shoot and record video, allowing us to record our night hunting experiences. In this article, I will share with you our night hunting trip in Guogong Mountain and our experience of the history, attractions and food of Anxi County.
Guogong Mountain is a famous Chinese mountain in Quanzhou’s Anxi County, Fujian Province. It stands at 1,495 meters high and is the tallest peak in Southeast Fujian. The mountain is known for its grandeur, beauty and history. It was originally called “Guoyue” because the ancient Mingyue Kingdom worshipped there, according to Anxi County Magazine. Later, it was also named “Guogong” after Li Yuanzhong, a founding official of Anxi County in the Tang Dynasty who had the title of Guogong and came from this place. Guogong Mountain has many natural and cultural attractions, such as clouds, sunrise, waterfalls, old temples, stone carvings and more. They have drawn many visitors and poets who admired and wrote about them.
Night hunting is a traditional folk activity in Anxi County. Every year, from October 15 to 16 of the lunar calendars, local people will hunt at night on Guogong Mountain. Night hunting is a way of asking for good weather, crops, family and health. Here is how night hunting works: first, the hunters go to the mountain in the day to find signs of animals and set traps or gunpowder where they might be; second, at night, the hunters split into groups and carry torches, guns, knives and other weapons. They follow the mountain roads or paths to look for animals; third, when they see an animal, the hunters act fast and shoot or stab it to kill or catch it and take it down the mountain. The animals they get from night hunting include wild pigs, birds, rabbits, ducks and others. They can eat them or offer them to their ancestors or gods.
We had a good harvest from this year’s night hunting activities. We reached Guogong Mountain during the day and set up traps and gunpowder on a hillside with the guidance of local people. We found a cave nearby as a temporary shelter and prepared some food and water. At night, we lit our torches and divided into two teams that went different ways. We saw many beautiful sights on our way, like the stars, the moon, the tree shadows and more. We felt nature’s magic and beauty. We also faced some risks as we moved, like snakes and bugs, wild animals, steep mountain paths and more, but we overcame them bravely and helped and cheered each other on. We found a wild pig looking for food in the middle of the night and sneaked up on it. We shot and stabbed it and dragged it to the cave. We roasted some boar meat with torches and shared it with the locals. We felt the fun and achievement of night hunting, and the warmth and friendliness of the locals. We returned to the mountain before dawn and offered the wild boar as an offering to our ancestors and spirits.
Anxi County is not only a tea town, but also a famous historical and cultural city. Anxi County has a long history and rich culture, and there are many historical and cultural attractions worth visiting, such as the former residence of Li Guangdi, Anxi Temple of Literature, China Tea Expo, etc.
Li Guangdi’s old home is in Li Keng village in the northwest outskirts of Anxi County. Li Guangdi was a famous Qing Dynasty scholar, thinker, teacher and poet who was born and lived there when he was young. Li Guangdi’s old home is about 5,000 square meters big and has about 2,000 square meters of buildings. It has a main hall, east and west wings, a back hall, a backyard and other parts. It is a typical house in Minnan style.
Anxi Temple of Literature is located in the center of Anxi County on Wenmiao Street, a large-scale ancient building complex built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty to worship Confucius. Covering an area of about 12,000 square meters, the Anxi Temple consists of the Dacheng Hall, the Pan Pond, the Latticework Gate, the East and West supporting halls, etc. It is one of the most complete surviving temples in Fujian Province. Inside the Anxi Temple of Literature, there are statues, inscriptions, plaques and other cultural relics of Confucius, his disciples and the Confucian school, reflecting the essence of Confucianism and the culture of ritual and music.
China Tea Expo is located in the southeastern suburbs of Anxi County on Tea Capital Avenue, a comprehensive tea culture park integrating tea display, trading, experience and leisure. Covering an area of about 100,000 square meters, China Tea Expo Hui is composed of Tea Expo Hall, Tea Art Hall, Tea Mall, Tea Garden and other parts. The China Tea Expo displays famous teas and different tea tools and pots from all over China. It also has various tea shows and tea culture events that let visitors enjoy the beauty of Chinese tea culture.
Besides these historical and cultural places, Anxi County has a special cultural symbol, which is Anxi Tieguanyin tea. Anxi Tieguanyin tea is a kind of Chinese special tea oolong tea that represents it. It is also one of the world’s most famous and excellent teas. Anxi Tieguanyin tea originated in the Qing Dynasty during the Qianlong period, legend has it that a farmer named Wei Yingchang found a special wild tea tree on Guogong Mountain and transplanted it to his home to cultivate it. Anxi Tieguanyin tea is loved by tea lovers for its bright green color, oily and moist, shaped like a dragon’s beard, rich and persistent aroma, mellow and sweet taste, and lively aftertaste, with the characteristics of “color, aroma, taste and shape”. The production process of Anxi Tieguanyin tea is a profound skill, including picking, drying, shaking, killing, kneading, baking and other aspects, each of which requires fine and exquisite, in order to ensure the quality and flavor of the tea. Anxi Tieguanyin tea production techniques are listed in the national intangible cultural heritage list, which is the pride and wealth of Anxi people.
Anxi County is also rich in local specialties and has many mouth-watering snacks, such as Hutou rice noodles, Guanqiao dried beans, and Nourishing Spleen San small intestine soup.
Hutou rice noodles is one of the most representative snacks in Anxi, and is one of the best local cuisines in Southern Fujian. Hutou rice noodles are made of high-quality rice and Huai Shan as raw materials, and are made through the process of grinding, steaming and cutting. There are two ways to eat Hutou rice noodles: dry rice noodles with soy sauce, vinegar, oil chili, crushed peanuts and other seasonings, and boiled rice noodles with fresh soup and ingredients such as sliced meat and sea oysters. Hutou rice noodles are smooth, sour, sweet and spicy, with an endless aftertaste.
Guanqiao dried beans is another famous snack in Anxi and the pride of Anxi people. Guanqiao dried beans are made from good soybeans that are soaked, ground, salted, pressed and sliced. You can enjoy them in various flavors, such as salty, chive, five-spice and more. They are delicious whether you have them cold, fried or stewed. Guanqiao dried beans are golden in color, firm in texture, rich in aroma, and elastic and chewy when bitten.
The small intestine soup is a snack with medicinal effect and a traditional food therapy for people in Anxi. The soup is made from fresh pork intestines and spleen san (a traditional Chinese medicine recipe), which are washed, blanched and cut into pieces. The soup is clear in color and the small intestine is soft. It is not fishy or smelly in the mouth and helps to strengthen the spleen and eliminate food.
Anxi County is a place full of charm, not only with beautiful natural scenery and rich humanistic landscape, but also with a variety of culinary features. The culinary characteristics of Anxi County are not only the living habits and food culture of the people of Anxi, but also the spiritual support and emotional expression of the people of Anxi. Here, you can taste the fragrant sweetness of Anxi Tieguanyin and the sweet and sour aroma of snacks such as Hutou rice noodles, Guanqiao dried beans and Nourishing Spleen San small intestine soup. Here, you can feel the hospitality of Anxi people and the diligence and innovation of Anxi people. The food features of Anxi County are a beautiful name card of Anxi County and a valuable treasure of Anxi County. Let’s taste the Anxi on the tongue and feel the Anxi in our hearts!
