Girls from Fuzhou and Matsu Visit the Fujian Cuisine Culture Museum
The campers were learning to make fish balls.
On August 3, 25 middle and high school girls from Fuzhou, Matsu, and nearby areas participating in the 2024 Fuzhou-Matsu Girls’ Summer Camp visited the Fujian Cuisine Culture Museum, located in Zone 6 of the Haixia Olympic Sports Center, as well as a Taiwan-funded enterprise in Gui’an Village, Pandu Town, Lianjiang County. As the camp concluded, many of the girls shared that they had not only learned new knowledge but also made new friends along the way.
“Wow, this was used by ancient people to serve meals! It’s so exquisite!” On August 3, the campers were captivated by various exhibits as they entered the Fujian Cuisine Culture Museum. A few girls were particularly struck by a four-tiered Qing Dynasty lacquered box with intricate carvings, expressing their amazement. This box was a dining utensil used by the elite scholar-official class in Fuzhou in the Qing Dynasty.
According to the introduction, it is the first professional museum in China dedicated to Fujian cuisine. It houses over 1,000 precious artifacts and historical documents. The first-floor cultural relics exhibition area displays a range of dining utensils and historical materials spanning from the Shang and Zhou dynasties to modern times, vividly showcasing the origin, evolution, development, and inheritance of Fujian cuisine culture.
During the visit, the campers closely followed the guide, learning more about the rich history, fine culinary techniques, and cultural significance of Fujian cuisine. They eagerly snapped photos, often expressing genuine admiration for what they saw.
After the visit, the campers had the opportunity to learn how to make fish balls, pork wontons, and traditional Fuzhou peanut rice dumplings at the museum. They also enjoyed a Fujian-style feast, sampling authentic Fuzhou dishes. “Fuzhou cuisine and Matsu cuisine are quite similar in terms of variety and taste! Matsu also has fish balls and pork wontons, but most of the fish balls there don’t have meat filling, so their flavor is a bit different from the Fuzhou fish balls,” said Chen Siyu, a camper from Matsu.
After visiting the Fujian Cuisine Culture Museum, the campers headed to Gui’an Village in Pandu Town, Lianjiang County, to visit a Taiwan-funded enterprise and gain insights into the work, entrepreneurship, and daily lives of Taiwanese people in the region.
After the visit, the organizers held a closing ceremony for the campers. Many of the Matsu girls expressed their reluctance as they watched the exciting video clips they had captured during the event. “Time passed so fast, and there are still several places I haven’t fully explored yet! I hope there will be another chance to visit Fuzhou next time!” one of the girls said. (Fuzhou Evening News Reporter: Wang Yanglin, Text/Photo)