中国·福州——热爱城市从热爱美食开始

February 26 marks the Aojiu Festival (the 29th day of the first Chinese lunar month). On the morning of February 24, at the Aojiu Festival porridge distribution event at Xuantan Park on Weiqian Street in Gulou District, Zhai Yu ladled out the porridge, and his mother, Zhang Yun, packed it. Together, they served bowl after bowl of warm, sweet Aojiu porridge to the elderly, staying busy throughout the event.

At the event, Zhai Yu (first from the left) ladled out the porridge, while Zhang Yun (second from the right) packed it.

As the founder of Hexieyuan Fujian Cuisine Restaurant, Zhang Yun has dedicated many years to preserving Fujian culinary culture. She started preparing for this porridge distribution event a few days ago. This year marks the tenth year that the restaurant has participated in the Aojiu Festival charity porridge distribution event.

“Hexieyuan Fujian Cuisine Restaurant is a demonstration base for the preservation of Fuzhou’s intangible cultural heritage, and the Aojiu Festival, a unique local festival, has been recognized as a provincial-level intangible cultural heritage. As restaurateurs, we hope that through our porridge distribution event, we can help foster a strong societal atmosphere of caring for the elderly and family members,” said Zhang Yun. To prepare for the porridge distribution event, the chefs at Hexieyuan Fujian Cuisine Restaurant began their preparations early, carefully selecting ingredients such as glutinous rice, raisins, dried longan, lotus seeds, and water chestnuts. They flavored the porridge with brown sugar, creating a fragrant, authentic Aojiu porridge that was both delicious and traditional.

The porridge distribution kicked off at 9 a.m. on February 24, with a long line of elderly residents waiting patiently. Zhang Yun had Zhai Yu take charge of ladling the porridge, and together, the mother and son worked in perfect sync to serve up steaming bowls of “Fu Porridge,” brimming with warmth and good wishes.

“This is my third year joining the Aojiu Festival porridge giveaway,” Zhai Yu shared. Inspired by his mother Zhang Yun, he became part of the charity porridge distribution team. What touched him most were the smiles on the faces of the elderly as they received their bowls of porridge - a moment that deepened his understanding of the meaning behind this mother-and-son act of kindness. “One bowl of porridge may seem small, but it carries the warmth to comfort an entire city. Each of us may only play a small part, but together, we’re passing on a powerful message of love, respect, and filial devotion,” he said.

On February 24, totally 300 servings of Aojiu porridge were prepared for the event. In addition to serving elderly residents who came in person, the staff from Hexieyuan Fujian Cuisine Restaurant also joined hands with community members to deliver Aojiu porridge to a wide range of recipients, including security guards, shopkeepers, sanitation workers, and residents with limited mobility, sharing warmth and kindness with people across the neighborhood. (Fuzhou Evening News Reporter: Li Jinqing, Text/Photo)