2024 Self-driving Jiangsu, Shandong, and Henan (13): The Most Beautiful Langya—Linyi.

Linyi, formerly known as Langya, is an ancient city with a history of thousands of years. Walking through the streets and alleys of Linyi, you can feel as if you are traveling through time and experiencing the weight and vicissitudes of history. Wang Xizhi's former residence is located at No. 21, Xiyanshi Chi Street, Lanshan District, Linyi City, Shandong Province. It is a complex of classical garden-style buildings. Today, Wang Xizhi's former residence includes four main scenic areas: Yanzhi Huigu, Qu Shui Liu Shang, Xi Yang Pu Zhao, and Qianqiu Wu Xian, as well as Wang Xizhi Exhibition Hall, Wang Xianzhi Exhibition Hall, Wu Xian Temple Exhibition Hall, Goose Pool, and other attractions. It also houses famous inscriptions from both China and abroad, including the Liu Stele, the Langya Five Xian Stele, the Lanting Map, the Seventeen Posts, and the Langya Post. It has become an important place to showcase the life and achievements of Wang Xizhi, the "Sage of Calligraphy". Historically, there was a famous saying about the "Four Loves" of ancient people: "Zhou Dunyi loves lotus, Tao Yuanming loves chrysanthemums, Meng Haoran loves plum, and Wang Xizhi loves geese". Therefore, a pond called "Goose Pool" was built in Wang Xizhi's former residence. The characters "goose" and "pool" were written by Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi, respectively. When you come to Linyi, you must try Linyi's special breakfast—San. San (sá) has a long history. It is said that San was brought to Linyi by a Hui couple from Dadu, the capital of the Yuan Dynasty, and has been passed down ever since. At first, this delicious breakfast was simply called "meat paste" or "meat porridge". However, during the Qing Dynasty, when Emperor Qianlong traveled south and passed through what is now Tancheng, Linyi, local officials presented him with this unique breakfast. The emperor found it very delicious and asked casually, "What is this (San)?". The local officials nodded and said, "This is what (San), this is what (San)". Therefore, a dialect homophone led to its current name—San. Freshly fried dough sticks are the soul mate of San. Tear the freshly fried dough sticks into small pieces and soak them in San so that they absorb the soup. A bite of dough stick followed by a few sips of hot soup—this is the deliciousness of Linyi people, and it also injects a day's energy into many people who are working hard. Linyi people love chicken, especially stir-fried chicken, which has become a must-have dish for Linyi people to entertain guests. In this city, there is a stir-fried chicken restaurant almost every 500 meters. We went to Xiangmin Stir-fried Chicken, which was highly recommended by a friend. Located at 21 Yimeng Road, Lanshan District, Linyi City, this stir-fried chicken restaurant has a deep cultural and historical background. The restaurant has a unique environment and custom-made tables and chairs, making you feel like you've stepped back in time. Their stir-fried chicken is also a must-try, especially their young rooster and old rooster. The young rooster has a delicate texture and delicious meat. It fully absorbs the flavor of the spices during the stir-frying process. In contrast, the old rooster has a firm texture and a deep flavor, which is more suitable for diners who like a chewy texture. Each piece of meat is full of elasticity, and the aroma released during chewing is endless. Xiangmin Stir-fried Chicken is super large, enough for 3-4 people to enjoy. And, with stir-fried chicken and steamed buns, you can eat and drink to your heart's content. At the same time, Xiangmin Stir-fried Chicken is very reasonably priced, and it is the best value-for-money restaurant we have come across on our trip.