Eat in Guangdong, taste the world.
In the first three volumes, we explored the refined Cantonese flavors of the Greater Bay Area, the Lingnan cultural trail connecting arcade buildings and watchtowers, and the trendy, fun-filled journey through theme parks and pop-culture landmarks. This time, we are following a movie.
Follow the movie "Love Letter to Grandma" for a stroll through the old days of arcade buildings and Qiaopi (overseas remittance letters)—this route connects Shantou Jinping, Jieyang Puning, and Shanwei Lufeng, blending the historical charm of hometowns of overseas Chinese with the vibrant local life of Chaoshan, weaving together ancient townscapes and cinematic memories.
Route 4: A Cinematic Journey Through Overseas Chinese Hometowns
Route: Shantou Jinping – Jieyang Puning – Shanwei Lufeng
Stop 1: Shantou Jinping
Follow the movie to stroll through the old days of arcade buildings and Qiaopi. Visit the Xiaogongyuan (Small Park) Port Opening Area and Zhenbang Road Food Street in Shantou Jinping, and feast on beef balls, Laomagong rice dumplings, and Aixi dry noodles.
Shantou Jinping is the starting point of this route and a filming location for the "old days" scenes in the movie. The Xiaogongyuan Port Opening Area centers on the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Pavilion, with old arcade streets radiating outward. This district preserves the largest cluster of modern arcade buildings in China, most of which were built by overseas Chinese who returned home after working in Southeast Asia. When the lights come on at dusk, the gilded outline of the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Pavilion and the red lanterns of the arcades illuminate, bringing out the nostalgic texture seen in the movie.
Zhenbang Road Food Street is right in this area. The beef balls are bouncy and juicy, the Laomagong rice dumplings offer a mix of sweet and savory, and the Aixi dry noodles are tossed with sesame paste and braised sauce—a bowl of this is the definition of a comforting daily meal for locals in Shantou. After exploring the arcades, you can stop by the Shantou Port Opening Culture Exhibition Hall and the Qiaopi Cultural Museum to see the original family letters that traveled across the ocean. Looking back at the arcades of Xiaogongyuan, the plot of the movie will feel even more tangible.
Stop 2: Jieyang Puning
Stop by De'anli and Hongyang Old Street in Jieyang Puning to watch the Yingge dance, and taste Puning fried tofu, Hongyang Guozhi (rice noodle soup), and glutinous rice stuffed in pig intestines.
Puning is the stop with the strongest ancient town atmosphere on this route. The De'anli Ancient Village was the residential settlement of the family of Fang Yao, a Guangdong naval admiral during the Qing Dynasty. Composed of the "Hundred Birds Facing the Phoenix" and "Four-Horse Carriage" layouts, it is a rare, large-scale mansion-style architectural complex in the Chaoshan region. Walking through it feels like entering an open-air museum of Chaoshan architecture. Hongyang Old Street is the oldest commercial street in Puning, where the most authentic Puning flavors are hidden beneath the Republic of China-era arcades.
Puning fried tofu has a golden, crispy skin and is tender and hot inside; dip it in a dish of chive-infused salt water. Hongyang Guozhi features smooth, chewy rice noodles in a rich, fragrant broth. Glutinous rice stuffed in pig intestines is made by stuffing glutinous rice, peanuts, and shiitake mushrooms into pig intestines, steaming them, and then slicing and pan-frying them until crispy on the outside and sticky on the inside. If you happen to visit during a festival, there are often Yingge dance performances in the Hongyang Old Street or Nanxi Water Town areas; once the drums start, the atmosphere of the entire street changes. After eating, you can take a small boat in Nanxi Water Town, where the banyan-shaded waterways and reflections of old houses reveal another side of Puning.
Stop 3: Shanwei Lufeng
Continue to Xuanwu Mountain and Jinxiang Silver Beach in Shanwei Lufeng, and eat Jiazi fish balls and vegetable tea.
Lufeng is the finale of this route, shifting from the bustle of the old city to the mountains and sea. The Xuanwu Mountain Tourist Area is located in Jieshi Town, with the Yuan Mountain Temple at its core. Built in the Southern Song Dynasty, it is one of the largest and best-preserved religious temples in eastern Guangdong. The temple is densely packed with wood carvings, stone carvings, and porcelain inlay craftsmanship. Climbing the Fuxing Pagoda offers a view of the sea at Jieshi Bay. Heading south from Xuanwu Mountain brings you to Jinxiang Silver Beach, with its long, fine white sandy beach. Along the coast, there is a monument marking the spot where Zhou Enlai crossed the sea, along with red-themed murals, layering natural scenery with historical memories.
Lufeng's food relies on the sea. Jiazi fish balls are the signature of Jiazi Town; the fish paste is shaped into balls, which are bouncy and sweet whether served in soup or with noodles. Vegetable tea mixes various vegetables, vermicelli, dried shrimp, and peanuts in a bowl, topped with bone broth and a sprinkle of fried rice, making it refreshing and filling. Sitting in the sea breeze of Jinxiang with a bowl of vegetable tea, this route—from the arcades to the coast—is complete.
From the old arcade days of Shantou's Xiaogongyuan to the ancient townscape of Puning's De'anli, and finally to the mountains and sea of Lufeng's Xuanwu Mountain and Jinxiang Silver Beach, this route strings together the cinematic light and shadow, the history of overseas Chinese hometowns, and the vibrant local life of Chaoshan. The historical charm of the hometowns blends with the local life of Chaoshan, weaving together ancient townscapes and cinematic memories.
In the next volume, we will take Route 5—A Journey of Seafood Delicacies in Eastern Guangdong, starting from Sanbaimen Fishing Port in Raoping, Chaozhou, passing through Nan'ao in Shantou and Huilai in Jieyang, all the way to the Er'ma Road Food Street in the urban area of Shanwei. If you have any hidden gems along the way, feel free to share them in the comments section.