Blue Harmony

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Ancient Nanfeng Kiln, Foshan, China, March 5th 2014.

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Another martial arts related post, this time paying tribute to another folk hero with ties to Foshan, it is non other than the legendary Bruce Lee (李小龙). Trained by Yip Man (叶问) himself, Bruce Lee is highly regarded in Foshan even though he is personally not from the city.

The multiple statues with Bruce Lee's signature high kick were at the entrance of Foshan's Ancient Nanfeng Kiln, another must-see place in Foshan.

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While waiting for the shows, we were honoured with a performance by a young master following the footsteps of the Grandmasters. Foshan truly is a martial arts city!

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Another show and highlight in the Ancestral Temple was a martial art demonstration. These gentlemen were throwing impressive blows with lightning quick movements, so much that it was to maintain proper focus on them with the camera.

Again, this performance was elevated by being on Wong Fei-Hung's grounds!

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We attended the Lion Dance show in the Wong Fei-Hung section of the temple. Growing up we saw a few numbers of Lion Dances but none could compare to this one. Plus attending the Lion Dance in a Wong Fei-Hung dedicated part of Foshan held much more meaning. Couldn't help thinking about the movie Once Upon A Time In China 4 with Wong Fei-Hung's golden lion! Definitely a must-do in Foshan!

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Foshan is home to many martial art styles and artists, most notably Wong Fei-hung (黄飞鸿) and Yip Man (叶问). It was really great to be able to visit Foshan, the Zumiao Ancestral Temple and the sections dedicated to these folk heroes.

Many oversea Chinese, like ourselves, grew up on their stories and movies. The Once Upon A Time In China series with Jet Li and Vincent Zhao are stories based on the life of Huang Fei Hong, whilst Donnie Yen portrayed Yip Man in the eponymous movie as well as Tony Leung in The Grandmaster.

Stay tuned as next up is on the Lion Dance show we attended!

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A small section of the Zumiao was dedicated to the great Confucius. A lot of the Chinese traditions, ethics and beliefs come from the principles of Confucianism. So it was only right that the Ancestral Temple had a spot for the founding father of an important aspect of Chinese culture and society.

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After Macau, we travelled to Foshan, home of many martial art styles as well as martial artists and cultural heroes. The Zumiao Ancestral Temple is located downtown and is definitely a must-see in Foshan. The setting and its content is so rich in culture!

Here are some of the mythical animal sculptures found throughout the temple. Stay tuned as there is much more to come!

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One of the things you will notice in Macau is that there are small shrines dedicated to Chinese deities throughout the city. In addition to the one we saw next to the Ruin's of St Paul, we ran into two other ones. They were a bit remote or off the main streets/attractions. There were no people there but they look well taken cared of, giving them an eerie and charming feel.

So keep an eye opened when you wander around Macau!

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There is a show happening at one of the Wynn's entrance, where every half an hour something comes out of a bronze globe shaped like Earth. On the ceiling there is a representation of the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac.

As the lights go off and a dramatic music starts, the globe opens in half to unveil an imposing bronze dragon raising from below. As the majestic animal raises and rotates, the ceiling tears open to fiery visuals.

The show looks impressive up close, as you wouldn't guess something this big was hiding below and the mythical animal appears really lifelike. Probably the only occasion where you could see a fully shaped and imposing dragon.

We definitely recommend to pass by the Wynn in Macau for this!

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Macau is mostly known for its casinos and hotels but they are also plenty of interesting cultural places to visit, notably the A-Ma Temple. It is dedicated to Mazu (妈祖),goddess of the sea protecting fishermen and sailors. It is said that Macau's name is derived from the temple's name, as it is also known as Maa Gok in Cantonese.

It is worth visiting even though it is quite small compared to other temples and it is among Macau's World Heritage.

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When we visited the Ruins of St. Paul's in Macau, we found this small temple next to it with a small shrine dedicated to Tu Di Gong (土地公), the deity people used to worship for the weather. Nowadays, it is more for wealth and good health.

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On this fine Saturday morning we decided to try to make the Shanghai specialty that are Shengjian Bao (生煎包) also known as pan-fried dumplings; they are similar to regular dumplings but bigger and have a different method of cooking.

They are at first pan-fried, then after a few minutes a bowl of water is poured into the pan and they are quickly covered so that they are steamed. The bottom is crispy while the top is soft. Usually they are eaten with vinegar so that it cuts through the oil bringing balance to the dish.

They are very popular in China and Taiwan and can be found among street vendors as well as restaurants. The most famous restaurant in Shanghai has to be the chain Xiaoyang Shengjian (小杨生煎); they are spread throughout the city and long lines of people queuing can be found during breakfast and lunch hours.

We were quite happy how they turned out as it was only our first attempt. Cannot wait to see how will improve next time!

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A few of our carefully selected teas. Can't name our favorite, they're simply too good!

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We're in business now! Start receiving our first order today!

Go and get yourself some quality Chinese tea!

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This is a traditional Teochew dish, where we deep fry tofu cubes then serve it with a light vinegar/salt water mixed with coriander and spring onions. It is not something that wows you or overwhelms you with strong tastes, rather it is very delicate and subtle on the palate as you pick up the true flavours of the various basic ingredients. 

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