Is there any difference between eastern Hunan and western Hunan in Hunan?

This is a set of photos taken while traveling in Changsha in early January.

An ordinary snack bar made me understand one thing: if Hunan is divided into eastern and western parts, then eastern Hunan and western Hunan are "two different things".

Eastern Hunan and Western Hunan

The map of Hunan is almost square in shape. A snow-capped mountain connects Changde to the north and Shaoyang to the south, dividing the square into two parts. East and west parts. The west is connected to the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, a mountainous area with overlapping mountains; the east is connected to the Jiangnan hills, a land of fish and rice with beautiful water, fertile grass and beautiful grass. If you are planning to travel to Hunan, if your time is limited, you must consider in advance whether to go to the west or the east.

You will find that the beautiful scenery experienced in Zhangjiajie in western Hunan and the cultural customs experienced in Changsha in eastern Hunan will be completely different? Two different things?

Okay, let’s get down to business, let’s start with the story of my trip to Changsha.

The Story of the Snack Bar

This? Xiangxi Specialty Grilled Crispy Rice Snack Bar? is hidden in a small alley in the center of Changsha City. Outside is the bustling and noisy neighborhood, but it is quiet and quiet here. , the shop owner is an aunt dressed in Xiangxi.

Aunt Xiangxi said: This is the most popular snack in our hometown, but people in Changsha don’t like to eat crispy rice.

I felt a little sad when I heard it, so I bought one for 5 yuan.

Aunt Xiangxi has a unique temperament unique to an ethnic minority, probably Tujia or Miao. While she was chatting with me, she pulled out a "small drawer" from a "special oven" with many square little grids placed against the wall on one side of the shop. In the drawer was a whole piece of white rice. Made into rectangular rice cake pieces.

She took the crispy rice out of the container, cut it into two squares with a small shovel, and then added more than a dozen kinds of vegetables, such as shredded potatoes, peanuts, pickles, chili noodles, etc., spoon by spoon. Clamp it into the pot and put it into a palm-sized paper bag.

During the more than 20 minutes I spent purchasing, waiting, taking photos, and chatting, not a single customer came in or out of Auntie Xiangxi’s snack bar.

On the May Day Square a block away, there are crowds of people in front of small shops selling rice noodles, hot braised pork and stinky tofu.

I took a bite of the crispy rice in my hand while it was still hot: it had a rich, salty taste and a very solid texture. Maybe the material is too "solid", so it looks a bit hard. This kind of food, which originates from the mountains, has a clear sense of age, and is suitable for satisfying hunger at any time between farming and working. It is indeed not very suitable to the taste of people in the city, but I feel the simplicity of Xiangxi people from this aunt. and deep enthusiasm.

At the same time, I suddenly realized that the cultural atmosphere in Changsha can only represent a very small part of Hunan people.

Hunan has many aspects.

One side and the other of Hunan

The state of traveling in Hunan can also be described by an old saying: You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Again, although the administrative areas of eastern Hunan and western Hunan are unified in Hunan Province, due to the huge differences in geographical environment, the humanities they have developed are also "two different things".

Changsha, Hengyang, and Zhuzhou in eastern Hunan have relatively good economic development. In fact, there is not much to do, but there is never a shortage of food. Since ancient times, the Xiang River here has been a convenient connection between the north and the south. Thanks to the interaction and blending of multiple cultures, the people along the coast are well-informed, open-minded, and live a prosperous and comfortable life.

Eastern Hunan has a dazzling and rich variety of delicacies. Over the course of thousands of years, stinky tofu, sausage, bacon, stewed rice noodles and shrimp have already developed a mature taste suitable for most people;

Zhangjiajie, Xiangxi, and Huaihua in western Hunan, which have the lowest GDP in the province, are mostly remote ancient cities with beautiful scenery. They have been hidden deep in the mountains for thousands of years, and their mysterious folk customs have attracted waves of people. It’s a tourist destination in Poland, but when it comes to the taste of food, it’s a bit hard to describe in words. Due to the isolated and desolate geographical location, in the past few years, although the local snacks can be considered unique, the taste is niche and a bit rough.

Therefore, some traditional snacks from the mountains in western Hunan seem a bit out of place in Changsha in eastern Hunan. And delicacies with strong local characteristics, such as Xiangxi bandit duck, Xiangxi small skewers, and Miao cuisine tofu, were accepted by most people in eastern Hunan and tourists only after undergoing numerous transformations and integrating into the preferences of urban residents.

Looking back at the aunt in Xiangxi who sells rice cakes, her frustration may be that Changsha, the provincial capital, is changing with each passing day, and young people in the city prefer to try diversified flavors. I think if this crispy rice dumpling can be slightly improved, the sales situation will definitely improve. If it is paired with other snacks such as sweet wine, cold skin, glutinous rice cake, pickles, etc. in the store, it may have a different taste.

Of course, if you are from Xiangxi and are in Changsha, you might as well go to No. 18 Nanqiangwan Lane to find this small shop and relive the taste of childhood that accompanied you when you grew up.