Under the theme “A Season of World-Class Landscapes,” the new season focuses on the development of the Greater Zhangjiajie International Tourism Area. Host Wang Han leads the program’s food exploration team through Zhangjiajie, Cili, Jishou, Fenghuang, Changde, Shaoyang and Huaihua, presenting a cultural tourism journey that connects local cuisine with spectacular landscapes and the stories of the people who call these places home.
Connecting Landscapes Through Food
The opening episode takes viewers to Zhangjiajie, beginning with the towering Bailong Elevator before following the hiking trails along Golden Whip Stream. International tourists encountered along the way share that Zhangjiajie was their planned first stop in China. Zhangjiajie welcomes more than one million international visitors annually from over 190 countries.
Yet the destination’s international appeal extends beyond its extraordinary scenery. It also lies in the flavors nurtured by the land and the people whose lives are rooted in it.
In Longweiba Village, young entrepreneurs who have returned to their hometowns are rediscovering local ingredients such as kudzu root and vine tea, incorporating them into coffee and bingfen, a traditional chilled jelly dessert. Their creations bring new life to familiar mountain flavors and introduce them to younger generations.
In Cili, local cuisine reveals stories passed down through generations. The dish known as Yanghe Dumi carries a history of mutual support dating back to 1935. After receiving help from their neighbors during difficult times, local residents cut pork tripe into rice-sized pieces to prepare a dish that could be shared among more people. The recipe became a lasting reminder of community solidarity.
The team also visits a centuries-old tree associated with the Red Army and samples Xikou beef. Revolutionary commanders He Long and Xiao Ke once held a pre-battle mobilization meeting at the site. The ancient tree, which survived a lightning strike, embodies the resilience of the local community, a quality echoed in the firm, chewy texture of Xikou beef. Together, the stories and flavors reveal the enduring spirit of the mountains.
Discovering the People Behind the Flavors
At Jixiang Rice Noodle Shop in Jishou, owner Wang Jixiang has been running her business for 35 years. The shop serves four varieties of rice noodles with a selection of toppings. Among them, rice noodles topped with stir-fried pork and fermented chili offer a distinctive combination of sour and spicy flavors characteristic of western Hunan.
The journey continues along the Wanrong River and across Xinnü Bridge, adorned with wish plaques, before reaching the creative home of the Miao folk band Miao Ren San Man.
The band members moved from their mountain village to town to support their children’s education and earn a living by running a business, but they never abandoned their musical aspirations. Performing their original song Calling to the Mountains in a Miao village, they express a longing to reach a mountaintop together and release their deepest frustrations through a collective shout.
In Fenghuang, restaurant owner Xiao Yang offers another example of how local culinary traditions are finding new audiences. After leaving military service, he worked as a tour guide and discovered that many visitors knew little about Fenghuang’s distinctive local cuisine.
He subsequently introduced Miao-style smoked pork trotters in sour soup, a specialty of the La’ershan area, to a wider market, making modest adjustments to suit broader tastes while preserving its traditional character.
Wang Han also shares the history of Miao sour soup, which he learned about when first tasting the dish. During the migrations of their ancestors, the Miao people often faced shortages of supplies, including salt. They fermented green vegetables and relied on sour flavors for seasoning. Over time, sour soup became a culinary reminder of those journeys.
Today, the distinctive fermented flavor continues to evolve as it is paired with an increasingly diverse range of ingredients. Rather than remaining unchanged, traditional recipes continue to thrive through new interpretations, connecting generations of people to the land and its history.
Connecting Local Journeys with the World
One distinctive feature of the fourth season is the introduction of a food-tasting panel at each destination, bringing together local residents, visitors from other regions and international guests.
After sampling the dishes, panel members vote to select the “Hunan Flavor Signature Dishes.”
Among the selected specialties are claypot rice with farm-raised Chinese giant salamander and Tujia-style Sangun Wawa from Zhangjiajie; Xikou beef and Lao Sizhong rice noodles from Cili; and Fangyuan rice noodles and smoked pork trotters in sour soup from Fenghuang.
This interactive format demonstrates how people from different cultural backgrounds can experience and interpret the same dish in their own ways.
The towering sandstone peaks of Zhangjiajie, the Loushui River in Cili, the Wanrong River in Jishou, and the Tuojiang River, Hongqiao Bridge and traditional stilt houses of Fenghuang together form the scenic landscape of the Greater Zhangjiajie International Tourism Area.
Meanwhile, rice noodles, cured meats, sour soup and distinctive local delicacies bring warmth, flavor and everyday life to these natural and cultural landscapes.
About Season 4 of Go Where Flavors of Hunan Abound
Under the theme “A Season of World-Class Landscapes,” Season 4 of Go Where Flavors of Hunan Abound focuses on the Greater Zhangjiajie International Tourism Area and adopts a two-episode format for each destination.
The first episode, focusing on rural and mountain flavors, takes viewers hiking, exploring lesser-known destinations and participating in local challenges while visiting ordinary households to discover traditional home-cooked dishes.
The second episode explores the culinary life of urban neighborhoods, visiting long-established restaurants, discovering local food traditions and featuring signature dishes prepared by experienced chefs.
Landscapes provide the setting, while local flavors bring the stories to life. By bringing together China’s distinctive natural scenery and authentic regional cuisine, Go Where Flavors of Hunan Abound presents the Greater Zhangjiajie International Tourism Area to international audiences as a vibrant destination rich in culture, character and culinary heritage.
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