Spring Festival couplets and "Fu" character decorations are sold at stalls in Zhangjiagang. [Photo/WeChat account: zhangjiagangfabu365]
With less than a month to go till Chinese New Year, the festive atmosphere in Zhangjiagang is already building up day by day.
In old communities, balconies are adorned with bamboo poles hung with salted fish, cured meats, sausages, and other preserved delicacies favored by Chinese people during Chinese New Year.
The fish, freshly caught in the winter, are plump and luscious. Coarse salt is meticulously applied, and after being exposed to the wind and sunlight, the meat tightens and emits an amber glow.
Salted fish are hung on bamboo poles in the old communities of Zhangjiagang. [Photo/WeChat account: zhangjiagangfabu365]
Kitchens and alleyways are the core venues where festive flavors can be found. The steam rising from the large steamers carries the aroma of rice and flour. Freshly cooked treats like eight-treasure rice, square cakes, and brown sugar buns are soft, glutinous, and sweet.
At snack shops tucked into the corner of alleyways, iron woks are constantly roasting sunflower seeds, peanuts, and walnuts, their rich, toasty fragrance drawing locals keen to snap up these essential snacks for family gatherings.
The festive atmosphere extends beyond the food offerings, however. Stalls selling Spring Festival couplets and "Fu" character decorations are bustling with customers, their vibrant ambiance enhancing the strong sense of the upcoming festival.