Like last year, I took the high-speed train to Chaoshan again and stepped into the land of Chaoshan alone.

That day, I was on the high-speed rail, not long after I passed Puning Station. The aunt sitting next to me suddenly took out some rice dumplings of unknown type and asked me in Chaoshan dialect if I wanted to eat them.

How embarrassing.

I clearly understood what she meant, but I still could only tell her in Mandarin, and I couldn’t listen. It seems that aunt thinks that I am from the same hometown, so she wants to share her food with me.

After all, in my opinion, Chaoshan people have a strong sense of hometown sentiment.

01.

Before I went to college, I didn’t know anything about Chaoshan. Later, when I was surrounded by many Chaoshan people, I realized that the "jia ben" that I had always heard and thought was Hakka turned out to be Chaoshan dialect.

I didn’t know that Chaoshan was from Guangdong before. I had no idea about this place. I even thought that Chaoshan was a province or a city. If you say it, Chaoshan people will definitely laugh to death.

When I was a freshman, the most unacceptable thing was walking with a few Chaoshan people. Whenever they meet fellow villagers, they will always speak Chaoshan dialect, and I can basically only understand "jia ben" and "jia sai". It feels like even if they are talking bad about me, I don’t know and I might just laugh along with them stupidly.

Friends from the Northeast used to joke that after coming to Guangdong, they felt like they were in a foreign country when they heard Cantonese, and they felt like they were on an alien planet after hearing Chaoshan dialect.

I have heard many comments from Chaoshan people before. I heard that Chaoshan people are very united, so they often get into trouble and fights. I heard that Chaoshan boys are very chauvinistic. I heard that Chaoshan people are very xenophobic. I heard that Chaoshan people like to form small groups... ..

02.

Later, I met and came into contact with many Chaoshan people, including my classmates, good friends, and colleagues. Several of my good friends are from Chaoshan.

Occasionally, I will hear my former friends say that there are many Chaoshan people in the school, so what are the Chaoshan people like? I said, no, I just have a lot of Chaoshan friends, and they are all pretty good. I said I was going to Jieyang this year, and they said, why do you like to go to Chaoshan so much?

Indeed, before playing with them, I had a lot of misunderstandings like everyone else.

Later, after having more contact with them, I gradually began to understand and accept things that I could not accept before, and I was able to distinguish the places and delicious food in Chaoshan. .

I will speak frankly about my previous misunderstandings, and they will patiently explain them to me. The map cannon later became an occasional joke between us, rather than malicious speculation or attack.

When I went to eat beef hotpot with my colleagues, my colleagues in Shantou said that I, a Guangzhou native, was more Chaoshan than him, a Chaoshan native. I don’t know why, but I felt an inexplicable sense of pride after hearing this. It seemed that my time with my Chaoshan friends was not in vain.

My Chaoshan friends all have one characteristic, that is, they are very good at taking care of others. Whether they are at the same level as me or younger than me, I am always taken care of. Especially when I went to eat beef hot pot, they took the initiative to cook the meat and cut it for us first.

Speaking of which, I don’t have many friends, and Chaoshan people account for a large part of them. Moreover, I have always coveted the food in Chaoshan. It is my small goal to visit Chaoshan every year.

03.

This time, I came for the traditional festival in Jieyang. Before coming here, I asked my friends if there were any lively festivals there. I know that Chaoshan is a place that pays great attention to tradition.

On the first day, after arriving, my friend took me to the old town on her motorcycle.

They are all very old and tasteful houses, and there are not many people on the streets. Carrying backpacks and hanging cameras, we looked very awkward.

The old street is decorated with small colorful flags and large colorful flags. It looks very grand and has a New Year atmosphere, but it is not artificial at all. I couldn't take my eyes away from it, and kept exclaiming, "It's so amazing" and "It's so beautiful." It was the first time that I felt the word "traditional festival" so clearly.

I said, these houses are so old, but the government has not said that they will demolish them and rebuild them. Friends told me that these old streets and houses have been protected. When you reach an intersection, you can see a small sign.

Such a place does not look like a scenic spot, but I think it is much more beautiful and interesting than the scenic spot. After watching it, I felt inexplicably moved. The traditions and customs here are well preserved.

If you have time, stroll around slowly with your camera, and the afternoon will pass leisurely like this.

04.

On the tenth day of the Lunar New Year, my friend and I went back to the countryside to see Mr. Ying. I was dumbfounded.

I can’t hold all the thick incense sticks in my hands. They are covered with patterns, including pairs of dragons and dolls. Oh my God, this is really the first time in my life that I have seen such a big and beautifully made incense. The incense ash was blown down by the wind like snow, and the hair turned white as it passed by.

The table is filled with sacrifices. Looking from a distance, it is full of colorful flowers. I was unhappy to tell me that the stuff on it was fairy grass. So cute.

After I got home, I showed my mom the photos from that day, and my mom kept saying, wow, it was so grand, so awesome.

In the past, I hated going to crowded places and was most afraid of joining in the fun. But this time I followed my friends and squeezed into the crowd the whole time. Everything is very new to me.

Looking like this, I look like a foreigner. No wonder everyone looks at me strangely.

In the past, I had only seen this situation on TV. My friend’s family asked me, do you have these activities there? I could only shake my head.

I feel ashamed to say it. In fact, I’m not sure whether I haven’t seen it myself or whether it really doesn’t exist anymore. Growing up in the city, I was never exposed to traditional activities of traditional festivals.

05.

When friends talk to shopkeepers or passers-by on the street, their tone of conversation will be very cordial, and they feel like they know each other. Once I passed by a store, I forgot what it was for, and my friend talked to an auntie inside. Then I asked her, have you met someone you know? She said, no.

I was a little surprised that strangers were so enthusiastic. But maybe the prerequisite is that you must be able to speak Chaoshan dialect.

But Chaoshan friends are really enthusiastic.

Every time I tell my friends in Chaoshan about their delicious food or other interesting places. Their eyes will shine, their faces will look proud, and they will say excitedly, "Come, come and play."

When we went to Chaozhou that day, two of her friends, who were also friends, acted as drivers and entertainers, taking us around to eat. I really want to say, you come to my house to play with me and I treat you, but my house is really not like Chaoshan, it has no characteristics and is not fun.

On the day I got home, I saw a big bag of things that my friend’s mother bought for me. My mother asked me, did you come back with another big bag of things? I said yes, it was a specialty bought by my aunt. My mother said, it’s like this again, so rude, eating and taking.

My dad also asked me several times whether the people there are very enthusiastic. I could only eat the candied scallion pancake and nod my head.

I went to Shantou last year and stayed at a friend’s house. On the day I left, my friend’s mother bought me a large box of beef balls, fish balls, and preserved fruits. I was shocked when I saw it. It was strange. Sorry. In the end, I insisted that it was too much and I really couldn't carry it. Finally, the aunt compromised and cut the box a little smaller and took out two small packages.

I have read online before that when I go to Chaoshan, Chaoshan mothers will buy a lot of things for you to take back. They are very warm and hospitable. I have also experienced it twice.

If possible, I would really like to stay in Chaoshan for half a month.

I estimate I will gain ten pounds by the time I leave.