Food
Trying to pin down the tastes of real Dongbei (northeastern China) cuisine
is not the easiest of tasks. The influence here is strongly reminiscent of the
contradictory Beijing and Shandong styles, mixing simple, traditional cooking
techniques with the huge complexities of Imperial gastronomic arts. There are,
however, a huge variety of other influences that are combined with this. Manchurian,
Russian, Korean, Japanese, Han, and a variety of other minorities have all had
their say in the styles that make up the present culinary system.The Dongbei
style is further mixed in Jilin by the fact that this fairly primitive province
is home to some highly exotic animals and plants, and the chefs of the province
have long been refining their cooking using these. If you can stomach it, the
province still produces dishes of endangered or contentious variety, including
bear's paw, deer's tail, snow toad, and even dog's soup, a popular Korean dish.
The area is also fairly popular for those suffering from a variety of illnesses,
since many of its more exotic dishes are linked to herbal medicine. The most
famous of these, ginseng chicken, can be had, for a price, in most areas of
Jilin.If the idea of leopard tongue does not leave you excited, Jilin also has
a few historical foodtypes for you to sample. The province has long been recognised
as the home of the Manchus, and the Manchurian influence can still be tasted
here, whether in the form of a spicy, Qing dynasty hotpot, or in the flowing
courses of the Three-set Bowl Banquet. With its proximity to the border of Korea,
and with a strong Korean minority population, Jilin also serves up some impressive
Korean delicacies. A Korean meal is best started with a spicy pickles appetizer,
cooled down with some cold noodles, finished off with a traditional Korean barbecue,
with all of this washed down with a few glasses of eye watering Soju (Korean
wine).
The best thing about shopping in Jilin is the wealth of exotic goods that can be purchased here, although many of these are of a rare variety that are not conservationally friendly. The people of this region have long been trading in these products, although recent tourism to the region has done much to speed up this situation.Changchun is good for natural exotica. For quality wine, Changbai ginseng, sable, pilose antler or frog oil this is the place to come. For pure tradition, Jilin City, also has a good selection. The city is best if you are looking to purchase any of the "Three Treasures of Dongbei", Ginseng, Marten and Pilose Antler, that the people of this whole region, former Manchuria, are so proud. Heading to a more inhospitable, and harder to reach area, Changbaishan is the best place for those after more specialist goods, since the region contains many of the ingredients that are a core part of the mystical Chinese medicine. Here you can find frog oil, Glossy Ganoderma, and the Three New Treasures of Dongbei.For those after something less controversial to take home, the handicraft industry in Jilin has also been picking up. Many exquisite articles can be bought in most of the areas here, but some of the more special artifacts include wood carving, bark painting, straw-woven wares, painted calabash and kirigami (the ancient art of paper folding practiced by the Manchurian people). The popular Tonghua wine should also be tasted, since this somewhat unusual flavoured liquid is made from grapes growing in one of the most northernmost places in the world.For those after something a little more mundane, and perhaps life-saving, there are large department stores in both Changchun and Jilin City, where you can buy such essentials as winter clothing and chocolate.