Imperial Measure

Published in Condé Nast Traveller UK January 2015 and on cntraveller.com:

Condé Nast Traveller UK Jan 15, WOM on Chengdu

At first glance Chengdu looks like a lot of other Chinese cities, rising towards the sky in a futuristic tangle of metal and glass. But hidden amid the skyscrapers are a growing number of neighbourhoods that take their inspiration from China’s imperial past.

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A time for cha: traditional Chinese tea in Chengdu

Published on Lonely Planet on 23rd September 2014:

Qin Xie Traditional tea set SuWei Cha Hao

Drinking tea is as central to life in Chengdu as its pungent Sichuan peppercorns or the city’s other favourite pastime, mah-jong.

Qin Xie Tea and sunflower seeds, People's Park

Many people carry flasks, pre-filled with tea leaves, ready for hot water wherever they go. Others head to the city’s many teahouses.

Qin Xie Playing mahjong Cultural Park

A single street might be populated with five or six different teahouses; the same again can be found on the next. It’s a density that persists whether you’re in the heart of the city or in the suburbs.

Qin Xie Reading Bai Tan Yuan

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