Free Republic

When Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping sit down to a lavish state banquet in Beijing on Thursday, one Chinese cuisine is likely to feature on the menu: Huaiyang food, from the region surrounding Shanghai, known for its mild and subtle flavours, refined knife-work and emphasis on seasonal dishes... "One of the key strengths of Huaiyang cuisine is its broad appeal. Its flavours are widely acceptable and accessible to most people ... including international guests," said Shi Qiang, executive chef at Gui Hua Lou, an upscale Huaiyang cuisine restaurant in Shanghai... China even created a chicken dish named after US...

Archaeologists have unearthed a number of pottery drain pipes at a Neolithic site of Longshan Culture dating back more than 4,000 years and believe they form China's earliest and most complete urban drainage system. The city drainage system was excavated in the Pingliangtai Ancient City ruins in central China's Henan Province. "The pottery pipes were connected with drainage ditches in the city," said Cao Yanpeng, associate research fellow with the Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology. The development of public facilities and productivity are key indicators to measure the level of civilization in society. The discovery is of...