Here is a handy guide to help you escape the heat in Xinghua, Jiangsu province, during the sanfu period, the hottest part of summer.
Sweet rice wine produced in Xinghua. [Photo/WeChat account: xinghuatour]
Locals drink iced sweet rice wine, known as jiangjiu, brewed from glutinous rice with water filtered through straw ash. It is smooth and sweet, without the fiery kick of hard liquor.
In addition, the former residence of Zheng Banqiao (1693-1766), a famous Qing Dynasty scholar-poet, offers a well-shaded escape from the summer heat. A bamboo grove stands inside its entrance, and visitors still sit there to enjoy the cool, echoing his belief that bamboo dispels heat and refreshes the mind.
Lizhong Water Forest in Xinghua. [Photo/WeChat account: xinghuatour]
At Lizhong Water Forest, bamboo rafts drift along channels lined with trees growing from the water. The breeze off the surface provides cool relief on hot summer days.
When cooking at home gets too hot to handle, locals simply buy smoke-braised meats from street stalls and pair them with cold porridge for a refreshing dinner.