[Malaysia] Lee Chun Hua, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
A great expectation has always been running in my family in 2022. It is in my mother’s hopeful expression when she hangs out clothes to dry in the morning. It is in the chatting with my sister in hot afternoons and it is in the loving remarks of my father when we are by our dining table... This expectation is held by all in the family and is cherished at every moment. This is the expectation of my going back to China.
Although I am not in China, I often think of my experience on campus there, the heart-warming deeds, the new attempts full of surprises, the delicious food – Jianbing (a pancake rolled with crispy cracker), one of the Chinese folk snacks, is an important component of my school-life diet that often reminds me of my beloved China.
The greatest joy when ordering Jianbing is watching the whole cooking process. Whether it is in bustling canteens, in lively scenic spots or on busy streets, the batter is manipulated by the skillful chef as easily as winking. A spoonful batter is poured to the pan, smoothed out rapidly before it flows to the edge of the pan. It is perfectly shaped in the blink of an eye. The pancake is the essence of Jianbing. This reminds me of the power which has deeply moved me in China. In today’s prosperous China, behind the advanced facilities and profound culture, is the great support of the strong and hardworking Chinese people.
I can see this spirit everywhere, especially on campus. I have seen the students in the club revising many times their drafts with 100% effort. And they, with a new 100% effort, go on with a new piece of writing after being rejected even if they had spent much time and energy in the previous one. They are undefeated ones who never complain about their setbacks. This is the attitude that I sincerely admire. This spirit is a must, just like the pliable strength contained in the pancake, which can contain everything only if there is tension and relaxation.
The most important process of the Jianbing making is the chef's swift and light manner of brushing some specially made sauce to the pancake. It is like painting a picture. Although the brownish-red sauce has nothing to do with Picasso’s modern art, the absolute attraction it exudes is what makes people so fascinated. Just a thin layer of sauce can bring out the flavour of the Jianbing, blending it perfectly with the filling and elevating the taste. It is like the Chinese virtues which are the cohesive forces that promote a country to show prosperity externally and to have social harmony and stability internally.
Once one of my family members took the subway during the rush hour and when the doors opened, she was pushed backwards onto the floor by the crowd because her down jacket was bulky. The carriage was full of people rushing on or off the train and there was a high risk of tragedy. Facing the throngs of passengers, she was at once overwhelmed with great fear.
Just then, a passer-by behind her shouted, “Someone's fallen!” Immediately after, many people reached out to her and a crowd of kind people gathered around her to help her out of danger. The sauce to Jianbing,though barely traceable, gives soul to the whole. So is a good virtue to the Chinese people, the empathy of whom adds unwittingly a human touch to the prosperous China and makes it more vibrant.
The crispy cracker is also an essential part of Jianbing. It is uneven and crispy and the crisp sound it makes when it is chewed creates a contrast with the soft Jianbing crust. It also gives support to the soft crust, making the Jianbing a whole. It’s like my life in China, where some things might not go on well, but my life was made even more colourful by a few twists and turns. When I first arrived in China, I was curious about many new things, such as the blankets that cover the chairs in the canteen in winter, the phenomenon of old people playing chess and singing everywhere in the parks, etc.
One chilly autumn evening, my companions and I went to another university to enjoy a folk music concert. The bus was about to leave for school halfway through the concert, and we almost missed the bus because we were so engrossed in enjoying the performance. Can you imagine what that experience was like?
When we were leaving the concert hall, we couldn’t find the exit. Time passed like an hourglass. I can still remember the nervousness when going round and round in that huge unfamiliar building and the feeling of running out of breath on the cold and windy night. After getting on the bus eventually, I was already sweaty and my heart was beating wildly. Thank God, we didn’t miss the bus.
Although the process was apprehensive, this experience left a knife-like trace in my mind and it has become a precious memory of mine. These, and many other experiences, are like countless lumps on the crispy cracker, making my time in China very memorable.
The master folds the pancake deftly and the delicious Jianbing is ready. Gently opening the rustling wrapping and taking a bite, the familiar flavour jumps through the senses, making you feel like you are in a scene you have long been away from for a long time: in winter, standing in the ice-cold street, passers-by are attracted by the Jianbing stalls with rich atmosphere of daily life. A bite of steaming Jianbing contains happiness. In summer, when it is broiling hot the sweat seems to take away the taste buds, yet a bite of savoury Jianbing is just good to awaken the sense of taste and give vitalities.
Through a small Jianbing, I see all the aspects of China that I love. And everything that the pancake holds is made possible by the chef who makes it.
Just like each of us, we enjoy the culture and the life in China, but it is up to us to create our own memories. So I am grateful to have had the opportunity to create my own beautiful encounters with China, from a few years ago until now!
The story is from "My Beautiful Encounter with China" Essay Competition organized by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchanges (CSCSE).
