Locals wash wild vegetables in stream water in Songtao Miao Autonomous County, Guizhou Province on March 24, 2024. /Photo provide to CGTN

2024年3月24日，贵州省松桃县，当地人用溪水洗野菜。

Every year when spring comes, people of Songtao Miao Autonomous County in southwest China's Guizhou Province make and eat a traditional food called "Shefan" to greet spring and pray for a good year.

每年春天，中国西南部贵州省松桃县的人们都会制作一种叫做“社饭”的传统美食来迎接春天，祈求来年风调雨顺。

A woman squeezes out bitterness from sweet wormwood in Songtao Miao Autonomous County, Guizhou Province on March 24, 2024. /Photo provide to CGTN

2024年3月24日，贵州省松桃县，一名妇女正在从苦艾中挤出苦水。

Locals venture into fields to gather wild vegetables such as sweet wormwood, green onion, and fish mint, which they then wash in stream water. Once cleaned, the sweet wormwood is finely chopped to squeeze out any bitterness, while the green onions are minced. These ingredients are then blended together with briefly boiled rice, soaked glutinous rice, and diced preserved meat, creating a harmonious medley of flavors and textures. The mixture is then expertly steamed for approximately one hour, allowing the distinctive essence of each component to meld into a delectable dish that embodies the freshness of springtime.

当地人冒险到田野里采集野菜，如苦艾、大葱和薄荷，然后用溪水冲洗。洗净后，将艾草剁碎榨出苦味，同时将葱切碎。然后将这些食材与煮熟的米饭、泡过的糯米和腌肉丁混合在一起，创造出一种美味与口感的完美结合。然后将混在一起的食物蒸大约一个小时，让每种成分的独特精华融合成一道美味菜肴，体现春天的味道。

Locals put ingredients of Shefan into a wooden steamer in Songtao Miao Autonomous County, Guizhou Province on March 24, 2024. /Photo provide to CGTN

2024年3月24日，在贵州省松桃县，当地人将社饭食材放入蒸笼中。

The steamed Shefan can be eaten directly with fish mint, or stir-fried and served with side dishes. With each bite, individuals can taste the essence of spring, while simultaneously offering prayers for a fruitful harvest and a happy family in the forthcoming year. It is also a way to remember departed loved ones around the Qingming Festival, a traditional Chinese festival that pays tribute to the deceased and a time for people to worship their ancestors.

清蒸的社饭可以直接和薄荷鱼一起吃，也可以和小菜一起炒。每吃一口，每个人都能品尝到春天的精髓，同时也为来年的丰收和家庭幸福祈祷。清明节是中国的一个传统节日，人们在清明节前后祭拜先人、缅怀逝去亲人。

Locals eat Shefan in Songtao Miao Autonomous County, Guizhou Province on March 24, 2024. /Photo provide to CGTN

2024年3月24日，在贵州省松桃县，当地人吃社饭。

Source: CGTN

Editor: Lai Yingying

Senior Editor: Pang Bo