Wupeng Boat of the Water Country

Shaoxing, known as "China's Venice," is a region of rivers and lakes in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

The rivers around Shaoxing feature willowleaf-shaped boats, 4 meters long and 1 meter long. Their roofs are painted black, so they are called "wupeng," meaning "black awning" boat. Typically they hold two or three people, or six at most. The boats are also called "jiaohuachuan," meaning "boat paddled with feet," since the boatman sits on the stern to paddle.

The boat's cabin is short and narrow, so people can barely sit up straight. However, the awning can be opened on good weather days. The boats have become a symbol of the region.

Mitten Crabs in Yangcheng Lake

Female Chinese Mitten Crabs become plump in September, with males following in October. September and October in the traditional Chinese calendar are the harvest times for the best fresh plump female and male Chinese Mitten Crabs. At the same time, China enters the crab season. It has become a fashion to enjoy the crabs by driving to Yangcheng Lake in autumn when the laurels are fragrant, and when the golden chrysanthemums bloom. Besides, the Chinese Mitten Crabs transported by air to different cities are costly. In the specialty stores in Beijing, the best crabs may cost 500 Yuan for each. The anti-counterfeiting laser marks printed in the crabs' backs have become a distinguishing feature of the Yangcheng Lake Crabs.

Yangcheng Lake Mitten Crabs are considered one of the best gourmet delicacies. Chinese Mitten Crabs are a catadromous species, which means that they crawl from the juncture ofthe Yangtze River and the sea towards fresh water along the river at the beginning of each summer. Yangchen Lake is located in Kunshan of Suzhou. As it is one of the nearest lakes of the Yangtze delta, the Chinese Mitten Crabs reach it with relative ease, so they are plumper. More importantly, the clear wide water, with depths of more than 2 meters, and abundant insects and grasses provide an excellent environment for the crabs. The soil in the bottom of the lake is so hard that it is like a giant mirror. Chinese Mitten Crabs feed on aquatic plants, shells, and shrimp. Generally the crabs feature a "black back, white bottom, yellow hair, and golden claws."

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