Taste Bai Minority Flavors at a Historic Dali Residence - Eatwith

Host introduction

Hello everyone, I am the food host of Eatwith in Dali. I am a native of Xizhou, Dali, a Bai ethnic group, born in the 80s, in Shacun, a small fishing village on the shore of Erhai Lake. With the help of friends and my own passion, I founded my own cooking class at the end of 2017. After continuous improvement and innovation, the cooking class has become one of the most popular activities here. Welcome everyone to come and experience it.

Experience introduction “Mr. Yan, the goods shipped to Hong Kong have arrived smoothly, please rest assured. For today’s banquet, according to your instructions, we have prepared food and accommodation for the guests.” Who is Mr. Yan? He is Yan Baocheng (1903-1972), the second son of the “Yan Family”, the head of the four major Xizhou business groups. His family house is the “Baocheng Mansion” located at No. 3 Fuchunli, which is the destination of this experience. Xizhou, a hidden ancient town located between Cang and Erhai, has a long history and profound cultural heritage. In ancient times, there was a saying in Dali that “poor Dali, rich Xizhou”. From the late Qing Dynasty to the early years of the Republic of China, Xizhou’s business was booming. Represented by the Yan family, the first of the four richest families, the business scope covers the provinces south of the Yangtze River and major commercial ports in Myanmar and India. The destination of our experience this time is in the house of Yan Baocheng, the second son of the “Yan family”. Baocheng Mansion covers an area of about six acres and is one of the largest houses in Xizhou. The two courtyards on the north are traditional Bai residential buildings with the characteristics of “three courtyards and one screen wall”. They are square and tall, quiet and leisurely. They are the residences of Yan Baocheng and his family. It is also the largest courtyard in Xizhou. You can overlook the entire ancient town by climbing the roof. In this house with a rich history, experience the life of the locals and taste the Bai delicacies cooked by yourself. What could be happier than this? In Xizhou, which has a profound cultural heritage, go deep into the house of the richest man in the Republic of China, enjoy authentic Bai food, and listen to the host tell the story of the owner of the house and Bai culture.