Folk culture① Tanka (疍家)

Introduction

The Tanka people, also known as Danmin (疍民), are a special group in Southern China who have traditionally lived on junks in coastal parts of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Hainan, and Zhejiang provinces. They were first mentioned in Huayang Guo Zhi (华阳国志, a gazetteer of the Jin Dynasty), but their origins are unknown. The origin of the name is related to their life. The Tanka in Beihai live in Waisha (外沙), Dijiao (地角), Qiaogang (侨港).

Deep in the past, the Tanka were despised by the residents on land and received cruel treatment, such as being not allowed to wear shoes, build houses, or marry the person on land, etc. The fishermen who were floating population were not recorded in registers maintained by the local authority (官府). In other words, they were regarded as animals. They even couldn't be buried on land after their death, so they had to be buried in Shagang (沙岗, a long and high sand hill) area. And after heavy rain, there would be a horrible scene that the bodies in the Shafen (沙坟, a sand grave) were exposed and wild dogs competed for them.

Culture

The Tanka, which is described as "出海三分命，上岸低头行" (dangerous at sea, can't lift their faces on land), have their own unique culture and customs. They believe in Buddhism, and they also sacrifice pigs and sheep to the Dragon King (龙王) and pray for protection on the first day and the 15th day of every month.

◇   Xianshuige (咸水歌) is the song which Tanka sing in their daily lives, and it is commonly about love and hardships of life.

Tanjiajie (叹家姐) is a tune of Xianshuige that a bride cries and sings for a few days at the prospect of parting from her parents.

Nanbanlang (喃伴郎) is a tune of Xianshuige that educates a groom about how to make a happy family.

◇   Tanka wedding is a traditional wedding that takes place on the sea. The groom takes a boat to pick up the bride, and the bride's family pull the rope and try to hold the bride back. Making the boat roll like a tug-of-war is to show the ability of the groom and the bride to work on the sea.

The Tanka have been influenced by the culture on land, and there is no one to specially study about Xianshuige and collect, record the tunes. Therefore, now almost the young Tanka can't sing Xianshuige. And because of the prevalent use of modern means of communication, it is not hard to meet or talk to each other. So the "哭嫁" (cry while getting married) custom no longer prevails.

Lifestyle

After liberation the Tanka started living on land and built simple houses called "Danjiapeng" (疍家棚) by the sea. They were also granted the right to receive education, and no longer made their living only by fishing.

◇   Food: Tanka live on fish. And it is said that Danjiajiu (疍家酒), the drink they make, has the effects of "壮阳", "祛风除湿".

◇   Taboos: ⑴ Tanka don't save a person from drowning because they are frightened of Shuigui (水鬼, the spirits of people who drowned).

⑵ Women are not allowed to be on the prow because Tanka believe that the body of a woman is dirty.

⑶ When eating a fish, Tanka don't use the "翻" (means "turn over") character and just use the "顺转" word because they fear that their boats will capsize.

⑷ For the same reason, when putting a spoon on the table, it is not allowed to place back-side up.

Beihai Food① "米乙"

"米乙" (Beihai dialect (Cantonese): A [an] i [it]) is a traditional food of Beihai that is made from wheat flour, rice flour, glutinous rice, etc.

虾仔米乙 (Ha jai A i)

Ha jai A i is a fried food, and it got its name because there are fresh Ha jai (虾仔)^[1] in it. It is crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and has a flavor of shrimp. And because of the cheap price, it has become Beihainese people's (北海人) favorite accompaniment to drinks.

Ha jai A i is usually seen in and around markets, especially in Zhuhai Xilu (珠海西路). The most famous stall in that street is "李姨虾饼店", and it is said that the shop has been on a show on CCTV.

PS: A freshly fried, hot one would be best.

Sui A i (水米乙)

Sui A i is made from rice flour and usually has 4 or 5 layers. It is white and has a smooth, soft taste. It would also be a good idea to add soy sauce, vinegar and some spices like garlic. Sui A i is a food that Beihainese people often have for breakfast, and it can be chilled in summer, warmed in winter.

It is said that Sui A i is derived from the Ghost Festival (鬼节) celebrated by the Hakka people (客家人) living in the Beihai area. The Hakka people call it "Goi A i" (盖米乙) and they can make ten layers. It is believed that the more layers you make the longer the spirits stay because they would return home and have a Goi A i layer by layer on that day.

Sui A i is commonly seen in street stalls or markets. And the "Yeshi" (叶氏) in Nankang Town (南康镇) is the most famous. There is a stall in Nankang New Market (南康新市场), and a few restaurants in downtown.

◇   Chaau Sui A i (炒水米乙) is the most popular recipe for Sui A i in Beihai. Add scallions, garlic, Laochou (老抽, a kind of soy sauce) and stir-fry several times. And then serve with a sauce made of sugar and vinegar, or garlic chili sauce.

◇   Gung gun jing Goi A i (公馆蒸盖米乙) is a Sui A i that is unique to Gongguan Town (公馆镇). It has 5 or 6 layers and the top is covered with a layer of pork, shrimp, wood ear mushrooms, celery, bamboo shoots, etc. It is 60-80 cm in diameter and the thickness of a layer is 2-3 mm, larger and thicker than pizza.

Bui jai A i (杯仔米乙)

Bui jai A i is so named because it is made by steaming Mijiang (米浆)^[2] in a small bowl. It is a favorite breakfast food of Beihainese people due to its smooth and fresh taste.

There are two kinds of Bui jai A i: the sweet one and the salty one. As brown sugar is added, the sweet one is yellow and has a sweet taste, and it is covered with Shuyou (熟油, heated oil) or sesame oil by a brush before serving. The salty one is white and a little salty, and it is served with the oil and a sauce made from garlic/garlic oil, soy sauce, vinegar, or garlic chili sauce.

Bui jai A i is commonly seen in street stalls or markets.

Yip ma A i (叶蔴米乙)

Yip ma A i is made from glutinous rice and ramie leaves. It got its name because Beihainese people call ramie "Yip ma" (叶蔴). Yip ma A i usually contains a sweetened filling made with sesame seeds, so it is also called "Ji ma A i" (芝麻米乙). It is wrapped in a ramie leaf (pineapple leaves or banana leaves can also be used), and it is usually served in pairs. You can divide them by hand and wrap one in the leaf, and you'll find that it has a subtle fragrance of ramie leaves and a sweet taste.

In the old days, Yip ma A i could be seen only on holidays. But now it is commonly seen in street stalls or markets, and there are many varieties and various tastes. Not only sesame filling, there is also peanut filling, Yesi (椰丝, shredded coconut) filling, mung bean filling, etc. And there are also yellow ones that uses pumpkin juice instead of ramie leaves, white ones, red ones, etc.

◇   Sau yip A i (稍叶米乙): There is nothing on the inside, and it looks like a leaf. As brown sugar is added, it has a sweet taste. And fried ones also taste good.

Baak ji A i (白籽米乙)

Baak ji A i is a festive food for Dongzhi Festival (冬至) that is made from glutinous rice. It contains a sweetened filling made with sesame seeds or peanuts, and it has a soft, sweet taste. That would also be a good idea to leave it for a few days to harden and then fry it.

At present, Baak ji A i is commonly found in markets. And there are red ones that is made from the aril (seed membranes) of gac.

Gac

Daai lung A i (大笼米乙)

Daai lung A i is the Niangao of Beihai which is made from glutinous rice, brown sugar, jujubes, sesame seeds, etc. It is so named because it is always put in a big bamboo basket. Daai lung A i is shaped like a brown disk, and it is about 30 cm in diameter, 5 cm thick and weighs over 6 catties. It has a chewy, sweet taste and is very nutritious, good for health. Now Daai lung A i can be seen in markets or supermarkets before and after the Spring Festival (春节). And there are two kinds, handmade and machine-made, and of course handmade ones would taste better.

Because Daai lung A i is symbolic of reunion (团圆) and abundant harvest of grains (五谷丰登), it is essential to the festivities in rural areas. The people there usually begin making on the 20th day of Layue (腊月, the twelfth month of the Chinese calendar) and make tens or hundreds of catties. Not only for family consumption or ancestral rites, but also give their relatives and friends as presents. For example, when a son-in-law visits the home of his wife's parents (拜年) on the second day of the first lunar month, Daai lung A i is a must.

PS: Local people prefer fried ones.

Faat A i (发米乙)

Faat A i is made by fermenting Mijiang (米浆)^[2], and it is white, soft and sweet. There are two kinds, the big one and the small one. The big one is similar in size to Daai lung A i and is used in the ceremony which people pay respects to their ancestors (祭祖) during the Qingming Festival (清明节). The small one is a snack in daily life and can be seen in markets or bakeries, and there are some other colors besides white.

◇   Faat gou A i (发糕米乙) is another kind of Faat A i. It is made from glutinous rice and has a smooth, sweet taste.

Gai si tang A i (鸡屎藤米乙)

Gai si tang A i is made from rice flour and the powder made by grinding the leaves of Jishiteng (鸡屎藤, locals call it "Gai si tang"), a bad-smelling plant of the family Rubiaceae, and it is a special food for Shangsi Festival (上巳节, the third day of the third month of the Chinese calendar). It is usually cut into long sticks and made into tong sui (糖水, a sweet soup served as a dessert), and it also can be made into other shapes.

The people of Beihai eat Gai si tang A i during the Shangsi Festival because it is said that Gai si tang A i has the effect of "清热解毒" and can be used to treat roundworms. Therefore, it can only be seen in street stalls or markets before and after the Shangsi Festival. And there is a custom that people tie the wild shrubs called "Sanchafu" (三叉斧) and Jishiteng on the door. It is said to ward off evil spirits (辟邪).

◇   "Gai si tang yau cheung yau nya" (鸡屎藤又长又韧) is a Beihai proverb that means sentences or words are tedious, not fresh, not interesting.

Jishiteng

Suk mai A i (粟米米乙)

Suk mai A i is a yellow food made of foxtail millet. It has a soft, chewy taste, and it is mostly served with a sauce made of sugar and sesame seeds. Suk mai A i can be found in street stalls, and those vendors also usually sell zongzi (粽子).

PS: Suk mai A i is need to be cut into pieces with scissors, so that it is easy to eat. If you have never eaten a Suk mai A i before, you had better make sure the stall keeper does that.

Faan sam A i (饭心米乙)

Faan sam A i is a traditional food that is made by the Hakka people (客家人) of Hepu (合浦) during the Spring Festival. It is stuffed with steamed glutinous rice (optionally cooked with shrimp or crab) and wrapped in ramie leaves, so it has the fragrance of ramie leaves, glutinous rice and a fresh taste. Now Faan sam A i is something of a rarity, and it can only be seen in a very traditional Hakka family.

1. Ha jai (虾仔) is a native shrimp of Beihai that is less than half of an adult's little finger.

2. Mijiang (米浆) is a thick liquid that is made of ground rice.

Tourist attraction① "天下第一滩"

Yintan (银滩, Silver Beach)

Yintan is rated as a 4A National Tourist Attraction (国家4A级旅游景区, there are 5 levels in total (from A to 5A)), and it has a reputation as "the best beach of the country" (天下第一滩). It is located on the southeast coast of Beihai, and it ranges from the fishing port of Qiaogang Town (侨港镇) in the west, to Daguansha (大冠沙) in the east. The length is about 24 km (15 miles). Yintan got its name because the beach filled with fine quartz sand shines with silvery light under the sun. The seawater is very clean and the transparency of water is more than 2 m. It is one of the Eight Views of Beihai (北海八景) and also called "Longhu Yintan" (龙虎银滩). The name comes from the location that is between the two fishing villages of Gaoshalong (高沙龙) and Baihutou (白虎头).

Yintan is divided into two parts, Haitan Park (海滩公园) and Yintan Park (银滩公园).

Haitan Park consists of three parts: east, middle and west. There is a gallery in the east part. The middle part is the beach and also the area of marine activity. And the west part is the recreation area, which is composed of marine life museum, spray pool, large outdoor dance hall, etc.

Chao (潮), known as the biggest steel sculpture in Asia, stands in Haitan Park. It was designed in 1993 by Wei Xiaoming (魏小明), who is a native of Beihai and associate professor at Central Academy of Fine Art (中央美术学院). The main part is a large sphere with seven figures of girls around it, which symbolizes the pearl. The steel sphere is about 23 m (75 feet) high and about 20 m (66 feet) in diameter. A musical fountain that has 5200 nozzles is installed in the pedestal and can be seen only at night, and the column of water can reach a height of 70 m (230 feet).

In Yintan Park there is the most ideal beach in the south of China, which can accommodate ten thousand people. It is suitable for swimming for nine months a year, and the average annual water temperature is 23.7 ℃ (74.7 ℉). And there is also a Roman-style square, a barbecue square, beach volleyball courts, beach soccer fields, etc.

■ Bus routes: No. 3, Double-decker tourist line
Bus No. 3 (3路): 6:20-21:30, ¥2.00
Double-decker tourist line (双层巴士旅游专线): 15:00-19:00, ¥2.00

Nota Bene: Because the bus is mainly used by locals, there is often no route map inside the bus. Please check the sign before you get on the bus.

Qiaogang Town (侨港镇)

Qiaogang is close to the famous Yintan, and it was built by the overseas Chinese from Vietnam who returned to China and settled in that area in the late 1970s. The total area of Qiaogang is 1.1 km², the land area is 0.7 km², and it is the smallest town in China. The residents there lived on the boat and had Tanka (疍家) customs in the past. But they integrate into modern society according to the times, and the custom has been gradually disappearing.

The Qiaogang Style Street (侨港风情街), which is renovated in 2000, is famous for Vietnamese food and Beihai food. The Qiaogang Resort Beach (侨港度假浴场) in the south of the town is a part of Yintan and has many amusement facilities, and therefore it has become a favourite with the local residents. And in the Tanka Culture Park (疍家风情园), which is shaded by dense Casuarina woods in the east of the beach, there are traditional wooden houses and a barbecue square, and sometimes there are also folk performances.

◇  "Qiaogang Yueming" (侨港月明), one of the Eight Views of Beihai, is a term for a beautiful scene of Qiaogang. When darkness falls, the lights on fishing boats glisten and the moonlight gleams on the water.

◇  Dragon boat races are held as part of the annual Duanwu Festival in Qiaogang.

■ How to get there: It is about 4.6 km (2.9 miles) from Yintan. Take the No. 3 bus and get off at Qiaogang Shuichang (侨港水厂) Station. Also, you can take the No. 5 bus from downtown.

Bus No. 5 (5路): 6:10~23:30, ¥1.50

Golden Bay Mangrove Ecotourist Region (金海湾红树林生态旅游区)

Golden Bay is a tourist spot where you can view the coastal wetland and the culture of the fishermen. It is located about 15 km (9.3 miles) southeast of downtown, and it is closely connected with Yintan. The total area of Golden Bay is 20 km², and it is composed of three parts: mangrove tourist area (红树林观光带), golden beach (金滩), main zone (主园区).

Mangroves grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics, and it is a unique view of nature. Mangrove forest is also called "the forest on the sea" (海上森林). The mangrove forest in the mangrove tourist area has an area of over 2,000 mu (1.333 km²), and it is also home to over 100 species of wildlife, such as birds, fish, shellfish, shrimps, crabs, insects, etc.

The golden beach is not far away from Yintan, but it shines with gold light which is a completely different color. That's how it got its name, and the name "golden bay" (金海湾) comes from that too. The beach of over 20 li (10 km) long allows people to experience the life of the fishermen. You can catch seafood (conches, peanut worms, crabs, shrimps, fish, etc.) yourself during the ebb tide, and take a motorboat to sea to catch fish or to the mangrove forest to go sightseeing during the rising tide.

◇   "围海捞鱼" (Surround the sea and catch fish), also called "Laobo" (捞箔) or "Danbo" (疍箔), is a method that local fishermen use to catch fish. They set up fishing nets of over 800 m in length and make a circle at the beach. When the tide is in, fish will get into the net. And then when the tide is out, the fishermen will use hand nets to catch them.

In the main zone, you can lie down on the beach chair under the Casuarina trees and enjoy the view of the sea. And there is also a campsite, beach volleyball courts, etc.

■ How to get there: It is about 7.5 km (4.7 miles) from Yintan. It would be better to take a taxi. Also, you can take the No. 4 bus from downtown. Get off at Longtan Xiacun (龙潭下村) Station and walk 2.5 km (1.6 miles).

Bus No. 4 (4路): 6:30-18:00, ¥2.00

■ Admission: ¥105 for adults, ¥65 for students, seniors, etc., free for children

■ Opening hours: 7:30-19:30

Local products

Marine products

The Beibu Gulf (北部湾, Gulf of Tonkin) that neighbors Beihai has abundant marine resources, and it is one of the four major fisheries in China. Typical products include pearls, sea cucumbers, peanut worms (Sipuncula), prawns, abalones, groupers, crabs, cuttlefish, oysters and various shellfish. The pearl from Hepu (合浦) is also called Nanzhu (南珠, South Pearl), and it is known as the queen of the seawater pearls of China. Nanzhu was sent as tribute to the court of the emperor since the Qin dynasty. There is also a story called "珠还合浦" (Chinese idiom).

Handicrafts

Handicrafts include ox horn carving (牛角雕), shell carving (贝雕), bamboo weaving (竹藤编织工艺品), etc.

Ox horn carving is the characteristic sculpture of Hepu that uses ox horn as the raw material. There are two kinds of ox horns, Mingjiao (明角) and Heijiao (黑角). The buffalo horn from Guangxi is of high quality, and especially the Mingjiao has a sheen like jade and is very solid. The horn after processing is translucent and has a smooth surface, and it can even be as fine as hair or as thin as paper.

Shell carving is elaborately designed by the handicraftsman who can make good use of the natural color, shape, pattern of shells. The shell carving from Beihai is divided into 6 types: large relieve (大型浮雕作品), carving picture (贝雕画), carving Baijian (贝雕摆件)^[1], carving Bajian (贝雕把件), stereoscopic carving (立体贝雕), ornament (贝雕饰品). The most famous carving is a huge mural named "the history of the transition of golf" (高尔夫之传承史). The mural is made of more than 40 kinds of sea shells, such as Baidiebei (白蝶贝), Heidiebei (黑蝶贝), Huangguangluo (黄光螺), Baiyujialuo (白玉甲螺), Litouluo (犁头螺), etc. It is 18.03 m long, 2.58 m wide and currently the largest shell carving mural in China.

Agricultural products

There are Xiangshan Jizui Lizhi (香山鸡嘴荔枝, a kind of lychee), longan (龙眼), Baisha Guozhe (白沙果蔗, a kind of sugarcane), Yongan Huangpiguo (永安黄皮果, Clausena lansium). Those are well-known in Beihai.

Xiangshan Jizui Lizhi comes from Xiangshan Village (香山村), Gongguan Town (公馆镇), Hepu County (合浦县), and it has 300 or 400 years of history of cultivation. The name comes from the seed that is small and looks like the beak of chicken. The size is relatively big, and the flesh is thick and has a fresh, sweet taste.

Longan ripens in Guiyue (桂月, the 8th month of the lunar year) and is round in shape, so it is also called "Guiyuan" (桂圆). The history of cultivation in Hepu is over a thousand years. And the ones from Xichang Town (西场镇) are the most famous. They feature big size, thin peel, strong sweetness, and the dried flesh called "Yuanrou" (圆肉) can also be used as medicine. Su Dongpo (苏东坡), the great litterateur of the Northern Song Dynasty, was full of praise for the longan from Hepu and composed a poem.

Baisha Guozhe comes from the area of Caojiang (草江) and Longjiang (龙江), Baisha Town (白沙镇), Hepu County, and it has nearly a century of history of cultivation. The peel and flesh is soft, and it is more juicy and less sweet, compared with the common sugarcane. Guozhe is also used as a traditional Chinese medicine and has the effects of "清热", "生津", "润燥".

Huangpiguo, also known as "wampee", is similar to longan at first glance, however the shape, peel, seed, and even the effect as a medicine is all different. It is a fruit that Beihainese people (北海人) prefer in summer, and it not only has high nutritive value but its leaves and seeds can also be used as medicine. In particular, the ones from Yongan Village (永安村), Shankou Town (山口镇), Hepu County are well known for a long history of cultivation.

Others

Beihai is one of the manufacturing bases of fireworks in China and has more than 200 years of history. The local people also celebrate holidays with fireworks. The firecracker has a feature of clear and loud sound, and there are over 200 varieties of fireworks. About two thirds of the products are exported to over 20 countries and regions, such as America, Japan, Southeast Asia, and they have been greatly welcomed by the people all over the world.

There is also an alcoholic beverage called "Dongyuanjiajiu" (东园家酒). It comes from the Huang family's secret recipe from a restaurant in Hepu called Dongyuan, and it has over 100 years of history. The beverage is made by refining the liquid after a long time of soaking over 30 kinds of crude drugs in slightly steamed pure Mijiu, such as Zhenzhuluorou (珍珠螺肉, the meat of Zhenzhuluo^[2]), seahorse (海马), seaweed pipefish (海龙, Syngnathus), sea snake (海蛇, Hydrophiinae), Lujin (鹿筋, deer's sinew), Lubian (鹿鞭, deer's penis), Guiban (龟板, tortoise shell), Dilong (地龙, earthworm), Gejie (蛤蚧, gecko), Guiyuan (桂圆, longan), Duzhong (杜仲, Cortex Eucommiae), Yinyanghuo (淫羊藿, Herba Epimedii), etc. It has a low percentage of alcohol and a good taste, and it is nutritious and good for health.

1.     The term "Baijian" (摆件) denotes a large-sized ornamental exhibit that is over 350 g. And "Bajian" (把件) denotes a small-sized one that is 30-200 g and can be played with in hand.

2.     Zhenzhuluo (珍珠螺), also called "Jiemeiluo" (姐妹螺), is a kind of pearl oyster and one of the regional specialties of Beihai.