Uncle Ping arranged a day of gourmet activities for me when I returned to Chengdu.

I particularly enjoy returning to Chengdu, firstly because it is my mother's hometown, secondly because in Chengdu, besides visiting relatives and comrades, I have many friends, and thirdly because I am always tempted by the delicious food of Chengdu.

This time, I was warmly arranged and received by Uncle Ping upon my return to Chengdu.

Before I set off, Uncle Ping learned that I would be returning to Chengdu, and he asked me on WeChat, what do you want to eat this time? How is your schedule?

I said I wanted to eat at a small restaurant with a strong local flavor, and I set aside a day specifically for Uncle Ping after visiting my uncle and comrades.

On September 18, I met Uncle Ping in Chengdu.

That day, Uncle Ping originally planned a whole day of dining activities, starting with breakfast and tea in the morning, authentic Chengdu snacks for lunch, tea house visits in the afternoon, and street food for dinner.

I was overjoyed to learn about this arrangement; Uncle Ping's plans are always reliable, and he chooses the best places and foods in Chengdu.

However, having four activities scheduled for one day from morning to night was indeed a bit overwhelming. Plus, Uncle Ping accompanying me the whole time made me uneasy.

So I contacted Uncle Ping, making an excuse that my schedule conflicted, and suggested we modify it by skipping breakfast and tea, starting with the lunch of snacks.

Here, I want to introduce Uncle Ping specifically.

His surname is He, and his full name is He Ping. His father was an old cadre who came to Chengdu from Sichuan during the liberation, and he has two brothers, making him the youngest.

He used to work on the railway and later became a reporter for a central publication's Sichuan branch. He has a strong writing background, excellent social skills, loves making friends, enjoys food, and is also skilled at cooking Sichuan cuisine.

Over the years, he founded a WeChat public account called "Uncle Ping's Leisure Pond," which is quite famous, specifically publishing articles about the history and culture of old Chengdu. His submissions and writings recount events from old Chengdu and are very popular, earning him numerous followers, and he has become a prominent figure in Chengdu.

He is passionate about Sichuan cuisine, having reviewed and promoted many of Chengdu's specialty restaurants and dishes, earning a great reputation in the Chengdu food scene.

His bald head is quite eye-catching, and he is humorous, has an excellent memory, and is knowledgeable. He is referred to as "Uncle Ping" by both the Chengdu food community and the locals.

The way I met him is quite unique; it was online. A few years ago, his "Uncle Ping's Leisure Pond" published an article about the history of a mansion in old Chengdu, which happened to describe my mother's old house, and I happened to see it. Thus, we got to know each other on WeChat, and due to our similar views and interests, we became friends.

Later, when he came to Beijing, we met for a drink, and the year before last, when he returned to Chengdu, he hosted a banquet at a small elegant restaurant next to the former residence of Li Ka-shing in the East Gate market.

In this way, we became friends through our connection; he is a year younger than me, and he calls me Brother Wang, while I still refer to him as Uncle Ping.

Back to the main topic, that noon he arranged for me to have lunch at a snack shop called "Flowing Banquet."

This was the first meal I received with high standards from the food expert Uncle Ping in Chengdu.

In the midst of his busy schedule, Uncle Ping and Aunt Ping specially accompanied me; it was the second time I met his wife, as she accompanied us last time too. I felt a bit guilty about that.

I was also particularly fortunate to meet Wang Jian, the owner of "Flowing Banquet," who has perfected traditional Chengdu snacks and has won multiple national culinary awards in the process.

That noon at "Flowing Banquet," I was treated to a delightful meal!

Red oil wontons, steamed dumplings, shao mai, sweet water noodles, yellow cold noodles, as well as small steamed beef buns, small steamed fatty intestines, and five-spice oil tea...

Especially the bowl of sweet fermented rice dumplings served to each person at the end by Wang Jian, which perfectly concluded the meal.

This restaurant has been in business for over twenty years, managed personally by Wang Jian. Many locals love it, and some celebrities come here specifically for the snacks.

The restaurant is not located in a bustling area, yet it attracts many customers every day, indicating its status in Chengdu's food scene.

This is the most authentic Chengdu snack; due to my limited stomach capacity, there were still many dishes I didn't get to try, so I can only come back next time.

After lunch, we took Uncle Ping's car to People's Park to start the second activity of the day, visiting a tea house and chatting.

In Chengdu's People's Park, there is an outdoor tea house known as the first tea house in China, the famous Heming Tea House.

It has been in operation since 1923, making it a full hundred years old.

It has over a thousand tea tables, and it is always crowded, with excellent business, constantly turning over tables, making it hard to imagine how much revenue they earn from tea every day.

Uncle Ping, Aunt Ping, I, Old Tang from Xi'an, Wang Jian, the owner of "Flowing Banquet," and my dear friend Old Cui from Chengdu spent over four hours here drinking tea and chatting.

That afternoon, Uncle Ping was very enthusiastic, sharing the history of Chengdu people, regardless of gender or age, enjoying tea in tea houses; recounting the stories of street ear whisperers and barbers in old Chengdu; discussing past events related to tea houses; and explaining the etiquette of drinking tea in old tea houses...

After drinking enough tea, we changed locations for dinner, starting the third activity of the day.

"Ruo Yuan Nightlight Cup" is a very unique restaurant in Chengdu, known for its late-night dining style, as it opens every day at 4 PM and closes at 4 or 5 AM the next morning.

Many people enjoy coming here for dinner and late-night snacks.

In the evening, Uncle Ping ordered the dishes; this is also one of his regular spots, a gathering place for several bald-headed foodies in Chengdu, so I saw Uncle Ping navigating here as if he were entering his own home.

Ruo Yuan Nightlight Cup won the 2023 Must-Eat List on Dazhong Dianping, with walls covered in photos.

The atmosphere here is vibrant, and the dishes served are very aromatic, with several dishes that must be eaten hot.

My dear friend Old Cui has a distillery in Moutai Town, and the two bottles of his own sauce-flavored liquor he brought were enjoyed by the three of us.

This dinner was another lively gathering.

At 9 PM, dinner ended, and we said goodbye to Uncle Ping and Aunt Ping. This day allowed me to enjoy delicious food and drinks.

I am grateful to Uncle Ping for his meticulous arrangements and warm hospitality upon my return to Chengdu, as well as Aunt Ping's company throughout.

I enjoyed the food, but Uncle Ping and Aunt Ping must have been exhausted.

This was the most wonderful day of eating I had during my return to Chengdu.