One of China's Most Stunning Volcanic Islands Goes Viral This Winter Thanks to Hit TV Drama

Recently, the new drama "Pearl Curtain and Jade Screen" starring Zhao Lusi has been a hit. The "mermaid's tear" pearl in the show, worth seven million and fought for at the cost of lives by pearl divers, is actually Hepu pearl from Lianzhou, Guangxi, also known as "Southern Pearl." The region where Lianzhou is located not only produces famous pearls but is itself a shining gem of Lingnan.

As the only coastal provincial-level administrative region in western China, Guangxi boasts not only the unparalleled landscapes of Guilin, the distinctive "Jiazhuang" accent, or the ethnic charm of the March 3rd Song Festival, but also a city in its southernmost part where azure seas and skies coexist with vibrant life. It is home to the "Most Beautiful Beach in China," the "Most Beautiful Volcanic Island in China," and Lianzhou Town, renowned for producing Hepu pearls. This city is—

Along the intertidal zones of Beihai's beaches, there are nearly 50,000 acres of oyster farming areas. At night, the aroma of charcoal-grilled oysters fills the air in places like Beihai's seafood stalls and Qiaogang Folk Culture Street, a nightly occurrence.

Beyond seafood, there’s also a carb-loaded Beihai.

Guangxi people love slurping noodles, and Beihai is no exception. Aside from the nationally famous Guangxi Luosifen, Beihai locals have adapted creatively with dishes like crab roe noodles, shredded chicken noodles, and stir-fried snail noodles—fully showcasing their ingenuity in noodle enjoyment.

Hé, a rice-based snack, is very common in the Lingnan region. However, "customs vary within ten miles, traditions differ within a hundred." The ways people in Guangdong and Guangxi enjoy hé vary greatly, and Beihai locals are masters of it. Made by kneading rice flour dough, rolling it in wheat flour, and stuffing it with sesame-peanut paste, the white zǐ hé is best described as "sweet, fragrant, soft, and sticky." Another version, mixed with edible beeswax and packed with thick coconut shreds, offers a slightly crispy texture and a refreshing sweetness—this is the coconut hé beloved by Beihai people.