The Flowing Feast
Xinqiao Hotel's "The Flowing Feast" on May 7th, was successfully held at the newly reopened West Lake 17·Lakeview Restaurant in Xinqiao, by the lakeside of West Lake. This event was jointly organized by Suzhou Nanyuan Hotel, Shaoxing Xianheng Hotel, and Hangzhou Xinqiao Hotel. The second season's second stop of "The Flowing Feast" brought together the 72-year-old Nanyuan Hotel in its prime, the 130-year-old Xianheng Hotel weathered by time, and the ever-renewing 37-year-old Xinqiao Hotel, all carrying profound cultural and historical significance. Through this event, they brought a new aesthetic enlightenment to the development of hotel culture, tourism, and catering.
At the "The Flowing Feast" event, industry professionals, associations, academic institutions, corporate groups, and major media platforms were invited. The co-initiators of the event, Ms. Lin Qiong, General Manager of Shaoxing Xianheng Hotel, Mr. Fan Rong of Suzhou Nanyuan Hotel, and Ms. Zhu Liping, General Manager of Hangzhou Xinqiao Hotel as the host, joined the guests in experiencing a unique sign-in ceremony that combined oracle bone script with seal carving, and scrolls, a themed tea break called "Book Fragrance Xinqiao", and a special tea lecture by Teacher Pang Ying on-site. In the atmosphere of "Book Fragrance Xinqiao", guests enjoyed a unique journey of food and culture.
This "The Flowing Feast" was held in the newly renovated "Hangzhou One Table"—the Autumn Moon private room. The design inspiration for the room came from the famous line in Su Dongpo's poem "Drinking at the Lake After the Rain Clears"—"The shimmering light on the water is best when the sun shines after the rain, and the mountain colors are also wonderful in the misty rain." The space design is dominated by black walnut wood color, with touches of warm orange from the setting sun and bright yellow from the autumn moon. Upon entering the private room, the hollowed-out round moon screen creates a unique misty feeling of the Jiangnan region. The main background painting in the room is calligraphy by artist Wang Dongling, whose ink art tells the story of Jiangnan in the poetry. The combination of scrolls and art projection also expressed "Book Fragrance Xinqiao". "The Flowing Feast" also provides guests with personalized services.
Chef Zhang Wei of Suzhou Nanyuan Hotel, Deputy General Manager Sun Guoliang of Shaoxing Xianheng Hotel, and Executive Chef Wu Chuanli of Hangzhou Xinqiao Hotel, the three chefs drew from the elegance of the three cities, capturing the essence of Jiangnan's scenery, leading guests to appreciate the aesthetics of Jiangnan and taste the cultural feast that transcends time and space. The finale, "Mother Yongjun's Noodle Bowl" version 2.0—a lamb fat jade porcelain noodle bowl with a newly customized logo, was specially chosen to be presented at this banquet for the first time.
Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Shaoxing are all cities through which the Grand Canal flows. In the past, residents of the three cities often traveled by water, exchanging cultures through the flowing canal waters. The bridges born by the riverbanks are not only pathways connecting the two shores but also bonds that connect people with nature and facilitate cultural exchanges. "The Flowing Feast" will also go further with the joint efforts of the three hotels, spreading the long history and colorful cultural charm of Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Shaoxing.
Suzhou Nanyuan Hotel. More than a thousand years ago, Nanyuan was one of the most famous gardens in Suzhou, where the renowned poet Fan Zhongyan left the touching verse "Below the West Shi Terrace, one sees the famous garden, where hundreds of grasses and thousands of flowers are particularly lush." In modern times, Nanyuan was not only the residence of Jiang Weiguo but also the home of the first generation of scientific couples in New China—nuclear physicist He Zehui, known as "China's Madame Curie," and her husband Qian Sanqiang, known as the "Father of China's Atomic Energy." As Jiangsu Province's only global historical hotel, Nanyuan Hotel became the Suzhou State Guesthouse in 1952 and has hosted hundreds of party and state leaders and foreign dignitaries over the past 70 years, serving as an important base for Suzhou to receive state guests.
Shaoxing Xianheng Hotel. Named after the phrase "all things are prosperous" from the Book of Changes, the hotel's catering is centered on Shaoxing cuisine, integrating the strengths of various culinary traditions with a unique flavor. The ancient yet youthful Xianheng Hotel has become Shaoxing's city living room, a landmark for cultural tourism and leisure.
Hangzhou Xinqiao Hotel. Also known today as the Xinqiao by the West Lake, the hotel has been rejuvenated with inspiration from the West Lake IP, giving a new interpretation to this time-honored hotel and infusing it with new vitality. Located in the core area of the dual circles of the West Lake scenic area and the lakeside business district, Xinqiao is also a place of memory for many people's hearts in Hangzhou.