LU Shao Xu was one of the wealthiest men in China. In 1897, the prominent salt merchant built a new home covering nearly 10,000 square metres with more than 130 rooms. Situated along an important embarking point of the Grand Canal, it occupied one of the most prized and priced real estate locations of old Yangzhou.
Salt Merchant Lu entertained on a grand scale.
The most significant room was the Hall of Banquets. Built entirely of precious Phoebe Zhennan wood (usually affordable only to royalty), it could seat 400 people.
Known today as the ‘Former Residence of Salt Merchant Lu Shaoxu’, the tourist attraction includes gardens and the Yangzhou Cuisine Museum. The restaurant showcases traditional
Huaiyang cuisine but also with some innovation. One such is an outstanding improvisation of the classic Smoked Duck which has become a signature must-have. Deboned slices of meat are layered over glutinous rice. The sensation of meat over moist grain is mouth-watering.
‘Yangzhou Sanbadao’, literally ‘Yangzhou Three Knives’ is a famous saying that alludes to the skills of its craftsmen. They are the kitchen knife, the pedicure knife for the bathhouse, and the barber’s knife for grooming.
Yangzhou chefs are regarded as the best when it comes to slicing. Nowhere is this more mind- blowing than in Wen Si Doufu Soup where they are able to slice the softest of bean curd to the tinniest, unimaginable streaks.
22 Kangshan Street • Guangling
卢氏盐商住宅 • 广陵区康山街22号
