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Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

This summer, Paris is in full swing.

And in the African savannah, a shocking "crossing of heaven" is also being staged.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

The famous "Crossing of the Kingdom of Heaven". Photo/BBC documentary "Animal World"

This scene from the BBC, I don't know how many people have been shocked and yearned.

Every year during the summer vacation of July and August, hundreds of thousands of people rush to Africa to see the world's largest and wildest animal migration.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

In the Tanzanian savannah, see lions. Photo/ins @Leva.me.tours

A Mara River that runs between the Serengeti savannah in Tanzania and the Semara savannah in Kenya.

Tens of thousands of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles rushed by, heading towards the green meadows of the Saimara.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Fauna of the Tanzanian grasslands. Photo/ins @wanderreisen.de

Here is Tanzania in East Africa, one of the least developed countries in the world.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

But it is an African country that has had more than half a century of contacts with China.

Forty-four years ago, a 1,860.5-kilometer railway connecting East Africa and Central South Africa departed from Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, to Pikarim Poshi, Zambia.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

In 1973, China built a railway in Tanzania. Figure/Station B

It became the main connecting channel between Tanzania and Zambia, which had just become independent and was still in trouble.

It is also known as the "African Freedom Road" and has made a significant contribution to its socio-economic development.

It is the Tanzania-Zambia Railway built with China's assistance.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

The railway, which has survived in the memory of several generations of Sino-Tanzanian people, is now no longer in the past due to management problems.

But it cannot be denied that it opened the door to friendship between China and Tanzania.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Since then, thousands of people have gone to Tanzania to invest in factories, open Chinese restaurants, study or work, and spread across all walks of life.

And in Dar es Slam, this nickname "Dar Le" (hereinafter referred to as "Darle" (hereinafter referred to as "hereinafter referred to as"), Tanzania's largest city and port, also because of the gathering of Chinese, it is inextricably linked to China.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Port of Dar es Slam Photo/Documentary "Chinese Restaurant"

01

A bowl of lamb stewed noodles from Henan

Conquered the "Tanzanian stomach"

On CCTV International Channel, when a Tanzanian guy was eating braised noodles, he used a mouthful of "authentic" Henan dialect to praise the camera again and again: "It's delicious!" Delicious! "Times.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Wang Guojie, a native of Zhoukou, Henan, must not have thought that in the 12th year of coming to Tanzania, he would suddenly become a big celebrity with a bowl of Henan braised noodles.

Then his Chinese restaurant in Dar es Salaam, located on Ursino Road, became a household name and became a household name for authentic Henan flavor.

This Chinese restaurant is called "Another New Restaurant".

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Opening a restaurant here is an accident for Wang Guojie.

In 2005, Wang Guojie, who is in his 30s, like many people, went to Tanzania for the first time to do business, dealing in ceramic tableware, glassware, stainless steel products and so on made in China.

And every Chinese who come to Dati always loves to get together and make a hometown dish to fill the "Chinese stomach" engraved in their bones.

Make a good dish, especially the famous Henan stewed noodles, Wang Guojie, who has made quite a charm, stands out.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

With everyone's unanimous praise and suggestions, his Henan Chinese restaurant was opened.

More than 1,000 square meters, more than 30 employees, chefs and management are Henan, hired local Tanzanians as waiters, the restaurant dishes are mainly Yu cuisine, in addition to Sichuan cuisine and Cantonese cuisine.

In this way, a Henan stewed noodle became famous in a foreign country.

As a native of Zhoukou, Wang Guojie also put the spicy soup from his hometown on the table.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Hu spicy soup is a famous snack in Henan, originating in Zhoukou, Henan.

The first adherents of the restaurant were mainly local Chinese.

Gradually, under the leadership and influence of the Chinese, many Tanzanians also walked into the store, from not daring to eat, afraid of not being able to finish eating, to finally eating with relish.

A Chinese restaurant, a bowl of Henan braised noodles, a bowl of spicy soup...

It carries not only the hometown food, but also the wisps of nostalgia that cannot be dissolved in a foreign country, as well as the friendship with the Tanzanians here.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Some Tanzanians come to book a banquet, but they may not bring enough money, and Wang Guojie will reduce part of the fee.

They often come to parties or weddings, eat until they rise, and invite the Chinese at the next table to sing and dance together.

In addition to making authentic food, Wang Guojie also uses the restaurant as a window to China.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

holding martial arts performances and folk performances; teach the locals how to make dumplings, make steamed buns, and use chopsticks; Teach them some Chinese etiquette and Chinese culture...

That's why there was a very authentic Henan accent at the beginning, that Tanzanian guy.

"Hit or not? Middle! It has become a mantra for everyone to be barrier-free. Many people have learned to cook Henan cuisine.

If you want to talk about the fate of Henan and Tanzania, it may have started as early as the Tanzania Railway.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Of the nearly 50,000 engineers and technicians China sent to Africa to build the railway, most of them were from Henan.

In other African countries, there are also many Henan figures.

In 2017, the eastern road in Namibia, which was built by Henan International, a Henan company, was opened to traffic.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Henan International. Figure/Network

In Sudan, next to Tanzania, there is also a "Henan Square". The pavilion in the square, the blue and white porcelain at the bottom of the fountain, the golden dragon... It's full of Chinese elements.

A wind from Henan, China, has caused a lot of ripples in Tanzania and even many countries in Africa.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Henan Square. Figure/Network

02

A "China Town", a Northeast iron pot stew

Pulling endless homesickness

In addition to Wang Guojie's "new again", it is not difficult to find another Chinese restaurant in Dalé.

Last year, a documentary "Chinese Restaurant" focusing on overseas Chinese restaurants was launched.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

10 Chinese restaurants scattered all over the world.

We are familiar with Secretary Dakang (Mr. Wu Gang), with the camera, slowly telling different humanistic and food stories.

The second episode is Dalé City, Tanzania.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

In Dar Lei, there is a small "China Town", which is a compound with a Chinese supermarket as the core.

There are 13 families in the courtyard, and they operate different businesses.

The most conspicuous and tempting is the "Northeast Iron Pot Stew" of Yu Liansheng and his wife, just look at the name. Bold, domineering, and down-to-earth, this is a restaurant with a northeastern flavor.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

"China Town", Yu Liansheng's iron pot stew is here. Photo/"Chinese Restaurant"

A large iron pot in the northeast, deeply embedded in the center of the round table, with vermicelli and vegetables as the base.

Spread a layer of chicken, duck and fish meat at the C position, then pour in the secret juice unique to the Northeast, paste a circle of cornmeal tortillas along the pot, cover the large iron pot lid, and simmer for half an hour on high heat.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

The moment the lid is lifted, the steam mist fills, and the meat soaked in the fresh juice is boiling and tumbling, and the aroma overflows the screen.

In front of this pot of solid and steaming food fairy Northeast iron pot stew, it can make people in a trance for a while. It seems to switch to the farmhouse compound in the Great Northeast, where relatives and friends sit together, eat and drink, and dissipate their troubles.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Like many people, Yu Liansheng and his wife came to Tanzania to strive for a better life.

Before opening this Northeast iron pot stew, they came to Dalé in 2009 to do logistics work in a state-owned construction company that helped build Tanzania.

After the project, I returned to my hometown of Heilongjiang.

However, the two of them have some nostalgia for Tanzania, miss the perennial warm climate here, and feel that they have to work hard for their daughter, endure hardships, and earn a little more money.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

My daughter is in the eighth grade at an international school in Tanzania and helps out in the store during the holidays, but she rarely takes her children out to play because of her busy schedule.

On the occasion of his daughter's birthday, Yu Liansheng decided to hold a birthday banquet and make a "Tanzanite Grouper Iron Pot Stew", using the local abundant large grouper and integrating it into the soul of the Northeast Iron Pot Stew.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania
Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Ona attended with the children dressed up. Photo/"Chinese Restaurant"

On the day of the birthday banquet, friends from the Chinese hospital and Tanzanian friends Ona and the family were invited to taste Yu Liansheng's original and innovative Sino-Tanzanian meal.

The familiar cauldron and the familiar sitting make people feel the energy of food.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Very polite Tanzanian boy. Photo/"Chinese Restaurant"

03

"Family" breakfast buffet

It warmed the hearts of Chinese and Tanzanians

In the "China Town", next door to the iron pot stew in the northeast of Liansheng, there is a buffet breakfast shop called Yijia.

Mr. and Mrs. Zhang Xinmin were busy early in the morning, preparing breakfast for the day.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

A buffet breakfast table full of food, steamed buns, fried rice, fried noodles, fried noodles, egg rolls, rice rolls... You've got almost everything you want to eat.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

The Tanzanian staff in the restaurant can already skillfully make pancakes, fruits and buns.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Miffy is a regular customer of the breakfast shop, and she always packs several breakfasts for her colleagues.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

She works for a Chinese trading company and is responsible for the management of import and export goods. Sesame seeds and cashew nuts, which are abundant in Tanzania, are collected and transported to Qingdao, China, through the port of Daré.

Then sent from Qingdao, China to all over the world, maybe become the sesame oil of every household, or become a grain of decoration on the biscuits.

Even at the end of the shipping season, the trading company did not use mechanization, but was manually handled by groups of Tanzanian workers.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

More than 200 employees, some of whom have been working here for four or five years, and some of whom have been working for more than ten years, rely on this job to support their families.

The reason for the abandonment of mechanization is to preserve their jobs.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

In these Tanzanians, hardship and hard work are their attitude towards life.

Do you still remember the Tanzanians who attended the birthday banquet of Yu Liansheng's daughter, a family of four, dressed in a suit and tie?

His name is Ona, a pork merchant, and Chinese who know him call him "inspirational brother."

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Ona often comes to eat at Liansheng's restaurant. Photo/"Chinese Restaurant"

Ona gave birth to four children, and for each child he bought a piece of land, regardless of whether the land was good or bad.

Many years ago, he went from the countryside to the city to work, lived in a simple small board house, worked as a construction worker, delivery worker... Hardly much work is left behind.

After hard work, Ona finally has a small courtyard with a nanny and children attending a nearby school.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

Ona's home. Photo/"Chinese Restaurant"

Ona, who is not good at words, relied on his own hands to give his wife and children a stable and happy life.

I think the concept of family must have a lot of weight in Ona's heart.

Just like Yu Liansheng and Zhang Xinmin, for the sake of their children, they went to Tanzania to work hard, and all the efforts they made were nothing more than to give their families a better life and a better future for their children.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

——

In Tanzania's vast savannahs of the Serengeti, wildebeest are on the verge of survival.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

African animal migration routes. Figure/Network

Every year, some 3 million animals in this grassland cross the Serengeti Grasslands and the thrilling Mara River to the Masai Mara Grasslands in a clockwise direction.

In the coming year, we will return to the Serengeti to breed and start a new journey.

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

The magnificence of life comes from being fearless in order to survive;

If you want to create a better life, you must keep running, repeatedly;

Just like Ona, you have to keep going around the city to have a home of your own.

Just like a bowl of Henan braised noodles, it has to be pulled repeatedly before it is strong enough.

Just like the Chinese who once went to the other side of the ocean and Tanzania for life, they do not admit defeat!

Chinese restaurants, sweeping Tanzania

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