Emerging From Lockdown
When Covid-19 hit Hubei province and its capital city Wuhan, the population unwittingly became the first in the world to face the restrictions and closures of a 21st-century mass quarantine. For two months, the strict measures utterly transformed daily life for Hubei residents. But the lockdown did nothing to dampen the creativity of the Chinese internet nor Wuhan’s fiercely regional pride.
In early February of 2020, an illustrator who goes by the handle @陈小桃momo on Sina Weibo, a Chinese microblogging site, posted a cartoon that quickly went viral.
A window full of well-wishers (counterclockwise from bottom left): Shaanxi (roujiamo sandwich), Beijing (Donkey Rolls Around), Tianjin (eggy crepe), Zhejiang (juicy dumpling), Henan (stinky tofu), Inner Mongolia (mutton hotpot), Jiangxi (jar soup), the Northwest (lamb skewers), Guangdong (har gow), Fujian (Buddha Jumps Wall stew), Shanghai (pan-fried dumpling), Shandong (raw scallion), Henan (stewed noodle soup), Jiangsu (hairy crab), Heilongjiang (red sausage), the Northeast (chicken and mushroom stew)
Let me explain what's going on. The patient in the isolation ward is a bowl of noodles: regan mian 热干面 (“hot-dry noodles”), a Wuhan specialty. The friends crowding the window to offer their love and support are foods representing several other Chinese provinces and regions. They’re holding up signs that say: "Jiayou 加油!" a phrase which translates to "Stay strong! Fight on!"
Jiayou is what you say to motivate athletes who are flagging or students about to take an important test; jiayou is all-purpose encouragement. In late January of 2020, one week into Wuhan’s strict lockdown—when nobody had any idea how long it might last—the people of the city began hollering solidarity to each other from their windows: “WUHAN JIAYOU! 武汉加油！”
So why does a bowl of regan mian noodles represent Wuhan? Honestly, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more fitting mascot for the city. When I visited Wuhan back in 2018, I snapped these photos on a busy street in the early morning.
It's not unusual in any big city to see commuters wolfing down breakfast as they hurry to catch a bus, but rarely does eating-and-walking involve a bowl and chopsticks. That's how much Wuhan folks love their regan mian.
Still not convinced? Here's the "NO EATING ALLOWED" poster for Wuhan public transit.
China’s meme game is strong, and its illustrator corps exceedingly robust. Inspired by @陈小桃momo’s charming cartoon, @少女兔iiilass cranked out an entire series of portraits depicting regan mian being comforted by food friends from every other Chinese province and municipality. Here’s a sampling:
Fujian (shacha noodle) rushes over with a first-aid kit
Shandong (jianbing crepe) offers a hug
Jiangxi (Nanchang rice noodle) applies bandages
Xinjiang (Big Plate chicken) ambles alongside towards a bright future
Not to be outdone, in this image by 关二筝, other Hubei comfort foods crowd into frame, reminding us that Wuhan mouths do drool for foods besides regan mian.
“Wuhan jiayou! I’m cheering on Wuhan!” Fists raised in solidarity by sanxian doupi, sticky rice roll, regan mian, fish broth noodles, and Caidian bean noodles (left to right)
On March 25, 2020, it was announced that Hubei would be lifting travel restrictions, with the city of Wuhan to follow suit two weeks later. That day, @陈小桃momo released a follow-up cartoon depicting the regan mian patient as it prepares to be discharged from the hospital.
The writing is on the wall: “Hubei reopens!”
A version of this essay first appeared on the Resources? Yes, Please blog.
Lilly Chow spends her leisure time researching colloquial and classical Chinese food writing, and exploring regional cuisines.
