State Grid Huai'an Power Supply Company: Electricity Revitalizes Intangible Cultural Heritage, Warming the Hearts of Foreigners This Mid-Autumn

Recently, Amin from Morocco, and Nina from Pakistan—both international students in China—visited Hexia Ancient Town in Huai'an. They embarked on a Mid-Autumn journey that combined traditional cultural experiences with smart electricity insights, immersing themselves in the charm of technology and culture that bridges the past and present amid the festive atmosphere.

Nina (left) and Amin (right) in Hanfu touring the ancient town

Photo by Chen Yan

With a history of more than 2,500 years, Hexia Ancient Town was once a key transportation hub connecting waterways and land routes. It is also an important birthplace of Huaiyang cuisine, tea culture, and other intangible cultural heritage crafts, preserving numerous brands such as Wenlou Soup Dumplings and Yue's Fried Dough Twists.

In front of Wenlou, Amin and Nina enthusiastically joined a "couplet-matching" activity, discovering the rhythmic beauty of Chinese characters through tonal balance and parallelism. At the Yue's Fried Dough Twists ICH site, the golden, crispy dough twists bubbling in the pot immediately caught their attention.

According to Yue Yunfei, the manager of Yue's Fried Dough Twists, traditional oil vats have been upgraded to smart electric fryers. Each fryer, over one meter in diameter, allows four people to operate at once—ensuring more consistent color and texture while significantly improving efficiency and reducing costs. "These intertwined dough strands are like the bonds of family—connected no matter how far apart we are," said Yue Yunfei. His words deeply resonated with Amin and Nina, who are studying far from home.

Amin (left) and Nina (right) tasting freshly made fried dough twists at Yue's Fried Dough Twists Photo by Chen Yan

Staff from State Grid Huai'an Power Supply Company inspecting electrical equipment in Hexia Ancient Town Scenic Area

Photo by Chen Nan

Finally, the two students visited a Hanfu experience hall, where they donned flowing traditional attire and shared their thoughts while admiring the moon. "Though we come from different parts of the world, we share the same bright moon and the same light," they said. The experience brought warmth to their Mid-Autumn Festival away from home. Through the power of electricity, State Grid Huai'an Power Supply Company not only helps enhance and modernize ICH crafts, improving both quality and efficiency, but also builds a bridge for cultural exchange, conveying the Mid-Autumn message that "though miles apart, we share the same moonlight."