Yesterday morning, an American man named Fei Zheming boarded a plane from Beijing to Chongqing for the sole purpose of sampling Chongqing xiaomian, the numbing-hot noodle dish that is a specialty in Chongqing.

Before making the trip, Fei contacted Li Jieping, a Chongqing xiaomian enthusiast. Fei asked Li to act as a tour guide during his four-day tasting trip. He hoped Li could help him to explore Chongqing's food culture.

With Li as their guide, Fei and his girlfriend went to a noodle restaurant. Fei spoke fluent Chinese, asking the restaurant staff about the name of each condiment, making notes and taking pictures as he observed the whole cooking process.

Fei came to China two years ago, and now does research about Chinese social policies in Beijing. In his free time, he devotes himself to exploring Chinese dishes and expanding his knowledge of Chinese cuisine. 

Fei said that he now plans to write an article about Chongqing xiaomian and the culture behind it. He hopes to get it published in an American magazine. Fei had his first taste of the special dish in Beijing at the end of 2014, and he fell in love immediately. He has wanted to travel to Chongqing ever since learning that it is the origin place of his beloved xiaomian.