For many outsiders, the Chinese love affair with hot water is perplexing – it is one of the most searched questions about Chinese people on Google.

When Paul Eng of Fong On decided to reinvent his family’s rice cake and tofu business, there was one problem: he didn’t know the recipes.

Boba might be Taiwan’s most famous cultural export, but there’s one drink that says even more about the island’s history and unique climate. Topped with a slight froth, papaya milk is creamy, mildly sweet and refreshing to its fans, while others might find it pungent and intolerable.

The city is one of the last places in the world where bamboo is still widely used as a building material. It remains a viable yet threatened industry, with few companies specialising in the craft. Those that do have trouble finding new blood.

The region’s harsh winters have created some of the world’s best comfort food.

For her millions of fans, Dianxi Xiaoge’s soothing cooking videos offer a glimpse into life in rural China. But how did she get started, and is her life really as idyllic as it seems?

Reganmian is so tied to the city’s identity that natives who emigrate often open hot dry noodle shops wherever they settle.

Known as Liuxianren online, he became famous on China’s TikTok for modelling outfits made from tarp, leaves and even an air-conditioner. His videos have given him international attention, landing him a spot at London Fashion Week and a photo shoot in Hong Kong.

Liu Shichao, known as Hebei Pangzai, won over Twitter with videos of himself chugging six beers in under a minute and smashing bricks with his bare hands. How did a man from rural China break through the Great Firewall to become a global internet sensation?

Surfer, 33, who represented nation at ISA World Longboard Championship last year, has moved to the resort island permanently to pursue her passion for the sport. The province is now home to China’s national surfing team and academy.

You can find the cabbage fermented as kimchi, wrapped around larb or served in warm broth. That speaks to its versatility – it can be steamed, boiled, fried, braised or pickled, one reason why it can be found in nearly every grocery store in the world.

Its potato-like texture makes it an ideal and cheap carb; cooked with just the right amount of heat, you get a cornucopia of tasty dishes. Domesticated in Southeast Asia, taro is considered one of the world’s oldest food crops, with a history of more than 9,000 years.

Some people love the bitter melon, especially when blanched with saltwater; others abhor its flavour. In the proper climate, its fast-growing nature can make it a great edible perennial.

In Southeast Asia, where the vegetable is most prevalent, it is cooked with chilli, shrimp paste and fermented bean sauce. Early European records note the plant’s extreme productivity; it can grow both on land and in water.

Chen Jie started with the style by chance, and says the tattoos require great precision to achieve a watercolour painting’s faded look. She hopes her style will help tattoos gain greater acceptance in China. Already, she has seen more local customers than she did 10 years ago.

A new wave of immigrants from China has brought diversity to the food scene, serving dishes that provide a taste of home. The owner of Hunan Slurp feels ‘Chinese food is undervalued in the US’, while his dishes showcase a zealous focus on quality.

While milk in tea is nothing new, Hong Kong’s rendition is particularly unique. It’s a mixture of tea from heavily oxidised blended black tea leaves and evaporated milk, at a general ratio of 70 to 30.

As a young girl, Aida de Jesus spoke Patua with her grandmother at home. Today, only 50 people speak the critically endangered creole language. Her daughter feels she is witnessing the last chapter of her people, the Macanese – people in Macau with mixed Chinese-Portuguese ancestry.

Panda Express has become many Americans’ first — and in some cases, only — exposure to the cuisine, but critics are quick to label it as inauthentic because of its deep-fried, high-sugar offerings.

In her videos, she performs the work of a farmer with the grace of a fairy, impressing with her deep knowledge of food, nature and Chinese culture.