Timeless beauty all set in stone

Xu Peiliang/ for China Daily

When women get married in Xujiashan, their parents would make their daughters a banquet of 12 dishes. Each dish has a propitious name, which is believed to bring luck and happiness to the brides and their new families.

A dish of fried bamboo shoots is called "being outstanding", as the shoots push through the earth and stand alone. A dish of braised pork is called "being prosperous", as the cooked pork's color is red, a symbol of wealth and luck.

The tradition first started as a celebration after the harvest season, and gradually became used in weddings.

All the ingredients are organic and come straight from the local families' backyards.

With more tourists streaming into the area, villagers started to provide the banquet on ordinary days at about 300 yuan ($49).

Visitors can enjoy the meal in the stone houses and get a taste of the traditional way of life. Visit the village as soon as possible, before modern restaurants and hotels change the original beauty of the place.