I’m not sure what hits you first. Is it the multi-coloured LED lights or is it the waft of something being grilled over hot coals?
我不确定什么首先击中了你。 是五颜六色的LED灯，还是在热煤上烤的东西的烟气？
Whatever it is, it’s welcoming. Open arms welcoming. All I did was turn down a side street to get away from the hustle and bustle of Zhongshan Nan Lu and my senses guided me the rest of the way.
不管是什么，都是欢迎的。 张开双臂欢迎。 我所做的只是拐下一条小街，远离中山南路的喧嚣，我的感官指引着我走完剩下的路。
Nestled away somewhere, squeezed between the veins and arteries of metro Lines 1 and 3 in Qinhuai District are the capillaries of the city itself. The maze-like “xiangzi” (巷子).
坐落在秦淮区地铁1号线和3号线的脉络和动脉之间，是城市本身的毛细血管。 迷宫般的“巷子”。
These small alleys of goodness and mystery await. Specific name? It doesn’t matter. Something or other xiang, just follow your nose. Listen closely as the sounds of the encompassing city itself seems to dissipate.
这些善良和神秘的小巷在等待着。 具体名字？ 没关系。 某物或其他xiang，跟着你的鼻子走。 仔细听，因为环绕的城市本身的声音似乎正在消散。
Is it the smell or is the gut instinct that you just seem to know that it isn’t a left turn, but a right, as you meander your way down the xiangzi looking for that specific tiny tucked away restaurant from a memorable Saturday night a few month ago. These xiangzi seemingly blend into one yet at the same time quite distinct from one another. Good luck trying to find the same one again next weekend though!
是气味还是直觉，你似乎知道这不是左转，而是右转，当你沿着香子蜿蜒而行，寻找几个月前一个难忘的周六晚上的那个特定的小餐厅时。 这些香子似乎融合在一起，但同时又彼此截然不同。 不过，祝你下周末再次尝试找到相同的好运！
烧烤 (BBQ); check. Some sort of 饼 (pancake); check, check. Pick your poision, the xiangzi have it all. Milk tea? I saw a place nearby; order yourself something. Hot Pot? 麻辣烫 (hot spicy soup)? Just around the corner. Mandatory folding wooden table, bingo. Plastic green stools; oxymoronic in their ever-fragile yet sturdy nature, unstacked as you and your friends wander over; you know it’s going to be a good one.
烧烤（BBQ）；检查。 某种饼（煎饼）；检查，检查。 挑选你的药水，香子拥有一切。 奶茶？ 我在附近看到了一个地方；自己点点东西吧。 火锅？ 麻辣烫（辣汤）？ 就在拐角处。 强制折叠木桌，宾果。 塑料绿色凳子；矛盾的矛盾，其脆弱但坚固的性质，当你和你的朋友漫步时，解开；你知道这将是一个好凳子。
For a brief period, from the time you first walk down the xiangzi, sit down on those plastic green stools, until you navigate your way out to the nearest metro station or convenient place to call a taxi, you are part of something larger. This is my community. The community of the downtown city. The community of the xiangzi.
在很短的时间内，从你第一次走下香子，坐在那些塑料绿色凳子上，直到你导航到最近的地铁站或方便叫出租车的地方，你就是更大事物的一部分。 这是我的社区。 市中心的社区。 香子社区。
What was it Bourdain (R.I.P.) said; “This is the China you first fell in love with. Walk down the street and look in any direction, and there’s something to eat. I may not know what it is immediately, but the chances are it’s good”.
Bourdain（R.I.P.）说：“这是你第一次爱上的中国。 走在街上，往任何方向看，都有吃的。 我可能不会马上知道它是什么，但很有可能是好的。”
Something to drink? It has to be 冰的 (cold) for me. The clinking sound of the bottle being 打开 (opened) alongside the sizzling of whatever skewer of meat and vegetables are being barbecued close by, I equate that sound to the ding dong of my parents’ doorbell. This is a safe space. This is one of my homes and away from home.
喝点什么吗？ 对我来说，它一定是冰的（冷）。 瓶子被打开（打开）的叮当声，以及附近烤肉串的肉和蔬菜的嘶嘶声，我把这声音等同于我父母的门铃的叮咚。 这是一个安全的空间。 这是我离家不远的家之一。
I raise a glass (they’re always small aren’t they?) to the table of chain-smoking and 瓜子(sunflower seeds) munching uncles across from me. The usual question follow; “Where are you from?”, “Do you like China?”, “你习惯了吗?” (are you used to it?). There’s only one question that matters tonight; chilli, and lots of it please my friend.
我举杯（它们总是很小，不是吗？） 到我对面的吸烟和瓜子（葵花籽）咀嚼叔叔的桌子。 通常的问题如下：“你来自哪里？”，“你喜欢中国吗？”，“你习惯了吗？” （你习惯了吗？）。 今晚只有一个问题很重要；辣椒，很多，请取悦我的朋友。
I wash down the 烧烤料 (BBQ condiments) infused 牛肉串 (beef skewers) and enoki (“see you tomorrow mushrooms, a personal favourite of mine) and it’s on to the next. Another xiangzi? Let’s wander. The lights are getting dimmer, the shadows are closing in, not to worry.
我洗了烧烤料（烧烤调味品），注入了牛肉串（牛肉串）和enoki（“明天见蘑菇，我个人的最爱），然后继续下一个。 另一个香子？ 我们四处闲逛吧。 灯光越来越暗，阴影越来越近，不用担心。
Whatever background, colour of skin or creed, the xiangzi welcomes you. All members of the echelons of society are here. iPhone 15 Pro Max, Prada bag, beer belly hanging out, everyone is welcome.
无论背景、肤色或信仰如何，香子都欢迎你。 社会阶层的所有成员都在这里。iPhone 15 Pro Max，普拉达包，啤酒肚闲逛，欢迎所有人。
Whatever the weather, the xiangzi await. Hot, humid and sweaty summer? They’re open, the ever-so slightly summer evening will cool you off. Freezing cold winter night, they’re still open. Just make sure to wrap that scarf around your neck and sip on this bowl of brothy soup while we wait for our skewers.
不管天气如何，香子都在等着。 炎热、潮湿、汗流浹背的夏天？ 他们开着，夏天的夜晚会让你降温。 寒冷的冬夜，他们仍然开着。 只要确保把围巾围在脖子上，在我们等待烤串时啜饮这碗肉汤。
Don’t fancy barbecue? I spy a noodle stall! Wantons? Try next door. Want something a little bit more local? 鸭血粉丝汤 (duck-blood vermicelli soup) is just opposite. These capillaries, these xiangzi, the lifeblood of that small part of Qianhuai District in Nanjing, or in any major city in fact, are packed to the brim, but not uncomfortably so. This isn’t 玄武门 (Xuanwu Men) during Golden Week.
不喜欢烧烤吗？ 我偷看了一个面条摊！ 旺顿？ 试试隔壁。 想要更本地一点的东西吗？ 鸭血粉丝汤（鸭血粉丝汤）正好相反。 这些毛细血管，这些香子，是南京前怀区那一小部分的命脉，或者事实上在任何大城市，都挤得满满的，但并不令人不舒服。 这不是黄金周期间的玄武门。
Let’s float down the length of each one, maze-like, like we’re in a Wong Kar-wai film; with the eerie-paced synth music echoing around inside our heads. The LED signs of the 兰州拉面 (Lanzhou noodles) restaurant on my left and the duck-blood soup restaurant on my right permeate through the smoke and stream of the nearby stuffed oysters being grilled over charcoal.
让我们像迷宫一样漂浮在每个长度上，就像我们在Wong Kar-wai电影中一样；诡异的节奏合成器音乐在我们的脑海中回荡。 我左边的兰州拉面（兰州面条）餐厅和右边的鸭血汤餐厅的LED标志渗透到附近用木炭烤制的塞牡蛎的烟雾和溪流中。
Paraphrasing the American author James A. Michener, “If you reject the food, ignore the customs and avoid the people, you might better stay at home”. This is my mantra, these are the words I live by.
转述美国作家James A. Michener的话，“如果你拒绝食物，无视习俗，避开人们，你最好呆在家里。” 这是我的口头禅，这些是我生活的话语。
Now everyone, scoot your plastic green stools in a little, a car is squeezing perilously past.
现在，各位，把你们的塑料绿色凳子放在一点上，一辆汽车正在危险地挤过去。