As the Spring Festival approaches, many travelers have embarked on their journeys home. On February 12, a reporter visited Chengdu East Railway Station to find a non-local passenger working in Sichuan and examine what New Year goods they packed in their luggage.

Shen Xueshan's family of four

Around 12:30 p.m., the second-floor waiting hall at Chengdu East Railway Station was bustling with passengers carrying large and small packages of "homecoming gifts". After several requests to open their suitcases were politely declined, a couple from Henan Province, Shen Xueshan and Qu Huijuan, finally agreed to unpack their luggage on site, revealing an array of Sichuan specialty products: refrigerator magnets featuring a fusion of Nezha and giant panda motifs, freeze-dried lemon slices, tea, hotpot base seasoning, and more—each item brimming with affection for relatives back home. Both are agricultural scientists at the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, specializing in high-yield and efficient cultivation techniques for potatoes and sweet potatoes. They have lived and worked in Chengdu for 16 years and have two sons.

Sichuan specialty products found in the luggage of Shen Xueshan and his wife

Why did they choose these particular gifts? The couple explained that the curved refrigerator magnets depict the "demon child" Nezha either holding a long spear or cradling lotus roots, encircling an endearing giant panda. Following the box-office success of the animated film "Ne Zha 2" last year, Nezha has become a cultural tourism IP in Sichuan, while the giant panda remains the province's iconic symbol. Qu Huijuan immediately fell in love with the creative magnet, saying, "It's distinctive and attractive—perfect for gifting to relatives." She also bought a panda-shaped back massager for her father and a Sichuan opera face-changing doll for her nephew.

The luggage of the couple Shen Xueshan contained specially processed agricultural products bearing the 'Chuan' brand, known for their deep processing and regional characteristics

Beyond cultural tourism products, their suitcase also contained various processed agricultural goods: freeze-dried fig slices from Weiyuan, freeze-dried lemon slices from Anyue, freeze-dried green peas, and purple sweet potato preserves. Shen Xueshan opened a pack of freeze-dried figs and explained, "These are produced using vacuum freeze-drying technology, which best preserves their original flavor and shape." He noted that in recent years, Sichuan has integrated policy support, funding, and technological resources to address gaps in deep processing, accelerating the transformation of its agricultural sector from simply "selling raw materials" to "selling finished products". "For instance," he added, "fresh purple sweet potatoes may not taste great at this time of year, but when processed into preserves, their flavor remains consistent and shelf life is extended."

As "new Sichuan residents", the couple has witnessed firsthand the rapid rise of Sichuan's cultural tourism profile and the transformation of its agricultural industry. In the past, relatives back home only knew about the giant panda and Jiuzhaigou; now, sites like Sanxingdui and the Cuiyun Corridor along the ancient Shu roads have also become popular destinations. Previously, Sichuan's agricultural products were mostly sold as unpackaged raw ingredients, but today, branded, vacuum-sealed items are increasingly common. They remarked that more and more fellow Henan natives are coming to Sichuan for education and employment, and everyone has grown fond of "easygoing Sichuan".

【本文部分内容由AI辅助生成，特此声明。The author(s) generated part of the content in this work with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), which is hereby declared.】