As the old Chinese saying goes, "food is the prime want of man". The Chinese has a high standard for food; more so, the Chinese royal cuisine is often an art of perfection. Some of the fine delicacies have been passed down from generations to generations, allowing us to taste the royal cuisine today.

It's said that "Dragon Beard Candy" got its name in the Qing Dynasty. One day in the royal garden, the royal cooks were preparing silver silk candies as dessert for Emperor Yongzheng. Pleased with its taste, the Emperor granted his concubines and courtiers and named this dessert "Dragon Beard Candy".

This dainty delicacy requires high skills to make. The modern Dragon Beard Candy is often made of corn syrup, but the traditional way is to cook maltose with honey into syrup, and twist the mixture into an "8" shape, then fold and stretch it repeatedly until it becomes many soft and fine strands of sugar, tasting spongy, neither too sweet nor sticky. The making of this dessert is a feast for eyes, hence is categoried as one of the national crafts.

The traditional Peking sweet "Pea Flour Cake" comes with a legend. One day when the Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing Dynasty was relaxing in the cool air, she was disturbed by the sounds of gongs from outside the palace wall. She annoyedly summoned the street hawker. "What do you sell to make your living?" asked Cixi. "The Pea Paste Cakes made by myself. They are sweet and refreshing, it melts in your mouth right away," the terrified hawker answered. Having tasted some of the cakes, Cixi was very delighted and made the hawker stay and serve for her in the royal kitchen.

Later, the royal kitchen further improved the receipe, adding in prime-quality ingredients like white sugar, osmanthus flowers and honey cakes. Today, it has become a popular summer dessert.

Some say "Tofu Soup" is a piece of art. This delicious and fragrant dish is made of shedded fresh tofu, day lily flowers, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and carrots. Legend has it that the dish became famous after the Emperor Qianlong's trip to the south of the Yantze River.

When the Emperor Qianglong was having an incognito tour to the Xining temple in Yangzhou, he heard a few guests praising a Tofu dish provided by the temple. Having made inquiries about the dish, the Emperor asked a Buddhist monk called Wensi to prepare the dish for him. However, when the dish was served, the Emperor can only see a million strands of silky white lines. While he was hesitating, the abbot explained, "the tofu is shedded into those white lines." The Emperor was very flattered, "this Tofu dish deserved its reputation! It is smooth and refreshing, totally displaying the cook's incredible skill." Since then, the dish has become one of the royal cuisines.

Undeniably, the receipe of the royal cuisines are often dainty. Above and beyond, the story behind each and every delicious royal cuisine is also an important historical asset of China.

As one of the international metropolis, Hong Kong prides itself on its leading positions in economy and many other sectors. But when its electricity consumption comes out on the top, it becomes the city's pressing concern. An environmental group has estimated that Hong Kong's electricity consumption would be at 53 billion kWh by 2020, reaching as high as 31,000,000 tonnes of carbon dioxides emission. In fact, energy saving is not a tough task and we can save a great deal of energy simply by taking the following tips:

1. Buy electronic appliances with the "Energy Efficiency Label". There are altogether 5 grades under the labelling scheme, with Grade 1 as the most energy-efficent appliances. For example, a Grade 1 refrigerator can save up to 35% and 45% more energy than those labelled Grade 3 and 5 respectively.
2. Always make sure the water in the washing machine is only 70% full, and soak the clothes in water for 20 minutes before turning on the washing machine. This will enhance its efficiency with less electricity consumed.
3. Soak the uncooked rice in water before switching on the cooker to shorten the cooking time.
4. Unplug the TV every night before you sleep and that will help to save energy.
5. Regularly maintain your electronic appliances to enchance their electricity efficiency and lengthen their lifespan.