As the saying "you are what you eat" goes, food is an integral part of a society. Apart from the documentary's focus on presenting visually delightful and mouthwatering local cuisines, the second season pays greater attention to the relationship between people and food, and even highlights personal stories that mirror the living conditions of the people and their attitude toward life. For example, it tells the stories of a beekeeper couple's deep love for each other even under trying circumstances, a fisherman father who for years has been catching mudskippers for his beloved daughter, and "left-behind children" who miss their parents working in Guangdong province.

Buried in the delicious dishes are the ups and downs, joys and tears of ordinary people - their real emotions and feelings - which have impressed the viewers most. The stories of real people are always touching and a great learning experience. Stories told through delicacies make people realize that what they eat everyday and have always taken for granted are the result of the backbreaking labor of food growers and producers.

No wonder, after the second season of A Bite of China hit TV screens, many viewers have compared it with the first season, with some saying that they felt a sudden impulse to cry after watching the first episode.

But the fourth episode of the second season clumsily linked people and food, with most parts diverting to the everyday life of ordinary people. As a food-centered documentary, the story seems to have missed the point.

Nevertheless, up to now, the four stories have generally been acceptable, especially because they tend to portray the life of grassroots people. The social responsibility and human spirit of A Bite of China's are exactly what other TV programs have been lacking. Real life stories, along with their human warmth, can get lost in the narrative tradition, a trend still seen in the cultural industry. This is why A Bite of China is so important as a cultural product.

But just a "bite" of a fine and widely loved documentary could never be enough to introduce China's countless delicacies to food lovers. So there is need for more such cultural products to add human touch to narratives while faithfully recording the goings on in society.

The author is a writer with China Daily. xiaolixin@chinadaily.com.cn.

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