Sichuan hotpot is a numbingly hot and spicy dish made by poaching raw ingredients in a pot of boiling broth. The ingredients might include sliced meat, offal, seafood, vegetables, noodles, and most importantly, Sichuan peppercorns. Consuming hotpot is a communal affair, so people usually gather around the pot while socializing and adding the ingredients into it.

As its name suggests, the dish was invented in Sichuan at the beginning of the 20th century. Originally, fisherman and port workers from the region could not afford regular cuts of meat, so they used offal, which was cooked in a spicy broth in order to disguise its pungent aromas. 

Sichuan in origin, mapo doufu consists of tofu cubes settled in a spicy sauce containing minced meat, traditionally beef or pork, and fermented black beans known as douchi. The dish is said to have been invented in a small restaurant called Chen Xingsheng in Chengdu back in 1862, while the name of the dish comes from the lady cook who created it.

Namely, the word mapo is an abbreviation which can be translated as pockermarked grandma, referring to the woman's appearance. The numbing spiciness and hotness of the dish come from Sichuan peppercorns, chili oil, and doubanjiang, a broad bean paste, whereas additional ingredients include wine rice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, a garnish of chopped green onions, and optionally, starch, which is used as a thickener. 

Paomo, a specialty of the Shaanxi cuisine, is a stew consisting of steamed and leavened bread (mó) that is soaked in a simple mutton soup and typically eaten in the city of Xi'an. The invention of the dish is often ascribed to the Song Emperor Zhao Kuangyin, while the name of the stew, when translated from Chinese, reveals its main feature: soaked bread.

Additions commonly include rice noodles and chopped greens, while a side of pickled garlic and sweet chili paste has a principal role in elevating the flavors of the dish. Depending on the type of meat used, there are two variations; yangrou paomo made with lamb, and niurou paomo made with beef. 

Ginger duck is a nourishing duck soup infused with strong flavors of ginger and rice wine. It is believed that the dish originated in the Chinese province of Fujian, but today it is mainly associated with Taiwan, where it has become an incredibly popular dish.

In Taiwan, this hot pot classic is usually cooked tableside in large clay pots, and primarily enjoyed as a communal dish shared among a group of people. The essential component of the dish is the pungent rice wine broth, made with duck meat left on the bone. 

Dun niurou, translating to "stewed beef," is a cherished dish in Chinese cuisine, celebrated for its tender meat and rich, savory broth. The preparation involves simmering beef cuts, often combined with ingredients like potatoes, carrots, and a medley of aromatic spices, over low heat until the flavors meld harmoniously.

This slow-cooking method ensures the beef becomes succulent, absorbing the essence of the accompanying components. Dun niurou is particularly favored during colder months, offering warmth and comfort. Its versatility allows for regional variations across China, with local spices and ingredients adding unique twists to this classic stew.

Guthuk is a traditional soup originating from Tibet. It's eaten only once a year, on the night of the 29th day of December, or the eve of Losar, Tibetan New Year. The soup is usually made with a combination of onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, celery, soy sauce, daikon, spinach, snow peas, shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and coriander.

It also contains rope noodles or small dough balls made from white flour and water. When served, each bowl has one large dough ball with a hidden item or symbol on the inside, which is a playful commentary on the person who receives it, such as salt (lazy), chili (sharp tongue), wool (kind-hearted person), or glass (happy-go-lucky).