NANJING SPECIALTY HERALDS THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER

Visitors from far and wide seek out Shi Fangpo and her black rice rolls

At six in the morning, the rhythm of Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province, is already in motion. Along Wangfu Street, steam rises into the cool air, mingling with the murmur of voices. Outside a modest 40-square-meter shop, a line has formed, with those at the front arriving long before sunrise.

Some in the line are longtime neighborhood regulars, cloth bags in hand after their morning exercise. Others are visitors from afar, suitcases at their feet, drawn by word of mouth and social media. They are all waiting for the same thing: a local specialty known as wufan, or black rice.