Dapanji (Big Plate Chicken)
大盘鸡 Dapanji · Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
Chicken pieces, potatoes and dried chili stewed into a big platter, with wide belt noodles mixed in at the end.
Know before you go
- Do not bring pork into halal restaurants or drink alcohol in places that prohibit it
- the chicken pieces often contain bones, so eat slowly
- if you are not used to spice, ask for “mild” in advance
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Dapanji, also called Shawan big plate chicken or Xinjiang big plate chicken, appeared in the 1980s in Shawan, in Xinjiang's Tacheng Prefecture. According to Economic Daily, in 1987 Li Shilin, a chef from Sichuan, opened a restaurant in Shawan selling spicy chicken; once he served the stir-fried chicken on a large tray used for resting dough, and customers began asking for "a big plate of chicken", which over time became "dapanji". He later opened a restaurant beside National Highway 312, where the dish became popular with long-distance truck drivers, spread throughout Xinjiang in the 1990s and then across China. Another account says it originated in Chaiwopu near Urumqi. The main ingredients are chicken pieces, potatoes and green and red peppers, stewed with onion, ginger, garlic, dried chilies, cumin, star anise and Sichuan pepper; halfway through the meal, wide noodles (belt noodles) are added and mixed into the sauce. To suit local dietary customs, dapanji was made the halal way from the very beginning.
Local customs
- Dapanji is ordered as a large, medium or small plate, and several people share one big plate
- when the chicken and potatoes are mostly gone, ask the restaurant to add belt noodles and mix them into the sauce. It is often eaten with naan or rice, or you can order laghman (mixed noodles). The belt noodles soaked in sauce are the part many people look forward to most.
Religion & beliefs
- Most Big Plate Chicken restaurants in Xinjiang are halal, so please don't bring or mention pork products
- before entering, check whether the restaurant allows alcohol, as some halal restaurants prohibit it. When dining at a halal restaurant, please respect the owners' dietary and religious customs.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Rules that apply here
China: At Qingming tomb-sweeping, no burning paper or open flames in wooded areas
Do
- Check whether the cemetery requires a reservation before you go
- Stay quiet while laying flowers, bowing and observing silence
- Consider flowers, tree planting or online memorials instead of burning paper
- Dress soberly for tomb-sweeping
- Take offering wrappers and rubbish with you when you leave
Don’t
- Don't burn paper, incense or candles, or set off firecrackers, in woods or grassland
- Don't talk loudly or joke around in the cemetery
- Don't block cemetery paths for long to take photos
During fire-prevention periods, burning paper, incense and candles is strictly banned in forest and grassland fire zones, and anyone who starts a wildfire may be held legally liable. Whether and where a cemetery allows burning is set by its own rules on site.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Xinhua: Two departments deploy safety measures for the Qingming holiday
China: Go through security before the metro, and park shared bikes in marked zones
Do
- Cooperate with the security check at the entrance and put bags through the scanner
- On the platform, wait beside the doors and let passengers off first
- Register with your real name in the app before riding a shared bike
- Park in a marked bay or an app-designated spot, and make sure the lock clicks shut
- If the brakes or lock don't work, switch bikes and report it in the app
Don’t
- Don't linger in the doorway or force your way through closing doors
- Don't leave bikes in traffic lanes, fire lanes or on tactile paving
- Don't let children under 12 ride shared bikes
If you refuse the security check you will not be let into the station. Badly parked bikes are removed, and riders may face action under local rules and the operator's terms.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: People's Daily Online: Beijing issues standards for shared bike technology, services, parking
China: No smoking anywhere on high-speed trains, and no phone calls in quiet carriages
Do
- Sit in the carriage and seat shown on your ticket
- Put large luggage in the racks at the carriage ends or overhead
- Use headphones for videos and music
- In a quiet carriage, step outside to make or take calls
- Before getting off, check around your seat and take your rubbish and belongings
Don’t
- Don't smoke anywhere on the train, including toilets and vestibules
- Don't take someone else's seat
- Don't choose a quiet carriage when travelling with babies or toddlers (12306 advises against it)
Smoking on a bullet train can set off smoke alarms and slow or even stop the train. Smokers are fined by the police and, according to reports, may also be barred from buying bullet-train tickets; official rules prevail. If someone breaks the quiet-carriage rules, tell the train staff.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Travel China Guide: Smoking on Chinese trains
China: Stay on open sections of the Great Wall and never carve the bricks
Do
- Walk only on open sections and marked routes
- On steep stretches, stop and steady yourself before taking photos, and watch your step
- Wear non-slip shoes, carry enough water, and turn back if you are tired
- Carry your rubbish down or put it in a bin
- Check opening arrangements before you go; official announcements prevail
Don’t
- Don't carve, write on or prise loose the bricks
- Don't climb over fences or onto closed, crumbling walls and watchtowers
- Don't run or push on steep sections
Carving the Great Wall counts as damaging a cultural relic: one visitor who carved his name at Badaling was given administrative detention and a fine by the police and was blacklisted by the scenic area. Closed sections are not maintained and can be dangerous.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China News Service: Man detained for five days and fined 200 yuan for carving on the Badaling Great Wall
China: book popular sights in advance, under your real name, through official channels
Do
- Check the booking rules on the site's official website, mini program or account before you go
- Enter every companion's ID details in advance and pick an entry time slot
- Children, seniors and others with free or reduced tickets also book as required and show ID
- Book early for holidays and summer; popular dates often fill quickly
Don’t
- Don't trust third parties offering to grab tickets or sell 'insider' tickets
- Don't assume a free ticket means no booking is needed
- Don't count on buying tickets at the gate on peak days
Once a popular date is fully booked, you may be turned away. China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires sites to keep in-person ticket windows and to accommodate seniors and others, but on-site quotas are limited; booking windows, release times and visitor caps are subject to official announcements.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China Daily: Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires all scenic areas to keep ticket windows
China: set up mobile payment before you go; hotels and tickets are booked under your passport
Do
- Link a foreign bank card to Alipay or WeChat Pay before departure
- Carry some cash in yuan for small stalls, remote areas or payment glitches
- Expect real-name checks at hotels, for train tickets and popular sights; use your passport
- Make sure the name and number on bookings match your passport exactly
- If a station gate cannot read your passport, use the staffed lane
Don’t
- Don't wait until you arrive to set up payment; verification can take time
- Don't assume cash alone or a bank card alone will work everywhere
- Don't book with details that differ from your passport
Without a working payment method, or with mismatched ID details, you may be unable to check in, buy tickets or enter sights. Payment limits, fees and platform rules are subject to official announcements.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Gov.cn: Payment services for foreign visitors to China
China: Queue, don't smoke where banned, and never carve on heritage sites
Do
- Wait your turn in line, and follow staff directions when it's crowded
- On buses and the metro, let passengers off first and offer seats to those in need
- Book popular sights and museums in advance, under your real name, through official channels
- Sort your rubbish into the right bins
- Use serving chopsticks and spoons, and order only what you can eat
Don’t
- Don't cut in line or walk side by side blocking the way
- Don't smoke where it is banned; many cities ban smoking in indoor public places and on public transport
- Don't carve or write on historic buildings or ancient trees, or climb on or touch relics
- Don't use flash or tripods in exhibition halls
- Don't talk loudly or play music out loud in public places
Staff will stop you from queue-jumping, smoking where banned or marking relics, and smoking in no-smoking areas or damaging relics can also lead to fines under the law. Fine amounts, booking methods and opening hours are as officially announced.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Palace Museum official site: Visit
Don’t DON'T
- Do not bring pork into halal restaurants or drink alcohol in places that prohibit it
- the chicken pieces often contain bones, so eat slowly
- if you are not used to spice, ask for “mild” in advance
- do not dig through the large plate with your own chopsticks
- do not throw chicken bones on the table, but put them on the bone plate
Locals appreciate DO
- Shop owners appreciate customers who order by the number of people and don't waste food
- mixing in the belt noodles at the end and finishing everything is the best compliment to this dish
- respecting house rules in a halal restaurant is welcomed. Praise the well-flavored potatoes and chewy noodles, and the owner will be delighted.
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- Xinjiang restaurants and dapanji specialists are found all over central Urumqi, serving it at both lunch and dinner. One large plate feeds about three or four people
- smaller groups can order a small or medium plate. Flavor: spicy with a hint of sweetness and the numbing tingle of Sichuan pepper
- the heat can be adjusted. Dietary notes: the chicken is on the bone and contains chili and Sichuan pepper
- the belt noodles contain wheat. To see where it originated, you can go to Shawan (about two hours' drive from Urumqi, depending on road conditions). You can combine it with the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, Hongshan Park and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum. It goes well with naan. Small plates are available. Prices, opening hours and the day's offerings are as announced by each restaurant
- popular places often have queues at peak mealtimes, so going outside peak hours is more relaxed.
Photos
Photos
Pravit · Public domain
Windmemories · CC BY-SA 4.0
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