In ‘The startling truth behind my Xinjiang pilgrimage‘, Imagethief comes clean on his his real holiday plans: seeking the chuan master.

“It is this man who fascinates me. Enigmatic and serene, he is a staple of the signboards of Xinjiang restaurants. A prophet of cheap eats. A sage of savory goodness. Many are the times that I have been munching on a stick or three of chuan while gazing up at this mysterious man and wondering, “Who are you, O chuan master?”