Ancient City Dragon-Phoenix Tribute Noodles

Gu Cheng Dragon-Phoenix Tribute Noodles

　　Dragon-Phoenix Tribute Noodles are a specialty of Gu Cheng County, mainly produced in Gu Cheng Town. Also known as Dragon Beard Phoenix Tail Tribute Noodles, they get their name from their fine, long, and uniform shape resembling dragon whiskers, as well as their history as an imperial tribute. Legend has it that there are two types of Gu Cheng Dragon-Phoenix Tribute Noodles: round and flat. The round ones are thin and long with a hole in the center, known as “Dragon Beard Noodles”; the flat ones are smooth and straight, thin as paper, known as “Phoenix Tail Noodles.” These noodles originated in the Ming Dynasty and were first created by the Qi family in Gu Cheng Town, Hengshui. They have a production history of 500 years. During the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty, they entered the imperial kitchen and were later bestowed by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty the title of “Imperial Dragon Beard Phoenix Tail Tribute Noodles.”

　　Gu Cheng Tribute Noodles are made with strict ingredient selection and delicate craftsmanship. They are white as snow, fine as silk, hollow as bamboo, and tough as vines. Once tasted, they are smooth and soft, fragrant and delicious, with a firm texture, not sticky, and easy to digest. Moreover, they cook quickly, remain firm even when boiled for a long time, and retain their original shape and flavor after being reheated. Due to their fine and hollow strands, they have strong water absorption. When eaten, the noodles and soup are evenly mixed, but when lifted, no soup remains in the bowl; when placed back, the soup seeps out again—this is the most unique feature of these noodles. Gu Cheng’s “Dragon-Phoenix Tribute Noodles” come in two types: Dragon Beard Noodles and Phoenix Tail Noodles. Dragon Beard Noodles are named for their round, hollow, and fine strands resembling dragon whiskers; Phoenix Tail Noodles are named for their flat, straight, and thin strands resembling fine cotton paper. According to the Ganning County Annals, Ganning handmade hanging noodles were already being served in the imperial kitchen during the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty. When Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty visited the south and stayed at the Ganning post station, he was highly pleased after tasting the Ganning noodles. Upon hearing this, the county magistrate presented them as an imperial tribute. Emperor Qianlong, greatly admiring them, personally bestowed upon them the title of “Imperial Dragon Beard Phoenix Tail Tribute Noodles.” From then on, Dragon-Phoenix Tribute Noodles became famous worldwide and were regarded as a delicacy.

　　Ingredients and Production

　　These noodles are made from hard wheat flour produced in Gu Cheng’s semi-sandy soil, blended with sesame oil, egg whites, and other seasonings, then hand-stretched and air-dried. Their color is white with a slight green tint, soft, shiny, and fine as whiskers, yet hollow. They cook quickly, remain firm even when boiled for a long time, and have a rich taste, fine texture, and bite. When the noodles absorb water, lifting them with chopsticks leaves no soup in the bowl, but placing them back fills the bowl with clear broth—an amazing feature. The area is close to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, bustling with merchants. Visitors always taste Dragon-Phoenix Tribute Noodles here and take some back for their families or to give as gifts. As a result, these noodles have remained popular for hundreds of years. The production of Dragon-Phoenix Tribute Noodles differs from that of regular noodles. It uses refined flour, egg whites, small-ground sesame oil, refined salt, and other premium ingredients, all meticulously hand-pulled. The finished product is white as silver, fine as silk, with each strand uniform in length. There are also specific ways to cook and serve them: prepare chicken or meat broth in a bowl with soy sauce, MSG, and chopped scallions, then scoop the boiled noodles into the broth, mix, and enjoy. The noodles are soft, flavorful, nutritious, and especially suitable for the elderly, children, and those in need of gentle nourishment. The production technique of Dragon-Phoenix Tribute Noodles is complex, and manual production is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Strict adherence to traditional processes is essential. First, mix flour, egg whites, and saltwater in proportion to make the dough, then let it rest in a basin. Next, make large strips by cutting the dough into strips on the work surface, evenly brushing with oil, and placing them in the basin to develop gluten. Then, make small strips by rolling the dough into strands on the work surface and placing them into the large basin. After that, hang the small strips on bamboo skewers and stretch the dough, also called “twisting the strands.” Then place the stretched dough along with the bamboo skewers into a noodle trough to rest. Finally, in the workshop, the noodles are shaped into fine strands on racks, air-dried, cut into sections, weighed, and packaged.

　　Related Culture

　　Produced in Huaining County, this product has a long history. Legend has it that during the Northern Song Dynasty, someone from Shipai Town in Huaining served as an official in the capital. On his seventieth birthday, his younger brother traveled a long way to send the hometown “longevity noodles” to celebrate his birthday. His elder brother then presented these noodles to Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, as part of the “imperial meal.” Emperor Taizu, finding them delicious, ordered them to be sent as an annual tribute, hence the name “Dragon-Phoenix Tribute Noodles.” In 1900, at the Nine-Nation Handicraft Products Competition held in Tianjin, Dragon-Phoenix Tribute Noodles won a bronze medal. In 1986, they received the Hebei Province Quality Product Award. In 2006, they were listed in the first batch of Hebei Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage. Recently, our county’s specialty “Dragon-Phoenix Tribute Noodles” became one of the first intangible cultural heritages of Hebei Province. In the first batch of provincial intangible cultural heritage announced by the provincial government, Gu Cheng’s historic and once-renowned Dragon-Phoenix Tribute Noodles in the capital and imperial court made the list. They were also invited to participate in the Hebei Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Achievements Exhibition. Four achievements from Hengshui City were selected, the other three being: Wuqiang New Year Paintings, Hengshui Inside-Painted Art, and Shen Zhou Xingyi Quan.