Gaocheng Palace Noodles

Gaocheng Palace Noodles

Gaocheng Palace Noodles are a protected geographical indication product.

　　Gaocheng Palace Noodles are a specialty of Gaocheng District in Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province. Made primarily from high-quality wheat flour, sesame oil, and starch, they go through over ten meticulous production processes. With carefully selected ingredients and refined craftsmanship, these noodles are rich in nutrition and are known for their fine and hollow strands, excellent durability when cooked, clear broth with elegant noodles, and a satisfying chewy texture.

　　Palace Noodles are a distinctive traditional Han Chinese noodle dish from Gaocheng District, Hebei Province. Originally handmade hanging noodles, their production began during the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty. After numerous refinements in craftsmanship, they quickly became a renowned local delicacy.

　　It is said that as early as the Ming Dynasty, noodle artisans in the Gaocheng area of Hebei were already well-known throughout the Yan and Zhao regions for their expertise in making hanging noodles. During the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, local officials presented them as tribute to the imperial palace, and they were listed as a court delicacy, hence earning the name "Palace Noodles." This is recorded in the *Gaocheng County Annals*: “The hanging noodles of our district, crafted by local artisans, are exquisitely delicious. Having been passed down for hundreds of years, they were once presented to the Qing imperial family, thus becoming a renowned product.” During the Republican era, Gaocheng’s “Palace Noodles” were exported to Korea and even received the “National Glory Silver Medal” award from Sun Yat-sen’s Presidential Palace in Nanjing.

　　Gaocheng Palace Noodles are made from premium flour, refined oil, and fine salt using a unique process. They are finely stranded, hollow inside, glossy white, and uniformly sized. Once cooked and placed in a bowl, they present a harmonious mix of noodles and broth, with a clear and savory soup. They can be served as a staple food or as a side dish, and are especially suitable for patients and new mothers. Being handcrafted, they are heat-resistant and do not become mushy; they can be recooked without disintegrating, maintain a good bite, are easy to eat, and are highly nutritious, making them very popular in both domestic and international markets.

　　In the 1950s, the Gaocheng County government organized relevant departments to deeply explore and organize the traditional techniques of Palace Noodles, and began restoring and developing mass production. In 1960, the county grain bureau established the first hanging noodle factory (later renamed the Palace Noodle Factory). In the 1980s, factories such as the Grain Bureau Palace Noodle Factory and the Foreign Trade Bureau Palace Noodle Factory were successively expanded or newly built, along with the development of over 4,000 specialized Palace Noodle processing households, forming a largely specialized and systematic Palace Noodle production industry. To achieve greater nutrition and variety in traditional Palace Noodles, over 20 new varieties were developed using different bases such as eggs, buckwheat, milk, chili, and tomatoes, catering to the health needs of pregnant women, children, and the elderly. These have been widely favored by consumers both in China and abroad.

　　Today, Gaocheng Palace Noodles are not only sold across China but are also exported to countries such as Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Russia, the United States, and Canada.