Lanzhou Beef Noodles

Last updated 2026-11-14 — Legend has it that Lanzhou beef noodles originated in the Tang Dynasty, but this cannot be verified. Historical records indicate that Lanzhou beef noodles evolved from the old soup noodles made with cart-beef. The so-called old soup refers to the gelatinous substance formed when beef broth cools down, which solidifies like aspic—extremely flavorful and considered premium for making beef noodles. During the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty (1799), Ma Liqi, a member of the Dongxiang ethnic group, learned the recipe for cart-beef old soup noodles from Chen Weijing in Qinghua, Huaiqing Prefecture, Henan (now Qinghua Town, Bo'ai County, Jiaozuo, Henan), and brought it to Lanzhou. Later, individuals such as Chen Hesheng and Ma Baozi standardized the Lanzhou beef noodle recipe with the principles of “one clear (broth), two white (radish), three red (chili oil), four green (cilantro and garlic sprouts), and five yellow (bright yellow noodles).” Another account suggests that in the early Qing Dynasty, Ma Zilu from Lanzhou learned how to make beef noodles from his relative Ma Chengde in Huating County, Qinghai Province, and brought the dish back to Lanzhou. After hundreds of years of innovation and development, Lanzhou beef noodles have won acclaim from diners across China and around the world for their tender meat, rich broth, and finely crafted noodles, becoming a culinary emblem of Lanzhou. In 1999, Lanzhou beef noodles were designated by the national government as one of the three major Chinese fast food items for trial promotion, earning the title “China’s No. 1 Noodle.”