History of Guilin rice noodle

A year ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Guilin, a city located in the northeast of China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region famous for its limestone mountains and caves. The renowned Elephant Trunk Hill, for one, has become the symbol of the city itself where hundreds of local tourists flock to see the popular emblem of the city. Legend has it that the Elephant Trunk Hill is the embodiment of an elephant who once lived with the Jade Emperor in heaven; but apart from this legend, there is also a very special aspect about this city that makes tourists from other parts of the world visit this special place and it has everything to do with rice noodles.

They say that if you ask a Guilin local what his favorite food is, he would instantly say it is the Guilin rice noodle. Such a dish so typical of the city is considered their fourth treasure, so much so that if you were to decide to stay in the area for a few months, you might be able to master asking for Guilin rice noodles in the local language.

Guilin rice noodles were first invented in the Qin Dynasty, the dynasty that was said to be responsible for creating the first great Chinese empire. Although the Qin Dynasty lasted for only 15 years, it greatly influenced the next two thousand years of China’s history. As for Guilin’s rice noodles, it is said to have a history of more than 2,200 years.

During the Qin period, some soldiers were said to have been sent to the battlefields to the south in order to integrate China. Unfortunately for the soldiers coming from the north, they were not accustomed to eating rice meals. Hence, in order to resolve the problem, the general in charge found a solution that turned the rice into something delicious – thus the birth of the rice noodle, a traditional Guilin food which is renowned throughout China.

This year, I had the opportunity to further explore this city and delve deeper into its history and cuisine, so much so that even if I didn’t understand a word in a popular show held here in Guilin, on top of it being such a spectacle, it was so easy to understand that the city’s pride somewhat revolves around the food that kept their ancestors alive, enough to tell the succeeding generations their story.

In the forest of Sweet Osmanthus, as what Guilin’s name means, it is significant to note that it is an important area of concentration for trade and administration because of its location on an agriculturally rich area and for this reason, because its rice noodle is famous all throughout China, it is eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner by locals. Guilin’s rice noodles are either round or flat and it is paired with many different types of meat or vegetables as well as spices.

While Guilin is worth visiting because of its karst sceneries, no journey is complete without a gastronomic experience and, while Guilin’s rice noodles are an essential part of everyday life for its residents, this staple dish has been enjoyed for over two thousand years, when events in their history all transpired during a period where many of China’s geographical boundaries and administrative systems were put in place.

In those days of the Qin Dynasty, and in an effort to unify the many kingdoms in the country, thousands of troops were deployed in order to defend local warring forces and in the midst of it, the Lingqu Canal was constructed to transport supplies within the region and strengthen the frontier. As all this was taking place, the Guilin rice noodle was born and this strengthened, cured and deliciously appealed to the Qin soldiers, resulting to developments in their country topped with a savory bowl of mifen (rice noodles) enjoyed to this very day by both locals and tourists alike.

Sometimes, and for me in particular, I find it rather interesting to learn about a country’s culture by also discovering its many tastes and flavors, which has helped me make lasting connections and friendships. Just like Guilin’s rice noodles that has withstood the test of time since its development in the Qin Dynasty over 2000 years ago, it is still present, considered to be not just a staple but also a powerhouse of local cuisine. Guilin’s rice noodles are as popular as they’ve ever been throughout ancient history and it is loved by people from all walks of life.

It is also good to note that Guilin’s rice noodle had an influence on other noodles, like the pho in Vietnam and mohinga in Burma. Sometimes it can be absolutely fascinating to look at history from the perspective of food and Guilin’s rice noodle has surely shown us a remarkable journey through time. Therefore, if ever you have the opportunity to visit Guilin, where its scenery has been described as the best under heaven, don’t forget to sit back and savor a bowl of its famous rice noodles and celebrate a perfect balance of history and culinary adventure. It would simply be kismet!