US students get a taste of Lanzhou culture through hand-pulled noodles

For a group of American university students visiting Lanzhou, Gansu province, one of the highlights of their trip was making Lanzhou beef noodles, a local specialty known for being hand-pulled.

"I had no idea how complicated it was," said Maison Dolphin, a student from the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO), after trying her hand at pulling noodles. She was surprised to learn that the traditional technique was an art in its own right. "To get to come and do this has been super incredible and thought-provoking," she said.

For Gabriel Ryks, also from UCO, the trip offered a chance to discover a China he had known little about before. "China is really great. I will recommend it to other people for sure," he said.

The students were part of a 20-member delegation representing UCO and Oklahoma City University that recently visited Gansu. During their trip, they also explored the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang and attended the ninth Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo.

The visit was part of China's initiative to invite 100,000 young Americans to China over five years, which was announced in September.

For the students, making noodles offered a hands-on way to experience local traditions and gain a better understanding of Chinese culture.

"I'm excited to go home and tell everyone I know about the Chinese culture," said Sara Lopez, another student from UCO, adding that she hoped more young people would have the chance to experience China firsthand.

Wu Yuexuan and Tong Yunshan contributed to the story.