Dragon beard noodles. [File photo]

Dragon beard noodles are popular in the northern part of China and have a history of more than 300 years.

It was said that, during China's Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), there was a royal chef who invented a very thin noodle, which pleased the emperor as it stimulated his appetite. Thereafter, it became a very fashionable snack. As the noodles were thin as hair, it was called the dragon beard noodle.

The noodles need to be pulled into 4096 strips, so the noodles are extremely thin and not suitable to be cooked. The technique of producing the dragon beard noodles has been included on the second list of national intangible cultural heritage in China.