Lamian noodle maker shares stories of Qinghai's thriving Lamian noodle business

My name is Ma Xueming, and I'm one of the hundreds of thousands of Lamian noodle makers in northwest China's Qinghai Province. I'm delighted to share with you my story of the 4,000-year-old craft of Lamian noodle making.

My hometown is mountainous, with frequent droughts and limited transportation. It used to be a poverty-stricken area. In the 1980s, to make a living, 110,000 people from the Hui Autonomous County of Hualong, Qinghai ventured out of the mountains and started their own businesses, relying on their noodle-making skills.

This photo taken on April 5, 2023 shows three bowls of Lamian noodles at a noodle restaurant in Xining, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Geng Huihuang)

In 2002, I started my own Lamian noodle business in Shanghai with a meager 7,000 yuan ($960) that I managed to gather. I opened a Lamian noodle restaurant which covered about 30 square meters. Recognizing the potential of the Lamian noodle industry, I later opened Lamian noodle restaurants in Anhui Province, Tianjin Municipality, Hebei Province, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. During peak seasons, I could earn between 700,000 and 800,000 yuan a year.

In 2018, I returned to my hometown and devoted myself wholeheartedly to the Lamian noodle industry. I started building factories and opening chain stores. Through continuous exploration and improvement, I introduced a new generation of Qinghai Lamian noodles that received high praise from young people. Nearly half of our customers come specifically for the new flavors.

These days, more and more villagers like me are living a better life, thanks to Lamian noodles.

The success of our noodle business would not have been possible without the efforts of Party organizations and government departments at all levels.

The county has established 46 Lamian noodle offices nationwide and appointed officials as directors of these offices. When we encounter difficulties in opening shops outside our hometown, the staff members at these offices help us obtain business licenses and resolve issues related to our children's education in the local area.

The county government rolled out many favorable policies to support the Lamian noodle industry.

For instance, lack of startup capital can be overcome by applying for special loans and support funds. Individuals can borrow up to 200,000 yuan, while partnerships can borrow up to 2 million yuan. Furthermore, if a Lamian noodle restaurant is recognized as a brand experiential restaurant, it will receive an additional reward of 50,000 yuan.

For those who do not have technical skills, they can attend the Lamian noodle school established in the village. Alternatively, they can work and learn in Lamian noodle restaurants recommended by the government.

As a result, nearly 200,000 people from different ethnic groups in Qinghai have emerged from the mountains and valleys, opening over 30,000 Lamian noodle shops in 337 cities across China and abroad. They have deeply integrated and harmoniously coexisted with local communities. Today, the Lamian noodle industry has become a business with an annual turnover of more than 10 billion yuan.

Qinghai is an important gateway on the southern route of the ancient Silk Road, forming deep and long-lasting connections and cultural ties with Central Asian countries and the Arab world.

With the advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative, many of my friends have opened Lamian noodle restaurants in 11 countries and regions, including Russia, Malaysia, South Korea, and Turkey, allowing people from different countries to enjoy the delicious taste of Qinghai.