Chinese noodles are made from dough that has been shaped into thin flat or round strips. The Chinese have been feasting on noodles for about 2000 years since the Han Dynasty.

Like Italian pasta, Chinese noodles vary in width - they can be thick as coffee stir sticks or thin as toothpicks. They are usually served long and uncut, for long noodles symbolize a long life in Chinese tradition. Noodles are eaten hot or cold, steamed, stir-fried, deep-fried, boiled or served in a soup.

In China, making hand-pulled noodles is an art involving holding the stretched out paste in both hands and whirling it around several times. Then the paste is laid out on a board and folded and refolded repeatedly. Eventually the paste is transformed into long and thin noodles. Today most noodles are made by machine, but chefs making hand-pulled noodles can still be seen in some restaurants.