Datong sliced noodles have a wonderful color, smell and taste that is unique in local style.

People from other areas love the noodles, believing it’s the best of the best.

There is a legendary story about the food. To prevent the people from rebellion, the rulers of Yuan Dynasty confiscated metal wares from all families, and stipulated that every 10 households would share one kitchen knife. They had to take turns to use the knife when preparing dinners.

One day, a wife asked her husband to fetch the knife so that she could make noodles. At the time the knife was being used by someone else, so he had to return home and wait. On the way back, the man unexpectedly found a sheet iron. He picked it up and hid it in his arms.

When he returned home, the water was boiling, and the family was waiting to eat the noodles. The old man felt anxious without coming back with the knife. All of a sudden, he thought of the sheet iron and told his wife to try to cut the dough with it.

His wife said it was impossible with such a thin piece of soft sheet iron. The husband told her to pare the dough, if she couldn’t cut it.

Holding the dough and the sheet iron, the wife stood beside the pot, and sliced the dough into the boiling water.

When it was ready to eat, the family was surprised by the delicious taste.

Since then, sliced noodles were favored by people across the province.