At the noodle-drying yards in Jinning, Shamei, and Nanshan, white thin noodles hang in neat rows under the sun, swaying gently as the sea breeze passes through. Ma Family Thin Noodles has passed this craft down through five generations and earned recognition as one of the Ministry of Economic Affairs' "Ten Century-Old Shops of the Republic of China Centennial" — hand-pulled, sun-dried, fine and resilient, slow to soften — the soul ingredient of Kinmen noodle porridge and dry-stir noodle dishes. Among the Ma Family, Jinshan, and Nanshan brands displayed side by side, each keeps its own recipe proportions.
What are Kinmen Handmade Thin Noodles
Kinmen handmade thin noodles are made from wheat flour, salt, and water, worked through kneading, stretching, fermenting, pulling into fine strands, and sun-drying through multiple steps. The salt-to-flour ratio must be adjusted according to temperature and humidity; sun-drying time ranges from half a day to a full day. The finished product is fine, white, resilient, and slow to fall apart when cooked — only dissolving naturally with extended simmering. This natural dissolution is precisely what makes Kinmen noodle porridge achieve its thick consistency without any starch thickener.
Why do they represent Kinmen? Kinmen has ample sunshine, dry sea winds, and stable humidity — ideal conditions for sun-drying handmade thin noodles. Ma Family Thin Noodles has been passed down through five generations and is recognized as one of the Ministry of Economic Affairs' "Ten Century-Old Shops of the Republic of China Centennial," with a brand lineage traceable to 1924. The area around Shamei and Nanshan forms a noodle-drying yard cluster; Jinshan Thin Noodles, Ma Family Thin Noodles, and other brands stand side by side. Handmade sun-dried thin noodles are increasingly rare even on the main island, and Kinmen's climate and generational continuity have made it one of the strongest production areas for this craft.
How to eat them the local way
Local knowledge
Verified facts (sponsored content filtered)
- Ma Family Thin Noodles holds the Ministry of Economic Affairs' "Ten Century-Old Shops of the Republic of China Centennial" designation — the representative brand for Kinmen handmade thin noodles.
- Ma Family Thin Noodles has been passed down through five generations, maintaining the traditional method of hand-pulling and sun-drying the noodles.
- The area around Shamei and Nanshan forms the main Kinmen handmade thin noodle drying-yard cluster; Jinshan and Ma Family brands operate side by side.
Visitor tips
- The noodle-drying yards only present their full display on clear days; they are closed during overcast, rainy weather and when winter northeast monsoon winds are strong.
- Handmade thin noodles have a relatively high salt content — no additional salt is needed when cooking, as the noodles continue releasing saltiness throughout the process.
- Vacuum-packed noodles have a long shelf life, but once opened, seal tightly to prevent moisture absorption; absorbed moisture will degrade the texture.
Data compiled from the Kinmen County Tourism Bureau, Kinmen Winery, and a large volume of public reviews, with sponsored content filtered out. Photos will be replaced with channel-exclusive footage after Dio's on-site shoot.