Walk into Zhongzhen Market at the border of Zhongli and Pingjhen and the air carries a mix of Sichuan pepper, mint, and chicken broth. Signs announce "mi gan," "big thin slices," and "pea jelly" — dishes rarely seen elsewhere in Taiwan. This is the largest Yunnan-Burmese ethnic settlement in Taiwan. The families of the Lost Army soldiers who came here from distant lands cooked their home flavors into every bowl of mi gan, and in doing so made the Longgang Mi Gan Festival an internationally recognized specialty event.
What are Longgang Rice Noodles (Yunnan-Style)
Mi gan are wide flat noodles made from indica rice ground into a slurry, steamed into thin sheets, and cut into wide strips — the texture sits between Vietnamese pho noodles and rice vermicelli, silky and springy with a subtle rice fragrance. The most classic preparation at Longgang is clear-broth mi gan: a chicken- or pork-bone broth topped with thin slices of pork, pickled mustard greens, cilantro, and mint, finished with a spoonful of chili oil and pepper salt. The broth is clean and refreshing with layers of spice. Dry-tossed mi gan, mi gan with Sichuan-style numbing chicken, and pea jelly are additional variations — all central to the Yunnan-Burmese culinary lineage.
Why Longgang? The key lies in a historical context dating to the 1950s. Zhongli's Longgang Zhongzhen New Village was a settlement built to house the Lost Army soldiers who withdrew from Yunnan and Burma to Taiwan. Yunnan, Dai, and Shan ethnic communities have lived here for over half a century, preserving their hometown's mi gan, big thin slices, pea jelly, and Sichuan-style numbing chicken intact. The Taoyuan Longgang Mi Gan Festival has been designated an "internationally significant specialty event" by the Tourism Administration of the Ministry of Transportation and is listed in Taiwan's biennial calendar. Zhongzhen Market and the surrounding area have dozens of mi gan shops — browsing the category cluster is the main point of any visit; individual shops each have their own strengths.
How to Eat It the Local Way
Local Knowledge
Verified Credentials (ads filtered)
- The Taoyuan Longgang Mi Gan Festival has been designated an "internationally significant specialty event" by the Tourism Administration of the Ministry of Transportation and is listed in Taiwan's biennial calendar.
- Rooted in the 1950s history of Lost Army soldiers and their families settled in Zhongzhen New Village — Yunnan, Dai, and Shan ethnic communities brought their food culture here.
- Dozens of mi gan shops stand side by side in and around Zhongzhen Market, forming a category cluster; individual shops each have distinct flavors.
Practical Tips
- Most long-established shops in Zhongzhen Market operate in the morning through the afternoon. Dinner options are limited; a daytime visit is recommended.
- The Mi Gan Festival is typically held in April–May each year, with Yunnan dress, dance, and a water-splashing festival running concurrently — worth a special trip.
- Adding pepper salt, chili oil, and mint yourself is the essence of the eating ritual. Don't skip it out of spice concerns — just control the amount.
Information compiled from Michelin Guide, Taoyuan City Government Tourism Bureau, and large-scale public reviews; sponsored content has been filtered out. Photos will be replaced with channel-exclusive material after Dio's on-site shoot.