A Taste of Soup Noodle in Luzhou

The Driving Force behind Soup Noodle Carnival

Interview with Ms. Yueh-e Li Weng, Former Mayor of Luzhou City

Ms. Yueh-e Li Weng, the Councilor of New Taipei City, was a former Mayor of Luzhou City. During her nine-year term as the mayor, she left her footprints on every corner of Luzhou, visited each shop in Luzhou, and cared about every resident who needed help. Ms. Weng, a "daughter of Luzhou", devoted herself to the land for a long time to establish security measures, beautify the city, enhance the living functions of citizens, organize festivals with Luzhou characteristics, and promote its economy so as to make Luzhou people proud of their hometown.

We, Lu Jiang Cyberfair Team, visited Ms. Li Weng in her office. On the wall, there was a photo of "Soup Noodle Carnival". Ms. Li Weng told us about the grand event in detail. Senior chefs cooked several thousand bowls of sweet-smelling of Soup Noodle enjoyed by both the local and the outsider. Ms. Li Weng was most impressed by the satisfied smile on each face.

Declining Soup Noodle stalls

Due to economic slump and difficulty to do business, many Soup Noodle shops in Luzhou had to be closed or shifted to other industries. Hence, the shop owners came to Ms. Li Weng and expected her to provide some assistance to better the business of Soup Noodle and increase their income. Without hesitation, Ms. Li Weng decided to support them whole-heartedly and asked the shop owners to cooperate so as to succeed.

Tough promotion

At the beginning, there were only about ten Soup Noodle shops which participated in promotional activities, each receiving a subsidiary of NTD 5,000. They set up stalls in the square of county government office. Ms. Li Weng helped make shop signs for all the stalls, including Tienting Soup Noodle, Alang Soup Noodle, and so on. First, they finished the shop signs. Then, they offered one to two thousand bowls of Soup Noodle to local residents for free. Though it was hard, they expected to promote the characteristics of Luzhou and make the outsider enjoy the delicacy different from those of other regions.

Making improvement

They did not confine their promotion to Luzhou. Rather, they followed Ms. Li Weng to promote in Yitian Temple in Sanchong, Pali Square, and so on by cooking delicious Soup Noodle for local residents. In Luzhou, the shop owners cooked several thousand bowls of Soup Noodle at Luzhou Junior High School, Sanmin Senior High School, Lu Jiang Elementary School, and other places for the public. With the efforts of the shop owners and the assistance of volunteer workers, Soup Noodle gradually attracted the attention of media who took the initiative to make interviews to spread the reputation of Soup Noodle. Many people were attracted to have a taste of Luzhou Soup Noodle, full of praise.

All different

If you ask me which Soup Noodle shop in Luzhou is the most famous? Most distinctive? I'd say each is famous. Each has its own unique flavor while keeping traditional way of cooking. Most shop owners use pork bones to strew soup with delicious smell without MSGs to preserve its natural taste. Some soups are strong while others are light.

Besides, the shop owners have special sauces, such as chili sauce. They make the sauces by themselves to match with their soups with utmost carefulness.
Each appetizer dish is unique. Streaky pork is the most special. While stewing the soup, it is added already. It is cut while it is half cooked to maintain its al dente taste.

Climbing one storey higher

During her nine-year term as the mayor, Ms. Li Weng repeatedly visited the noodle shops and exerted all her efforts to help them attract business, because these traditional shops knew how to cook delicious noodles, but did not know how to promote their outputs. Ms. Weng even went to Yingge to ask her friends to especially produce twenty to thirty bowls with a diameter of about 100 cm which symbolized Soup Noodle. She gave the bowls to the shop owners to attract customers. The "super bowls" inside the shops made customers easily aware of the characteristics of the delicacy of Luzhou.

Ms. Li Weng also asked major media to make interviews. Some shop owners still keep the super bowls and the newspapers publishing the interviews in their shops, so customers can enjoy the noodle and the grand occasion then.
The following year, Ms. Li Weng used different promotional practices, like LED lights and Soup Noodle dolls, which were better and better.
Later on, Yonglian Temple provided a greater amount of funding. The chairman took the initiative to come to Ms. Li Weng to hold promotional activities together with volunteer workers. Because Yonglian Temple, as the religious center of the district, enjoyed booming pilgrimage, on the 18th day of the ninth months in the Chinese Han calendar, they held jointly the liveliest "Guanyin Cultural Festival".
Then, the statues of Deity were also presented in the event. Luzhou boasts with most statues of Deity in the province with about 200. The youngest was only 5 years old. Many southern temples came to the north to ask for advice. This was "local culture".

Taking root

Ms. Li Weng believed that in order to promote local tourism and carry forward local cultural characteristics, local children must understand them. This was the so-called "taking root". Thus, an activity of "Free Bus--One Day Tour" was held during summer and winter holidays. Mr. Lian-fu Yang, a local scholar of literature and history, was invited to serve as the guide. He led the kids on the bus from the temple to visit all the unique stores in Luzhou, visit the most representative cultural industries, and finally stop at a Soup Noodle shop to have a most authentic bowl of Soup Noodle.

No. 1 Noodle in the World

Since Mr. Eric Chu took office of the post of the Mayor of New Taipei City, Ms. Li Weng became the City Councilor. She offered advice and insisted that Luzhou Soup Noodle should be passed down. Mr. Chu also exerted many efforts and realized "Luzhou Soup Noodle Carnival" together with Ms. Li Weng. Through the well-organized carnival, the features of Luzhou worth exploring had been promoted effectively which pushed forward local tourist industry and created an alternative economic miracle. The residents of greater Taipei area are welcomed to visit Luzhou. We look forward to raising the awareness of the reputation of Soup Noodle as "World No. 1 Noodle" which runs neck and neck now with Taipei beef noodle soup.

Our concerns and gains

A: After the post of District Supervisor had to be assigned by the government, Ms. Li Weng reminded the officers repeatedly to hold promotional activities when the time had come and tried to find spokespersons and other relevant persons to hold evening parties and other activities. Ms. Li Weng also suggested to Luzhou District Office or the Mayor of New Taipei City to pass down local culture. Otherwise, in the future, our kids will have Soup Noodle without knowing its origin.

Before being relieved of her office as the mayor, Ms. Li Weng visited each shop to check their business. Almost every shop responded that his/her business got better. And their incomes increased by 30% to 40%. During lunch time, many shops were full of customers in queue.
The promotion of local culture certainly is inseparable from the efforts by its leader and the support by local residents. Though Ms. Li Weng was relieved of her office as the mayor, she invited more shop owners each year to participate the grand event. One shall never forget where his/her happiness comes from. Without the active participation of everyone, the current reputation of Soup Noodle would be realized. Every year, thousands of bowls of noodles were offered to participants for free, which attracted media like Formosa TV, ETTV News, and so on to make interviews. Naturally, Soup Noodle culture had been promoted. Many visitors felt that without having a bowl of Soup Noodle, it seemed that you had not come to Luzhou. We suggest that you can try different Soup Noodle shops to enjoy different flavors.

Q: What is the influence of the promotion of Soup Noodle on Luzhou?

A: Our positive promotion attracted the attention and coverage of media. Coupled with the opening of Luzhou metro in 2012, the slogan "Taking metro to have Soup Noodle in Luzhou" became popular. People outside Luzhou were attracted here, which would bring about business opportunities. Experiencing unique delicacies, visitors would leave a deep impression of the place. Visitors would know the features of Luzhou. Consequently, consumption increased. So did Luzhou's economy. Now 9/10 people in Luzhou are from other places, which proves that the living standard of Luzhou has been enhanced.

Q: As it is difficult to run traditional businesses, young people now are less willing to engage in or run such businesses. What can we do about the inheritance of traditional businesses?

A: Luzhou District Office insists to hold "Soup Noodle Carnival" which still needs the support of shops. We hope that the leaders of Luzhou can visit each shop to encourage the owners to participate in the promotion of the culture. Soup Noodle Carnival will continue each year and never decline. If the members of Lu Jiang Cyberfair Team have any ideas, you can contact our promotional units. If they are feasible, it is another way of participation in the promotion.