The Chinese expression《相书》xiangshu, literally means that a long face can live for a long time. The word（脸liǎn） is the face（面miàn）, and the “face（脸liǎn） is long as the face（面miàn） is long”. People often use long noodles to symbolically bless someone with longevity. Gradually, this practice evolved into the custom of eating noodles on birthdays, called eating “longevity noodles（长寿面chángshòumiàn）”. Generally speaking, there is only one noodle in the whole bowl of longevity noodles. It’s best not to break it when eating. Sometimes the longevity noodle is also eaten with an egg, which symbolizes perfection. This custom is still followed in modern times.
Longevity noodles have a two part name, with one part meaning ‘long’（长cháng） and the other meaning ‘thin’（瘦shòu）, the two parts together signify ‘longevity’（长寿chángshòu), a very beautiful meaning.
Recent Comments