Epigraph:

The wheat fields in September are like rolling golden waves

Plump ears of wheat blossom into weighty hopes as they find their way into the granary

Every grain of wheat is cloaked in the savor of sunlight

The golden wheat fields witness the passage of time

and are the crystallization of farmers’ sweat and hopes

Our Nanhu students, as they savor these grains

feel the toil of farmers

and savor the gifts of the earth

The truest joy in mortal life lies in simple delicacies

Su Shi savored every delicious flavor of the mortal world

By a small tower, beneath the midnight lamp

silver-thin hand-pulled noodles slip into the boiling broth

In Zheng Banqiao’s verse, a bowl of steaming noodles

warms the body and soothes the soul

For a thousand years, wheat-based food has carried the warm mortal charm woven into ancient verse

One chewy bite, and we taste the soul of half a civilization

The millennia-long evolution of the character Mai (wheat)

preserves the gaze of ancestors who looked up to heaven and down to earth

More than that, it simmers with the warm, living heat of mortal life

Today, let us gather over wheat-based delicacies

unfold the rich food legacy of Nanhu Experimental Middle School

and share the flavorful moments that make Nanhu so special

In his poem Huai Ye Leng Tao (Cold Noodles with Sophora Leaf Juice), Du Fu wrote

“Fresh noodles from the nearby market stand

with juice and sediment well blended by hand

They chill colder than snow upon the tongue—

O cherish this pearl, to all hearts be sung

The poem celebrates a summery dish of cold noodles made by kneading sophora leaf juice into the dough. The leaves lend the noodles a jade-like hue and a subtle herbal fragrance, while their smooth, icy-cool texture offers a refreshing escape from the heat

China is the birthplace of noodles

Archaeological evidence shows that

as early as 4000 years ago in the Neolithic Age

ancient Chinese ancestors had mastered the art of making noodles

Now here at Nanhu Experimental Middle School

let us follow the fragrance of noodles through the ages

and taste for ourselves the inclusivity and enduring heritage

of Chinese cuisine, shaped by millennia of culture

Biangbiang noodles burst with a bright, tangy heat

a perfect mirror of the warmth and simplicity of the Loess Plateau people

Each bite pays homage to ancient roots and enduring heritage

Zha Jiang Mian offers a savory, deep richness

an echo of the timeless charm and unhurried pace of Beijing’s hutongs

Each bite holds the capital’s grandeur and the quiet warmth of home

Dragon Beard Noodles, a delicate art born of countless kneads and pulls

Silken threads bathe in savory broth, catching the soft glow of morning light

Each bite reveals the tender warmth and quiet grace of time itself

Thin Singapore-style fried rice noodles, with their distinctive texture and bold, savory flavor

have captured the hearts of our Nanhu students

Plump udon noodles, vegetables, and shredded meat toss and swirl warmly in the pot

A steaming bowl of udon at dawn

always brings simple, genuine joy to our Nanhu students

Steamed buns hold the millennia-old fragrance of wheat in ancient verses

Shuowen Jiezi (Explaining Simple and Analyzing Compound Characters) notes

“Miàn (flour) is the fine powder of wheat

it combines the radicals shǒu (head) and mài (wheat)

In small seal script, the semantic radical shǒu was added

embodying the agricultural philosophy that “wheat-based foods are the foremost of all sustenance

Today, the character miàn refers to both wheat and wheat flour

forming the very foundation of noodles, steamed buns, and countless other dishes

and simmering with the warm, living heart of everyday life

In the poem New Year's Eve Family Banquet for Nephews and Sons, it is written

“On New Year’s Eve we feast again

two piles of steamed buns tower high

My teeth are weak, yet I enjoy the soft bread

My children vie for the savory meat with delight

The poem shows steamed buns stacked like towers at the feast

revealing their honored place in festival traditions

and painting a vivid picture of a plentiful New Year’s Eve dinner

Here in the canteen of Nanhu Experimental Middle School

steamed buns are made in a wonderful variety of flavors

As tastes connect ancient and modern times

our students discover the pure, genuine warmth of food itself

Since time immemorial, delicious food has been the sweetest reason to gather

We connect with the centuries-old culture of wheat-based foods

and savor countless delicacies

as sweet as red bean paste, taro, purple sweet potato, and jujubes

Nanhu’s canteen weaves one beautiful memory after another for our students

with delicious food and warm wishes

Xiaolongbao, steamed dumplings, wontons…

each wraps savory meat goodness in a thin, tender wrapper

Every piece holds a longing for reunion

Hidden inside the filling are the memories of years

the comfort of home

and a beloved flavor that stays in our hearts no matter where we go

No wonder, across the millennia-old culture of wheat-based food

pearl soup and noodle slice soup have carved themselves

into unforgettable culinary memories for so many

their charm one of a kind

Western pastries serve as a bridge between Chinese and global cultures

As a vital part of human culinary civilization

wheat-based food plays an essential role in both Eastern and Western traditions

Whether it’s Chinese steamed buns and noodles

or Western bread and pasta

they are not only the foundation of daily meals

but also messengers of cultural exchange

In the Western treats beloved by our students

in every gentle union of flour and water

we rediscover the deep, unspoken grammar of civilizational connection

Wheat-based food is more than just sustenance for the body

it is a long, heartfelt letter from Chinese civilization to the world......

Here, the quiet warmth of everyday life soothes the soul

Step into the world of wheat-based food

and outside the window rests the peaceful, unhurried rhythm of Nanhu

The gentle clink of bowls and chopsticks

the rich aroma lingering on the tongue—

laughter, joy, happiness, and contentment

no longer measured by time