In courtyards across Yuedong town, Cangxi county, thin, golden handmade hollow noodles hang on poles, shimmering like silk and swaying gently in the wind, releasing a rich wheat aroma as the winter sun caresses the rolling mountains.

When the sun blazes at noon, workers begin separating and air-drying the noodles. [Photo provided to cngy.gov.cn]

Workers load boxes of noodles – including original, egg and black wheat varieties – onto trucks for nationwide delivery. The century-old Yuedong hollow noodle-making technique, a provincial intangible cultural heritage, involves 17 meticulous steps, from dough-kneading with salt water to sun-drying and stretching.

This time-honored craft fuels local prosperity. Over 40 local households are engaged in noodle production, earning an average of 30,000 yuan ($4,150) in extra annual income.

Enterprises and the town government offer skills training and flexible jobs for over 200 villagers, including people with disabilities, while innovation boosts the industry further.

New flavors like Chinese herbal medicine-infused noodles and vegetable noodles are hitting the market, with e-commerce platforms and live streams helping sell 400 metric tons of noodles annually outside Sichuan.

Partnerships with universities help optimize production techniques, while upstream "order-based" black wheat farming stabilizes supplies. Yuedong's hollow noodles blend tradition with modernity, creating a vibrant blueprint for rural vitalization.