The Most Overlooked Province Hides the "Carb King" of Southern China!

Jiangxi, a carb paradise surrounded by five major cuisines.

At the start of the Year of the Dragon, Jiangxi cuisine unexpectedly went viral.

Whether it’s the stir-fried dishes that make you crave two bowls of rice or the hearty, topping-rich Jiangxi rice noodles, you might not name a signature dish right away, but they’re utterly irresistible. Thanks to the fervent support of hardworking locals, Jiangxi cuisine trends three times a week—who wouldn’t say:

Fiery wok cooking is the soul of Jiangxi cuisine.

Seeing "Gan cuisine" for the first time, are you momentarily puzzled? Don’t doubt yourself—Jiangxi cuisine’s presence in China’s culinary scene is indeed subtle. The reason isn’t lack of flavor but the overwhelming strength of its neighbors. Wedged among five major cuisines, Jiangxi, the "Akalinn Province," maintains its low-key reputation like an "i" lost in a sea of "e"s.

Today, Jiangxi’s food gains internet fame through jokes like "stir-fried chili with chili" as its provincial dish. Locals know its flavors go beyond spice and stir-fries, but if one dish must represent the province, it’s the bold, fragrant rice noodles. After all, Jiangxi natives might skip chili for a day but never skip slurping noodles.

Jiangxi, a hidden culinary giant, boasts a quietly vast and dazzling noodle universe.

The many ways to enjoy a bowl of Nanchang mixed noodles.

Photo credit: Tuchong Creative / Photographer: MRx Xia Xiansen

Chinese have always adored strand-like foods.

Rice, easily steamed or boiled, is painstakingly transformed into noodles through soaking, grinding, steaming, and drying for diverse textures. Once a staple, rice noodles now reign as China’s noodle kingdom—served piping hot in broth, richly seasoned as mixed noodles, or wok-fried to smoky perfection.

Rice noodles: China’s uncrowned carb king.

Photo credit: Tuchong Creative / Photographer: PAOPAOANFANG

As a rice hub, China’s noodle strongholds cluster in the south, though opinions vary. Guangxi’s Guilin rice noodles and Liuzhou snail noodles; Hunan’s Changsha mixed noodles and Changde beef noodles; Sichuan’s Mianyang and Nanchong noodles; Guizhou’s Zunyi lamb noodles and Huaxi beef noodles… Asking which is best might start a fight.

Among these contenders, Jiangxi quietly shines—each city boasts its own "municipal noodle," weaving noodles into daily meals and securing a spot in the noodle world.

Though less viral than its neighbors, Jiangxi’s noodle legacy runs deep. As early as the Eastern Han, Jiujiang recorded "boiling rice into strips"; Qian Zhongshu noted Jiangxi’s famed "rice threads" in the Southern Song. Today, unnoticed, Jiangxi sells 1.4 million tons annually—leading national sales, with 31.8% of China’s 2020 noodle exports.

Why has Jiangxi’s love for noodles endured millennia?

It all traces back to Jiangxi’s rise as a fertile land of rice and fish.

Great noodles start with great ingredients.

The Yangtze flows into Jiangxi, where Poyang Lake—China’s largest freshwater lake—regulates five rivers and tributaries. Their silt-rich waters forge fertile soil, birthing a rice paradise.

As one of China's important granaries, Jiangxi is also one of the two provinces that have never ceased contributing grain to the nation since the founding of the People's Republic of China. With abundant high-quality raw materials and an unending tradition of rice-based innovation, local specialty indica rice undergoes multiple processes—soaking, grinding, pressing—and is paired with various shapes and toppings, ultimately presenting countless delicious forms: Nanchang mixed rice noodles, Jingdezhen cold noodles, Pingxiang stir-fried noodles, Shangrao Yanshan hot noodles, Fuzhou Zhuitou soaked noodles, Ganzhou Hakka beef noodles, Anyuan three-delicacy noodles, Xinyu pickled noodles, Yichun Zha noodles, Yingtan beef noodles, and more.

Jiangxi's Xingan, the picturesque granary of central Jiangxi.

Locally, Jiangxi has a saying: "Every township has rice noodles, every county tastes different." The ability to handle the diverse cooking methods of rice noodles relies entirely on the high-quality indica rice, known for its excellent toughness and gluten strength. A proper bowl of Jiangxi rice noodles must withstand boiling and stir-frying without losing its smooth, chewy texture, while also maintaining its "original character"—the natural aroma of rice—even under bold seasonings.

Whether it's the simplicity of mixed noodles or the skill-testing stir-fried noodles, chili peppers are an indispensable seasoning in Jiangxi. Ranking among the top three in China's spice-loving hierarchy, Jiangxi people's understanding and craving for heat is no secret. This is reflected in their rice noodles through handmade chili oil, freshly chopped peppers, spicy pickles, and various secret-recipe spicy condiments found in noodle shops. Though the spiciness can be adjusted, "Jiangxi mild spice" can still deliver a surprising punch to outsiders. Once you fall in love with this intense stimulation, you'll find yourself unable to part with this quintessential Jiangxi flavor.

The autumn sun-drying scenes in Wuyuan County are incomplete without the vibrant red of chili peppers.

Photo/VCG

Every place has its own noodle-eating faith.

Jiangxi rice noodles come in diverse forms with rich ingredients.

Photo/VCG

Nanchang mixed noodles: rice aroma that even heavy seasoning can't mask.

Photo/VCG

Jingdezhen cold noodles, with even richer seasonings.

The flavorful cold noodles serve as comfort for the hardworking pottery artisans.

Photo/VCG

Compared to Cantonese-style stir-fried noodles, Pingxiang stir-fried noodles use rounder, plumper rice noodles.

The spiciness of Pingxiang—you have to taste it to believe it.

Yanshan hot noodles, the most common being marrow bone noodles.

Dongxiang pork intestine mixed noodles: a sensory overload of heavy oil and spice.

The universe of Jiangxi rice noodles, of course, doesn't end here.

Fuzhou soaked noodles, naturally fresh and delicious.

This article is original content from [Didao Fengwu].