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New Asia's Famous Beef Noodles

In the early days of the University, a group of Taiwanese scholars teaching in New Asia College, including Prof. Ambrose Y.C. King, Prof. Lin Tzoing-biau, Prof. Chiao Chien, and Prof. Lu Yau-tung, chatted about having a room in the College that supplied Taiwanese-style noodles with beef noodles as the signature.

Their idea soon materialized. Prof. Lu Yau-tung, a food critic, taught the chef to cook beef noodles with his special recipe. Prof. Jao Tsung I was invited to name the place. Taking the idea from the poem of Wang Wei, Tang Dynasty poet, Professor Jao named it 'Yuen Chi Hsien', literally meaning 'where the clouds rise'.

The restaurant opened in 1978, underwent renovation from December 2011 and reopened in late April 2013, continuing to serve up delicious Taiwanese-style noodles. For the past 35 years, the recipe has remained unchanged. The slices of beef shin flavoured with Chinese spices are tender, the Northern-Chinese-style noodles are al dente, and the soup is made from dried flounder and pork bones. The beef noodles, a beloved delicacy for generations of New Asia members, deserve to receive the 'long service award', and should perhaps be added to the list of the College's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.