1. Could you tell us how long this factory has been in business? What are its major products?
It is more than thirty years since its foundation. My family originally lived on Mucha Street and the factory was there too, and later, for expansion, the factory was moved to Baokao Road, Xindian, which is an industrial zone separated from Mucha by a Baochiao community only. With the large plant building there, it was convenient for us to establish our workshop in a clean environment. I run this factory to carry on my father’s business, but I refitted it according to my own conceptions. We have been producing various noodles and string noodles with machines from the very beginning.

2. What is the difference between machine-made string noodles and handmade string noodles?
The handmade string noodles are made by manual pulling. In the old days, the masters of Mucha handed down the craft of making noodles, from generation to generation for many years, in the antiquated workshops. The value of string noodles made this way lies in the traditional craft, but the output is quite limited in spite of the higher costs. Since some handmade string noodles have to be sunned outdoors at some cramped sites, the hygienic problems are likely to occur in the absence of special attention from the makers. In contrast, thanks to the mechanical production, the machine-made string noodles can be produced in large quantities under strictly controlled hygienic conditions, regardless of the weather, and the next generation are more willing to take over the business, so we do not have to worry about the inheritance. That is why the handmade string noodles have for the most part been replaced by the machine-made string noodles by now.

3. What is the development history of the Mucha string noodles?
In those days, Mucha had many noodles factories, the scene of string noodles hung up in the air could be seen everywhere. Its origin should be from Mr. Cai, a Fuzhouese master who died not long ago. He moved to near Mucha where he earned a living by making string noodles, and then he took in many apprentices. As you know, most of the masters of Mucha string noodles are his apprentices. At that time, Mucha was called "String noodles Gantry" and the business there boomed vigorously, but with the decline of various traditional industries and the rise of the machine-production industries, the handmade string noodles went downhill as well for lack of apprentices tot carry on the craft.

4. How many string noodles can you produce each time?
A bag of flour weights 22kg and we use a large number of bags to produce around ten thousand bags of string noodles each time.

5. What is you expectation for the prospective industry of string noodles?
In the future, most string noodles will be produced by machines in consideration of the lower costs and large output, such as in the case of oyster string noodles. However, the handmade string noodles will have their niche markets, such as the birthday longevity noodles which will be handmade threads noodles, but the inheritance of the craft will be a tough issue to overcome.