Food enthusiasts in China have inadvertently turned a funeral home into a culinary hotspot as a noodle dish served at Erlong Funeral Home in Guizhou gains viral fame on social media. Originally meant to serve grieving families, the canteen's noodles have drawn in a crowd of eager diners, some of whom have taken to posing as mourners to secure a taste of the delicacy.
The Erlong Funeral Home, located in southwestern Guizhou, recently announced that it would allow limited public access to its canteen without disturbing the families mourning their loved ones. The establishment serves various noodle dishes during breakfast and supper hours, all priced at around 10 yuan per bowl (approximately $1.38; £1.09). The most sought-after dish features noodles adorned with minced pork and peanuts.
Reports indicate that Erlong workers initially served only those attending funerals, but as the demand surged, they found it increasingly challenging to distinguish genuine mourners from enterprising food lovers. “With the long queues, it’s difficult to tell them apart,” an Erlong worker shared with Jiupai News.
In response to the growing interest, Erlong has decided to give away 50 bowls of noodles to the public each day, provided that the diners maintain respect for those grieving. The noodle craze was reignited early this month when a social media post highlighted the dining experience at Erlong. A user shared on Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote), “The queue for food is longer than the queue to lay flowers for the deceased."
Following this, many others joined the trend on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, documenting their experiences and enthusing about the delicious noodles. One user reflected on the fleeting nature of life and decided to indulge in another bowl, illustrating the mixture of profound and playful sentiments surrounding this unconventional dining experience.
