Reganmian (hot dry noodles)
热干面 Reganmian · Wuhan, Hubei, China
Alkaline noodles tossed with sesame paste, diced spicy radish and chopped green onion—Wuhan people's top choice for "guozao" (breakfast).
Know before you go
- If you are allergic to sesame or wheat (gluten), don't eat it, as sesame paste is the main seasoning of this bowl
- don't drip sesame paste on others while walking—mix it first, then go
- don't gulp the noodles down just because they are 'dry'—eat slowly with some soup or a drink
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Reganmian is Wuhan's signature breakfast, and in the Wuhan dialect eating breakfast is called "guozao". It is a dry noodle dish: alkaline noodles are boiled until about 90 percent done, tossed with sesame oil and spread out to cool, then dipped briefly in boiling water before eating and dressed with sesame paste and soy sauce, plus diced spicy radish and chopped spring onion. People's Daily once named reganmian together with Shanxi knife-cut noodles, Lanzhou beef noodles, Sichuan dandan noodles and Beijing zhajiangmian as the "Five Great Noodles of China". As for its origin, the common story is that in the 1930s a Hankou noodle seller named Li Bao accidentally spilled sesame oil on noodles left out to cool, mixed it in and found it unexpectedly delicious; this is folk legend.
Local customs
- Wuhan people usually "guo zao" (have breakfast) at street breakfast stalls or noodle shops and rarely make reganmian at home
- it often comes with a bowl of egg wine or soy milk. When the noodles arrive, first mix the sesame paste in thoroughly with your chopsticks, then add chili oil, vinegar or pickled long beans to taste. You can also ask for a bowl of clear broth or rice wine to cut the richness.
Religion & beliefs
- Traditional hot dry noodles contain no meat themselves, but the sesame paste and sauce may use bone broth or animal fat, and recipes vary between shops
- vegetarian and halal travelers should ask first. If you need halal food, look for halal breakfast shops.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Rules that apply here
China: At Qingming tomb-sweeping, no burning paper or open flames in wooded areas
Do
- Check whether the cemetery requires a reservation before you go
- Stay quiet while laying flowers, bowing and observing silence
- Consider flowers, tree planting or online memorials instead of burning paper
- Dress soberly for tomb-sweeping
- Take offering wrappers and rubbish with you when you leave
Don’t
- Don't burn paper, incense or candles, or set off firecrackers, in woods or grassland
- Don't talk loudly or joke around in the cemetery
- Don't block cemetery paths for long to take photos
During fire-prevention periods, burning paper, incense and candles is strictly banned in forest and grassland fire zones, and anyone who starts a wildfire may be held legally liable. Whether and where a cemetery allows burning is set by its own rules on site.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Xinhua: Two departments deploy safety measures for the Qingming holiday
China: Go through security before the metro, and park shared bikes in marked zones
Do
- Cooperate with the security check at the entrance and put bags through the scanner
- On the platform, wait beside the doors and let passengers off first
- Register with your real name in the app before riding a shared bike
- Park in a marked bay or an app-designated spot, and make sure the lock clicks shut
- If the brakes or lock don't work, switch bikes and report it in the app
Don’t
- Don't linger in the doorway or force your way through closing doors
- Don't leave bikes in traffic lanes, fire lanes or on tactile paving
- Don't let children under 12 ride shared bikes
If you refuse the security check you will not be let into the station. Badly parked bikes are removed, and riders may face action under local rules and the operator's terms.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: People's Daily Online: Beijing issues standards for shared bike technology, services, parking
China: No smoking anywhere on high-speed trains, and no phone calls in quiet carriages
Do
- Sit in the carriage and seat shown on your ticket
- Put large luggage in the racks at the carriage ends or overhead
- Use headphones for videos and music
- In a quiet carriage, step outside to make or take calls
- Before getting off, check around your seat and take your rubbish and belongings
Don’t
- Don't smoke anywhere on the train, including toilets and vestibules
- Don't take someone else's seat
- Don't choose a quiet carriage when travelling with babies or toddlers (12306 advises against it)
Smoking on a bullet train can set off smoke alarms and slow or even stop the train. Smokers are fined by the police and, according to reports, may also be barred from buying bullet-train tickets; official rules prevail. If someone breaks the quiet-carriage rules, tell the train staff.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Travel China Guide: Smoking on Chinese trains
China: Stay on open sections of the Great Wall and never carve the bricks
Do
- Walk only on open sections and marked routes
- On steep stretches, stop and steady yourself before taking photos, and watch your step
- Wear non-slip shoes, carry enough water, and turn back if you are tired
- Carry your rubbish down or put it in a bin
- Check opening arrangements before you go; official announcements prevail
Don’t
- Don't carve, write on or prise loose the bricks
- Don't climb over fences or onto closed, crumbling walls and watchtowers
- Don't run or push on steep sections
Carving the Great Wall counts as damaging a cultural relic: one visitor who carved his name at Badaling was given administrative detention and a fine by the police and was blacklisted by the scenic area. Closed sections are not maintained and can be dangerous.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China News Service: Man detained for five days and fined 200 yuan for carving on the Badaling Great Wall
China: book popular sights in advance, under your real name, through official channels
Do
- Check the booking rules on the site's official website, mini program or account before you go
- Enter every companion's ID details in advance and pick an entry time slot
- Children, seniors and others with free or reduced tickets also book as required and show ID
- Book early for holidays and summer; popular dates often fill quickly
Don’t
- Don't trust third parties offering to grab tickets or sell 'insider' tickets
- Don't assume a free ticket means no booking is needed
- Don't count on buying tickets at the gate on peak days
Once a popular date is fully booked, you may be turned away. China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires sites to keep in-person ticket windows and to accommodate seniors and others, but on-site quotas are limited; booking windows, release times and visitor caps are subject to official announcements.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China Daily: Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires all scenic areas to keep ticket windows
China: set up mobile payment before you go; hotels and tickets are booked under your passport
Do
- Link a foreign bank card to Alipay or WeChat Pay before departure
- Carry some cash in yuan for small stalls, remote areas or payment glitches
- Expect real-name checks at hotels, for train tickets and popular sights; use your passport
- Make sure the name and number on bookings match your passport exactly
- If a station gate cannot read your passport, use the staffed lane
Don’t
- Don't wait until you arrive to set up payment; verification can take time
- Don't assume cash alone or a bank card alone will work everywhere
- Don't book with details that differ from your passport
Without a working payment method, or with mismatched ID details, you may be unable to check in, buy tickets or enter sights. Payment limits, fees and platform rules are subject to official announcements.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Gov.cn: Payment services for foreign visitors to China
China: Queue, don't smoke where banned, and never carve on heritage sites
Do
- Wait your turn in line, and follow staff directions when it's crowded
- On buses and the metro, let passengers off first and offer seats to those in need
- Book popular sights and museums in advance, under your real name, through official channels
- Sort your rubbish into the right bins
- Use serving chopsticks and spoons, and order only what you can eat
Don’t
- Don't cut in line or walk side by side blocking the way
- Don't smoke where it is banned; many cities ban smoking in indoor public places and on public transport
- Don't carve or write on historic buildings or ancient trees, or climb on or touch relics
- Don't use flash or tripods in exhibition halls
- Don't talk loudly or play music out loud in public places
Staff will stop you from queue-jumping, smoking where banned or marking relics, and smoking in no-smoking areas or damaging relics can also lead to fines under the law. Fine amounts, booking methods and opening hours are as officially announced.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Palace Museum official site: Visit
Don’t DON'T
- If you are allergic to sesame or wheat (gluten), don't eat it, as sesame paste is the main seasoning of this bowl
- don't drip sesame paste on others while walking—mix it first, then go
- don't gulp the noodles down just because they are 'dry'—eat slowly with some soup or a drink
- don't leave the bowl by the roadside
Locals appreciate DO
- Vendors appreciate customers who order decisively and eat quickly standing by the stall
- mixing the sesame paste evenly and leaving none at the bottom of the bowl marks you as someone who knows how to eat it
- having it with egg wine and doupi for breakfast is the most Wuhan way. Greeting the vendor with "Guo zao le mao?" (Had your breakfast?) is very Wuhan.
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- Wuhan's breakfast stalls and noodle shops start serving at five or six in the morning and can be found in every residential area, near metro exits and around Hubu Lane
- one bowl makes a breakfast. Flavor: rich sesame aroma, on the salty side, not spicy in itself, with chili added to taste. Dietary notes: contains sesame, wheat and soy (soy sauce)
- the noodles are fairly dry, so having them with egg wine (contains a little rice wine) or soy milk is recommended. You can combine it with the Yellow Crane Tower, Hubu Lane and the Yangtze River Bridge, climbing the tower after breakfast. Hubu Lane is crowded with tourists and prices are higher, while small shops in residential areas are more everyday. Pairs well with doupi. Prices, opening hours and the day's availability are as announced by each shop
- popular places often have queues at peak mealtimes, so eating off-peak is more relaxed.
Photos
Photos
Nature42 · CC0
ZhengZhou · CC BY-SA 4.0
How do you like this place?
More nearby
Also in Wuhan
Nearby sights
Qingchuan Pavilion
On Yugong Rock at the foot of Turtle Hill, look across the river to the Yellow Crane Tower and read where the line "clear across the river stand…
Jianghan Customs House Museum
In the century-old clock tower on the Hankou riverfront, hear how the opening of the treaty port put Wuhan on the world shipping map.
Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge
Walk from Snake Hill onto the “First Bridge across the Yangtze”, and watch trains pass beneath your feet from the walkway as the river opens out…
Hubei Provincial Museum
A national first-class museum famous for its Chu culture relics; the chime bells of Marquis Yi of Zeng and the Sword of Goujian are its greatest…
The Yellow Crane Tower
The symbol of Wuhan and one of the Three Great Towers of Jiangnan, the tower looks out over the Yangtze and Wuhan's three towns, and owes its fa…
