North China's Shanxi province has employed its culinary heritage to foster cultural identity and drive industrial upgrades in recent years, boosting heritage preservation and the cultural tourism economy.

At the 2024 Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Wheaten Food Carnival, Shanxi preserved its noodle-making heritage through themed events, including the Chinese ICH Noodle Technique Show and the Chinese Dough Figurine Art Exhibition, boosting the ICH flour-based food brand.

Showcasing traditional noodle-making techniques has become a staple at Shanxi's cultural and tourism promotional events. On Feb 28, during the 2025 China Ice and Snow Tourism Overseas Promotion Season in the United States, master chef Wang Zhanglong captivated local visitors with his expert demonstrations of pulled noodles, hand-stretched noodles, and knife-cut noodles.

Meanwhile, the province's cultural and tourism sectors have introduced measures to promote culinary heritage and cultural tourism integration. For instance, in the Ancient City of Xinzhou, ICH foods are integrated with Shanxi Opera and shadow puppetry, offering visitors a rich cultural experience combining grain feasts and watching traditional performances.

At Jinyang Cultural Culinary Experience Store, visitors can purchase Yuanxiao (glutinous rice balls) and experience making them. "We've developed new products to suit younger tastes, offering diverse and creative flavors. Since our trial opening, we've seen constant visitors," said Han Fuyuan, a provincial ICH project representative.

With knife-cut noodles leaping from the kitchen to the tourism scene, Shanxi cuisine is becoming a key part of cultural tourism integration, charting an integrated path for cultural heritage preservation and economic development.