Once upon a time, there was a scholar who was studying very hard for his imperial exam on a small island in the Yunnan Province, China. The island was located in the center of a lake, and the only way to get there was to cross a bridge before embarking on a long walk. The scholar’s wife delivered noodle soup to the island every day, however, by the time the scholar received his soup, the broth was cold and the noodles were soggy. The wife began to worry about the scholar, as his body appeared weak and his health seemed to be fading away. Her concerns gave rise to a great idea. Going forward, she would begin to prepare her noodle soup with chicken oil on the surface, and various meats and vegetables in a heated earthen pot. Soon enough, the scholar’s health began to improve and his body and mind grew stronger. In the end, the scholar became a successful candidate in the imperial examination. From then on, this story has been passed down by word of mouth and the soup became known as “Crossing the Bridge Noodle”, because the scholar’s wife crossed that bridge, every day, without fail, for her husband.