The King’s Longevity Noodles 國王的長壽麵
By Ma, Jing-Xian
Illustrated by Lin, Zhuan-Zong
Once upon a time, a very long time ago, there was a king who loved all things all things to be long. In his kingdom, there were long tables and long flagpoles; even animals’ tails and his queen's hair must be long. To celebrate the king's birthday, chefs decided to make the long, long longevity noodles. The king loved them very much at first, but it was too difficult for him to finish these long, long noodles … This story, lacking a proper ending, leaves rooms for young readers to create their own endings through their imagination.
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About Ma, Jing-Xian
Ma is one of Taiwan's most influential children's authors. Born in north China's Hebei province, he later moved to Taiwan and graduated from National Taiwan Normal University's Chinese Department. He served in several prestigious libraries, including the East Asian Library in Princeton University and National Central Library. He was also the director of The Society of Children's Literature, R. O. C. and Mandarin Daily News.
As a prolific writer, Ma produced a wide range of works such as nursery rhymes, fairy tales, novels, dramas and cross talks. His other notable works include The Young Hero and The Old Postman, and translated works include The Stone Soup.
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About Lin, Zhuan-Zong
Born in 1963, Lin grew up in Keelung, the wettest city in Taiwan. Lin loves painting, watching movies, and traveling around. His other works include The Lighthouse and Grandpa's Big Fishing Boat.