Li Jieping, an enthusiast of Chongqing xiaomian, has spent the last two years tasting at 130 to 140 Chongqing noodle restaurants in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality.

"Many people took me as a mad person after hearing about my story," Li says. "Actually, they are right. I am mad about Chongqing xiaomian."

Xiaomian literally means small noodles. But in Chongqing, xiao does not refer to small or tiny, rather it's an endearment, indicates locals' love for the noodle that cooked with as many as 13 to 15 kinds of condiments.