05.08.2006

Commentary , Simplification

Complexity and the Noodle

Technology is supposed to help make things simple. And it often does, though at times, it comes at an expense. Take the Biang Biang noodles, for instance. The Chinese character "Biang", made up of 57 strokes, is one of the most complex Chinese characters in contemporary use.

But you won't find it in modern dictionaries -- online or offline -- because it's simply too complicated to reproduce through digital typesetting methods. Instead, it's typically shown phonetically. In much the same way many conversations nowadays have been reduced to emoticons and SMS-speak, it's sad to see traditional calligraphy (or just plain, beautiful handwriting) give way to the convenience and limitations of digital typography (though I use the word typography loosely). So, if you happen to be in China, and you happen upon a biang biang noodle shop, take a picture of their sign or see if you can take a copy of their menu -- for posterity.

Biang biang noodles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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