Stunning Techniques of Making Shanxi Cake - "Guo Dulin" Shanxi-style Mooncake Making Techniques

"Guo Dulin" Shanxi-style Mooncake[Photo via the Publicity Department of the CPC Taiyuan Municipal Committee]

"Guo Dulin" Shanxi-style mooncakes are a speciality of Shanxi Province with their ancient and simple shape, crisp, mellow, refreshing and sweet but not greasy taste.

The techniques necessary to make "Guo Dulin" Shanxi-style mooncakes can be traced back to the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, with a history of more than 300 years. During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, "Guo Dulin" mooncakes were already well known in Jinzhong, Taiyuan, Datong and Linfen cities in the province, and became a great gift during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Guo Dulin mooncakes are made with great care in the selection of raw materials and auxiliary materials, and unique techniques of kneading the wrapper dough and making the filling. The mooncakes' baking ovens, with a unique shape, rely entirely on manual control of the baking temperature, giving them a superior taste. "Guo Dulin" mooncakes production retains the traditional techniques of the Shanxi folk cake industry since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, showing the characteristics of northern China cake making techniques.

In June 2008, "Guo Dulin" Shanxi-style mooncakes making technique was included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Representative List. Behind a small mooncake is the passionate craftsmanship spirit of many craftsmen. "Guo Dulin" Shanxi-style mooncakes represent not only the traditional food culture of Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, but also the original intention of the craftsmen: to carry forward the traditional culture of China as always.