Jiaojiang District,Taizhou: A Century-Old Legacy of Intangible Cultural Heritage Mooncakes

Flaky, buttery pastry wrapped around a sweet and savory filling—with just one bite, a soft, fragrant richness bursts in your mouth… This unforgettable traditional flavor has been delighting people in Jiaojiang District, Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province, for over a century. Following this tantalizing aroma, you’ll find Hongji Food’s flagship store in Xiachen Street, Jiaojiang District—the birthplace of the renowned "Taizhou Time-Honored Brand," Hongji Mooncakes, which have found their way into countless households.

As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, the staff in Hongji’s kitchen grow increasingly busy. They skillfully wrap the prepared fillings in dough made from oil pastry and flour, place the portions onto oiled paper, press them into molds, and neatly arrange them. Then, they stamp each mooncake with a red seal indicating its flavor, brush them with egg yolk, and slide them into the oven—all in one seamless workflow. The room is filled with an irresistible fragrance.

"This seemingly simple traditional craft is something we’ve upheld for over a hundred years," said Ding Tanyang, the current head of Hongji Food and the seventh-generation inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage "Hongji Mooncake Making Technique." Hongji Mooncakes originated in 1921, when the first founder, Wang Hongqin, opened a pastry shop called "Sihaichun Hongji" in the southwest corner of "Sihaichun," then the largest restaurant in Haimen (now Jiaojiang). Mooncakes, orange-flavored glutinous rice cakes, mung bean cakes, peanut crisps, fried dough twists, baked candies—these traditional treats, still popular on the streets of Jiaojiang today, have been sold since Hongji’s earliest days.

Thanks to its high-quality ingredients and standardized production process, Hongji has built a stellar reputation locally. "For mooncakes, go to Hongji"—this has been the consensus for generations. Under the dedicated efforts of the Hongji team, its signature mooncakes—spiced salt, assorted fruits, five kernel, osmanthus-scented, and more—have become an integral part of Mid-Autumn memories for countless people in Taizhou.

In recent years, Hongji has continued to innovate, expanding its range to over 200 varieties of traditional and Western-style pastries, including more than 60 types of bread alone. Ding Tanyang has also incorporated Taizhou’s natural scenery and folk culture into Hongji’s branding. As for the classic Su-style mooncakes, which are particularly beloved by older generations in Taizhou for their nostalgic taste, Ding remains committed to honoring tradition. In Hongji’s modern sterile workshop, bakers still use ancient methods to produce these mooncakes.

When the Mid-Autumn full moon rises, many Taizhou residents send Hongji Mooncakes to family and friends across the country via express delivery, allowing those far from home to feel a deep connection to their roots and a unique taste of hometown flavor.

In 2021, the Hongji Mooncake Making Technique was successively recognized as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage Project of Jiaojiang District and Taizhou City. "I hope to pass down and promote this craft for generations to come—I hope Hongji can thrive for another hundred years," said Ding Tanyang. This is her dream, and also her responsibility.

Translator：Jiayang Lin