Lukang phoenix eye cake is a traditional unbaked rice confection made from glutinous rice flour and pure sugar by Lukang's century-old shop Yuzhen Zhai, shaped like a phoenix's eye — hence its name. Yuzhen Zhai was founded in 1877 (Qing Guangxu 3) by Huang Jin, who originally shared his home-recipe pastries with literary friends before opening a proper shop once phoenix eye cake won wide favor; the business is now run by its fifth generation. The Yuzhen Zhai flagship building in Lukang, constructed in 1930 (Showa 5) in a three-story Baroque style, has been designated a historic building. As one of Yuzhen Zhai's signature items, phoenix eye cake is among the quietest yet most enduring threads in Lukang's pastry culture.
Century-old Lukang pastry shop Yuzhen Zhai was founded in 1877 (Qing Guangxu 3) by Huang Jin and is now run by its fifth generation; its Lukang flagship building, a three-story Baroque structure built in 1930 (Showa 5), has been registered as a historic building by the cultural affairs bureau, and phoenix eye cake is one of the shop's signature items.
What is Phoenix Eye Cake
Phoenix eye cake is made by mixing finely milled glutinous rice flour with granulated sugar, pressing the mixture into molds, and leaving it to set — no baking required. The ratio of sugar to rice flour is what determines the texture: dry and light without hardness, dissolving on the tongue without cloying sweetness. Each piece is roughly the size of a fingertip — oval with slightly pointed ends, resembling a phoenix's eye, hence the name. The traditional flavor is plain white; in recent years matcha, sesame, and other varieties have appeared, but the plain version best conveys the natural sweetness of the glutinous rice flour.
Lukang was Taiwan's foremost commercial port during the Qing dynasty, and the refined pastry-making craft brought by Hokkien settlers made phoenix eye cake one of the culinary legacies of that era. The county tourism bureau's "must-buy souvenirs from Lukang Old Street" list has long included it; century-old shops such as Yuzhen Zhai carry it as a flagship item, and it has evolved from a temple-plaza snack into a representative gift-box product for Lukang. That said, buying it loose at the market remains the most local way to eat it.
How to eat it the local way
Local knowledge
Objective endorsements
- Lukang's pastry trade has been documented since the Qing dynasty; the county tourism bureau has long listed phoenix eye cake among the "must-buy souvenirs from Lukang Old Street."
- Yuzhen Zhai (Zheng Yuzhen Trading), founded over a century ago, is one of Taiwan's most recognized long-standing pastry establishments, with phoenix eye cake as one of its signature items.
- Phoenix eye cake and ox-tongue pastry are ranked as Lukang's two foremost pastry specialties, but they are distinct products: the former is a rice flour sugar confection, the latter a flour-based baked wafer.
Practical tips
- Zhongshan Road is crowded on weekends, and certain flavors at long-standing shops often sell out by afternoon — morning or weekday visits are recommended.
- Some stalls cater primarily to tourist traffic; look for established shop signage or ask locals for guidance to avoid mass-produced products.
Data sources: Changhua County Government Tourism Bureau Lukang Old Street guide, Yuzhen Zhai official website, field research records. Photos will be replaced with Dio's own photography.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which shop makes the representative Lukang phoenix eye cake?
The most representative is Yuzhen Zhai, founded in 1877 and now run by its fifth generation, originally started by Huang Jin.
Where does the name 'phoenix eye cake' come from?
The cake is oval with slightly pointed ends resembling the shape of a phoenix's eye, which is how it got its name.
What's notable about Yuzhen Zhai's Lukang flagship building?
Built in 1930 in a three-story Baroque style, it has been registered as a historic building and is a well-known Lukang landmark.
Sources
- 維基百科：玉珍齋 — 創立1877年、創辦人黃錦、傳承五代、本舖建築1930年
- 橘世代：鹿港老街必買！百年老店玉珍齋推薦綠豆糕、牛舌餅 — 玉珍齋鳳眼糕背景與傳承脈絡