Inside a century-old pastry shop on Lukang's Zhongshan Road, long oval wafers lie in the glass case — named for their resemblance to an ox's tongue. Bite down: crunch. Malt sugar and sesame fragrance spread across the palate. The wafer is thin enough to be translucent; the longer you chew the more fragrant it becomes. Paired with a pot of hot tea, Lukang's afternoon slows to the pace of this century-old pastry.
What is Lukang Ox-Tongue Pastry
Lukang ox-tongue pastry is a thin, crisp, long-oval wafer made from flour, malt sugar, butter, and a small amount of sugar, rolled thin and baked until crisp. Some are dusted with sesame or spread with a malt filling. About ten centimeters long and shaped like an ox's tongue, hence the name. It differs from Yilan ox-tongue pastry, which is thinner, harder, and unfilled — the Lukang version is slightly thicker, the texture is crisp rather than hard, and the malt fragrance within makes it a natural companion to plain tea.
The most representative long-standing shop for Lukang ox-tongue pastry is Yuzhen Zhai, founded in 1877 (the 3rd year of the Qing Guangxu reign), now over 140 years old. Later, family branches gave rise to Zheng Yuzhen and Zhen Wei Zhen — each with slightly different recipes but all sharing the same century-old craft lineage. Zhongshan Road and Minzu Road in Lukang form the pastry shop cluster. This guide is organized by dish and presents all century-old pastry shops together without ranking individual stores.
How to eat it the local way
Local knowledge
Objective endorsements (ad-free)
- Yuzhen Zhai was founded in 1877 (the 3rd year of the Qing Guangxu reign) and has over 140 years of history — the flagship example of Lukang's century-old pastry shops.
- Yuzhen Zhai and Zheng Yuzhen both originate from the same Yuzhen Zhai lineage; Lukang's Zhongshan Road and Minzu Road form the pastry shop cluster.
- This guide is organized by dish; all century-old pastry shops are presented as peers within the same category — no single-store ranking is made.
Practical tips
- Most shops are along the old street on Zhongshan Road; weekends are crowded — weekday afternoon visits are less congested and more relaxed.
- Consider picking up other century-old pastries while you are there — phoenix eye cake, mung bean cake, and kou su bing — to complete your souvenir haul in one stop.
- Pair a pastry shop visit with a half-day Lukang heritage walk: Tianhou Temple, Longshan Temple, Jiuqu Lane, and Moliu Lane, with the pastry shop as your starting or finishing point.
Data compiled from the Changhua County Government Tourism website, Lukang Township Office, and a large volume of public reviews; promotional listings have been filtered out. Photos will be replaced with exclusive channel footage after Dio's field shoot.