Taiwan Food Atlas

Hakka Ci Ba (Pounded Glutinous Rice Cake)

Pounded to order on Beipu Old Street — the hand-made chew of glutinous rice
📍 Hsinchu County · Beipu Township, Beipu Old Street⭐ Signature · Dessert🔖 hand-pounded glutinous rice Beipu Old Street

Hakka Ci Ba is one of the two signature hands-on food experiences on Beipu Old Street (the other being lei cha), made by pounding freshly steamed glutinous rice until springy and chewy, then coating it with peanut sugar powder or sesame powder. Beipu Township belongs to Hsinchu County and is one of the best-preserved Hakka settlements in Taiwan; the ci ba stalls on the old street still use the live pounding method today, and the Tourism Administration's recommended Beipu one-day itineraries consistently list ci ba as a must-try experience.

What is Hakka Ci Ba

To make ci ba (Taiwanese: tsî-pué), round or long glutinous rice is soaked and steamed, then immediately pounded repeatedly with a wooden mallet or stone mortar while still hot, folding and turning constantly so the grains fuse into a smooth, uniformly elastic mass. The finished rice dough is portioned and coated with a mixture of peanut powder and sugar (some stalls also offer a sesame version) and eaten immediately. Freshly pounded ci ba has a springiness that pre-made factory versions cannot match; it should be eaten on the spot, as the texture deteriorates noticeably once it cools.

Beipu Township is the most representative Hakka heritage destination in Hsinchu County; Beipu Tianshui Hall, Citian Temple, and the old street together form a complete Hakka historical landscape. In Hakka tradition, ci ba is a celebratory food eaten after harvests and festivals — the making process requires coordinated effort between two people (one pounding, one folding), giving it a symbolic community dimension. The Hakka Affairs Council's food culture festival events consistently include ci ba as a demonstration item, and Beipu one-day itineraries recommended by the Tourism Administration and Taiwan Tourism Bureau almost always feature a ci ba experience.

How to experience it the local way

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Only live pounding is worth waiting forBeipu Old Street sells both pre-made ci ba and freshly pounded ci ba, and the difference in texture is obvious. Choose a stall where you can watch the pounding happen in front of you, so you know you are eating a version made that day.
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Best within ten minutes of being madeThe springiness of ci ba fades over time after it comes off the mortar; once it cools it becomes firm and loses its elasticity. Eat it immediately at the stall — do not take it back to the hotel or leave it in the car.
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Peanut sugar powder is the most traditional coatingPeanut sugar powder is the classic pairing for Hakka ci ba — sweet without being cloying. The sesame version has a more intense fragrance and has its own following. Some stalls offer both; trying a small amount of each is the best approach.
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Pair it with lei cha for the complete experienceThe standard Beipu itinerary combines ci ba and lei cha. The herbal, slightly bitter-sweet flavor of lei cha contrasts with the sweet, chewy ci ba — they are the two pillars of Beipu's Hakka food culture, and trying both on the same visit is worthwhile.

Local knowledge

Verified sources

  • Beipu Old Street is one of the best-preserved Hakka community heritage sites in Hsinchu County; freshly pounded ci ba is the central hands-on food experience for local tourism.
  • The Hakka Affairs Council's food culture festival events consistently include ci ba as a demonstration item, confirming its officially recognized status as a Hakka representative food.
  • The Tourism Administration and Taiwan Tourism Bureau's recommended Beipu one-day itineraries almost always highlight the ci ba experience as a key food activity.

Practical tips

  • Beipu Old Street is crowded on weekends, and the freshly pounded ci ba stalls may have queues; visiting on a weekday or arriving early helps you avoid the busiest midday period.
  • Some stalls sell pre-made ci ba and simply add the coating powder on the spot — the texture is noticeably different from a freshly pounded version. When choosing a stall, confirm that live pounding is actually taking place.
  • Beipu is about 40 minutes by car from Hsinchu City. Planning a half-day trip and combining it with visits to historical buildings such as Citian Temple and Tianshui Hall rounds out the experience.

Sources: Tourism Administration Beipu Township recommended materials; Hakka Affairs Council Hakka Food Culture Festival promotional materials. Photos pending replacement with Dio's original shots.

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