Hsinchu Zhuqian Bing (Hsinchu Traditional Pastry)

Zhuqian Bing is a sweet-and-savory Chinese pastry created in 1898 by Hsinchu's century-old shop Xin Fu Zhen, filled with crystallized winter melon, diced fatty pork, and fried shallots, crisp outside and moist within. Hsinchu's former name was 'Zhuqian,' and the name 'Zhuqian Bing' is virtually synonymous with this single shop. Founder Wu Zhang Huan began by selling zongzi at a City God Temple stall in 1898, then adapted the savory-sweet zongzi filling into a pastry; the shop is now run by fourth-generation owner Wu Hongyi and is certified by the Ministry of Economic Affairs as an 'Outstanding Century-Old Shop.'

Xin Fu Zhen Commercial House was founded in 1898 (the 24th year of the Guangxu reign) and is certified by Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs as an 'Outstanding Century-Old Shop.' Founder Wu Zhang Huan originally sold zongzi at a stall in front of the City God Temple before adapting the savory-sweet zongzi filling into a pastry; the business is now in its fourth generation under Wu Hongyi, and Zhuqian Bing is still hand-shaped by veteran staff.

What Is Zhuqian Bing

Zhuqian Bing resembles a miniature sun cake or moon cake — round and flat, about 5–7 cm in diameter, with white sesame seeds sprinkled on top. The skin is traditional layered oil pastry with distinct flaky layers; the filling is Xin Fu Zhen's proprietary recipe, made primarily from crystallized winter melon, diced fatty pork, and fried shallots, with some versions also adding kumquat peel or maltose syrup. Overall it is crisp on the outside and moist within, with a sweet-savory interplay that sets it apart from typical Chinese pastries that are either purely sweet or purely savory — a cake style unique to Hsinchu.

Xin Fu Zhen Commercial House was founded in 1898, when founder Wu Zhang Huan began by vending zongzi at a stall in front of the City God Temple. He later adapted the savory-sweet filling from zongzi into a pastry format, launching Zhuqian Bing to great acclaim, and the operation gradually grew from a cart into a century-old shop on Beimen Street. The Ministry of Economic Affairs recognized Xin Fu Zhen as an "Outstanding Century-Old Shop"; Zhuqian Bing has also become one of the signature souvenir foods of Hsinchu. Beyond Xin Fu Zhen, a handful of other century-old Chinese pastry shops are clustered on and around Beimen Street — Lao Zhen Nan and Xin Guang Preserved Fruits among them — each with its own signature item, while Xin Fu Zhen is known above all for this single pastry.

How to Eat It the Local Way

Local Knowledge

Information compiled from the Michelin Guide, Hsinchu City Government Tourism Bureau, Hsinchu County Government Tourism and Travel Division, and a large volume of public reviews, with sponsored content filtered out. Photos to be replaced with channel-exclusive material once Dio shoots on location.