Guo Ba Shaobing

Guo Ba Shaobing

　　 “Guo Ba Shaobing” has a long history. Its founder, Guo Zhizhong, was originally from Da Han Dao Village west of Daming County. He once traveled to Beijing (then known as Shuntian Prefecture) to learn the craft. In the 21st year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, or 1887, he returned to Daming and opened a shop in the county town to make and sell shaobing. Having learned the trade in Shuntian Prefecture, he chose the character “Tian” (Heaven) as the first part of his shop’s name, and hoping for prosperous business, added the character “Xing” (Prosperity), thus naming his shop “Tianxing Shaobing Shop.” Guo Zhizhong’s nickname was “Guo Ba,” so locals began calling his shaobing shop “Guo Ba Shaobing Shop.”

        Later, Guo Zhizhong’s three sons—Guo Rui, Guo Lian, and Guo Jun—inherited the family business and continued running the shaobing shop. Guo Rui’s courtesy name was Zhaoxiang, Guo Lian’s was Huapin, and Guo Jun’s was Meizhai. In 1947, the three brothers each took one character from their courtesy names and renamed the shop “Xianghuazhai Shaobing Shop.” Despite the name change, due to long-standing local habit, the beloved name “Guo Ba Shaobing” remained widely used among the public.

       “Guo Ba Shaobing” is made with rich ingredients and crafted with great care. For the ingredients: using ten jin of wheat flour, it is paired with half [amount unspecified], seven and a half liang of lard, and appropriate amounts of Chinese prickly ash, lesser galangal, and salt. The making process: first, mix three-tenths of the wheat flour with boiling water, then use warm water to knead the dough into a block. Next, roll the dough thin, layer in the ingredients, and coil it before pressing it into a round, thick pancake shape. It is then placed on the oven grid and roasted while basting with oil. After six minutes, with both sides golden brown, it is done. “Guo Ba Shaobing” has a unique flavor, with many thin layers—each piece has between twenty-five to thirty layers. The exterior is golden and shiny, resembling the shape of a pomegranate. It is crispy outside yet chewy inside, with a deliciously charred aroma and enticing taste. After the public-private partnership in 1956, they worked in the canteen, refining the craft of making shaobing and preserving the traditional flavor of “Guo Ba Shaobing.” In 1965, Chairman Li Xiannian tasted “Guo Ba Shaobing” during his visit to Daming; in 1966, Premier Zhou Enlai also tried “Guo Ba Shaobing” during his inspection of Daming, met with Comrade Guo Rui, and praised his shaobing-making skills. Premier Zhou said, “Old Guo, the shaobing you make is really good. I ate one and a half. Thank you.” Guo Rui’s son, Guo Dianchen, learned the craft from childhood. Now, he has inherited the family tradition and contracted the “Tianxing Shaobing Shop.” Bold and innovative, he broke the family rule of not passing on the craft outside the family. Not only did he teach his children, but he also seriously instructed apprentices who came from places like Shijiazhuang and Wei County. He also trained six or seven female kitchen staff for the county’s food service company. All those he trained are now capable of working independently. Thanks to the fame of “Guo Ba Shaobing,” Guo Dianchen’s business has thrived since taking over, with significantly improved economic returns. In 1985, he could make shaobing with two hundred jin of flour daily, with annual revenue exceeding twenty-five thousand yuan. Now that people’s living standards are higher, more and more enjoy eating “Guo Ba Shaobing,” especially as a staple dish when hosting banquets.