Shuiye Crispy Sesame Flatbread

Shuiye Crispy Sesame Flatbread

　　Shuiye Crispy Sesame Flatbread is a traditional Han Chinese flour-based snack, popular in Shuiye Town, Anyang County, Henan Province. Made by hand with ingredients such as flour, crispy oil dough, maltose syrup, sesame seeds, salt, or sugar, and baked at high temperatures in earthen ovens, it features a crispy exterior and soft interior. The top layer of sesame seeds is especially fragrant and crunchy. It comes in both savory and sweet varieties, with the sweet ones distinguished by a red dot on top. In the last century, it was a favored gift during festivals, temple fairs, family visits, and weddings or funerals. As living standards improved, it gradually transitioned from being a ceremonial gift—now rarely given except by some elders—to becoming an indispensable part of the local diet.

　　The Crispy Sesame Flatbread from Dongda Street in Shuiye Town, Anyang County, meticulously crafted by the Guan family, has long been famed for its thinness, fragrance, crispiness, and crunchiness. Known for its soft interior and delicious taste, it enjoys considerable renown in the Anyang region. It was once exhibited in Zhengzhou to critical acclaim and was included in the list of Henan’s distinctive snacks.

　　The authentic version of Shuiye Crispy Sesame Flatbread is the “Guan Family Flatbread.” Its founders were brothers Guan Jixing and Guan Jicheng from Northeast Street, Shuiye Town, Anyang County.

　　In 1905, twelve-year-old Guan Jixing and ten-year-old Guan Jicheng lost their parents. To make ends meet, Guan Jixing worked as a day laborer while Guan Jicheng sold flatbread. Despite working from dawn to dusk, the brothers still couldn’t afford enough to eat or wear. Seeing that others who ran businesses could support themselves, they hatched the idea of starting their own—making flatbread. After selling his daily batch, Guan Jicheng would watch other masters at work. Soon, he tried making a few himself, took them to the street to sell, and they sold out instantly. This encouraged the brothers to pursue their business dream. They worked tirelessly, saved every penny, and lived frugally to eventually open a flatbread shop. After years of effort, they were fully prepared and officially launched their business in 1927. Unwilling to stick to tradition, they innovated, transforming the original two-layer flatbread into a multi-layered crispy sesame version. The flatbread is crispy on the outside, with a flaky, layered interior and a rich, oily core in the middle—available in both sweet and savory versions, appealing to all ages.

　　In 1930, during a competition involving over a hundred flatbread shops in Shuiye Town, the Guan brothers’ crispy sesame flatbread stood out for its unique quality and was crowned the best. From then on, “Guan Family Flatbread” gained widespread fame across Zhangde Prefecture (modern-day Anyang area) and enjoyed booming business.

　　After the liberation, with the advent of the cooperative movement, the Guan family flatbread shop closed. To prevent the loss of their craftsmanship, the Shuiye Town Catering Service Company hired Guan Jixing to teach his skills at a state-run canteen, where his nephew, Guan Shuzhi, became his apprentice.

　　After the passing of Guan Jixing and Guan Jicheng, due to the influence of left-leaning ideologies, the Guan family flatbread faced repeated setbacks before eventually disappearing from the scene.

　　After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, in an effort to revive this renowned folk delicacy, the Shuiye Town Catering Service Company once again recruited Guan Shuzhi, heir to the Guan family flatbread, to teach the craft at a state-run canteen.

　　In 1980, “Guan Family Flatbread” was exhibited in the provincial capital, Zhengzhou, where it received unanimous praise from culinary experts. Its preparation method was also included in the book “Henan Flavor Snacks.”

　　In 1983, with the support of the Shuiye Town People’s Government, Guan Jicheng’s daughter, Guan E’zhi, revived the “Guan Family Flatbread” brand. She and her children—son Qiao San and daughter Qiao Xinfang—took over the business. With continuous refinement of their techniques, the reputation of “Guan Family Flatbread” was restored. Today, “Guan Family Flatbread” can be found all over Shuiye and has even expanded to shops in Anyang City, becoming one of the city’s signature snacks.

　　On September 10, 2010, the Anyang Municipal Government issued a document officially announcing the “Second Batch of Anyang Municipal Intangible Cultural Heritage List,” which included the production technique of Shuiye Crispy Sesame Flatbread.