Lion Cake

Lion Cake

　　Introduction to Shizi Cake – A Specialty of Xichong

　　Originally named “Shouwang Cake,” it was created in the autumn of 1876 (the second year of the Guangxu Emperor’s reign) by Si Rengu of “Shouchun Workshop” by West Lake in Hangzhou. “Shouwang Cake” was golden in color, sweet, crispy, and melted in the mouth, leaving a lingering fragrant aftertaste. It was often served by the elite and scholars as a delicacy for guests. Yao Qihang, the magistrate of West Lake County, always had it on hand as a tea-time treat, and his daughter Yao Shenglan craved it daily. Most common folk would only eat it when it was offered to visiting scholars. The cake used premium ingredients—specifically, top-quality glutinous rice from Upper Bay in West Lake, Hangzhou. The rice was washed and soaked repeatedly, ground into powder, then fried in rapeseed oil and cooled before being mixed with high-quality brown sugar, sesame seeds, and infused with sesame oil to form the final product. In the year of Guangxu Yimao, Si Rengu passed away, and his son Si Li took over the workshop to continue the business.

　　He Naowa, a native of Qingshi in Xichong, came from a poor family. Once, he tried to steal a cucumber from the clan elder to relieve his hunger, was severely beaten, and fled home. He wandered to West Lake in Hangzhou, where he collapsed from hunger at the door of “Shouchun Workshop.” Si Li found him, fed him, and revived him. He Naowa, grateful for Si’s life-saving kindness, pledged to serve him. Si happened to need help, so he kept He to do odd jobs and assist the household. He proved to be diligent, quick-witted, and skilled, so Si took him on as an apprentice, and He repaid the kindness through his work. By day, he washed glutinous rice; by night, he ground flour. Having grown up in poverty, He endured all kinds of hardships, becoming hard-working and adept—mastering the craft through experience.

　　On the Dragon Boat Festival during the Guangxu Ji year, Si’s family drank late into the night. Overindulging in alcohol, Si Li passed out drunk in bed. Due to the summer heat, a fire broke out in the cake workshop at midnight, reducing “Shouchun Workshop” to ashes. Si Li wept bitterly for days, overcome with grief, and soon passed away. With that, “Shouchun Workshop” ceased to exist. Heartbroken, He bid farewell to his master, returned home, and stayed with his sister by the Xiangxi River. He borrowed half a room and four taels of silver from his sister to buy ingredients like glutinous rice. After soaking the rice for three days and grinding it into fine powder, he made “Shouchun Cake.” That night, in a dream, memories of his apprenticeship flashed before him—the life-saving grace and skillful teachings of his master filled his mind. Master, master, master... Si, Si, Si... his hometown, too, had a “Si” (斯), and his cake had been called “Wang” (王, king). But what kind of king? Calling it a human king might seem rebellious—how could he dare? The king of beasts is the lion. Master, Si, and Shi (狮, lion) sounded exactly the same—an incredible coincidence. What better name for the cake than “Lion Cake”? In his dream, he laughed aloud. When his wife asked why, he told her the dream. She said, “Perhaps our master wants us not to forget his kindness.” Her surname was Si, and their hometown had lions; naming the cake “Lion Cake” honored the master, expressed gratitude, and remembered their homeland. The “three lions” came together perfectly—it was truly a fated connection. The whole family agreed joyfully. Thus, Lion Cake was first introduced in 1891 (the 17th year of Guangxu). Locals praised it endlessly, and travelers spread its fame far and wide.

　　In the 26th year of Guangxu, He, now advanced in age and with some savings, discussed with his wife moving the shop to Sigui Fang Street. Business for “Lion Cake” boomed even more. In the winter of the 28th year of Guangxu, He passed away peacefully. His son carried on the family business, refining the recipe further. He used water from a well outside the yamen (government office), boiled and cooled it to soak the rice, which enhanced the flavor. The business thrived well into the Republican era. In the later years of the Republic, workshops like Daoxiangzhai and Guixiangzhai also made this cake. Eventually, He closed his shop, but among the successors, the workshop led by Xu Jinchang stood out the most.

　　After the liberation, under the leadership of the Party, private businesses were consolidated into cooperatives. In 1955, the state-owned Xichong County Confectionery Factory was officially established (with Shen Guangqing as its first factory director). After its establishment, it integrated the production techniques of various small workshops making “Lion Cake.” Under the guidance of experienced masters, the factory gradually expanded production, helping to promote this local specialty.

　　In 1961, Marshal Zhu visited his hometown and passed through Xichong, bringing Lion Cake back to Zhongnanhai, where it received high praise. In 1964, Yu Jiaqing, a folk singer from Xichong, performed at a provincial workers’ performance in Chengdu, singing a folk song about the local flavor: “Nothing tastes better than Xichong Lion Cake.” The song earned great acclaim. People didn’t just love Lion Cake—they sang about it too.

　　After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee, Xichong’s Lion Cake was repeatedly recognized as a high-quality product by the National Science Commission and by provincial, municipal, and county authorities, winning numerous gold awards. With increasing international exchanges, Lion Cake crossed oceans and was exported to Southeast Asia.

　　In 1999, after the restructuring of the former state-owned Xichong Confectionery Factory, two enterprises in Xichong County—Jincheng Confectionery Factory and Sichuan Xichong Jinlong Food Factory—took over production, marketing the cake respectively as “Xichong” Lion Cake and “Chongguo Lion King Cake.”