Jingning Guokui

Jingning Guokui

　　Jingning Guokui (flatbread) and roast chicken are local specialty foods.

　　Jingning’s specialty guokui, also known as Jingning flatbread, is not only a traditional food of the Hui people in Pingliang’s Jingning area but also a beloved staple enjoyed by all ethnic groups in the region. When traveling to Jingning, you’ll see food carts selling guokui along the roadsides—those snow-white, smooth, evenly thick, beautifully patterned, shiny, crispy, fragrant, and appetite-whetting guokui attract numerous diners and travelers.

　　Jingning Guokui has a long history and was already well-known as early as the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. It is round in shape, available in large and small sizes. The larger ones resemble shields, while the smaller ones look like silver plates. The surface of the bread is marked with three ridged patterns and decorated with designs such as “a string of dragons,” “a cloud,” or “a flower branch.” They are exquisitely beautiful and elegant, offering not just a taste delight but also an artistic pleasure just to look at.

　　Jingning Guokui is skillfully kneaded, making it resistant to breaking and spoilage, thus suitable for long-term storage and travel. Legend has it that a foreign friend bought two pieces of Jingning Guokui, packed them in a suitcase and forgot about them. Decades later, after returning home from a long overseas journey, he found the guokui still intact in appearance and irresistibly fragrant. This story became a much-told anecdote abroad.