The Bubaohua White Crust Mooncake is one of Shinan's numerous delicious delicacies and has a centuries-old history.

Bakers show Bubaohua White Crust Mooncakes fresh out of the oven. [Photo/WeChat account: Shinanly]

Making mooncakes may be traced back to the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), a time when Mid-Autumn Festival rituals, including eating mooncakes, were highly revered. The mooncake-making process was eventually developed during the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), including methods from several ethnic groups.

Making the mooncakes consists of a strict process, which can be divided into five parts: picking ingredients, making the crust, making the stuffing, decorating and baking.

Nowadays, the mooncake making technique is popular throughout Shinan. On Zhongshan Road, Lekoufu, a century-old restaurant, makes White Crust Mooncakes from high-quality flour and peanut oil, which has made the restaurant a must-visit spot in Shinan.

In 2013, Qingdao Zhongyuan Haiyun Hotel Management Co became the central base for the inheritance of the mooncake making technique, and under the leadership of a fourth-generation inheritor, Sun Yantao, the technique has continued to develop and the popularity of the mooncake has been promoted. In 2020, the technique has been listed as one of Shinan's intangible cultural heritage items.