The Mid-Autumn Festival, the 15th day of the eighth month on China's lunar calendar, falls on September 25 this year. In Chinese culture, the circle often represents completeness, harmony and togetherness. For generations, watching the full moon and sharing mooncakes with family have been part of the celebration.
Across Guangdong, you'll find familiar Cantonese-style mooncakes alongside a wide variety of local specialties. From classic lotus seed paste to Chaoshan pastries and mooncakes flavored with local wampee, here are some Guangdong treats to try during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Across Guangdong: Cantonese-style mooncakes
Cantonese-style mooncakes are among the best known in China and are enjoyed throughout Guangdong. They typically have a thin, syrup-based crust, generous fillings and a glossy golden finish. Traditional fillings include lotus seed paste with salted egg yolk, red bean paste and mixed kernels (usually including melon seeds, walnuts, almonds, sesame seeds and olive kernels), while Cantonese sausage and char siu are also popular local additions.
(Photo: Hotel Indigo Guangzhou Haixinsha)
Chaoshan area: Lard pastry
In the Chaoshan area, lard pastry (朥饼) is a traditional Mid-Autumn Festival treat and daily dessert. Traditionally, locals add lard to the pastry dough, giving it a thin, flaky crust. The pastry is paired with sweet fillings such as mung bean paste, black bean paste and sesame.
(Photo: Shantou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Bureau)
Guiyu lard pastry (贵屿朥饼), originating in Shantou's Guiyu Town, dates back to the Ming Dynasty. Traditional versions include both vegetarian and savory varieties, with fillings made from candied winter melon, lard, sesame and scallion. Newer flavors include taro, Chinese yam and red bean.
Jiangmen: Chenpi red bean paste & winter melon mooncakes
The chenpi (dried tangerine peel) red bean paste mooncake combines two local favorites. Xinhui chenpi, prized as "soft gold" for its culinary and medicinal value, is added to red bean paste during cooking. Its citrusy aroma helps balance the sweetness, while finely chopped and ground chenpi adds rich layers of texture and flavor.
(Photo: Jiangmen Municipal Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Bureau)
The winter melon mooncake originated in Haian Town, Taishan. Made with locally grown winter melon and prepared through multiple traditional steps, it has a translucent, stringy filling with a smooth, chewy texture and gentle sweetness.
(Photo: Taishan Fabu)
Zhanjiang: Five-kernel and ham mooncake
With a history of more than 800 years, the Wuchuan mooncake is known for its large size, with some versions weighing one to seven kilograms. The five-kernel and ham mooncake is one of the representative varieties. The thin crust surrounds a generous filling of kernels and cured pork, including olive kernels, walnuts, sesame, almonds and melon seeds. The combination of savory ham and sweet filling gives this local mooncake its distinctive flavor.
(Photo: Zhanjiang Fabu)
Maoming: Tuoluo pastry
Tuoluo pastry (拖罗饼) is a traditional specialty of Huazhou with a history of more than 1,000 years. It has long been enjoyed during the Mid-Autumn Festival and is also a popular local snack and gift. The handmade pastry has a crisp crust and a sweet, fragrant filling made with coconut, char siu, walnuts, peanuts, almonds and sesame. Each pastry is shaped, stamped and baked using traditional techniques.
(Photo: Maoming Municipal Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports Bureau)
Shaoguan: Baitu mooncake
Baitu mooncake (白土月饼), also known locally as Shang Bing (赏饼), is a traditional specialty from Baitu Town in Qujiang District. Made with local peanut oil, lotus seeds, mung beans and duck eggs, the mooncakes are prepared using traditional techniques that have been passed down locally. Traditional Baitu mooncakes are available in eight sizes and three flavors: lotus seed paste, bean paste and coconut paste.
(Photo: Shaoguan Travel)
Yunfu: Wampee mooncake
Yunan County, Yunfu, is a major production area for seedless wampee in Guangdong. Local bakeries have incorporated the fruit into traditional mooncakes, pairing its sweet-tart aroma with fillings such as mixed kernels and red bean paste. It combines the soft, fine crust of a Cantonese-style mooncake with the fruity flavor of wampee, giving this familiar festive treat a distinct local flavor.
(Photo: Yunfu Converged Media Center)
Author | Huang Xinying
Poster | Lai Meiya
