The nickname of Guo Zhizhong was “Guo Ba,” hence the locals referred to his bakery as “Guo Ba Huoshao Shop.”
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NameGuo Ba Huoshao
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CategorySpecialty Cuisine
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OriginHebei Province – Handan City – Daming County
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TypeFamous Snack of Daming County, Hebei Province
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Renowned AreaBorder Region of Hebei, Shandong, and Henan Provinces
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FounderGuo Zhizhong, nicknamed “Guo Ba”
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Establishment YearTwenty-first year of the Guangxu Period (1887)
“Guo Ba Huoshao” has a long history. The founder, Guo Zhizhong, was originally from Dahandaocun Village in the west of Daming City and had learned the craft in Beijing (previously known as Shuntian Prefecture). In the twenty-first year of the Guangxu Period, that is, 1887, he returned to Daming and opened a bakery. As he had learned the craft in Shuntian Prefecture, he chose the character “Tian” for his shop name and also hoped for prosperity, so he chose “Xing.” Therefore, he named his shop “Tianxing Huoshao Shop.” Guo Zhizhong's nickname was “Guo Ba,” so the locals called his bakery “Guo Ba Huoshao Shop.”
Later, Guo Zhizhong's three sons—Guo Rui, Guo Lian, and Guo Jun—inherited their father's business and continued operating the bakery. Guo Rui's courtesy name was Zhaoxiang, Guo Lian's was Huapin, and Guo Jun's was Meizhai. In 1947, the three brothers took one character from each of their courtesy names and changed the shop's name to “Xianghua Zhai Huoshao Shop.” Despite the name change, due to long-standing habits, the name “Guo Ba Huoshao” remained widely known.
“Guo Ba Huoshao” uses a full range of ingredients and is made with great care. For ten pounds of flour, half a pound of sesame oil, seven and a half taels of fragrant oil, an appropriate amount of Sichuan pepper, cumin, and salt are used. The process: first, mix three parts of the flour with boiling water, then use lukewarm water to knead it into a dough ball. Roll the dough thin, add the ingredients, roll it up, and shape it into a thick round flatbread. Place it on a stove grid and bake while flipping, brushing it with oil as you go. After six minutes, when both sides are golden yellow, it is done. “Guo Ba Huoshao” has a unique flavor, many thin layers (each piece typically has between twenty-five and thirty layers), and a bright golden color resembling a pomegranate. It is crispy outside and chewy inside, with a delicious aroma that tempts the palate. After the public-private partnership in 1956, they worked in the canteen, refining their craft and maintaining the traditional flavor of “Guo Ba Huoshao.”
In 1965, Chairman Li Xian念 inspected Daming and tasted “Guo Ba Huoshao”; in 1966, when Premier Zhou Enlai visited Daming, he also tasted “Guo Ba Huoshao” and met with Guo Rui, praising his baking skills. Premier Zhou said, “Old Guo, your huoshao is excellent! I ate one and a half, thank you.”
Guo Rui's son, Guo Dianchen, learned the craft from a young age. Now, he carries on the family tradition and has taken over “Shitianxing Huoshao Shop.” He is open-minded and innovative, breaking the family rule of not teaching the craft to outsiders. Not only does he allow his children to learn the craft, but he also teaches apprentices who come from places like Shijiazhuang and Weixian, and he has trained several female staff members for the county catering service company. Those he has trained can now work independently. Due to the fame of “Guo Ba Huoshao,” Guo Dianchen's business has thrived since taking over, with greatly improved economic returns. In 1985, he could make huoshao using two hundred pounds of flour daily, with annual sales exceeding 25,000 yuan. As people's living standards have risen, more and more people eat “Guo Ba Huoshao,” especially at banquets where it is often served as the main dish.