Chou Wan-Chen Bakery Introduction
During the prosperous mining era, the Zhou Wanzhen Cake Shop on Shifen Street experienced booming business. Locals would purchase cakes for weddings, funerals, celebrations, religious ceremonies, or daily consumption from Zhou Wanzhen. In an era when the average daily wage was only around 70 TWD, Zhou Wanzhen could achieve daily sales exceeding 1,000 TWD. Many even bought in bulk from the shop to sell elsewhere. However, with the introduction of Western pastries to Taiwan, the traditional cake industry faced significant challenges. Zhou Wanzhen Cake Shop encountered even greater difficulties as mining declined, leading to a mass migration of the population from the Pingxi District, where the population was four to five times greater during its peak. After 1986, Zhou Wanzhen had to gradually transform into a general grocery store. Nevertheless, the shop still sells traditional Pingxi cakes (traditional moon cakes) and golden flaky pastries (offerings). With the development of tourism along the Pingxi branch line, Zhou Wanzhen Cake Shop has experienced a revival. Young people visiting Pingxi to release sky lanterns also remember to stop by Zhou Wanzhen to savor the traditional pastries. Currently, the shop produces several types of traditional cakes, including improved large cakes, golden flaky dumplings, curry pastries, mung bean cakes, and popping cakes. The aroma of freshly baked goods straight out of the oven is the most enticing moment.
