Singaporebrides | Weddings 101

August 2020

The Beautiful History Behind Chinese Traditional Wedding Pastries, Xi Bing

By

Chinese traditional pastries meant for weddings, otherwise known 喜饼, are one of the items given to the bride’s family during the Guo Da Li ceremony. While these traditional pastries were common and popular during our parents and grandparents’ time, it is a different story today.

Chinese traditional pastries are a cultural treat that the younger generation may not familiar with and are likely to be at a loss when it comes to finding places that still offer these traditional pastries for their wedding needs. To re-introduce and educate our modern couples on this traditional treat, we present a brief history of Chinese traditional pastries and the role it plays in a Chinese wedding. We’ve also included a list of shops known for selling these pastries for weddings to help you along with your Guo Da Li needs.

What are Chinese Traditional Wedding Pastries

Image by SingaporeBrides

Chinese traditional pastries comes in many shapes, sizes, taste and form. The word “pastry” is used here in a generic sense, referring to the many varieties of this Chinese traditional treat. They can be referred to as a biscuit (饼 or 酥) or a cake (糕), and can be sweet or savoury, baked or steamed.

Chinese traditional pastries are usually stuffed with lotus, red or green bean paste and nuts, and can be used for a variety of occasions other than weddings. Traditional motifs such as the characters 囍 (double happiness) or 福 (luck) are printed on the pastries to indicate which occasion they are for. When used for weddings, these pastries are then known as 喜饼, or Xi Bing. There are many types of xi bing, such as Gong Tang (贡糖), Ruan Tang (软糖), Peanut Brittle (花生糖), Long Feng Bing (龙凤饼) and Sweet Bean Paste (豆沙饼). Which xi bing you need for your Guo Da Li depends on your bride’s family dialect group. If you’re unsure, you can always seek advice from the shop and they will help you.

The Significance Behind Xi Bing (喜饼)

Image by SingaporeBrides

Xi Bings are one of the items given to the bride’s family during the Guo Da Li ceremony. More than just a set of pastries to be given away, it is symbolic of the groom’s gratitude to the bride’s parents for having raised and taken care of her over the years and serves as an announcement of the couple’s marriage. It is given to the bride’s relatives and friends to share and spread the joy of the two families’ union and the couple’s upcoming nuptials.

How many boxes of xi bing you need depends on the number of people you intend to gift it to. Usually, you include your relatives, your parents’ friends and colleagues, your friends and colleagues, and the number of boxes you intend to return to the groom during the Hui Li into the count. Try to order a few boxes more than what you need to ensure that everyone gets a box, just in case you left someone out during your counting.

When To Order and Deliver Xi Bing (喜饼)

Start ordering your xi bing about 3 months before your Guo Da Li ceremony to allow the baker sufficient time to prepare the amount of xi bing you need and to accommodate any unforeseen delays. Check on your order again 3 weeks before your ceremony to ensure that everything is prepared and finalise collection details.

Most couples choose to deliver the boxes of xi bing to the bride’s relatives on the day of the Guo Da Li ceremony, or the day after. Some couples, however, opt to gift them as wedding favours to be given out to their guests on their wedding day, like Flavour Favours’s Petite boxes.

A Xi Bing (喜饼) Taboo

Image by SingaporeBrides

As tempted as you may be, sinking your teeth into a piece (or more) of xi bing is probably not a good idea. There is a saying that if a bride consume any of the xi bing used for the Guo Da Li ceremony, it is equivalent to eating away at her own happiness. As a result of biting off the rounded edges of a xi bing, she will not have a fulfilling (圓滿) marriage. Supposedly, it is also symbolic of her living off her husband and family, which may lead to feelings of resentment and discord in the family. While these sayings may not have any real proof to them, there is no harm in abiding by them, even if you aren’t a superstitious bride. Just buy some home for your own consumption when you are shopping for xi bing if you really feel like eating some!

Where To Get Xi Bing (喜饼)

Whether you are searching for traditional Chinese pastries to gift your older relatives or looking for other alternatives such as kueh, mini cakes or tarts as xi bing for the rest of your family and friends, we’ve saved you the trouble and put together a list of places you can go to for your xi bing needs.

Traditional Chinese Pastries

  1. Gin Thye

    Address: 427 Sembawang Road S(758394)
    Contact Number: 6257 1566 / 6758 3742
    Opening Hours: 8am-8pm (Mon – Sat) / 8am-3pm (Sun & Public Holidays)
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/ginthye.1964
    Instagram: @ginthyesg

  2. Homies Bakery


    Address: 218 Sumang Walk #01-07 Punggol, Singapore (821217)
    Contact Number: 9885 1559
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/homiesbakerysg
    Instagram: @homiesbakerysg

  3. Neo Kian Guan Confectionery

    Address: Blk 7 Hougang Ave 3 #01-50 Singapore 530007
    Contact Number: 6382 4352
    Opening Hours: 8am-6pm (Mon-Sat) ; Sundays closed.
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/kianguanconfectionery.neo

  4. Ng Lee Kim Confectionery

    Address: 4 Chun Tin Road, Singapore 599591
    Contact Number: 6466 3515

  5. Poh Guan Bakery

    Address: 531 Upper Cross Street, Hong Lim Complex, #01-57 , S(050531)
    Contact Number: 6534 0136
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/category/Company/Poh-Guan-Cake-House

  6. Tai Chong Kok

    Address: 34 Sago Street S(059026) / 3 other outlets in Ubi, Westgate and Northpoint City
    Email: [email protected]
    Contact Number: 6227 5701
    Opening Hours: 9.30am-6pm (Monday) / 9.30am-8pm (Tuesday-Sunday)
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/taichongkok
    Instagram: @taichongkok

  7. Tai Thong Cake Shop

    Address: 35 Mosque Street, S(059513)
    Contact Number: 6223 2905
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Tai-Thong-Cake-Shop

  8. Tan Hock Seng Cake Shop

    Address: 86 Telok Ayer Street #01-01 S(048469) (Round the corner of Far East Square/China Square Central)
    Contact Number: +65 6533 1798

  9. Tong Heng Pastries


    Address: 285 South Bridge Road S(058833) / 1 Jurong West Central 2, Jurong Point, #B1-10 S(648886)
    Email: [email protected]
    Contact Number: 6223 3549 (South Bridge Road) / 6794 6292 (Jurong Point)
    Opening Hours: 9am-6pm daily (South Bridge Road) / 9.30am-8.30pm daily (Jurong Point)
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/tongheng.sg
    Instagram: @tonghengsg

  10. Thye Lee Confectionery

    Address: 108 Hougang Avenue 1, S(530108)
    Contact Number: +65 6288 9514

  11. Thye Moh Chan

    Happiness Set, $18.80.Image by SingaporeBrides

    Address: 78 Airport Boulevard, #B2-231, Jewel Changi, S(819666) / 133 New Bridge Road, #01-45, Chinatown Point, S(059413) / 290 Orchard Road, #B1-12, Paragon, S(238859)
    Contact Number: 6604 8858 (Chinatown Point) / 6732 8858 (Paragon)
    Opening Hours: 10am-10pm (Jewel Changi) / 11am-9pm (Chinatown Point) / 11am-9pm (Paragon)
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/thyemohchansingapore
    Instagram: @thyemohchan

Kueh, Cakes, Tarts, and Other Alternatives

  1. Bengawan Solo

    Address: 18 outlets located islandwide, including ION Orchard, Raffles City, United Square and Northpoint City
    Email: [email protected]
    Contact Number: +65 6756 9088
    Opening Hours: 10am-9pm for most outlets
    Instagram: @bengawansolocake

  2. Bloomsburybakers


    Website: bloomsburybakers.com
    Email: [email protected]
    Instagram: @bloomsburybakers

  3. Celebox

    Website: celebox.com.sg
    Address: 1 Enterprise Road Singapore (629813)
    Contact Number: +65 6235 2281
    Opening Hours: 8am-5pm (Mon-Sat) / 11am-2pm (Sun)
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/celeboxsg
    Instagram: celeboxsg
    Email: [email protected]

  4. Creme Maison Bakery


    Address: 30 Tai Seng Street #08-03C S(534013) (Pick-up only)
    Email: [email protected]
    WhatsApp: 81813689
    Opening Hours: 9am-5pm (Mon, Wed-Sat) / 10am-1pm (Sun) / Closed on Tuesdays
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/crememaisonsg
    Instagram: @crememaisonbakery

  5. Fancy Delight


    Email: [email protected]
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/fancydelight
    Instagram: @fancydelight_sg

  6. Goobycakes


    Address: 30 Tai Seng Street #08-03C S(534013) (Pick-up only)
    WhatsApp: 97482420
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/goobycakes
    Instagram: @goobycakes_singapore

  7. iCakes

    Email: [email protected]
    Contact Number: +65 6386 6666 / +65 8809 6696 (SMS or WhatsApp)
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/icakesenterprisegroup
    Instagram: @icakes.sg

  8. Keong Saik Bakery

    Email: [email protected]
    Contact Number: +65 90219626 (Bendemeer Rd) / +65 91458891 (Chip Bee Gardens)
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keongsaikbakery/
    Instagram: @keongsaikbakery

  9. Le Cafe Confectionery & Pastry


    Address: 31/33 Mackenzie Road #01-01 S(228686) (Main) / 637 Veerasamy Road #01-111 S(200637) (Branch)
    Contact Number: 6337 2417 (Main) / 6294 8813 (Branch)
    Opening Hours: Main – 10.30am-6.45pm (Mon-Sat) / 10.30am-4pm (Sun & PH) ; Branch – 1-4.30pm (Mon-Sat) / 1pm-4pm (Sun & PH)
    Instagram: @lecafe_sg

  10. Out Of The Cake Box


    Address: 45 Telok Blangah Drive #01-173 S(100045)
    Email: [email protected]
    Contact Number: 6271 1975
    Opening Hours: 12-8.30pm (Tues-Sat) / 10am-5pm (Sun & PH) / Closed on Mondays
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/outofthecakebox
    Instagram: @outofthecakebox

  11. Pine Garden’s Cake

    The Premium Cake Set, $15.20/box. Image courtesy of Pine Garden’s Cake

    Address: Main – Blk 529 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10 #01-2329 Singapore 560529 | Tel: 6456 3552 8.30am to 9.30pm (Closed on Fri) / 3 Kiosk outlets located in Ang Mo Kio, Tampines and Yishun
    Email: [email protected]
    Contact Number: 6457 6159
    Opening Hours: 9.30am-6.30pm (Mon-Fri) / 9.30am-2pm (Sat)
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/pgcake
    Instagram: @pgcake

  12. Pulse Patisserie

    Image taken from www.pulsepatisserie.com

    Address: 180 Depot Road, #01-06,The Interlace, Singapore(109684)
    Email: [email protected]
    Contact Number: 6262 0143
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/pulsepatisserie
    Instagram: @pulsepatisserie

  13. Rachelrax Cakes

    Their delectable and exquisite tarts will be the perfect gift for your relatives. With a wide variety of flavours to choose from – such as Lemon Meringue, Speculoos Cookie, Sea Salt Dark Chocolate & Lychee Rose Boba, your recipients will be elated to receive them. They have specially sourced wedding packaging that fits 6, 8, 16 mini tarts or 4 large tarts, which can suit any budget that you have.

    Book an appointment with us to view their range of wedding packaging and learn more about their packages!

    Exclusively for SingaporeBrides’s readers, quote “SingaporeBrides” when enquiring/ordering to get $50 off your order! (Min. spend of $500)

    Address: 12 Lim Tua Tow Road, Singapore 547735
    Email: [email protected]
    Contact Number: 6988 0536
    Opening Hours: Thu & Fri 12 – 7pm, Sat & Sun 12 – 6pm (Closed Mon – Wed)
    Facebook: rachelraxcakes
    Instagram: @rachelrax
    Services provided: Wedding Favour, Guo Da Li Pastries, Dessert Table
    Rates: Wedding Favours: From $5.00 – $14.20 | Guo Da Li: From $17 – $36 |Dessert Table: From $788 – $1748

  14. Swee Heng Bakery

    Address: 16 Senoko Ave, Swee Heng Bakery, S(758306) (HQ) / Many outlets located island-wide, including Tampines, Ang Mo Kio, Chua Chu Kang and Geyland Bahru
    Email: [email protected]
    Contact Number: 6755 0300 (HQ)
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/sweehengbakery
    Instagram: @sweehengsg

  15. Sweetest Moments


    Address: 30 Tai Seng Street #08-05, BreadTalk IHQ, S(534013)
    Email: [email protected]
    Contact Number: +65 6286 2553
    Opening Hours: 9am-5pm (Mon-Sun) / 9am-1pm (Public Holidays)
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sweetest.Moments.sg
    Instagram: @sweetestmomentssg

    16. Read what you need to know about the Chinese betrothal ceremony, Guo Da Li to learn what you need to do for your betrothal ceremony!

    Credits: Feature Image by SingaporeBrides.

    All content from this article, including images, cannot be reproduced without credits or written permission from SingaporeBrides.

    Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram for the latest article and promotion updates!

The Beautiful History Behind Chinese Traditional Wedding Pastries, Xi Bing