Beijing-style pastries are a flavor that old Beijing natives cannot do without during festivals. As Mid-Autumn Festival arrives, all kinds of mooncakes are displayed on the counters of Beijing's time-honored brands, and beside the veteran pastry masters, there is now an "iron-clad apprentice." Click the video to watch alongside the reporter as the old master teaches a robot to make Beijing-style mooncakes together.

The method for making a single Beijing-style ticheng mooncake, specifically the ticheng bazhen mooncake, involves six steps: boiling syrup, making the dough, preparing the filling, shaping the balls, pressing into molds, and baking. It may not look difficult, but every step has its own intricacies. The robot "apprentice" has taken up its post, pouring ingredients, mixing fillings, pressing molds, brushing egg wash... This little robot apprentice learns quickly and never slacks off. The master says its "hand strength" still needs some polishing.

Beijing-style pastries represent the taste of old Beijing. With a long history and many varieties, represented by the "Beijing Eight Pieces," the jujube flower pastry requires hand-twisting more than a dozen petals, and the ox-tongue pastry's flaky crust crumbles at a touch. The same goes for Beijing-style mooncakes. The fanmao mooncake has a neat crust with rich layers, while the zilaihong and zilaibai mooncakes have a crispy crust and a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

A robot can help, but the craft must be passed down by people. Robots can assist in making mooncakes, but the craftsmanship still relies on people to carry it forward. Those who make mooncakes hold the idea of reunion in their hearts, so that those who eat them can taste the flavor of reunion.